Slobodna
Dalmacija, 1 March 2001: 'Who'll get a visa for Denmark?'
- Petar Grašo: Ni mrvu srice
This song is like flu
Grašo has been a Dora runner-up as a performer, and as a writer, he's
won. As for what he expects this year, he says: 'The song's like flu,
it's infectious, it sticks with everyone. The production is a peculiar
style for [Zdenko] Runjic - it's quite
unusual for him. He gave me some freedom with it - he is the writer,
but I gave myself an opportunity because I gave my opinion of the song - I'd
call it 'Runjic in the 21st century', which means combining Dalmatia,
Italian charm and my access to production and arrangement. I'm not
bothered about my score, I'm happy I've got a good song, and if I happen to
win, that'll just be a bonus.'
- Branimir Mihaljevic: Milenij
ljubavi
I'm expecting to win
'If everyone was honest, we'd be sure to win,' says Mario
Mihaljevic. 'This is the best song I've ever written for the Dora, but
that's a matter for the other songwriters. I'm not saying that for the
papers, but because I sincerely believe it. I got 80% of the twelves
for Juli, but I'm hoping for 100% with this one.'
Branimir was rather more modest: he only said he expects to win, and will
try as hard as he can to perform well.
- Tereza Kesovija: Zlatni kljuc
sudbine
The first time
Tereza is appearing in the Dora for the first time in her career, which is
almost unbelievable given her experience and popularity.
'In fact, even though I'm in the Dora for the first time, it hasn't crossed
my mind,' she says. 'There's a first time for everyone. Of course,
I've got a good reason to appear, which is this song. A beautiful
melody, the arrangement, the lyrics... Of course I'd like to win - who
competes to lose? I know, I know, it's a custom here to ask singers who have
been around as long as me if they're still alive, not to mention able to
sing or, God forbid, win. It's an old story, I'm used to it.'
- Bruno Krajcar: Balun
The sound of Istria
Krajcar is a debutant in the Dora, and as a musician he usually plays folk
music. He's used this opportunity to promote traditional Istrian
music.
'The song is in the Istrian scale and incorporates parts of Balun, a
traditional Istrian dance. I've written it for the world stage, there
are very few words in it, and it has a catchy rhythm that people can dance
to. Who knows, maybe we've written an international hit like the
Lambada. If only it all depended on the staging, the Istrian
choreography and the design of the clothes.'
- Zdenka Kovacicek: Ja zivim svoj san
An honest Dora
'It seems like the time has come for an honest Dora,' stresses the evergreen
Zdenka Kovacicek. 'After all, a good demonstration of that is the fact that
the jury heard all the songs. I've sent lots of songs to the
competition before, but they were never even heard. The song's really
good, so I expect a lot from it. If it doesn't win, at least it'll be
a hit. That would be completely enough for me. I'm in the Dora
for the first time, true, but I never thought of myself as a singer who
doesn't belong in the festivals or that sort of show. You always need
to prove yourself and go forward.'
- Vesna Pisarovic: Za tebe
stvorena
First reserve
'I'm happy to be here, of course. Although, I went through it last
year, so hopefully my adrenalin won't be up to 100 like last time -
something lower, maybe nearer 90! I still don't know what I'll look
like on stage, or my choreography, because HTV are taking care of that, so
I'll be just as surprised as the viewers. For me, what counts is
singing the song well.'
Vesna's song entered the Dora after Ivana Banfic
withdrew, so her final score will be anticipated with interest.
If it's high, the jury will need to rethink a few things.
- Branka Delic: Moja je ljubav umorna
Announcing her album
Branka is a debutant in the Dora, but only as a solo singer. After
"Neki to vole vruce", for whom she was the
lead singer, broke up, she decided to go it alone.
She says she particularly thanks Duško Mandic, with whom she works anyway
and who is one of the top producers in Croatia, for his excellent
arrangement for the song. She also adds that it makes a lot of demands
on the singer, with a melody that could hardly be called cheap, so she hopes
for a good score in the Dora, which comes at the same time as she releases
her new album.
- Mirjana Pospiš: Pjesmo moja
In five languages
Mirjana says she's sorry she couldn't perform the song in its original
version. 'It was written in five languages, but when HRT decided we had to
sing only in Croatian, with a few words in English, I had to translate it
all. It's a shame, because that makes it lose a lot. It's a song
about peace, in fact, I'd call it a Croatian message of peace to the
world. I hope I can sing it in the original version so that everyone
gets a chance to hear it. I'm not thinking about my score too much,
just being in the Dora is a great recognition.'
- Josip Katalenic: Povedi me
A boy in leather
'The competition in the Dora is as strong as always,' says Katalenic. 'This
is my third time in the final, so I'm not too nervous, but it still matters
to me, of course. I like singing for fun, I think that's an advantage:
it'll all come down to the performance at that moment. I don't think
about winning too much, for me it's most important to present my new song,
which is on my new album, and also my new image. In the Dora I'll
appear with my new look - I'll be wearing leather.'
- Maja Šuput: Hello
A European style
Maja will appear in the Dora under her own name for the first time in her
career. This, of course, is because of the well-known legal dispute
surrounding the use of the names "Joy" and "enJoy".
'But it's nothing special, the TV people didn't want to run into any
problems, so I'm performing as Maja, although I feel awful - imagine, me on
my own!' says the young singer. 'Of course, "enJoy" will be on
stage with me, so our fans won't notice the difference.
'The song is lively, fast, in a European style, we've just shot the video
and it's certainly going to be a hit. I'm not thinking about winning
or losing. If it happens, great, but if not, that's still OK, we'll go
on.'
- Vladimir Kocis Zec: Nije kao prije
Fresh and sunny
Kocis Zec is one of the old veterans of Croatian music. Probably he
wouldn't boast about that, just mention how happy he is to be in the
Dora. He doesn't hope to win, he adds, but you don't think about
giving up so easily, especially because immediately after the Dora comes his
tour of Australia, where it's fresh and sunny.
- Dado Topic: Što znaci zbogom
In a foreign land
'Considering that I've had enough of all that, in other words I don't like
appearing in festivals like these, I wasn't really sure what I was saying,'
Topic says of his appearance in the Dora. 'The people at Croatia Records
said I was the only one who could sing this, but when they need something,
they exaggerate shamelessly. As for the song itself, it's not
bad. In fact I've adapted it myself a little. First I completely
changed it, but then it turned out that the committee who accepted the song
wouldn't know what was going on, so then we made a compromise, a bit of my
version and a bit of the original. I can do that when I'm from some
other world - I feel like I'm in a foreign country in festivals.'
- Toni Cetinski: Iz dana u dan protekla
bila
It'll be fun
Cetinski says that first of all he expects to enjoy himself in the Dora, and
see how the rest goes. 'The rest' means, approximately:
'I wouldn't even enter the Dora if I didn't want to win, but it isn't me who
decides that, it's the jury and the public. After all, I've got a good
song, almost the best, so I've decided to come back to the Dora after six
years. Enough of that - there'll be time after the competition.'
- "Perle": Pokraj bistra izvora
Youth theatre
'Perle expect to do very well,' says Ingrid Flesch, the spokeswoman for
Perle, the choir of the Youth Theatre of the City of Split, and the composer
of Pokraj bistra izvora. 'That means they'll pull off the singing and
dancing very well. They're not just thinking about winning, but that
doesn't mean they're not modest. They know they're very young, but
that's why they say they'll be very pretty. I'm not at all afraid for
them: the girls have grown up in the theatre, the stage is something they're
used to, so I'm sure that'll help them in the real world. I'm sorry
only six can go on stage, but those are the Dora rules. But that
leaves fourteen Perle who can support their friends.'
Perle are Lidija Bacic, Marina Djurovic, Marina Tomas, Nina Vukšic,
Tea Lukic and Karmen Matkovic.
- "Putokazi": Vilino kolo
New age
In this year's Dora "Putokazi" will appear with the new-age song Vilino
kolo, written by Elvis Stanic, the prominent jazz musician and producer,
folklorist and artist. This year's lineup is Nataša Tonkovic, Nataša
Uljan, Vana Govic, Ivana Veršic and Martina Vrbos. The performance is
designed by Miranda Djakovic, the choreography by Tajana Skunca and the
costumes by Vanja Mušnjak Nacinovic.
- "Novi fosili": Takva
ljubav
Lots of experience
'Everything's going perfectly. Fosili are in the Dora with a
magnificent song and that's the best that could happen,' says Rajko
Dujmic. It's well-known that there's been enough of a fuss about
this song: Izabela was meant to sing it,
but when Dujmic heard her final recording, he dropped her, he says because
of changes to the music and lyrics which affected the whole idea of the
song.
'It was really a song for Fosili and I hope we'll do well in the
competition. After all, we've got good experience in the Dora and ESC,
why shouldn't we win this time as well?'
- Vanna: Strune ljubavi
First favourite
Vanna's one of the main favourites for Dora 2001, and no wonder, given her
vocal talent and the writers of her song.
'I'm not at all used to this nonsense about how there's a sure winner,'
Vanna sighs. 'People pick three or four of the most famous names and then
they say everybody knows one of them is going to win. Look at the
talent, please!
'I'm sure the song will do very well. It's fast, attractive,
explosive, it's got an excellent tune which really suits me. Indeed,
there's one really difficult bit which is going to be hard to sing, but I'm
not afraid, I'll be able to do it. Logically, there's no publicity for
vocal talent, but there's a good reason for it to be there.'
- "Plava trava zaborava": Svane li dan
In a new edition
"Plava trava zaborava" have been known to Croatian listeners for
years as a group of uncompromising purveyors of country music, but in the
Dora they'll appear slightly differently. Firstly, the song's more
poppy than might have been expected of them, a bit more like Johnny Cash,
and the band will look different too. The characteristic cowboy hats
will temporarily be replaced by a typical pop wardrobe: read, glitter.
- Ksenija: Igra
A little bit ethnic
Ksenija says what's most important to her is the quality of her three
minutes, and everything else depends on the rest of the contestants.
'It was a big surprise when my song was chosen - and when it only cost me
the price of stamps and an envelope,' says Ksenija. 'The song was written as
a fusion of ethnic, urban and Mediterranean music, with a very interesting,
varied rhythm. There was a bit of the problem with the sound, we had
to put some things on stage which the orchestra couldn't play, but that's
all sorted out now.'
- Emilija Kocic and Al
Turner: Ljepota
Unplugged
Emilija and Turner's duet will sound on the CD just like it will in the
Dora: everything's recorded live.
'A very few instruments were useful, but there's nothing synthesised,' says
Emilija. 'Everything's very cut-down, that's the way a lot of production in
the world is going. But if it's sung well, the song's in with a chance
and I'm sure we'll do well.'