Tonight Croatia will decide who is going to represent the country at the 2011 Eurovision Song Contest in Dusseldorf.
These are the three songs in the running to represent Croatia in Düsseldorf (composer in brackets):
- Lahor (Breeze) (Boris Djordjevic)
- Stotinama godina (Hundreds of years) (Ante Pecotic)
- Jos ima nas (There’s still an us) (Lea Dekleva)
The two finalists, Jacques Houdek and Daria Kinzer, will perform all three songs. In the first round, one song will be selected for each of the finalists via jury voting and televoting. The public alone will then decide which of the two'winning combinations'will represent Croatia in Düsseldorf.
How to watch:
- HRT 1 at 20.09 CET
- Webcast here (eurovision.tv, requires Octoshape plugin)
Live
The show has started. Feminnem are singing Lako je sve.
Presenters Aleksandar Kostadinov and Leona Paraminski. Now the finalists: Jacques Houdek and Daria Kinzer.
Now Monika Lelas from Croatian Radio talking to the finalist.
Now the jurors
- Tonci Huljic (composer of the 1999 and 2009 Croatian entries)
- Severina (Croatian representative in 2006)
- Andrej Babic (composer of Croatia 2003, Bosnia & Herzegovina 2005, Slovenia 2007 and 2009 and Portugal 2008)
First song now:
1. Jacques with Jos ima nas (There’s still an us) (Lea Dekleva)
The song is a ballad. He is accompanied by several female backing singers walking around with long trails. Jacques's vocals are strong as usual. Huge applause from Jacques's supporters.
2. Daria with Jos ima nas (There’s still an us) (Lea Dekleva)
Now Daria sings the same song. Daria's German accent can be heard, and she towers over everyone else on stage.
Now Monika is with the candidates who were eliminated in previous rounds.
3. Jacques with Lahor (Breeze) (Boris Djordjevic)
Now Jacques is singing Lahor (Breeze), written by Boris Djordjevi. The song is up-tempo. He is accompanied by 2 female backing singers/dancers, who are wearing little black dresses. Now there are male dancers cavorting on stage.
4. Daria with Lahor (Breeze) (Boris Djordjevic)
Daria performs her version of Lahor.
Now Daria and Jacques receive giant Schwarzkopf products!
The official judges are presented.
5. Jacques with Stotinama godina (Hundreds of years) (Ante Pecotic)
ow Jacques sings Stotinama godina, written by Ante Pecotic. This song is mid-tempo, and Jacques performs it well.
6. Daria with Stotinama godina (Hundreds of years) (Ante Pecotic)
Now Daria performs the song in a silver evening dress.
First round has finished. Voting has started.
Now a reprise of the evening's performances.
Now Petar Graso performs with Tonci Huljic's new band. He was runner-up at Dora 1997.
Voting is over.
Now the presenter is talking to the jurors.
Now Petar and the band Madre Badessa perform a song in the Dalmatian dialect. Now they are doing another song. Now Goran Bregovic joins the band.
The jury results are announced.
Jacques first:
- Jos ima nas 5+6+5=16 points
- Lahor 9+10+10=29
- Stotinma godina 9+9+9=27
Now Daria:
- Jos ima nas 5+7+5=17 points
- Lahor 10+9+10=29
- Stotinma godina 7+8+8=23
Now televoting
Jacques:
- Jos ima nas 1 point
- Lahor 5 points
- Stotinma godina 3 points
Daria:
- Jos ima nas 1 point
- Lahor 2 points
- Stotinma godina 3 points
Lahor was chosen for both Jacques and Daria.
So Croatia's song this year will be Lahor (Breeze).
Now the finalists' previous performances are show.
First is Jacques's final performance of Lahor. Now Daria performs Lahor in a little black dress.
5 minutes' televoting begins, then a reprise of both performances.
Now the 2005 Croatian representative Boris Novkovic performs his new single Via Ljubav.
Voting is over.
Now Boris sings his 2005 Eurovision entry Vukovi umiru sami.
Now members of OGAE Croatia bring bunches of flowers to the stage.
Results are coming.
9000 votes to the winner DARIA!