Croatian media is reporting that broadcaster HRT has committed to holding a 2021 edition of its national final Dora. A local newspaper reports that HRT has already booked the Opatija venue that is the current home of Dora. But with this news comes uncertainty whether Dora 2020 winner Damir Kedžo will be involved with the 2021 national final.
The newspaper Jutarnji list reports that HRT has already booked the Sports Hall Marino Cvetković — the venue which hosts Dora 2021. The hall is booked for Saturday 27 February 2021, the usual time of year for Dora to be held.
But if the broadcaster is using its regular national final to select the Croatian act for Eurovision 2021, this suggests that 2020 winner Damir Kedžo won’t have a free pass back to Rotterdam.
The Croatian crooner won the 2020 edition of the national final with his song “Divlji vjetre”. However, due to Eurovision 2020 being cancelled, he won’t have the opportunity to sing that song at the song contest.
At this stage, broadcaster HRT has not confirmed whether it will host Dora 2021 nor any details of a potential national final.
Will Damir Kedžo return to Dora 2021?
Jutarnji list reached out to Damir Kedžo’s manager Snježana Jerković Radočaj. She told the newspaper that she had no official information on the issue, and that due to the coronavirus situation, they were happy to wait and be patient.
She added, “We will wait for the decision of HRT. When I learn of the decision, then I can comment on it. What I can share with you is that we have been very busy recently. That is why in the next month, Damir will release a new song, a new video and a new album.”
But when the newspaper asked Kedžo’s manager if the star would enter Dora 2021 with a new song, she curtly responded, “I will not answer hypothetical questions.”
Some countries have internally selected their Eurovision 2020 act to return next year. In some cases, this means cancelling the usual national final, but there is speculation that some broadcasters may hold a national final to select the Eurovision entry for their internally selected artist.
In neighbouring Slovenia, broadcaster RTVSLO has internally selected EMA 2020 winner Ana Soklič to return to Eurovision 2021. However, there’s no confirmation on how her song for Rotterdam will be selected. In Serbia, Beovizija 2020 winners Hurricane are rumoured to have been internally selected for 2021, however the group’s spokesperson says nothing has been confirmed.
What do you think? Should HRT go ahead with Dora 2021? Should Damir Kedžo be given a free pass to the contest? Tell us your thoughts below!
Kedzo won’t be going to Rotterdam next year as the Croatian national boradcaster has just announced that the national festival Dora will take plae next year as well, so a new entry will be selected. I do hope Kedzo will apply and compete at Dora 2021 as he is not only a lovable person, but his vocal capacities are boundless.
The concept of the returning format of Dora is okay. 16 songs is a fine number and it being equally distributed for Croatian and English songs is something rarely which NF can boost on. The wide age range of performers is also very admirable. The issue are songs themselves, which range from solid ones, to very boring ones to experimental messes. IF Dora 2021 is to be held, I would at least ask HRT to release the songs *before*, probably around December. That way, they can get some constructive criticism on time. Knowing Damir’s continued love for ESC, I think… Read more »
The position Lighthouse got was rly a travesty. I remember everyone hyping it up, and deservedly so bcos that song is one of the best in Eurovision PERIODT but then no-one voted for it. A complete shame.
In all fairness, the dress and the staging kinda ruined that performance.
The dress was awful and the staging was just there… acknowledging that, I still think that song itself and Nina’s voice deserved a better score. But I’m not complaining, since we are not all Sweden and Australia, hence, qualification alone is somewhat of a satisfying result.
I hope that Damir Kedžo will return to Dora 2021 !! I loved his 2020 song very much. He deserves a second chance. It ‘s not his fault that ESC 2020 has been canceled
Yes, If he does come back, it’s going to be difficult for anyone to beat him because many voters will be thinking the same thing.
Well he was in my bottom ten… Dora really isn’t the format Croatia should be using, they have a huge music scene, but no big gun will enter Dora..
Croatia has an excellent music market, but this time I would like Kedzo to appear again in the colors of Croatia with a good song, and by the way, HRT television still has not issued a decision on Eurovision, let us add that parliamentary elections are in Croatia in July and possible victory left-wing party SDP means changes in HRT television
Oh no, does that mean Damir Kedzo will not represent Croatia next year?
Without sounding like a pervert lol
I can’t help but feel attracted to Damir, he’s gorgeous, those arms and the way he always has his shirt buttoned down. Swoon.
So yes, Croatia should definitely bring him back, but please, throw some effort into giving the lad a good song.
its not a Miss universe contest, you dont vote for a good looking guy if he has a bad song. I guess you do.
I don’t vote for a good looking guy if he has a bad song?
No I vote for the song in a song contest regardless of what the person looks like. So I don’t quite understand your comment there.
I was making an observational comment about Damir, but his song in 2020 wasn’t for me though.
I think he’s handsome too, but more than that I think he was a great live singer. There weren’t too many countries submitting an undoctored live performance as their preview video. Croatia could because Damir was such a strong performer.
Totally!!
If Slovenia sends Ana again, Serbia Hurricane probably too, HRT will most likely copy them but again, I don’t know if they can break a contract.
Just send Damir Kedzo to Eurovision 2021. It would be unfair to deny him the opportunity to be on the Eurovision stage.
Since it came back, Dora has been one of the weaker selections in terms of song but has given us excellent singers. It seems like this was a good chance to spend a year working on a song that could be of a similar level to the performer but apparently, they’d rather just see what sticks from their NF instead.