The final of Eurovision may take place on a single night in May, but the stars of the contest continue to release new music for us year round. They offer a plethora of hot (and admittedly sometimes not so hot) tracks to keep our appetite satisfied.

One country that has an abundance of musical talent on offer is Croatia. So we thought it would be a good idea to delve into some of the latest releases from the Balkan country’s Eurovision alumni. Let’s take a listen to what Franka, Jacques Houdek, Nina Badrić and Nina Kraljić have been up to over the past few months.

Franka – “Tajno”

She may not have qualified to the grand final of last year’s contest, but that hasn’t stopped Franka from going from strength to strength in the subsequent months. Since her participation at Eurovision she’s offered us singles like “Kao Ti I Ja”, in addition to her latest album S Tobom. And in December, the Croatian singer gave us the next single from the LP, “Tajno” (“Secretly”). The song is written by Branimir Mihaljević, who also wrote her Eurovision entry “Crazy”. Musically, the track has a simple yet polished quality to it that allows Franka’s vocal abilities to really flourish.

The music video is set in a picturesque forest filled with lakes and waterfalls, and was filmed at the world renowned Plitvice Lakes National Park in central Croatia. We see Franka in multiple coloured gowns serving beauty and glamour throughout. The entire package looks extremely enchanting and is particularly enhanced by the lovely shades of purple of the flora on view, giving it all a real fairy tale quality.

Jacques Houdek – “Bit ću tvoje oći”

After giving us one of the most memorable performances of Eurovision 2017, Jacques Houdek has recently released “Bit ću tvoje oći” (“I will be your eyes”). The song is quite different to the “My Friend” singer’s previous singles, including his Eurovision entry. The track is more upbeat and has an instrumental chorus that will be sure to get you up and dancing around.

In the music video we see Jacques’ face being projected in many different colours and patterns, which provides us with a futuristic and captivating light show.

Nina Badrić – “Rekao si”

We haven’t reported much on Nina Badrić since her participation at Eurovision 2012 with “Nebo”. But it’s time to right that wrong and share her latest single with you. “Rekao si” (“You said”) sees the singer very much in her element, delivering a gentle and classy ballad, with her smooth and delicious vocals making it a special listening experience. The song is an emotional affair and see’s the star reminiscing about her loved one.

The accompanying music video is also relatively simple in order to match the song’s musical style. In it we see Nina wearing a couple of form-fitting red and black gowns as she walks through a series of parks and ruins. Naturally, simple doesn’t necessarily mean bad, and Nina proves just that with this latest track and music video, which has already racked up over seven million views – particularly impressive considering Croatia’s population stands at just over four million.

Nina Kraljić – “Lava”

She was responsible for bringing Croatia back to the grand final after a six year drought, and Nina Kraljić has barely stopped since. Following on from Najljepši dan” in October last year, the “Lighthouse” singer has kicked off 2019 with the fiery single “Lava”. Heading in a new direction musically, Nina has signed a record deal with Dallas Records. However, even with this change in her career, her distinct voice and style is still ever present. This latest track is a fairly subtle song. The mystical and ethnic undertones that the Croatian singer is known for are there, but they slowly build up throughout the song until they peak at the end and provide a strong climax.

Her latest singles have also seen Nina mixing up her look by wearing a series of colourful wigs for the music videos. As might be expected for a song entitled “Lava”, the star chooses a bright red one for this particular shoot. In fact, you definitely can’t criticise her for swaying away from the song’s theme as the clip is filled with shades of red. We see it incorporated into Nina’s makeup, in the lighting, as well as painted onto the body of both a real-life and computer-generated dancer. Perhaps it’s best to keep the fire brigade on standby in case all this lava starts a full-on fuego!

What do you think of these new songs released by former Croatian Eurovision stars? Which is your favourite? Let us know in the comment section down below!

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https://open.spotify.com/user/wiwibloggs/playlist/1qMVsYaQ67T5SWy8k5pk3z?si=DWXNFMV5QOKmqCcQw5AxfQ

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bastian
bastian
5 years ago

Wow, i totally love Franka’s new song. So magical. Croatia is one of my fav esc countries, i feel they’re so underrated. They have sent some great artists and songs over the past couple of years. Keep it up Croatia, you will shine, i know.

Prease
Prease
5 years ago

Purple fauna?? Ummmmmm I didn’t see any purple animals but I did see purple flora

Hrvatska
Hrvatska
5 years ago

Croatia has talented artists and songs, so I hope that tel aviv will surprise Croatia and repeat the success of Jerusalem 1999