🇭🇷 HRT to hold a semi-final for Dora 2024

As the build up to Eurovision 2024 continues with more announcements from national finals across Europe, Croatian broadcaster HRT has announced that a semi-final will be held for Dora in 2024.

203 songs submitted to Dora

Director of Dora, Tomislav Štengl, revealed on Friday last week that 203 songs were submitted for Dora 2024. The dates and host city for the contest are yet to be announced, but this record number of applications prompted the addition of a semi-final to Croatia’s selection process. To quote the director himself:

“There will be even more evenings, frolics, tension, and it shows that Dora is growing”

Who will be part of Dora?

After starting with about 200 song submissions, HRT’s selection committee has whittled this down to 24 finalists and 4 reserve songs in case of any withdrawals. Among the list are last year’s representatives Let 3 as well as 2020’s Damir Kedžo, who would have represented Croatia in 2020 had the contest gone ahead. The details for the Dora semi-final are yet to be announced, so watch this space.

The full list of songs, artists and song titles are:

• A TAMBURITZA LULLABY – Alen Đuras
• BABAROGA – Let 3
• BABY, BABY – Noelle
• CAN WE TALK – Boris Štok
• DIJAMANTI – Natalie Balmix
• DO MJESECA – Pavel
• GASOLINE – Marcela
• HOW DO YOU LOVE ME – Erna
• LYING EYES – Vinko
• MORE – Lana Mandarić
• NEBO PLAČE – James Night
• NE PLAČEM ZBOG NJE – Saša Lozar
• NEPOBJEDIVA – Barbara Munjas
• NE VJERUJEM TI – Lara Demarin
• OD KAD TE SANJAM – The Splitters
• ONE DAY – Misha
• PAMETNOM DOSTA – ET
• PLAVI LEPTIR – Lu Dedić
• PROBUDI USNE MOJE – Zsa Zsa
• SLATKE SUZE, GORKA LJUBAV – Vatra
• SRETNIH DANA DAT’ ĆE BOG – Stefany Žužić
• TIŠINE – Eugen
• VODU PITI TRIZAN BITI – Mario Battifiaca feat. Robert Ferlin
• VOLJENA ŽENO – Damir Kedžo

The four back up songs are:

• RIM TIM TAGI DIM – Baby Lasagna
• STAVI SE NA MJESTO – Cota G4
• VRATI SE – Mihael Kvorka
• DUBOKO RONI – Ether

Croatia’s Eurovision History

Croatia has been a part of the Eurovision family since 1961, as part of Yugoslavia. Ten Croatian artists went on to represent Yugoslavia in the Contest – the most famous of which being Riva, who gave Yugoslavia its only win in 1989. The 1990 Contest was held in Zagreb as a tribute to their Croatian heritage.

Croatia debuted in the Contest as an independent nation in 1993 with the band Put and their song “Don’t Ever Cry”. Since then, Croatia has gone on to score as high as 4th place in 1996 and 1999. For 2023, Croatia chose the well-known band Let 3 to represent the nation in Liverpool with their song “Mama ŠČ!”. Performing in the first semi-final, Croatia qualified for the Grand Final for the first time since 2017. In the Grand Final, the band finished in 13th place, with a total of 123 points – 11 of which coming from juries, whilst another 112 came from the televote.

Are you looking forward to Dora next year? As always, let us know what you think by commenting below. Also, be sure to follow ‘That Eurovision Site’ on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, Threads and Bluesky as we prepare for Eurovision 2024!

News Source: HRT

Photo Credit: GOK