Music and geography combine together in Eurovision. Fans get to experience a wide breadth of musical genres from each region of Europe. One such little combination are the nations of the former Yugolsvaia, four of which were set to compete at Eurovision 2021 — Slovenia, North Macedonia, Serbia and Croatia.
Even though Yugoslavia split over twenty years ago, the region shares a rich history and culture which defines both its placing in the world and on the Eurovision stage.
Now, we want to know which Eurovision 2021 song from the region is your favourite. You can remind yourself of all four entries below. Then be sure to vote in our poll. As always, you can vote for as many acts as you want, but you can only vote once.
The Former Yugoslav republics at Eurovision 2021
Back in 1989, Riva represented Yugoslavia at Eurovision and recorded the country’s first and only victory. Following its dissolution, the independent nations which once comprised Yugoslavia now compete on their own. Each has delivered some iconic Eurovision moments in recent history — from Jacques Houdek’s dramatic performance for Croatia to Lea Sirk’s sassy song for Slovenia. North Macedonia won the jury vote in 2019 and Serbia won the contest back in 2007, when Marija Serifovic took Europe’s hearts with “Molitva”.
Not all of the former Yugoslav republics are present at Eurovision 2021. Montenegro withdrew in 2020 and remains absent in 2021, while Bosnia & Herzegovina hasn’t been seen since its last appearance in 2016. However, Croatia, North Macedonia, Serbia and Slovenia will compete. We want to know which of these countries has brought the best entry to Eurovision 2021 according to you!
Croatia: Albina — “Tick Tock”
Croatia is the only one of these countries to send a different artist than the one they intended for 2020. Damir Kedzo was due to represent Croatia last year before the contest’s untimely cancellation. However, Dora 2021 took place without him and Albina was crowned the winner. “Tick Tock” is a catchy pop tune complete with slick choreography and plenty of attitude. Is Albina taking you dancing?
North Macedonia: Vasil — “Here I Stand”
Vasil was internally selected to represent North Macedonia in 2020. After the contest was cancelled, North Macedonia opted to give him the ticket to Eurovision 2021 as well. “Here I Stand” brings the drama to Eurovision 2021 as Vasil reflects on his personal journey to the Eurovision stage. Can Vasil also reach the heights of Tamara Todevska, the reigning Eurovision jury winner? Afterall, he was one of her backing vocalists in Tel Aviv!
Serbia: Hurricane — “Loco Loco”
Hurricane won Beovizija 2020 with the song “Hasta la vista”. The group is comprised of Eurovision 2016 veteran Sanja Vucic, Ivana Nikolic and Ksenija Knezevic. Ksenija has also competed at Eurovision as a backing vocalist for her father Knez, who represented Montenegro in 2015. The trio were internally selected for Eurovision 2021 and released their song “Loco Loco”, which delivers all the same feels as “Hasta la vista”. Are you going loco for Hurricane?
Slovenia: Ana Soklič — “Amen”
Just like Hurricane, Ana Soklič won her country’s national final in 2020 with the song “Voda”. She was also internally selected for Eurovision 2021 after the previous contest’s cancellation. This year, she will perform “Amen”, a dramatic ballad which will be Slovenia’s first English language entry since 2017. Will you be worshipping at the altar of Ana Soklič?
Serbia 5/10
Slovenia 3/10
Croatia 1/10
North Macedonia 1/10
Serbia is the best
I don’t really like any of them, but if I have to pick it’s Serbia.
I voted for Tick Tock. Croatia’s song is very catchy, too bad the verses are not as good as the chorus. Lets hope it will be elevated onstage. While North Macedonia has a beautifully performed decent Disney ballad, it’s not my taste. The Serbian song is all over the place, it has no melody and it’s very disjointed. The juries are going to vomit, but male viewers (straight and gay) are gonna eat it up. (ew!) As for the religious song, it’s a hard pass for me. Correct me if I’m wrong — I am surprised it was approved by… Read more »
What religius song you mean? Is gospel and its Slovenian song for ESC 2021. You ewen couldnt pronounced the name…..Amen.
I am not religius, but the song is fantastic masterpiece…..thats fact.
That’s not a fact, it’s just your opinion.
Religious songs/symbols are banned? How would Cyprus be allowed to sing about their love for “el diablo” the devil!
Quoting Wikipedia:
On 17 December 2012, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) announced that Heilsarmee must change their band name and uniforms for the Eurovision Song Contest.[3] Heilsarmee is the German title of the Christian denominational charitable organisation The Salvation Army. The rules of the contest forbid promotion of political and religious content. On 14 March 2013, the band changed their name to Takasa.
As for Cyprus, the devil in the song is not actually the Devil from the Bible, but a toxic man. The song it’s a metaphor of falling in love with the wrong person.
Hurricane is coming to the stage.
Love the Croatian song too, but it’s very poorly written.
The only one still on my music player is N Macedonia – and even I realize that has almost no chance of making the finals.
I never liked Serbia at all and the the others are neither good or bad, just there.
With all respect to others, it’s not even close. Croatia all the way
Croatia!
tick-tock is my 4th favorite song this year.
Honestly, it’s Tick Tock for me. I don’t care about boosting my own country for the sake of it, I just find it to be the best song out of these four.
Croatia is the only one with a song that’s any good. Welcome back!
I like the four of them, but I think the level is lower than years ago (2018-19 i.e.), I prefer Croatia, but slovenian entry is growing on me.
Croatia by far! The only sure qualifier from this group.
“Hallelujah!”, also known as “Amen”. Epic.
Croatia and Serbia!
Serbia and Croatia, in that order. If I could have Tick-Tock in Croatian the order might be reversed.
There is a version in full Croatian.. 😉
I know, and I love it! As for as I understand though it will be sung in English on the ESC stage.
It will be sung like it was on “Dora”. So you get those 2% of Croatian, which to be honest is the highlight of the song to me..
I’m in the minority when I say I LOVED Voda last year, but Amen is still good and it showcases her killer vocals!
Croatia, Serbia, and Slovenia are all in my top 10 in that order, was looking forward to Vasil’s song but it looks like Macedonia won’t be going to the Grand Final again.
In my opinion Amen is the best, I loved the song from the first listen, it’s addictive and quite touching. Besides, Ana is an amazing singer and performer. The only flaw here is the English Language, I would have preferred it in Slovenian.
They are all good performers, but I’m not that impressed by any of their songs…
I know that many people like Tick-Tock, but to me the composition is very weird. There is no melody…it’s just this rhythmic staccato na na na-na na na…trying too hard to sound ‘catchy’, but it actually sounds very awkward…
I totally agree with you! Although the song is catchy, when you take a good listen it’s very generic and suuuper repetative. I feel like there’s something missing to the song, production wise. It’s fun for a few listens, but it gets boring very fast. I do thing though that both Croatia and Serbia will qualify for the finals. It’s yet for us to see Loco loco live, and I’m sure the girls will smash the stage!
1.Croatia is IN no doubt; 2. Slovenia is stunning hopefully it will make through; 3. Serbia is okay, average, need that revamp effect from Armenia last year to happen here too, probably it will qualify though may surprise and do not – i won’t be surprised, i don’t see it as a contender as it is presently; 4. North Macedonia is a fiasco, rightfully last place (other countries are celebrating when NM gets to be in their semi cuz they know for sure at least one will not qualify) Nope, no sympathy, NM needs to grow up, until then it… Read more »
Croatia, followed by Serbia and then a huge gap with Slovenia, followed by North Macedonia.
Only Croatia… Serbia’s song is catchy, but being sung in their language won’t get them many votes (especially from the juries). Besides, they’re dressing up like those cheap girls (to use nice words, but you got my point). North Macedonia’s song is bland and quite boring, while Slovenia has a singer with a great voice, but with a meh song. So, yeah… Croatia!
Juries will give them extra votes BECAUSE of their native language! The reason behind keeping their mother tongue is not only to showcase Serbian culture, but also to get extra points for that, because most of the countries forgot that this is a showcase of different nationalities, and they keep sending the same language, same genre, same everything! So no meter people like or dislike Serbian song, every smart person will definitely appreciate the Serbian language of Loco Loco and boost it in their ranking at least a few places, especialy in a year where 99% of the songs are… Read more »
Cheap song is a cheap song. Doesn’t matter in which language is sung.
Like your mother?
“dressing up like those cheap girls” – Why would you call any girl as ‘cheap’?
Maybe I am biased because I’m partly croatian, but I think Croatia is the strongest of these four along with serbia. I also like Slovenia very much and I dont get why everybody is still overlookimg them..
Croatia is the only one I sure want to see in final. It will be hard for Slovenia but I quite enjoy Ana’s vocals. I wouldn’t be sad if she doesn’t go through but I would be happy for her if she does.
I know Serbia will probably qualify. I don’t like the song but perhaps the live will be great.
North Macedonia is a NQ. Vasil is a great singer but this song is just bad…
A bad year for the former Yugoslav countries. Musically, I don´t like any of these four. Of the artists, I prefer Ana from Slovenia.
Before Dora I was expecting Nina to represent Croatia. A mulligan she deserved. But the live perfomance changed everything for me. Nina was predictable, musically and artistically, the idea and the execution of the staging was even worse than 2016.
Albina winning the whole contest was so refreshing. Maybe for another country choosing uptempro mainstream song with decent vocals would be a safe bet, but Croatia hasn’t given this option a try yet.
I agree, I love Rijeka, but her staging was an absolute mess and the way she took Albina winning was unprofessional. Looking forward to seeing how Croatia will do!
Very poor year for the Balkans. I agree with @MrVanillaBean that only Ana from this group.
As long non of these countries send “balkan ballad” it’s good, ’cause non of these country’s people listen to the balkan ballads, and still had been represented by the songs that don’t represent their likings in the past. Only popular music of each nation should find its way to go to ESC, ’cause I don’t see a point sending for eg. balkan ethnic pop banger for Finland, when that’s not a popular music of that country. That’s why it’s good not seeing “balkan” ballads that doesn’t exist in the musical scene of Serbia most specifically.
Thanks for respecting my opinion. No, I do not expect balkan ballads only, I was one of the few who liked Vasil’s song last year. Ana is not singing a balkan ballad either. I am just not into thrash. And whether you like it or not, betting odds of Serbia and North Macedonia agree with me.
I’m a fan of all 4 to be honest!
I’ve been a religious doubter, now I know where to look for the answer.
Four (sadly only four) great songs. Croatia (17.) – I’ve actually watched Dorathis year and this was absolutely great and my favourite. A great pop bop. Not everything needs to be ethnical. A great vocalist although I’d prefer a bit more length on the belts. Croatian part is the absolute highlight and it fits perfectly. North Macedonia (22.) – Musicals are something I usually adore. This belongs in one. It would work perfectly as a show closer in the running order. Slovenia (25.) – A gospel ballad. In english. My nationalism wants to love the sheer quality of this, but… Read more »
Bosnia , montenegro 🙁 . Miss the 00s
Are you missing both Western Europe (Sweden, Norway, Germany, you name it) and the Balkans giving diaspora points irrespective to the quality of the song? I feel really sorry for BiH, I respect Bosnian refugees, but I definetely don’t wanna make the voting results even more biased.
You are aware that Lithuania will get a lot of diaspora votes this year, right? 🙂
Sure thing. As well as a dozen of countries every year including mine and few of my favorite ones.
My point is not about the elimination of the diaspora voting–this is just clearly impossible. I don’t want Lithuania, Poland, Serbia or Russia to be punished for this. But I cannot force myself to miss the countries which benefited the most from this bias and decided not to compete anymore. Sorry, BiH and Turkey.
How is this related to comment by Doris? She miss songs that she liked. Please don’t make everything about votes, placemant and politics. Also, interesting that you named some northern countries and we all know that they like each other a lot, as well. I understand you and you re right about diaspora, but you know, ESC is much more than votes and winning 😉
Oh is that so? I could never have guessed North Macedonia was a former Yugoslavian republic
LOL