On February 13 Croatia’s HRT revealed that she’d represent the country at the Eurovision Song Contest 2018.

And shortly afterwards Franka logged on to Skype to tell wiwibloggs about her song “Crazy”, her career history and so much more.

“I’ve known for a month and a half now — so a long time to stay and be quiet and not to talk to anyone about it!” she says of her Eurovision selection. “I would be out with friends and say, ‘I just have to run to the studio and work on something….I can’t say anything right now!'”

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But she’s still harbouring some secrets.

“I can’t talk a lot about the song right now,” she says. “But what I can say is it’s kind of a different song. It has a really mystic vibe to it, and it’s something you wouldn’t expect Croatia to send to Eurovision.”

“It’s a modern song. It doesn’t have a Balkan identity.”

And how did that song come about? Through intense studios sessions with Branimir Mihaljevic, who wrote her most recent single “S tobom”. (He also wrote Croatia’s Eurovision 2010 entry for Feminnem). He handled the music and she dreamed up the text.

“We wrote three songs and none of them is ‘Crazy’,” she says with a laugh. “Then one just came like this [snaps]…It was born then and there in the studio.”

Franka let her natural beauty shine during our interview, wearing a light dusting of blush and a smear of pink lippie. She also donned a plum top, which balanced comfort and sophistication perfectly.

If she looks this amazing on Skype, we can’t wait to see her look when she hits that stage in Lisbon!

Franka is used to competition — and she thrives on it. At just 16 years old, she made her name winning the talent show Showtime in 2007. Amongst the judges of that contest was none other than Jacques Houdek.

“Everything started from there — everything took a huge spin and I started to be a lot in the media,” she remembers. “[Jacques Houdek] was the judge there. I love that guy. He was always praising me and I was admiring him and his vocal abilities since I was a kid, so we have that bond.”

“He actually called me a few days ago, before the announcement was made here in Croatia. He gave me the advice that it’s going to start being crazy. It’s time to step on the ball and stay focused until the end.”

Are you loving her energy and spirit as much as we are? Are you excited that she’s going for a contemporary track? And are you loving re-watching her old Dora performances as much as we are? Sound off in the comments box below!

Read more Croatia Eurovision news

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Héctor
Héctor
6 years ago

Sounds really good. Hope it isn’t a let down.

Sasha
Sasha
6 years ago

@Purple Mask

Do you think that countries must give up their musical traditions, to embrace what the world has to offer? What is this WORLD? The anglo-american culture? Can’t you see that you are talking about anglo-american music as if it is THE WORLD? This is the most ultra-nationalist thing I’ve ever heard. You are the anglo-centric ultra-nationalist that wants to impose his culture upon everybody.

Purple Mask
Purple Mask
6 years ago
Reply to  Sasha

You’re assuming too much. I don’t care what language I sing in or present myself as. When I write music, it is self-expression, and my audience is the whole world. Quelle langue? N’importe quoi. C’est la langue du cœur, la langue du monde. This is one planet in a huge universe. That’s one idealism with which to start coming together. There are no differences, no barriers, no dominance. Sing in what language you want, but remember you sing for the entire world, not for one particular nation. 🙂 On the subject of Anglo-American dominance of culture, I can only apologise… Read more »

Purple Mask
Purple Mask
6 years ago
Reply to  Purple Mask

One great challenge: Create a new world language. 🙂

Craig
Craig
6 years ago

Difficult to tell what kind of a song it’s going to be from that description. Hopefully something more like her “Pjesma za kraj” from the previous Dora contst

AngieP
AngieP
6 years ago

She is adorable! Great interview!
The song sounds promising, hope it’s good, looking forward to the release!

Polegend Godgarina
Polegend Godgarina
6 years ago

It’s going to be THE bop we all needed.

Frankallah Batelgod
Frankallah Batelgod
6 years ago

We love an eloquent skinny legend. I really hope the song slays, Croatia need a top 10 placement this decade.

Jon Olalala Sand
Jon Olalala Sand
6 years ago

She’s just amazing. I can’t wait for the song release. 😀

Eve
Eve
6 years ago

Nice, I think it’s good decision, btw, Croatia have long tradition of good pop music, I grow up basically listening to their pop and mediterranean ballads. Good luck!

Johnny
Johnny
6 years ago

Such an amazing person! High hopes for her! William, another great interview. Well done 🙂 What do you think/expect from Croatia this year?

Polyna
Polyna
6 years ago

> I love that guy.

OK, but _which_ Jacques Houdek? AFAIK there’s two of them.

This is gonna be either something good, or another “In Too Deep”. Let’s wait. But at least this won’t be another “My Friend” (MAAAAI FREEEEEND).

Purple Mask
Purple Mask
6 years ago

Thanks for this. The song sounds very interesting. I’m also intruiged that she seemed to go out of her way to confirm the song “doesn’t have a Balkan identity”. (Is that similar to saying “we are not being ultra-nationalist”?)

Polyna
Polyna
6 years ago
Reply to  Purple Mask

> I’m also intruiged that she seemed to go out of her way to confirm the song “doesn’t have a Balkan identity”.

Because if it had it, it would be too Chetnik for Croatia.

No, seriously – it would be immediately attacked as being too “Serbian”. This happened to Severina in 2006, read this article if you’re interested: https://www.academia.edu/1403807/When_Seve_Met_Bregovi%C4%87_Folklore_Turbofolk_and_the_Boundaries_of_Croatian_Musical_Identity

Purple Mask
Purple Mask
6 years ago
Reply to  Polyna

Wow, fascinating! Thanks. 🙂

azaad
azaad
6 years ago
Reply to  Purple Mask

This to me confirms, that in defiance of the overall Eurovision trend, Croatia is moving away from traditional and cultural music for its entries. Which isn’t surprising, considering that their last 3 Balkan ballads didn’t qualify while Nina and Jacques both did. Franka was likely selected because she had a good non ethnic song.

Vladimir P.
Vladimir P.
6 years ago
Reply to  Purple Mask

In Croatia the word “Balkan” has an extremely negative connotation – as something backward as opposed to progressive. In this case, I think Franka was trying to say her song has no ethnic elements. Anyway, she’s a great singer and I hope she has a good song.

Zvrk
Zvrk
6 years ago
Reply to  Vladimir P.

Yes, she was just saying that her song doesn’t contain traditional elements like the Croatian songs from 2009 or 2010. People here are creating drama out of nothing.

Purple Mask
Purple Mask
6 years ago
Reply to  Vladimir P.

Ohh, ok. Thank you for this clarification. 🙂

world gone mad
world gone mad
6 years ago
Reply to  Purple Mask

You are obsessed with ultra-nationalism. Should people abandon what their country has to offer? Maybe we should stop listening latino music because this is Spanish ultra-nationalism, right? Despacito is a political song, Puerto Rico wants to rule the world, and Kamil is one of them. Maybe in this case you should put more energy to ask your country UK to ban the veil.

Purple Mask
Purple Mask
6 years ago
Reply to  world gone mad

To answer your first question: Yes, and they should instead be willing embrace what the WORLD has to offer. 🙂 To answer your second question: People can listen to anything they want, that’s fine. But a song contest that puts a single song forward to represent a country is, I believe, missing the point of what it should mean to bring the world together through music. General questions: Why do we need songs per country? Why not per songwriter or per artist? As for banning the veil in the UK: 1. The same would also have to apply to masks,… Read more »

Colin
Colin
6 years ago
Reply to  Purple Mask

The good question is, what does ‘ultra-nationalism’ mean to you? For me, it’s a toxic belief that people of your ethnicity/nationality are superior to others. It’s often displayed by violence, or at least by ill will or looking down to others who do not fit the bill of your nationality. It’s a very dangerous thing. I do not see it in ESC at all, though. It’s just a plain, ‘normal’ nationalism, as in displaying your cultural herritage for everyone to enjoy. Some countries, like Serbia, Greece, Spain, ect. went there, while others, like Czechia and Switzerland, play it more international,… Read more »

Purple Mask
Purple Mask
6 years ago
Reply to  Colin

Thanks Colin, for looking at the topic in a positive way. 🙂
I don’t know if there is a difference between normal ‘nationalism’ and ‘ultra-nationalism’ when it comes to a song contest… with globalisation tending to be the trend over the past 15 years, I do find it disturbing that some ESC fans are referring to “ethnic music” and “national identity” again. I thought that was being left behind in this century?
Anyhow, as others above have stated, Franka most likely has a completely different reason for confirming her song “doesn’t have a Balkan identity” – this I find fascinating.

Darth Thulhu
Darth Thulhu
6 years ago
Reply to  Purple Mask

The assertion that there is no meaningful distinction to be made between “nationalism” and “ultra-nationalism”, all fruits of which are apparently “disturbing things” that are automatically supposed to “be left behind this century”, is precisely why so many European projects are in severe danger of cracking up. Openly yearning for the swift extinction of absolutely everything other than “contemporary urban American ‘diversity'” (as opposed to Actual Diversity like 1944, Allez Ola Ole, Horehronie, Je Cherche, Amar Pelos Dois, and Dancing Lasha Tumbai) is extremely self-destructive. It deservedly generates a powerful backlash in everything exposed to it. I strongly encourage you… Read more »

Purple Mask
Purple Mask
6 years ago
Reply to  Darth Thulhu

Perhaps you’re right, on a practical level. However, globalisation doesn’t have to based on an American construct. Instead, a whole new language and culture could be created, taking elements of all existing languages and cultures today. Given that Mandarin is the most spoken language in the world, I would imagine that may have a strong influence in what is to come. Naturally, if things go well for humanity, there could be a natural globalised culture in 400-500 years anyhow. What I’m debating now is idealism rather than practicality. I’m aware that it may not happen in practice, but that doesn’t… Read more »

Good luck Franka
Good luck Franka
6 years ago
Reply to  Purple Mask

To answer your doubt…first of all, Franka was directly asked by William if song has Balkan identity and she simply respondend that it doesnt. As well, in esc, Croatia is considered surely more as part of *Balkan block” (with other ex-Yu countries) and those countries offered many songs which offered that “Balkanic” vibes (putting ethnic elements into songs) and most of them were ballads, but uptempo as well (Severina in example). By asking if song has Balkan identity, William probably wanted to see if song has some ethnic elements or it is on the other hand more uniform, usual, more… Read more »

Purple Mask
Purple Mask
6 years ago

Thanks, that is very clear.