escYOUnited
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Croatia CROATIA 2021 - Albina - Tick-Tock
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Mimmon
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Basically a person left a nasty comment under the review....
Euterpa
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I believe this was me... I'm sorry if what I said made you feel this way, that wasn't my intention at all. Maybe I should have waited a bit to cool off before I wrote that comment. What I wrote wasn't directed personally at you, there are other reviewers and eurofans who rank Croatia low (just) because we didn't send a song that sounds "Croatian enough".
But I do stand by what I said, the main point. I wish that what is Croatian sound and what isn't Croatian sound wasn't judged based on ~10 songs we sent to Eurovision. Especially because even singers that did incorporate ethnic elements in their entries (like Boris Novković with Vukovi umiru sami) - don't have those elements in their other songs. It's actually not something we do. We either have ethnic songs or pop songs, we don't tend to mix them...except those few times for Eurovision.
Some of my favourite Croatian songs through the decades are these:
Singers who represented us with ballads do have a lot of uptempo songs without much of a Balkan sound in them. Besides, Tick-Tock has a Croatian team of authors behind it (unlike many other countries who buy their ethnic sounds from Swedes and the Dutch...). Even Max Cinnamon has Croatian citizenship (his mother is from Karlovac, Croatia).
It's maybe also worth mentioning that the most loved Eurovision song among eurofans that Croatia has ever sent is Hajde da ludujemo (under Yugoslavia, but still...it was TV Zagreb's representative) and Yugoslavia won with a Croatian band which sang another bop - Rock Me Baby.
There's also something in the fact I'm talking mostly about old songs... Croatian music has been stuck in time for too long so this is a welcome change for us. Our scene is desperate for young people who will bring something fresh.
To conclude...it didn't bother me that your channel's team didn't like Tick-Tock, it bothered me that what we used to send was set as some kind of criteria of what classifies as Croatian and what we are allowed to send. I apologise once more...the last thing I want is that someone feels bad because of me. I'd just want for people to #OpenUp to a range of sounds that Croatia can bring to the contest.
Mimmon
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Its okay mate everyone has diffrent opinions,also I really enjoyed those 3 songs you posted... no idea I really liked Croatian golden era songs. Also Rock Me Baby is one of my favourite songs..... I understand the frustration and I understand it.... Its difficult to please people with stuff.... In my personal opinion Croatia is very underated country in Eurovision.
Croatia's song is for me actually the biggest grower this year since it was released. When I first heard it, I really didn't like it at all. Maybe - I have to admit - I was a little disappointed that Nina didn't make it. So I gave Albina 2 pts in the beginning. But I have upgraded to 7 pts by now. I like it mor than the other "bops" such as from S. Marino, Serbia or Cyprus. I haven't given up hope that Albina may qualify in the semi. 
PollyWantsACracker
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As a Croat, I agree with Mimmon that our song could have been much better, but on the other side it is trully not worse than other bops such as Cyprus or San Marino or Serbia who gained more preference and favourable treatment among the bloggers and reviewers.
One of the main objections is that it is repetitive, on the other side, in El Diablo she repeats the chorus and the bridge so many times that at one point I simply click the skip to the next video because it is unbearable.
Then they say it is not original and brings nothing new (it actually does as it is modern revamp of the 90's disco era), whereas Cyprus is a copy paste of Lady Gaga and Adrenalina is just like any Spanish-speaking bop we heard coming from the Latin America in these past years.
Then they don't like the Oh no Oh no part, but on the other side nobody minds Malta's screaming bridge.
So in the end, yeah, this is a bop no better than the others, but it is still more original than other bops who on the contrary gained better support.
Simply because it is a song from Croatia, and nobody expects the juries will ever stand for Croatia over e.g. Sweden. So reviewers and people side for the safest option.
Nevermind, came for another thing.
You are all here Britney Spears fans, and you would never guess which one this year ESC contestants is the biggest fan and stan of Britney...
Hahhaha, I told you, you'd never guess.
One of the main objections is that it is repetitive, on the other side, in El Diablo she repeats the chorus and the bridge so many times that at one point I simply click the skip to the next video because it is unbearable.
Then they say it is not original and brings nothing new (it actually does as it is modern revamp of the 90's disco era), whereas Cyprus is a copy paste of Lady Gaga and Adrenalina is just like any Spanish-speaking bop we heard coming from the Latin America in these past years.
Then they don't like the Oh no Oh no part, but on the other side nobody minds Malta's screaming bridge.
So in the end, yeah, this is a bop no better than the others, but it is still more original than other bops who on the contrary gained better support.
Simply because it is a song from Croatia, and nobody expects the juries will ever stand for Croatia over e.g. Sweden. So reviewers and people side for the safest option.
Nevermind, came for another thing.
You are all here Britney Spears fans, and you would never guess which one this year ESC contestants is the biggest fan and stan of Britney...
Hahhaha, I told you, you'd never guess.
PollyWantsACracker
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I knew a French would like this hahaha.
This was an amazing entry, Maja Blagdan was very popular back in the 90's.
IMO the best Croatian entry was Doris Dragovic's Mary Magdalene performed in Israel. It would have won if it wasn't santioned with negative points for prerecorded back vocals. Not that Doris needed those, but they were necessary for the refrain in that particular song.
However you will not find this type of songs such as Maja Blagan's in Croatian modern discography. Lately it has been influenced by the Voice bland western pop tenedency or Serbian folk music.
I would like you to separate some time to see what the Croats really listen to, we don't listen to the type of music we usually send to the ESC.
First, in the genre Pop, lately are the most successful
Jelena Rozga (though I'm not the fan, but she's an ESC type)
Petar Grašo a legend
Tony Cetinski a legend. He actually participated in Dora this year but was slayed by a rumour made by some ESC bloggers and reviewers that his song is Covidiotic. The song and the lyrics speaking of freedom and egalite, apart him personally being antivaxer, had nothing to do with covid and vaccines. IMO the fans of a specific contestant khm khm made up this rumour and passed it on to the ESC fan reviewers to disqualify him.
Massimo Savić a legend as well
Gibonni, a legend above all, does a specific authentic pop-rock sound. The moment you hear intro you know it's Gibonni
Then the Croats listen to a lot of alternative electro, rock or rap as if it was a normal mainstream music
Parni Valjak must be our record holder rock band on YT
I wish I could translate the full lyrics of this, a line only: "It is not important what's my name, our intentions make difference from a man to a man"
Then our popular metal band Majke
"Tell me God, what's the colour of your skin? Tell me God whether those are all lies they say about you? They say you know it all. Then it must be superb up there with you if you open up the windows of heaven".
Then there's Damir Urban in the electro rock genre, maybe the most original vocal in Croatia
Then Edo Maajka a legend in the rap genre https://youtu.be/pYxJSAn4SrM
And Dino Dvornik in electro-funk dance genre, whose video I published already here.
Also, this is the winner of last Croatian Voice, notice the genre isn't pop
So, except for Rozga (IDT she would ever go to ESC unfortunately) from the beginning of the post, Croatian music is simply not pop and bop enough to compete on ESC. It is quality but intimate music where lyrics are very important to the artists, they don't care for costly post-production that would make a song a bop for masses.
Unlike the ESC, where it is impossible for rock or rap to win, the Croats don't make a difference between genres, even our grandmas know the alternative artists mentioned here, and our national music heroes come from folk to metal and rap, as you can see.
And one more thing you'll notice probably - none of these songs is "a Balkan ballad", something you usually expect from us or Serbia.
SaladBreak
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It's not just him "personally being antivaxer", but also covid-denier being previously one of the organizers of a covid-denier protest called "Festival slobode". Yeah, his song was just by coincidence called "Sloboda je"
And if that wasn't enough, the other singer of the duet being sentenced for domestic violence days before Dora?? They should have withdrew themselves based on this but I guess nope. Also, the song was bad and their outfits comical, so no surprise it flopped.
PollyWantsACracker
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The song itself had nothing to do with his personal opinions on pandemic or protests he was involved in.It's not just him "personally being antivaxer", but also covid-denier being previously one of the organizers of a covid-denier protest called "Festival slobode". Yeah, his song was just by coincidence called "Sloboda je"
And if that wasn't enough, the other singer of the duet being sentenced for domestic violence days before Dora?? They should have withdrew themselves based on this but I guess nope. Also, the song was bad and their outfits comical, so no surprise it flopped.
The lyrics about freedom and in the back on video-wall with the French message egalite-fraternite had nothing to do with pandemic.
It could have been easily assocciated for international audience as a reference to Belarussian political situation, the Navalny protests, a situation in Poland on LGBT rights, any of those.
As about domestic violence accusations against Parni Valjak's lead vocalist son, nobody knew about it and no media has ever reported about it, but the ESC fans. How funny and what a coincidence haha?
Luckily Tony Cetinski has a successful career of 30 yrs, he can pack up any concert hall, no Nina Kraljic or Albina fan can steal that away from him nor amount ever to his success. His songs will always be hits.
But that was not the point of my post, I wanted to speak about Croatian music, and not to slay or defame against artists.
SaladBreak
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Not just an accusation, he was sentenced to a prison sentence for it.
All the media reported about it. And even if they didn't, it doesn't change the fact he threatened to kill his wife...
PollyWantsACracker
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Was he singing about beating up women?
I condemn strongly any type of violence, but I don't think that his conviction has anything to do with his right to do his job - singing.
It is for the audience to outweigh what that means for their support to the artists.
I would easily erase all Michael Jackson videos from YT, but I do still watch Johnny Depp's movies.
So what?
Are you that consistent? Do you listen to M. Jackson, do you watch Woody Allen's movies?
Anyway, the topic of my post was Croatian music, IDK why do I have to discuss Rahimovski's family life and how it is related to the lyrics of the song that I have mentioned?
That's it from me on the irrelevant information placed here.
Apart from the idea of support to individual liberties, the song and stage presence was terrible, let's discuss that.
SaladBreak
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Well I just wanted to correct your claim that it’s thanks to some hateful anti-fans that a certain act was problematic. It’s their acts which made them so, not Albina fans. I would be worried if there was no reaction and everyone was like: “oh, doesn’t matter that this person organises freedom protests in the middle of pandemic and his colleague threatened his wife, lets listen to MUSIC”
But I agree it’s better we not discuss irrelevants singers who haven’t had a popular song in 20 years.
But I agree it’s better we not discuss irrelevants singers who haven’t had a popular song in 20 years.
PollyWantsACracker
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Rahimovski for sure is not relevant to any discography, but Cetinski is not only a Croatian star, but the star at the whole of the Balkans, proven by inviting collaborations with Tose Proeski and Zeljko Joksimovic (ESC Serbia) and Dino Merlin (ESC BiH).
This misinformation you have just given about Cetinski being irrelevant proves what I said, and I said that there were people trolling against him and contestants at Dora implying he should be disqualified.
And those were not Albina's fans (nor have I said that), as Albina is a kind and good person who would never do something like that against her collegaues.
She's proven herself on stage, she doesn't need a grapevine to succeed.
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Euterpa
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While Cetinski certainly isn't irrelevant, calls for disqualification were hardly unjustified. HRT disqualified Siniša Vuco in 2007 over domestic violence accusations. 14 years forward, we have a contestant who is not just accused of domestic violence - but actually convicted and got a conditional discharge. Although in theory, this case was worse than that in 2007, no disqualification happened because the rules didn't say anything about the matter. They couldn't disqualify him over a rule that didn't exist...but if there was some non-conviction rule there, HRT would have been able to do it.
Calls for disqualification were motivated by the media reporting on the issue, they definitely covered it. The story was covered by 24sata, Večernji list, and others.
This is not just a matter of singing, but representing a broadcaster and a country. Sure, no one can or should stop him from singing, writing new songs, selling new albums...but a national broadcaster should totally care about who represents them, if the person is in the conflict with the broadcaster's and the country's values. This is not only important for the reputation of the national broadcaster, but also in the area of social responsibility. Influential people and institutions should be careful when choosing people they cooperate with because that certainly sends a message to people... A brand or an institution having a such representative sends a message that such behaviour is tolerated and not considered as very problematic. I don't think that people who think like me do it because they support an x artist or don't support Tony & Kiki. This isn't about who the artists/contestants are and what we think about their songs, but about what is morally right and a responsible thing to do in the specific situation.
PollyWantsACracker
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I don't know how I ended up in this domestic violence story after referring to the fact that the lyrics themselves were not promoting anti-pandemic covidiotism. My initial comment was exclusively limited to that!
Family violence is a serious problem and what was accomplished by this discussion is to portray Cetinski, who was married several times without any recorded incident with any of his wifes, as a suporter of family violence only because he collaborated with Rahimovski.
It's trully unfair to do such a thing to a man whose biggest controversy in his 3 decade career was blasting Jacques in Voice jury from time to time.
I don't know whether you realize how unjust that is towards Cetinski who had a succesful career without a stain. Till the moment he applied for Dora obviously.
This unnecessary discussion here is further defaming Cetinski before int audience linking him personally with family violence. It's trully unjust and we should stop doing that.
As for Rahimovski, I will praise those days when Romanski and Allen will not be at the Oscars, or when Mladen Grdovics videos will be withdrawn from the TV, and Jackson's music erased from YT.
But you really can't do that? Can you?
It was therefore far from appropriate what some people did in the eagerness to disqualify Cetinski who personally did nothing and cannot be held accountable for anything wrong or inappropriate in his public staging at Dora or the lyrics of song.
I don't know whether he knew Rahimovski was about to get a conviction, surely he didn't brag to Cetinski that he thratened his wife. If Cetinski was aware of it, he surely wouldn't make a collaboration with Rahimovski that would lessen his odds to succeed in Dora due to the public stirr against Rahimovski.
And HRT will never apply a rule to disqualify people convicted of domestic violence. Simply because there are too many public figures they promote or invite for collaboration that would have to be checked in that respect, and they don't have time nor resources to do such prior check ups before every contracting procedure.
As for Sinisa Vuco, that disqualification by HRT had nothing to do with domestic violence, but other covered up reasons. Sinisa Vuco is a candidate for Mayor of Split and according to elections law he couldn't stand for elections if he was ever convicted for family violence.
The latter sheds another light to Vuco's disqualification by HRT.
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PollyWantsACracker
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Finally somebody about music haha!See I'm no expert, but how can you make a list of Croatian legends and not include the actual QUEEN of the balkans:
SEVERINA
She has way more views than most you postedno one should call themselves legend in her presence
Severina is a huge Balkan star, but her latest songs are not that popular in Croatia among a wide transgenerational audience, as were her initial songs. Mostly because her new production is more Greece/Serbia/Turkey/ type of ethnic bop / dance folk music.
What I wanted is to portray authentic Croatian music, the one that is a legendary for our taste and has remained as such for years and years.
By that I don't mean to lessen in any way Severina's success nor her choice of shifting to other musical genres or influences in order to attract more attention from other audiences.
In the name of her earlier phase of the career that actually made her popular here...This one is 25 yrs old and still gets played in the clubs before closing time, as a farewell to lovers haha.
friendly reminder that abusers shouldn't have a platform to "redeem" themselves or whatsoever. protection to the victims, always.
and the erasure of the ultimate QUEEN is unforgivable
and the erasure of the ultimate QUEEN is unforgivable
PollyWantsACracker
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That's not question here why I showed my dissent, the question was what Cetinski has with domestic violence in Rahimovski family and why some are trying to pull him through that mud?friendly reminder that abusers shouldn't have a platform to "redeem" themselves or whatsoever. protection to the victims, always.
and the erasure of the ultimate QUEEN is unforgivable
Nothing actually.
Apart from being stupid for collaborating with Rahimovski, he didn't need that guy in any way. It's not like he was more popular than Cetinski haha.
Nevermind, let's show our European friends Croatian music how it really is, they think we only cry over ballads and sing of Paprika in Africa haha.
EDIT Nives the Fahrenheit for Americans haha.
IMO her best effort was to attract Sergio Ramos attention. Though it wasn't fair from her to leave Xavi Alonso out of that story hahah
Mind the resemblance with Severinas new music style.
And San Marinos entry of this year by Senhit Adrenalina hahah. Facepalm
Now seriously, if there's a B list of actors, then Nives would be on the Z list of singers here.
I'm so ashamed you actually know this! Haha
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thanks to this forum
oh, the other statement was more of a general thing. i don't speak croatian and I don't know the controversies among croatian artists. like, I know one of them has a history of domestic violence, but I don't know which (as in if you show a pic of both of them and ask me which one did it, I wouldn't know because I don't follow them
)