Malta’s Junior Eurovision champion Destiny Chukunyere is a simmering favourite to win Eurovision 2020 with her song “All of My Love”. But it could have been another story if things had gone differently in Croatia.
Croatian women’s magazine Gloria reports that the song was originally recorded by one of its co-writers, Bernarda Brunovic. She submitted it to the Croatian national final Dora, but the show’s selection committee did not pick Bernarda’s version to be among the 16 finalists.
The Zagreb-born, Swiss-raised singer may be familiar to Eurovision fans for competing in the 2011 Swiss national final. There Bernarda placed second with her song “Confidence”. Last year, she competed in Croatia’s Dora with “I Believe in True Love”, which placed sixth.
Bernarda also made her mark in Germany, appearing on the 2018 series of The Voice of Germany, where she established herself as a strong soul singer. The series featured future Eurovision stars Ben Dolic — who took second place — and Sandro, who made it as far as the sing-off round.
But it was another Eurovision attempt that led to Bernarda being introduced to the Austrian-Bulgarian maestro Borislav Milanov. Bernarda told Gloria magazine that she first met Borislav last year, after the Swiss broadcaster had expressed interest in Bernarda having another attempt at Eurovision.
While Bernarda and Borislav’s song was submitted too late to be considered as the Swiss entry, a creative partnership was formed. The pair continued to write and came up with “All Of My Love”, which was submitted to the Croatian broadcaster for Dora.
A new destiny for “All Of My Love”
The song wasn’t accepted for Dora but after hearing that Malta was looking for a song for X Factor winner Destiny, they took a chance and submitted it.
Bernarda explains, “A few days passed, and Boris called me again. What good news! Everyone was happy with the song. They still had some ideas for a few details in the arrangement, to make the song even more like Destiny.”
And Bernardo will have a chance to make her mark with the Eurovision performance. She will accompany Destiny as a backing singer in Rotterdam and will even have a solo moment to shine. Bernarda has praise for the Maltese star, saying that Destiny sings great.
Bernarda — who has a visual impairment — also spoke about life with her disability. She said, “It’s not worth wasting energy on irrelevant things. There are too many beautiful moments that would be a shame to miss out on because of a hurt ego. Every fall has brought a new upswing. The motto: Never give up on your dreams.”
What do you think? Did Croatia slip up not giving Bernarda a shot at Dora? Or is the song a better match for Destiny? Tell us your thoughts below!
So… the song’s destiny is to represent Malta.
Puntastic.
Destiny needed something powerful and epic and they gave her bland pop. This is a disappointment. If you watch her performance of the Lion King 2 song, that’s exactly what she needed to win.
This is exactly why the song lineup this year is mediocre, because generic, cookie cutter songs that are more about being safe than having a personality and pushing the boundaries produced by the same people are tossed around countries to see who will take them. All of My Love is definitely one of the best songs this year, but this is why songs like France and Cyprus exist too.
How are Russia and Lithuania safe?
You just proved my point. Lithuania had to go through the scrutinisation of a national selection, Russia didn’t use the usual pool of ESC songwriters/composers. They aren’t safe unlike many other countries who did the opposite.
Understandable. A song like this needs a singer like Destiny to work.
Goes to show you that fans love the song more for Destiny than the song itself…I am pretty sure if this was in DORA, fans would just not even think twice about it
This is a potential jury winner. The televoting tho…it will struggle.
I hope Malta goes back to Maltese songwriters. Going Symphonix or Swedish isn’t really working beside for juries.
They have enough talent to do it
Xdxdxdxd
Croatia, never change xd
symphonix songs are always recycled, i guess this song has been lingering for many years just like “chameleon” was a demo from 2016…
Maybe they got a discount.
Also, AOML sounds like Vanessa Iraci’s “Redlights” on steroids. Which is quite funny because Milanov wrote both songs https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t1UKWoQJaCM
Good on Croatia. It’s not a good song. Poor Destiny that she ended up stuck with such a bad song.
So are you trying to say Divlji vjetre is a better song than AOML? Cause if yes I will fight
Yes. It most definitely is.
we fighting now
both sucks.
the croation song sounds like an ethnic-shouty ballad from 2002
the maltese song is ok. but that’s it, it’s just “ok”.
In the context of an international song contest, both are bad.
Lol. How is Divlji vjetre better than All of My Life???
Do you have ears? XD
Come here you little punk
You guys made my day
It’s nice to hear there is a Croatian touch in Malta’s entry. Destiny really is the one making this special, so I’m not sure that Bernarda’s first version had a WOW factor in it. Even so, while probably not better than Damir and Mia, I assume it must have been ahead of the few songs there. I think that maybe the production team wanted to balance out Croatian and English songs.
i know bernarda from the voice and i can not imagine that her demo sounded not as good as destiny does now… it really has to be the language balance since AOML is a bop and bernarda an incredible vocalist and performer
Oh Malta. I’ve always felt it’s just an empty shell quickly falling apart without Destiny. And it has a religious touch, which makes sense since the original performer has this superstition. Then again, the lyrics are so anonymous that it doesn’t really matter. It’s 100% Destiny who makes me move to this, I feel like her broadcaster should have found her better stuff. She could be a runaway winner in the odds by now.
I agree with you.
Destiny should have got a better song.
This one is good, but not a winner.
I would even go so far as to say she got the worst Milanov deal this year. We don’t really notice it because of her talent, but imagine this song without her vocals for a second. Middle-of-the-road.
I guess the original version is probably in bad production and worse vocal.
We don’t know what the version she submitted to Dora sounded like. Having read about all the changes “All Of My Love” went through, I doubt it’s fair to even call it the same song. Though I must say that this whole situation gives me Denmark 2010 flashbacks. I also don’t think it makes much sense to compare the Croatian and Maltese entries, as those are two completely different songs that are good in their own way – an emotional Balkan ballad and energetic pop soul banger.
Makes sense, because the song is not good.
I like “Divlji vjetre” more, it is very underrated.
I am sure that the song was different to what it is, and it is being sung by Destiny – now that changes a lot about the final product . I love the Croatian entry too 🙂
I would still reject it.
Croatia rejects All My Love, San Marino rejects Cleopatra…. some countries deserve their fate.
Everybody will give San Marino a break. If this is why they participate, they can be sure nobody will bother them. Enjoy the break!
Croatia didn’t want to send a soulless entry.
At the very least, Croatia is being represented by a Croatian…singing a song written by a Croatian. In an international song contest, that has to count for something, right?
Honestly, how French is the French entry? How Maltese is the Maltese entry? Does it even matter?
Not with Coronavirus it doesn’t!
we dont talk about that in here
Read the article. Bernarda is Croatian.
Before I start, I do prefer the Croatian song to the Maltese entry this year. However, I’d personally rather have a good song written by foreign songwriters than an awful song written by local songwriters.
I love all these European connections 😀 Bernanda, Borislav, Ben, Destiny, Croatia, Switzerland, Germany, Slovenia, Malta… There is just a touch of Laurell Barker missing in this 😀
2020 year of song rejects.
Haha omg ur joking, Croatia denied this?????? This would have been the best result for Croatia since Marija Magdalena, and the best song since Lighthouse. And they went with a stereotypical (though well-sung) balkan ballad? Ugh, the clownery. At least Malta is serving like always.
One person’s “good” is another person’s “generic”.
The Maltese song, to me, is VERY generic. But hey…
Maltese song is forgettable and nothing captivating to me, I don’t get the hype..
The croatian song is way better than this mess and will do better for sure.
no way, haha
I agree! I just want Croatia to do well again. Lighthouse was amazing, but they have really slipped for me since then.
Love the song but Nina was terrible vocally!
the studio cut was astonishing tho
No, it wouldn’t. If you see Bernarda’s discography, they are all very boring and dull ballads, and I wouldn’t be suprised if this was like “Beautiful Mess” without a modern production.
I think this song shines more when singed by Destiny, so although I do believe it was a missed opportunity for Croatia, this song wouldn’t have been the right match for a singer who has not the vocal capacity to deliver it. In my opinion Destiny can certainly bring this entry to light, so well done Malta and good luck Destiny, you aren’t probably going to need it, but I’m happy this is for you.