It’s the day of Dora 2021. Fourteen acts will face off in one-night music gala live from Opatija this evening from 20.10 CET. But before we get to know who represents Croatia at Eurovision 2021, we asked our readers to select their winner based on one-minute snippets released last weekend.

Poll results: Nina Kraljić (Alkonost Of Balkan) should win Dora 2021

After counting a total of 2,445 votes, we can confirm that Nina Kraljić is our reader’s favourite to win Dora 2021. She topped our poll with a whopping 41.27% of all votes cast. Her ethno-ballad “Rijeka”, which translates as “River”, garnered a total of 1,009 votes.

Our poll results are on par with the bookmakers’ odds. Croatia’s Eurovision 2016 singer sits comfortably on top of the bookies’ rankings, with odds as short as 2.60 at the time of writing. YouTube views are also in Nina’s favour — the “Rijeka” snippet has attracted nearly 200,000 views in less than a week and is also trending at number one in Croatia. The only other Dora act in YouTube’s trending list is Albina’s “Tick-Tock”.

Coming a distant second is Bernarda with “Colors”. She collected 346 votes or 14.15% of all votes cast. The former Die Grosse Entscheidungs show finalist performs a Borislav Milanov penned track. She’s no stranger to Dora – she previously competed in 2019 with “I Believe In True Love”, coming sixth overall.

Rounding out the top three is Mia Negovetić’s with “She’s Like A Dream”.  Last year’s runner-up took 252 votes or 10.31% of all votes cast. She’s co-written the song with Eurovision-winning writer Linnea Deb, Denise Kertes and Denniz Jamm.

Bottom place in the poll is shared between Sandi Cenov and the duo Ashley Colburn and Bojan Jambrosic. They each earned only 14 votes. He already enjoyed Eurovision success in 1994, but Tony Cetinski’s duet with Kiki Rahimovski seems unlikely to win tomorrow. Their song “Zapjevaj, sloboda je!” finished only slightly higher with 39 votes.

Poll results: Who should win Dora 2021?

  1. Nina Kraljić (Alkonost of Balkan) – “Rijeka” 41.27% (1,009 votes)
  2. Bernarda – “Colors” 14.15% (346 votes)
  3. Mia Negovetić – “She’s like a Dream” 10.31% (252 votes)
  4. Albina – “Tick-Tock” 9.45% (231 votes)
  5. Cambi – “Zaljubljen” 5.11% (125 votes)
  6. Filip Rudan – “Blind” 4.01% (98 votes)
  7. Ella Orešković – “Come This Way” 3.8% (93 votes)
  8. Eric – “Reci mi” 2.94% (72 votes)
  9. ToMa – “Ocean of Love” 2.33% (57 votes)
  10. Beta Sudar – “Ma zamisli” 2% (49 votes)
  11. Brigita Vuco – “Noći pijane” 1.88% (46 votes)
  12. Tony Cetinski & Kiki Rahimovski – “Zapjevaj, sloboda je!” 1.6% (39 votes)
  13. Sandi Cenov – “Kriv” 0.57% (14 votes)
  14. Ashley Colburn & Bojan Jambrošić – “Share the Love” 0.57% (14 votes)

Total Votes: 2,445

How do you feel about the results? Do you agree with the winner? Tell us in the comments below. 

Follow all of our Croatia Eurovision 2021 news.

19 Comments
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ESCalator
ESCalator
3 years ago

Nina’s song was an epic piece of ART that mixed elements of Slavic mythos (Alkonost is a mystical bird-woman) with a majestic vocal delivery!

Some people in Croatia equated Nina’s interest in old Slavic folklore to satanism, which was also published in the media, and that could well be the reason why she was sabotaged.

Marc
Marc
3 years ago

Albina deserved the victory. Well done! This will do well in Rotterdam.

Ashton Schier
Ashton Schier
3 years ago

Nina was completely robbed. Albina was fine but nowhere near Nina’s level

Ashton Schier
Ashton Schier
3 years ago
Reply to  Ashton Schier

Albina’s song is already growing on me, tho. I just rly don’t like the chorus. Rijeka deserved to take the crown.

Pretzel
Pretzel
3 years ago

Albina got me shook. Wig snatched.

BadWoolfGirl
BadWoolfGirl
3 years ago

I am actually watching Dora right now as a YouTube livestream. I just stumbled on it as I usually just seek out the results so it’s cool to see a national final in progress

Colin
Colin
3 years ago

Based on snippets alone, I’d say that my top 6 would be – Nina, Albina, Bernarda, ToMa, Mia and Cambi. However, I can realistically see some of them falling flat if they turn out to be too repetitive, underdone or overdone on stage. The same way, I can see Filip, Eric, Ella or Beta elevated to the point of being contenders. The only one I cannot see failing is Nina, but I am interested to see it all to assess whether the song is just good or breathtaking. If Rijeka lives up to it’s full potential, I can seriously see… Read more »

Last edited 3 years ago by Colin
Sam
Sam
3 years ago

In Europe it should be written ‘colours’ with a ‘u’ in it, without the letter ‘u’ it just is trying to be too American.

Tom Ripley
Tom Ripley
3 years ago

Nina is my favorite to win Dora, and I believe she could be potentially strong contendor in May if she pass the step called Dora. The song is autenthic, modern sound covered by ethno root, while her performance is outstanding and it takes the breath away.

In case, the results of Dora goes in any other direction then Nina’s 1. position , second best choice should be Albina and Tick-Tock. She is young, perspective vocalist with song that follows latest trends.

Tonight is the night! Good luck to everoyne!

Heyey
Heyey
3 years ago

It would be so epic to have:
• Nina for Croatia
• KEiiNO for Norway
• Dotter for Sweden
• Francesca Michelin & Fedez for Italy

And Little Big, Alicja, Athena and James being confirmed as their countries’ artists

I don’t want to get my hopes too high though, as you can often get disappointed when your favourite doesn’t win.

Janet
Janet
3 years ago
Reply to  Heyey

it seems like everyone wants Francesca to win just because of 2016. I’m not saying she won’t win or that she doesn’t deserve to win, but we haven’t heard any of the sanremo songs so why is she already so hyped? People seem to be forgetting she didn’t even win sanremo 2016, she only went becahse 1st place didn’t want to

kedmir
kedmir
3 years ago

anyone who can watch Dora 2021 LIVE on YouTube please send me the link! thanks!

Mors
Mors
3 years ago
Reply to  kedmir
RavensHeart
RavensHeart
3 years ago

What does Alkonost of Balkan mean? Is that the group she with?

Art
Art
3 years ago
Reply to  RavensHeart

It will be Nina’s new artistic name. Apparently it’s a half woman half bird kind of creature from Slavic mythology. It fits with this new direction that she wants to pursue in her music.

Last edited 3 years ago by Art
Believe10
Believe10
3 years ago

When Nina initially auditioned to The Voice of Croatia in 2016, two coaches turned around to have her in her team: Jacques Houdek and Tony Cetinski…

There are quite a few contestants who have good chances tonight. The top 3 are in this order: Nina, Albina and Mia. Others who have good chances to achieve a good result or potentially win are: Bernarda, Tony&Kiki, Filip and Cambi.

In the end it will all come down to the public votes which could favour the former Voice contestants and the Croatian songs I mentioned.

Purple Mask
Purple Mask
3 years ago

Best of luck to everyone in Dora, and may Croatia have a good time tonight. 🙂

Alonso
Alonso
3 years ago

Nina pls!!!!!

Kosey
Kosey
3 years ago

Really looking forward to this one. It is hard to judge on a one minute snippet but Nina’s effort sounds gigantic, I hope the full 3 minutes is the experience I am expecting.

I am also looking forward to Ella, Cambi and Mia, those songs also struck a chord with me over the one minute. And a special mention to Beta, I really hope her song knocks it out of the park – I want it to get me up and dancing alone in my discotheque – The Roop would be proud!