Croatia CROATIA 2021 - Albina - Tick-Tock

[escYOUnited]

Tried to fix the broken pieces, now I'm leaving
But you made it loud and clear I’m not enough
Tried to fool me more than once to keep me dreaming
'Cause you knew the truth would tear us apart

If you pull me down then I'll come around
And rise up to come show you who I am
I feel fire inside, my heart’s desire
I'm breaking free from you

Tick-tock, watch the days go
I'm losing track of time
Lost in your playzone
Don't overcomplicate
Now we're in warzone
You're screaming, "Oh no, oh no, oh no"

Tick-tock, I'll take you dancing
In time wе might break
You think you're fancy
I play those gamеs my way and you’ll be beggin’
"Please baby, don't go, don’t go, don't go"

I hear those voices from far away
They help me to escape (Escape)
I found myself and I'm finally free from
Your bad love in every strength

Tick-tock, watch the days go
I'm losing track of time
Lost in your playzone
Don’t overcomplicate
Now we're in warzone
You're screaming, "Oh no, oh no, oh no"

Dancin', dancin'
Think you, think you fancy
Tick-tock
Don't go, don't go, don't go

I hear those voices from far away
They help me to escape (Escape)
I found myself and I'm finally free from
Your bad love in every strength

Tick-tock, vrijeme curi, gdje si više
Usne grizem, sama jedva dišem
Tick-tock vrijeme juri ne mogu više
Oh no, oh no

Tick-tock, I'll take you dancing
In time we might break
You think you're fancy
I play those games my way and you'll be beggin'
"Please baby, don't go, don't go, don't go"

Dancin', dancin'
Think you, think you fancy
Tick-tock
Don't go, don't go, don't go​

 

[empo21]

I'm still failing to catch the hype of this song. Nowhere near as catchy and nowhere near as memorable as the other uptempo songs.

Them Xtina runs at every chorus needs to go

 

[hunty73]

I'm still failing to catch the hype of this song. Nowhere near as catchy and nowhere near as memorable as the other uptempo songs.

Them Xtina runs at every chorus needs to go

Its funny how people have different opinions on songs as i think this is easily the best up-tempo song of the year.What helps as well is that Albina is very very talented live so that makes staging this much easier.Cyprus for instance have a problem in that Elena is a poor singer,though they should be able to hide that with pre recorded backing vocals.Fascinating year for lots of reasons.

 

[A-lister]

A-lister's review:

Out of all the "bops" this year, this surely is one of the weakest and most bland ones. I would have preferred it to be all in Croatian, as the entry actually picks up a bit in the shorter Croatian part and the language fits better and adds some dynamics to it. With that said, it's not really a bad song, it's just bland and forgettable and for an uptempo entry that isn't the best grade in my book. This is a top. 30 for me.

 

[hijirio]

This one really stands out in the recap!!!
Upgrading to

 

[Euterpa]

A-lister's review:

Out of all the "bops" this year, this surely is one of the weakest and most bland ones. I would have preferred it to be all in Croatian, as the entry actually picks up a bit in the shorter Croatian part and the language fits better and adds some dynamics to it. With that said, it's not really a bad song, it's just bland and forgettable and for an uptempo entry that isn't the best grade in my book. This is a top. 30 for me.

I think people say this because it's not loud and in-your-face, but many people actually prefer that.

As for Croatian, I can confirm as a native speaker that while that Croatian part sounds awesome, the rest of the Croatian lyrics aren't as strong. The Croatian lyrics don't follow the rhythm that well, some lines feel rushed (one too many syllables so she has to sing faster in order to be able to pronounce the whole line on time), and are also weaker overall. Weaker storytelling + the story itself is almost the opposite of the English lyrics and not as likeable.

In fact, there was a poll in one of the biggest Croatian web portals and people could vote which version they like the best - full Croatian one, full English one, or the English one with the Croatian chorus. 65% of votes was for the English-Croatian version. This is saying a lot because Croats usually prefer when the lyrics are in Croatian, by far. I get that some people (would) prefer the full Croatian version, but a significant majority prefers this version she performed in Dora so I really believe she made the right choice. Those who say "the song is ok but I prefer it in Croatian" won't vote for her anyway, no matter what she does, so...

 

[Iker]

This one really stands out in the recap!!!
Upgrading to

I agree. The song sounds vaguely Kylie Minogue-like and I am loving it as I really like Kylie.

The only thing I would change is her & dancers outfits but I have no idea what it could be, Dora ones gives me mild Junior Eurovision vibes, lol.

 

[hijirio]

I agree. The song sounds vaguely Kylie Minogue-like and I am loving it as I really like Kylie.

The only thing I would change is her & dancers outfits but I have no idea what it could be, Dora ones gives me mild Junior Eurovision vibes, lol.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
couldn't agree more. i think she toned down the dress in DORA, maybe because it's a bit of a traditional show? her dresses in the music video are muchhhhhhh better and lift up the song with rather mature sexy girl vibes, and i think she'll go for that look on ESC stage too.

 

[Iker]

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
couldn't agree more. i think she toned down the dress in DORA, maybe because it's a bit of a traditional show? her dresses in the music video are muchhhhhhh better and lift up the song with rather mature sexy girl vibes, and i think she'll go for that look on ESC stage too.

I hate those dungarees or whatever that was, ugh. She needs something more chic and less gardener-realness.

 

[A-lister]

I think people say this because it's not loud and in-your-face, but many people actually prefer that.

As for Croatian, I can confirm as a native speaker that while that Croatian part sounds awesome, the rest of the Croatian lyrics aren't as strong. The Croatian lyrics don't follow the rhythm that well, some lines feel rushed (one too many syllables so she has to sing faster in order to be able to pronounce the whole line on time), and are also weaker overall. Weaker storytelling + the story itself is almost the opposite of the English lyrics and not as likeable.

In fact, there was a poll in one of the biggest Croatian web portals and people could vote which version they like the best - full Croatian one, full English one, or the English one with the Croatian chorus. 65% of votes was for the English-Croatian version. This is saying a lot because Croats usually prefer when the lyrics are in Croatian, by far. I get that some people (would) prefer the full Croatian version, but a significant majority prefers this version she performed in Dora so I really believe she made the right choice. Those who say "the song is ok but I prefer it in Croatian" won't vote for her anyway, no matter what she does, so...

I mean I can get that, I also think sometimes "less is more", but unfortunately in this case it ends up being a bit bland and basic to me and a bit undercooked and lazy melody-wise. Now, I don't think the song is bad per se, it's obviously no favorite of mine but I find it ok, but it doesn't leave an impression either.

It's interesting what you say about the language (although as far as lyrics go, for a non-speaker it obviously doesn't matter that much), I need to take a closer look on the fully Croatian one to compare the flow however, but in the ESC version the Croatian part really stands out to me and is the best part of the song. Maybe they could have simply kept the chorus throughout the song in Croatian then? Now it's very limited unfortunately.

 

[RevNet]

THE GOOD:

• Good, if wavering, vocals.
• The beat is good, too.

THE INDIFFERENT:

• The lyrics are a bit unclear. I just feel like with some slight changes in them, this could be a better song.

THE BAD:

• She tends to sing younger than she looks if that makes sense.
• It doesn't have a big-enough ending for me.

THE VERDICT:

This is a good song from Croatia. The beat is good and the vocals are good, too. It could be better, though, and I think it will be better come performance time. I see this song in the Final, but it might not win. 8 points

 

[choda]

It is in Serb-Croatian, but subtitles are coming in a couple of days

 

[VikingTiger]

I think my first comment to this was that Tick Tock might be my guilty pleasure this year. It turns out I was right... This still pleases me a lot! And this is the female 2021 bop I keep finding myself humming or singing when in the shower, out walking etc. And this is the case even though I also really enjoy other similar bops like Greece, Cyprus, Moldova, San Marino, Azerbaijan (although the last has faded in my ears)...

 

[crashworld]

Interesting that Toma recorded a Croatian version of "Ocean of Love". I really enjoy the English version and wouldn't mind it actually win.

 

[revallsay]

Albina - Tick-Tock - Croatia

The verses are OK, but the chorus ruins this song for me, I like the small part in Croatian, there should be a bigger part in Chroatian.

4/12

 

[Euterpa]

I think my first comment to this was that Tick Tock might be my guilty pleasure this year. It turns out I was right... This still pleases me a lot! And this is the female 2021 bop I keep finding myself humming or singing when in the shower, out walking etc. And this is the case even though I also really enjoy other similar bops like Greece, Cyprus, Moldova, San Marino, Azerbaijan (although the last has faded in my ears)...

I'm looking forward to your next step...removing the guilty and just pleasure remaining.

 

[Euterpa]

Some updates:

Albina in the following line-ups:
- Concert in the Dark hosted by Eurovoix (April 21, 21:00 CET)
- Adriatic Pre-Party hosted by the Croatian Eurovision Club for the first time (May 1, 21:00 CET)
- Wiwijam (May 19)

Albina is taking over Eurovision's Instagram tomorrow. Marvin Dietmann arrived to Zagreb and is working with the Croatian delegation.

I'm seeing all these different versions of the entries on Eurovision's channel and I wonder what Albina will do next...She already made an acoustic version and jazz version of the song. Maybe she'll just send one of those?

 

[Mimmon]

ESCBEAT'S TEAM REVIEW TO CROATIAN ENTRY

 

[Euterpa]

ESCBEAT'S TEAM REVIEW TO CROATIAN ENTRY

People need to stop rating songs based on what country they are from and based on their expectations from a country - and start rating songs based on SONGS. We'd been sending Balkan/Croatian sound and it got us nowhere ever since 2000s. When we sent Divlji vjetre everyone was like "oh another typical Croatian ballad, we don't want it Croatia, we wanted Indira with a BOP!" Now we sent a BOP (with the same composer as Indira's song in 2020, even!) and those same people are like "oh another generic song, we don't want it Croatia, we wanted your Balkan sound!" We can just never win with eurofans. Was Heroes (Sweden 2015) something very Swedish and special? Was Arcade something very Dutch? NO! Yet you adore Arcade. So cut with this nonsense of double standards. I'm tired.

Also, Croatian music is not VERY diversed, but it does have a bit more diversity than just what eurofans call "balkan songs". Just because we'd been sending songs like that a lot, doesn't mean our music is just that. In the 90's when we were getting our best ESC results with ballads, the dominant genre in Croatia was actually disco. But you wouldn't know anything about that, would you? Because Croatia is seen only through those Eurovision glasses with stereotypical expectations.

And if this reply sounds like I'm mad, that's because I am and I'm not even ashamed of it. I know we haven't been sending the best songs in quite a few years, but Croatia really deserves a better treatment than this.

 

[Mimmon]

People need to stop rating songs based on what country they are from and based on their expecations from a country - and start rating songs based on SONGS. We'd been sending Balkan/Croatian sound and it got us nowhere ever since 2000s. When we sent Divlji vjetre everyone was like "oh another typical Croatian ballad, we don't want it Croatia, we wanted Indira with a BOP!" Now we sent a BOP (with the same composer as Indira's song in 2020, even!) and those same people are like "oh another generic song, we don't want it Croatia, we wanted your Balkan sound!" We can just never win with eurofans. Was Heroes (Sweden 2015) something very Swedish and special? Was Arcade something very Dutch? NO! Yet you adore Arcade. So cut with this nonsense of double standards. I'm tired.

Also, Croatian music is not VERY diversed, but it does have a bit more diversity than just what eurofans call "balkan songs". Just because we'd been sending songs like that a lot, doesn't mean our music is just that. In the 90's when we were getting our best ESC results with ballads, the dominant genre in Croatia was actually disco. But you wouldn't know anything about that, would you? Because Croatia is seen only through those Eurovision glasses with stereotypical expectations.

And if this reply sounds like I'm mad, that's because I am and I'm not even ashamed of it. I know we haven't been sending the best songs in quite a few years, but Croatia really deserves a better treatment than this.

I been preparing yesterday for Battle of the years and I released that Croatia is very underrated by fandom including me and I understand what you saying because you never please the fandom with perfect way.....

Also I understand I critized the Tick Tock because I never got the hype about this song and its nothing special.Im sure Albina is fantastic singer.

 

[ekzuu]

Thank god Croatia switched it up this year... I think it's the first song I love from Croatia. At least I don't remember any other that I would have put in my top 10. "Crazy" was good but lacked the "oomph". Ethnic sounds are good once in a while, but they should also have some fresh note then or something distincitve and you can't surprise neither fans nor viewers if you send songs like this all the time.

And pop and dance songs can also be ethnic and have ethnic elements. It's not like you need to send some samey ballads or superethno things all the time to be "ethnic". In my mind if the songwriter is from that country, if the singer is from that country it's already a little ethnic as it's natural for the country, it reflects small portion of the country's creativity. And that creativity is not one-sided, it has many faces and you should also bring that to Eurovision. I believe Croatia is a normal country with many many different genres and approaches, why should they only send one perspective of this each and every year?? As it actually doesn't represent their country fully.

This year's Dora also had other great options (Mia, Bernarda, I even like Ella's song) so you can be proud and I'm hopeful you continue in similar vein in the future... bringin us the varierity, but also modernity, because you clearly can do it. That doesn't mean that some year you again couldn't send some ethnic power ballad... ultimately it's up to Croatians