The Croatian national final for the 2009 Eurovision Song Contest is about to be held. 16 acts will compete for the ticket to Moscow.

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Participants

LIVE

Live report by Laura Gudim and Gil Laufer.

The show has started. About 800 people are in the hall and the programme is opened by Kraljevi Ulice, who represented the country last year. Dusko Curlic is now in the greenroom and asks the people which song they want to win.

1. Ana Bebic – Mrzim spore stvari

Ana Bebic presents an easybut repetitive pop/rock song with jolly lyrics. With the singer, whois wearing a black mini,on stage are four dancers and a couch. The overall performance and the vocals are rather strong.

2. Hari Roncevic & Kvartet Bravo – Još uvik

This song is not performed in standard Croatian but in the Dalmatian dialect. The bespectacled singer is dressed in blackand he is accompanying himself on theguitar. The lyrics are flawless and the lyrics are quite melancholy.

3. Ruswaj – Što ce mi ljubav

A catchy rock song by the boy band Ruswaj, made of a lead singer, dressed in white, and also a drummer, two guitarists and very young, female backing singers, all in black. The performance is average and can fit easily to a bands-evening, but may not fit in the Eurovision Song Contest.

4. Mijo Lešina – To nisam ja

The singer is 23 years old and was born in Frankfurt. He performs a ballad with sad lyrics and he is dressed in black but with a purple tie. There are four female backing singers on stage. The entry is very strong and has a catchy last chorus.

5. Drazen Zanko – Samo ti

The dark singer,who is accompanied by fourblonde backing singers,presents a song that is very strong, even before the chorus. It's a typical Eurovision song and could do well for Croatia. The end is very dramatic.

6. Franka – Pjesma za kraj

The 17 year old singer won the OGAE Song Contest. A good tune and moving performance with three male dancers in shiny blue-pink-green suits, and also two backing singers – a male one and a female one. Unfortunately, Franka seems to get lost somewhere in the performance.

7. Mario Battifiaca – Ma gdje bila

An older, blonde-haired singer in glasses. There is a female violinist dressed in black, seated. This sad rock ballad is another typical Eurovision song and the vocals are very strong.

8. Viva – Opet

Normally, this group performs in clubs and it has the usual format of a drummer, two guitarists and a keyboard player. The lead singer is out of tune and it seems that he's more shouting than singing.

9. Ivo Gamulin Gianni – Daj mi jedan razlog

A black-haired singer with a very strong ballad and apitch-perfect voice.There are2 male and 2 female backing singers with shiny gloves. It is obviously the strongest entry so far and receives the biggest applause.

10. Feminnem – Trebam te

They represented Bosnia & Herzegovina four years ago, and this is their second try in Dora. They took part in 2007 with the song Navika. This is a light-rock song with Croatian elements.The performance is better than yesterday but they still fail to hit some of the high notes. Each one of the girls is wearing a different variation of black and white.

11. Denis Dumancic – Srce moram seliti

Denis is 40 years old and he was born in Vienna. Denis is accompanied by a band including a violinist, a drummer, a backing singer and a mandolin player. Denis himslef is playing on a traditional Croatian instrument. His singing is not perfect but sounds live and and has a colour.

12. Danijela Pintaric – Zlatna rijeka

Danijela also took part in Dora 2007, with a a stronger song than tonight. She's wearing a shiny golden dress while singing her uptempo song way out of tune. Four backing singers are there to help her.

13. Cager Zoc & Papak Dance Company – Ritam da se ritam

The main singer is wearing white and yellow clothes. There are also three backing dancers in orange, blue and red dresses. There are also two backing singers, a female wearing black and a male drummer, wearing orange. The song is unique and simple, with Brazilian tunes. It may be a "gimmick" in ESC if Croatia will vote for it.

14. Tomislav Bralic & Klapa Intrade – Ne damo te pismo naša

The winner of the semi final.There are fivemen on stage including the lead singer all in black suits. A ballad in a smilar style as Croatia's 2008 entry.

15. Igor Cukrov – Lijepa Tena

A song with mediterranean touch. Igor is singing in high notes and also the female singer who is with him. The vocals are very strong. They wear black and red clothes and there is a dancer on stage as well.

16. Aria – Istina je

A ballad is the finale of this national final. Aria is a male-trio, and they all wear white suits. They sing in high and perfect tunes. They're accompanied by three violin players and the performance is very good though it's not moving or going anywhere.

Results now!

Song number ten is the jury favourite with 57 points. Song number 14 is the favourite of the televoters. Igor Cukrovhas wonthe national final and will represent Croatia in Moscow.