The excitement is building as Croatia’s Eurovision selection process, Dora 2024, gears up for a spectacular national final. In a departure from its usual venue in Opatija, this year’s event will unfold within the studios of Hrvatska radiotelevizija (HRT) on Prisavlje Street in Zagreb. Audiences tuning in to HRT will be treated to a three-day musical competition at the end of February, featuring two semi-final nights on February 22nd and 23rd, followed by the grand final on Sunday, February 25th.

Last week, the songs of this year’s Dora contestants were unveiled for the first time on the HRT program Svijet diskografije. As the anticipation builds, all eyes are now turning to Dora’s YouTube channel, where tomorrow, on Tuesday, January 9th, the music videos for each entry will be premiered. Excitement is palpable as artists showcase their talents, competing for the coveted opportunity to represent Croatia at Eurovision 2024.

This year’s Dora boasts an impressive lineup of 24 talented performers, each vying for the chance to bring their song to the Eurovision stage. The complete list of contestants is as follows:

1. Vatra – “Slatke suze, gorka ljubav”
2. Pavel – “Do mjeseca”
3. Vinko – “Lying Eyes”
4. Damir Kedžo – “Voljena ženo”
5. Saša Lozar – “Ne plačem zbog nje”
6. Let 3 – “Baba roga”
7. Mario Battifiaca feat. Robert Ferlin – “Vodu piti trizan biti”
8. Lu Dedić – “Plavi leptir”
9. Boris Štok – “Can We Talk”
10. Alen Đuras – “A Tamburitza Lullaby”
11. Natalie Balmix – “Dijamanti”
12. Marcela Oroši – “Gasoline”
13. Noelle – “Baby, Baby”
14. James Night – “Nebo plače”
15. Misha – “One Day”
16. Erna – “How Do You Love Me”
17. Stefany Žužić – “Sretnih dana dat će Bog”
18. Lana Mandarić – “More”
19. Eugen – “Tišine”
20. Lara Demarin – “Ne vjerujem ti”
21. Barbara Munjas – “Nepobjediva”
22. The Splitters – “Od kad te sanjam”
23. ET – “Pametnom dosta”
24. Baby Lasagna – “Rim tim tagi dim”

A record-breaking 203 submissions were received for Dora 2024, showcasing the immense interest among both established and emerging artists. The expert jury, consisting of Željko Mesar, Igor Geržina, Dražen Miočić, Robert Urlić, Tomislav Krizmanić, and Ema Gross, carefully selected the 24 finalists and four reserve songs in case any unforeseen circumstances arise – one of the four made it to the final list, as Zsa Zsa witdrew from the competition – Baby Lasagna – immediate fan favourite of the contest replaced her.

As the stage is set for Dora 2024, Croatia’s Eurovision journey promises to be a thrilling spectacle. Stay tuned for the live broadcasts from HRT studios and witness the magic unfold as one artist earns the honor of representing Croatia on the Eurovision stage in 2024. Building Bridges – Eurovision Podcast will be covering all the highlights, so be sure to follow for exclusive updates and behind-the-scenes insights. The countdown to Dora 2024 has officially begun!

See the recap of the 24 competing artists below, made by Misja Eurowizja:

Photo credits: HRT