Croatia in the Eurovision Song Contest 2008

Dora 2008 was the sixteenth edition of the Croatian national selection Dora which selected Croatia's entry for the Eurovision Song Contest 2008. The competition consisted of a semi-final and a final on 22 and 23 February 2008, both taking place at the Hotel Kvarner in Opatija. The semi-final was broadcast on HRT 2, while the final was broadcast on HRT 1. Both shows were also broadcast via radio on HR 2 and online via the broadcaster's website hrt.hr, while the final was also streamed online via the official Eurovision Song Contest website eurovision.tv.[3][4]

A total of twenty-four songs competed in Dora 2008 which consisted of two shows: a semi-final and a final. Fourteen of the songs were selected from open submissions and competed in the semi-final with public televoting selecting the top six to proceed to the final. In the final, the six qualifying songs in the semi-final alongside an additional ten pre-qualified songs competed and the winner was selected by votes from the public and a jury panel. Ties in the final were decided in favour of the entry that received the most points from the jury.[5]

On 3 December 2007, HRT opened a submission period where artists and composers were able to submit their entries to the broadcaster with the deadline on 18 December 2007.[6] Over 200 entries were received by the broadcaster during the submission period.[7] A five-member expert committee consisting of Silvije Glojnarić (HRT), Robert Urlić (HR), Branko Uvodić (HTV), Željen Klašterka (HTV) and Aleksandar Kostadinov (HTV) reviewed the received submissions and selected sixteen artists and songs for the semi-final of the competition, while the ten pre-qualifying songs for the final were written by composers invited by HRT in consultation with the Croatian Composers' Society (HDS).[8] The composers also selected the performer for their entry. The invited composers were announced on 30 December 2007 and were:[9]

HRT announced the entries competing in the semi-final on 2 January 2008 and among the artists was Emilija Kokić who won the Eurovision Song Contest 1989 for Yugoslavia as a member of Riva.[10] The pre-qualified entries competing in the final were announced on 9 January 2009 and among the pre-qualified artists was Maja Blagdan who represented Croatia in the Eurovision Song Contest 1996.[11] On 9 and 16 February 2008, the competing artists performed their entries live during the preview programme Ususret dori broadcast on HRT 1.[12]

The semi-final took place on 22 February 2008, hosted by Duško Ćurlić, Nikolina Pišek and Lana Jurčević. The six qualifiers for the final were determined exclusively by a public televote.[13] In addition to the performances of the competing entries, Tony Hadley performed as the interval act during the show.[3]

The final took place on 23 February 2008, hosted by Duško Ćurlić, Mirko Fodor, Nikolina Pišek and Lana Jurčević. The six entries that qualified from the semi-final alongside the ten pre-qualified entries competed and the winner, "Romanca" performed by Kraljevi ulice and 75 Cents, was determined by a 50/50 combination of votes from a five-member jury panel and a public televote. "Milina" performed by Dino Dvornik and Bane was disqualified from the final after the artists did not attend rehearsals and therefore their votes weren't counted. Antonija Šola and Kraljevi ulice and 75 Cents were tied at 31 points each but since Kraljevi ulice and 75 Cents received the most points from the jury they were declared the winner.[14] The jury that voted in the final consisted of Silvije Glojnarić (HRT), Robert Urlić (HR), Branko Uvodić (HTV), Željen Klašterka (HTV) and Aleksandar Kostadinov (HTV).[15]

In addition to the performances of the competing entries, the show was opened by 2007 Croatian Eurovision entrant Dragonfly featuring Dado Topić, while Irish Eurovision Song Contest 1980 and 1987 winner Johnny Logan performed as the interval act.[4][16]

In early March, Kraljevi ulice and 75 Cents filmed the music video for "Romanca", which was directed by Tihomir Žarn.[17] The music video was presented on 18 March during the HRT 1 programme Na domaćem terenu.[18][19] A Russian version of the song was also recorded entitled "Romantsa".[20][21]

Kraljevi ulice and 75 Cents made several appearances across Europe to specifically promote "Romanca" as the Croatian Eurovision entry. On 2 March, Kraljevi ulice and 75 Cents performed during the presentation show of the 2008 Bosnian Eurovision entry, BH Eurosong Show 2008.[22] On 9 March, the artists performed during the semi-final of the Serbian Eurovision national final Beovizija 2008.[23]

Kraljevi ulice and 75 Cents took part in technical rehearsals on 14 and 18 May, followed by dress rehearsals on 21 and 22 May.[31] The Croatian performance featured the members of Kraljevi ulice all dressed in dark and 75 Cents dressed in a white suit and wearing a white hat. The performers' outfits were designed by Jadranka Tomić.[32] 75 Cents began the performance on a chair before standing up to walk around the stage with a walking stick and finishing the song by scratching a record on a gramophone. Kraljevi ulice and 75 Cents were joined on stage by a ballet dancer, Mia Lisak, who stood on a pedestal in a red dress and played chimes consisting of water-filled bottles towards the end.[33][34][35]

At the end of the show, Croatia was announced as having finished in the top 10 and subsequently qualifying for the grand final. It was later revealed that Croatia placed fourth in the semi-final, receiving a total of 112 points.[36]

Shortly after the second semi-final, a winners' press conference was held for the ten qualifying countries. As part of this press conference, the qualifying artists took part in a draw to determine the running order of the final. This draw was done in the order the countries appeared in the semi-final running order. Croatia was drawn to perform in position 9, following the entry from Finland and before the entry from Poland.[37]

Kraljevi ulice and 75 Cents once again took part in dress rehearsals on 23 and 24 May before the final. Kraljevi ulice and 75 Cents performed a repeat of their semi-final performance during the final on 24 May. At the conclusion of the voting, Croatia finished in twenty-first place with 44 points.[38]

Below is a breakdown of points awarded to Croatia and awarded by Croatia in the second semi-final and grand final of the contest. The nation awarded its 12 points to Macedonia in the semi-final and to Bosnia and Herzegovina in the final of the contest.