Ahead of their participation in Dora 2026, Rory was able to chat with Cold Snap. They are hoping to represent Croatia at Eurovision 2026 with their song “Mucho Macho”.
Tell us about yourself! How did you guys form as a group and what are some highlights of your career so far?
Cold Snap is a Croatian metal band formed in 2003. From the very beginning, the band has been driven by a strong connection to live performances and emotional intensity. Over the years, some of the biggest highlights of our career include performing at the world’s largest metal festival, Wacken Open Air, spending three weeks at number one on MTV Adria with the music video for “Bongo Bong”, and receiving the award for Best New Croatian Band. These moments marked important milestones when Cold Snap truly shined and confirmed that our music could reach far beyond local borders.
What made you decide to take part in Dora this year and how did you feel when you found out you had been selected?
Taking part in Dora was our attempt to bring back those powerful moments we experienced earlier in our career and to share them again with a wider audience. Dora represents a rare opportunity for strong media visibility and connection with both Croatian and international listeners. The fact that we were selected and made it into the semifinals already feels like a huge achievement for us. We would even say that Cold Snap is bringing the heaviest sound Dora has ever had, so just being part of it means a lot.
Metal is a genre that is slowly becoming more and more popular within Croatia. As you’ve been together since 2003, how has it been to see such an increase in appreciation for your style of music?
For more than twenty years, metal in Croatia has mostly existed underground, despite having a strong and loyal audience. It’s encouraging to see heavier sounds slowly gaining more space in the media, especially after recent successes that helped open the door for rock and metal artists. On the European scene, metal has never been stronger, filling arenas and stadiums, so we believe Croatian audiences simply need more exposure. Once people give this music a chance, they often discover how wide the emotional spectrum of metal truly is.
Your music video plays on a lot of humourous elements of being “macho macho”, but it feels a bit like there’s a deeper story at hand here. What is the meaning behind the song?
Although “MUCHO MACHO” is energetic, colorful and humorous on the surface, the song carries a much deeper meaning. It was inspired by the strength and positivity of our late band member Ninoslav, who remained incredibly strong and optimistic even in his hardest moments. The song is about choosing strength and confidence – deciding to lift your head and move forward despite loss. It sends a positive message: even when something important is missing, you continue bravely, just like a hand missing a finger but still moving forward.
Can you give us any hints as to what we can expect from the live performance?
Cold Snap is a true live band, and the stage is where we feel at home. Our biggest strength has always been our performance energy and emotional intensity. With more than 20 years of experience, we are fully ready for Dora. We don’t want to reveal too much in advance, but we can promise a fiery, powerful performance driven by pure energy, emotion and authenticity. We also have one more surprise performer with us on stage!
Have you listened to the other competing songs in Dora? Do you have a favorite?
Since there are five of us, individually we all have our favorites, but if we had to pick the top three they would be Lara Demarin, Noelle and Zevin.
Do you have a favorite Eurovision song or memory?
Again, each of us has our own personal taste, but we can mention our collective top three: Baby Lasagna – “Rim Tim Tagi Dim”, Måneskin – “Zitti e Buoni”, and Lordi – “Hard Rock Hallelujah”.
If you had to give one recommendation from your previous music that you would recommend new listeners to check out after discovering you through Dora, what would it be and why?
One strong recommendation would be “Bongo Bong”, a song that marked an important chapter in our career. Its music video reached number one on MTV Adria and introduced Cold Snap to a much wider audience. It represents a moment when everything aligned for the band and shows our ability to combine heavy sound with strong identity and memorable visuals.
And finally, what would you like to say to anyone who might be discovering your music for the first time through this year’s edition of Dora?
We would like to thank everyone who decides to give our music a chance. “MUCHO MACHO” is a positive, energetic song meant to lift your mood and bring people together. Metal doesn’t have to be dark or closed off – it can be emotional, uplifting and full of life. We hope you feel the honesty behind what we do and that you’ll join us on this journey, whether it’s through Dora or somewhere in front of a stage in the future.
Who are Cold Snap?
Cold Snap is a five-piece groove metal band from the Croatian city of Varaždin, first forming in 2003. Since then, the band has released four full-length albums and two EPs, with their latest album being released in 2018. The band have also performed in hundreds of concerts across Europe, touring alongside other artists including Dead By April, Ektomorf and Jinjer. The band has also had domestic success, as they won the Golden Koogla Award for the Audience in 2016. Their song for Dora – “Mucho Macho” – was written by Jan Kerekeš and Josip Novak.
Croatia’s Eurovision journey
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 2nd place in 2024.
In 2025, Croatia chose Marko Bošnjak to represent the nation in Basel with his song “Poison Cake”. Performing in the first semi-final, Croatia failed to qualify for the final, placing twelfth with a televote score of 28 points.
What do you think of our interview with Cold Snap? Do you think they could win Dora and go to Eurovision for Croatia? As always, please let us know what you think by getting involved in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow ‘That Eurovision Site’ on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, Threads, tumblr, and Bluesky for more information about Eurovision 2026!
News Source: That Eurovision Site
Photo Credit: Cold Snap
Thomas James