Albina Croatia Eurovision 2021

On Saturday, it was the turn of Croatia to select their representative for Eurovision 2021 with their national selection show Dora 2021. Held in the resort town of Opatija, fourteen acts took to the stage, offering everything from tradition to dance to rap. Ultimately only one could prevail though – and that was Albina with “Tick-Tock”.

Written by Branimir Mihaljević, Max Cinnamon and Tihana Bukljaš Bakić, “Tick-Tock” presents upbeat rhythms and a racy pop feel. Best of all, it’s not just radio-ready — it’s also nearly ready for the Eurovision stage. It came with plenty of choreo — including a group lift that saw Albina singing on her back.

Albina will perform “Tick-Tock” in the second half of the first semi-final of Eurovision 2021 in Rotterdam.

Albina – “Tick-Tock”

Albina wins Dora 2021

The fourteenth edition of Dora saw fourteen songs battle it out. The winner was determined by a 50/50 combination of points awarded by regional juries (from ten different major cities of Croatia) and from the public televote.

The jury votes came first, with each major Croatian city represented. The jury vote winner was Albina and the song “Tick-Tock”. Bernarda with “Colors” was second in the jury vote, while Nina Kraljić finished third with “Rijeka”.

Finally the public vote was announced. Albina won the televote with Nina Kraljić coming second and Cambi third.

Overall, Nina Kraljić was second and Mia Negovetić with the song, “She’s Like a Dream” was third.

Dora 2021: The Show

This year, Dora was hosted by an all-female team of Doris Pinčić Rogoznica, Daniela Trbović, Barbara Kolar and Jelena Lešić.

Singing the interval act was Vesna Pisarović. Pisarović won Dora in 2002 with the song “Sasvim Sigurna”. However, she represented Croatia at Eurovision 2002 with the English version of that song called, “Everything I Want”. She finished in eleventh place. At Dora, she sang a medley of her songs including “Sasvim Sigurna”.

Are you happy with the winner of Dora 2021? Do you think Croatia will do well in Eurovision this year? Let us know in the comment section down below!

Read more Croatia Eurovision news here

247 Comments
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ESCalator
ESCalator
3 years ago

OMG the TEA is hot! It looks like Nina might be onto something with the voting conspiracy and the competition allegedly being rigged. The family of Bernarda (Colors) said they knew Bernarda couldn’t win because the head of Croatian delegation apparently told them in advance that Bernarda’s voting number was going to be blacklisted…

https://www.index.hr/magazin/clanak/obitelj-jedne-od-natjecateljica-dore-ursula-tolj-nam-je-rekla-da-smo-na-crnoj-listi/2254883.aspx

BringBackMirela
BringBackMirela
3 years ago

I-LOVE-IT. It’s the chorus, it’s the croatian verse, it’s the sound, it’s those hot dancers (I fell in love with the one with the 90s hair but after doing my investigation in Instagram and find him, he’s sadly straight). I know it’s not winner material but it’s my guilty pleasure of the season for sure.

ESCalator
ESCalator
3 years ago

Has Nina been cancelled by the haters? It looks like she deactivated her social media…:-O

Alex
Alex
3 years ago
Reply to  ESCalator

She’s been spreading fake rumours and hate, why can’t she accept the 2nd place and congratulate the winner? She’s already been given the chance to go to ESC recently and she messed it up.

Amadeus
Amadeus
3 years ago
Reply to  Alex

They were doing her dirty. Croatian media called her a Satanist among other things.

Dennis
Dennis
3 years ago
Reply to  Amadeus

This simply is not true.

Last edited 3 years ago by Dennis
Thomas Carley
3 years ago

After the year we have had, this is the song we need now, congrats Croatia

Thomas Carley
3 years ago

After the year we have had, this is the song we need now, congrats Croatia

Last edited 3 years ago by Thomas Carley
ag89
ag89
3 years ago

Just watched an interview, she will keep that last part of the song in Croatian.

Jinbeizaki
Jinbeizaki
3 years ago

I’ve been repeating listen to Tick-Tock in full Croatian on Spotify and wish they would sing it this way in Eurovision, it’s so much better. But even if it stays like this, it’s still going to be a guilty pleasure of mine this season.

zoliszekely
zoliszekely
3 years ago

Generic and boring, sorry Croatia.

Bamborough
Bamborough
3 years ago
Reply to  zoliszekely

n o

Nikos
Nikos
3 years ago

I remember William or Deban once saying they had heard Apollo (Timebelle from Switzerland 2017) being in an Azeri song selection a few years earlier but with a different arrangement. It’d be interesting to hear some of these previous versions just out of curiosity.

Nikos
Nikos
3 years ago

I think Albina was the best choice after seeing the performances. I wouldn’t call it disco throwback like others are, to me it feels more like something cool I could hear at like a beach club, it’s fun but also cool, I am a huge fan! I’d easily put Mia as my #2, I liked her as well. I think Nina’s song had a nice, mystical chorus, but it really felt like they came up with that powerful, mystical chorus, and then struggled to fill the rest of the song and defaulted to filling it with vocal gymnastics of “ohhhhs”… Read more »

WannaEatMySpaghetti
WannaEatMySpaghetti
3 years ago

I’m surprised but I like it. I could imagine this in final around a 20th place (based on previous years standards).
For people complaining about it being outdated, I don’t know if you noticed it but since 2 years 80’s and 90’s vibes are back in a lot of music. Of course Albina’s song isn’t the best but it’s quite enjoyable imo.

GiornoGiovanna
GiornoGiovanna
3 years ago

Croatia will either be 11th or 10th (or maybe 9th) in semifinal 1, I think.

ABC
ABC
3 years ago

Good luck, though!

Last edited 3 years ago by ABC
ABC
ABC
3 years ago

Shame about the vocals – they’re poor!

Yannis
Yannis
3 years ago
Reply to  ABC

Well Foureira vocals was the same but still manage to get second

Miguel
Miguel
3 years ago

Some good songs in Dora 2021. I was rooting for Mia but i am happy with the outcome.
The live performance is good and gives that little extra the song needs and it works just fine. I would like to hear a full croation of this song.

Jake
Jake
3 years ago

Nina would’ve been a better option as this will not measure up to what will likely be better songs in the same style during its semi. However, Nina really did herself a disservice with that staging. She really needed a more subdued outfit, lost the dancers, invited the chorus instead of them appear on video and filled the stage with fog and lights to create a mood of epic proportions.

BadWoolfGirl
BadWoolfGirl
3 years ago
Reply to  Jake

She definitely made some questionable staging choices.

Zelenovi
Zelenovi
3 years ago
Reply to  Jake

Agree. I was very disappointed to see the old Eurovision trick of “let’s invite some gymnasts doing something completely unrelated to the song”. It felt like they were trying to distract us from the song which I don’t understand because the song is amazing????

Nicolas
Nicolas
3 years ago

So cheap and poor.

Hellooooo
Hellooooo
3 years ago

Not a bad song in studio, I’ll watch the live later

Hellooooo
Hellooooo
3 years ago
Reply to  Hellooooo

Not bad, but I don’t like the chorus, while the intro is great

Sova
Sova
3 years ago

They didnt even bring Damir as a guest!????

Colin
Colin
3 years ago
Reply to  Sova

Oh yeah, that is another controversy. Apparently, Damir wanted to sing another song besides Divlji vjetre and HRT rejected. He withdrew altogether instead of budging. What is confusing, though, is that they had Vesna Pisarovic sing several songs in a row…

Colin
Colin
3 years ago
Reply to  Colin

HRT should have respected Damir’s wishes (especially in compensation of him not going to Rotterdam) and also, Nina’s argument with them has some valid points. The running order indicates them favoring certain songs (but so does any running order in any NF), however, it only shifts statistics by a nudge. I’m only emphasizing how staging the entire process would’ve been extremely complicated for all the hoops they would have to go through (30 jury members in 10 different towns and tens of thousands of phone calls, which sometimes crashed when calling for any participant, Albina included). That’s why I think… Read more »

Last edited 3 years ago by Colin
Sabrina
Sabrina
3 years ago
Reply to  Colin

I don’t know enough to have an opinion on her other complaints, but Nina has all the reasons to be unsatisfied about the running order. Not just because she was one of the most famous participating, but also because that was not the kind of song anyone would normally chose for an opener. It’s a song that requires attention and being the first one usually means that the audience is still getting in the mood. And that’s why Eurovision usually goes with an uplifting dance song.

Colin
Colin
3 years ago
Reply to  Sabrina

That is true. I’d probably choose ToMa or Mia to open the evening, purely based on tempo. I do think the two of them deserved their good results. Or maybe Beta, then. A guilty pleasure song to lighten the mood. Statistically, Eric and Ella had the worst slots. The opening position isn’t usually meant for the biggest favorite (except in Melfest semis, but it’s only 7 songs), but it’s still far better than ”death spot” 2 and perhaps even more forgettable third place. Ella was additionally sabotaged (probably accidentally) when they announced her as ”the daughter of the ex prime… Read more »

Last edited 3 years ago by Colin
Sabrina
Sabrina
3 years ago
Reply to  Colin

This totally explains why I felt Ella preferred to be anywhere else but on that stage… Running orders are always tricky, because someone has to be “sacrificed”. I would probably open with ToMa, but I’m biased because I didn’t like his song very much. So, between sacrificing him or Mia, I would preserve her. Beta could be an alternative, but I don’t think it’s a good idea to open with something that over the top, it may lead the audience to a bad idea about what kind of contest has just started. By the way, having Mia and Albina performing… Read more »

Colin
Colin
3 years ago
Reply to  Sabrina

I don’t think that Ella necessarily heard the announcement beforehand (I am sorry if she did come with that impression on stage). I think that she is a newcomer and she’s still learning how to be comfortable on stage. But I do think the announcers accidentally disadvantaged her chances. I personally really liked both Ocean of Love and She’s Like a Dream. I think that my top 5 are quite above the rest, but I think that my 6-8 are still solid. Yeah… about running orders… It does play a part, but if the song is really a favorite, it… Read more »

Last edited 3 years ago by Colin
Sabrina
Sabrina
3 years ago
Reply to  Colin

My personal preference wasn’t that distant from the final result or your ranking. I was between Albina and Nina with Mia as 3rd place. And after them, I would probably place Filip, Cambi and Bernarda, but none of them had the right song to win. Filip seems perfect for Eurovision, I hope he finds the entry for that soon.

Last edited 3 years ago by Sabrina
Colin
Colin
3 years ago
Reply to  Sabrina

I agree. Filip is an outstanding performer, but the song just didn’t have an immediate impact on me. I listened to it again today and it does become better in time, but it still needs that something to stand out at all. I would really want to see Mia, Filip and Bernarda representing us at some point. BTW, Mia also spoke about the voting crashing and all the allegations and I can tell you that this girl is golden! She said that Albina deserved to win, but that Nina would deserve it as well and so would other performers, because… Read more »

Sabrina
Sabrina
3 years ago
Reply to  Colin

Good to know that Mia is not just very talented, but also mature to her age. She’s building her path and the truth is that it will be much better for her to get in Eurovision when she’s ready for that, which may be even sooner than we’re expecting. I hope Dora sorts these problems, because a good relationship with their artists is fundamental for the growth of the contest.

Dennis
Dennis
3 years ago
Reply to  Sabrina

I agree but i would say Nina is not that famous in Croatia. She was on The Voice Croatia more than 6 years ago and went on Eurosong 2016 with not so good result. From that point on she was nowhere to be seen or heard.

Jørgen
Jørgen
3 years ago

The vocals need some work and the song a revamp. But it has potential, it is catchy in my opininion

Colin
Colin
3 years ago

PART 2 – ABOUT VOTING AND BACKGROUND SITUATION I want to congratulate our delegation for *finally* offering some promotion, like clips (which brought top lists with them), odds, advertising on TV, online quizzes and similar. The songs are on average somewhat better than in the last two years (even though I’d say that both top and bottom are more extreme than last year), which is also a step in the right direction. Now, the less nice part is that there are some accusations of staged victory for Albina. Considering that there were ten different juries and Albina won the televote… Read more »

Last edited 3 years ago by Colin
Colin
Colin
3 years ago
Reply to  Colin

I love Nina as a musician and will be supporting her music regardless. She has a rare talent. I just don’t feel like I have enough info to prove or disprove any behind the scenes stuff that happens. If it happened, it took *a lot* of effort from a lot of people. Not impossible, just unlikely. Still, I see that Nina was treated badly by some people there and I do find it unfair. I do believe that there were some disputes and that the running order was done so it wouldn’t favor her. However, unfavorable running order is one… Read more »

Last edited 3 years ago by Colin
Samuel
Samuel
3 years ago

Croatia haven’t sent a good song since 2016 and this year doesn’t change that.

Stephanie
Stephanie
3 years ago

As Arianna Grande sang Thank u, next.

Kalla
Kalla
3 years ago

Did ‘share the love’ give anyone else proper Katie Price and Peter Andre ‘a whole new world’ vibes. Horrendous singing, so bad that you cant stop watching haha!

Denis
Denis
3 years ago
Reply to  Kalla

How did it even get that many televotes, lol

Kalla
Kalla
3 years ago
Reply to  Denis

God knows haha! He didn’t sing to badly, but she was so out of tune lol!

Nata
Nata
3 years ago
Reply to  Kalla

For me the voices were the best part of the song. No need to dive deeper into my feelings about this performance.

Edu
Edu
3 years ago

The best song and perfo won!
Bravo Croatia, you got all my support from Buenos Aires Argentina!

.asdsa
.asdsa
3 years ago

Tick – Tock! Dance Europe 😀 She will be a spectacle in Rotterdam. I can’t wait!

Ffs
Ffs
3 years ago

She can’t sing , bless her …

Tomyxl
Tomyxl
3 years ago
Reply to  Ffs

She can sing very well believe me!!!

Alex
Alex
3 years ago

Why do some people cry over Nina’s 2nd place? She was super kitsch with that horrible outfit, would’ve looked ridiculous in ESC and we all know how she destroyed a great song in 2016.

Give the chance to another artist like Albina who is a fresh entry from Croatia.

Meh
Meh
3 years ago

It is REALLY weird. Eurovision fans readers wanted NIna Kralji? to win this by over 50%, but now that Albina won they aren’t pissed at all for some reason…

Héctor
Héctor
3 years ago

Unfortunately that’s how a lot of countries work now: Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Malta, Armenia, to name a few. I’m not saying they do this every year, but it’s pretty common. I prefer the usual NF with different acts or one artists with different proposals. But bidding for an specific song is very artificial.

WyElse
WyElse
3 years ago

People sayin “oh, nooo, iv expected balkan-ballad… so sad”…. Well, how many times did you vote for that type in last few, lets say 5 yrs?
The best performance won last night, just like it will be in Rotterdam. Staging in crutial! Albina was on fire!
I just hope that some people will understand that that it is EuroVISION… vision.. Nina clearly did not learn anything since 2016…

Lukevision
Lukevision
3 years ago
Reply to  WyElse

Preach sister??

Last edited 3 years ago by Lukevision
PP77
PP77
3 years ago

1.Lithuania
2.France
3.Croatia
4.Ukraine
5.Israel
6.Albania

BadWoolfGirl
BadWoolfGirl
3 years ago
Reply to  PP77

Other than flipping Albania and Israel , this is basically my ranking too.

Miguel
Miguel
3 years ago
Reply to  BadWoolfGirl

Your ranking is exactly mine.

Ahh
Ahh
3 years ago

I love it! One competitor less for my country (that always struggles to qualify) in this bloodbath of a semi

Colin
Colin
3 years ago

Okay, I have *a lot to say*, so I’ll break it down in two parts: SONGS AND MY LIST As expected, full songs and live performances changed by opinion on things: 14… Noci pijane – As a song, it’s probably my lowest rated one of the season thus far. Feels cheap and barely listenable. Brigita’s vocals were fine, but the song is just atrocious. 13… Share the Love – They are cute. The message is cute. The song is awful. It’s cheesy and too childish. Ashley being off-key the entire song didn’t help either. 12… Kriv – This would be… Read more »

Colin
Colin
3 years ago
Reply to  Colin

Ha ha ha … I just had a good time translating Ma zamisli for Kosey. It’s SO campy and tacky that I kinda like it… perhaps I should put it above decent, but sleepy Bernarda and Filip? 🙂

Briekimchi
Briekimchi
3 years ago
Reply to  Colin

I was waiting for you to wake up!

I’ve ranked these already but I’m very happy with your top two and your comments about them are right on point. I feel Mia’s song is aimed at the same demographic as Albina’s though so don’t know if I’d differentiate them based on that. I think they’re very close in quality.

I think our main difference is probably on Eric. You picked out the repetition as something that could be overlooked but I just couldn’t. The song felt long.

Colin
Colin
3 years ago
Reply to  Briekimchi

I saw your video just this morning (a like from me). I’ll be posting my rating there as well. Yeah, there are some differences, but overall it’s not *that* dissimilar. I actually find my top 5 all kinda close in quality, except that Nina is probably a class up from the rest. I was thinking recently (thanks to me liking Terence James in France, I guess) why I really dislike some repetitive songs, but not others. I guess it’s because in most cases repetitive = flat, but in some cases it manages not to. That’s my best explanation. For instance,… Read more »

Last edited 3 years ago by Colin
aberdreaming
3 years ago

OMG THIS IS A BOP I LOVE THIS?? best Croatian entry EVER, seriously can’t remember Croatia ever sending a proper bop before, colour me excited ?

kohen
kohen
3 years ago

oh my…

Denis
Denis
3 years ago

I don’t think Nina would have done much better. Finally Croatia released that sending ethno ballads isn’t a top 10 thing, it’s not 2005 any more

Denis
Denis
3 years ago
Reply to  Denis

2014 is still better than 2005:)

Colin
Colin
3 years ago

Yup, Croatian is notorious for it’s difficult cases.

Nominative: ”Who” – Albina
Gentive: ”Of whom” – Albine
Instrumental: ”With whom” – Albinom 😉

Richard
Richard
3 years ago

This is good, a bouncy, catchy little number, presented well and Albina’s hair is impressive. It runs out of steam well before the end so perhaps they could do something to maintain interest a bit more, but I enjoyed it overall.

Jamie
Jamie
3 years ago

Extremely outdated. But since people are so mesmerized by the fact that Croatia picked a up-tempo song, they can’t see past that.

GiornoGiovanna
GiornoGiovanna
3 years ago
Reply to  Jamie

Music = timeless. Everyone with a brain knows that.

Berco
Berco
3 years ago

It does not have a wow! factor, but is easy to listen and get used to dance with it. I think it will be memorable or forgettable depending on the songs before/after it. For now, it is a borderline qualifier for me.

NickC
NickC
3 years ago

I do not hate it, by i think this will struggle, as it is neither a jury bait, nor a televote hit. Especially in the more competitive semi 1, odds will be against it. It will get few votes from Ex Yu countries though, lets see if this will be enough to make it to the final. I still prefer it to Albania.

Last edited 3 years ago by NickC
Az*rbaijan
Az*rbaijan
3 years ago

Rijeka was the typical outdated Balkan t-rash that Eurofans deserve… •__•

Amadeus
Amadeus
3 years ago
Reply to  Az*rbaijan

And I’m here for it.

Tom
Tom
3 years ago

I don’t like it all. Quite poor entry as for Croatia.

PaDm
PaDm
3 years ago

The winner song is OK, there were better choices imo, but still it’s good and fun and doesnt take itself too serious, which is a good thing for a pop song.
But DORA this year was GREAT!!! Realy good songs and the show was awesome comparing to previous editions !!!

Matias
Matias
3 years ago

I love how croatians try to select a trendy pop song to impress us, but for me this is so outdated and overdone. The Swedish national selection Melfest showed once again how advanced we are with music. Good luck to Albina, she needs it more than we!

James
James
3 years ago
Reply to  Matias

I wouldn’t call “Carpool Karaoke” the most advanced piece of today’s Swedish music.

Kobe
Kobe
3 years ago
what a terrible song...
Mark
Mark
3 years ago

That long haired backing dancer is gorgeous

Jamie
Jamie
3 years ago

All 3 songs were good, but I take bop over ballad, just my preference. So I’m quite glad it won.

Amadeus
Amadeus
3 years ago

They better throw in a human-sized hamster wheel if they want any shot at qualifying.

Azaad
Azaad
3 years ago

It’s a solid bop and puts Croatia in line to be a likely borderline qualifier at Rotterdam (even if Albina doesn’t qualify her result will be better than Franka’s or Roko’s) and HRT just have to refine staging rather than completely overhauling it. However, with Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina not competing and Hurricane being chosen for Serbia, I’m sad that we won’t have a Yugoslav Balkan ballad as Croatia was the only country it could’ve hypothetically come from and such a song would stand out in the first semi.

Briekimchi
Briekimchi
3 years ago
Reply to  Azaad

I mean, technically, in terms of style, a Balkan-type ballad would suit Ana Soklic down to the ground. Slovenia did send Verjamem so it’s not impossible to hope!

Last edited 3 years ago by Briekimchi
Amadeus
Amadeus
3 years ago
Reply to  Briekimchi

But Ana Soklic is going to send a song in English this year, so that possibility went down the gutter :/

Denis
Denis
3 years ago
Reply to  Azaad

I honestly think Balkan ballads are so outdated now, no one gets excited over it any more.Nina would still have struggled. Finally Croatia released it’s not 2005 any more..