Croatia in the Eurovision Song Contest 1997


Croatia was represented at the Eurovision Song Contest 1997 with the song "Probudi me", composed by Davor Tolja, with lyrics by Alida Šarar, and performed by the band E.N.I. The Croatian participating broadcaster, Croatian Radiotelevision, selected its entry for the contest through Dora 1997.

Background

Croatia first appeared in the Eurovision Song Contest as an independent country in 1993, having previously entered as a part of from to. The sub-national broadcaster from SR Croatia was the most successful at the national finals, with 11 of the 27 entries that won the Yugoslavian selection for Eurovision being Croatian. It gave Yugoslavia three of the country's Top 5 placings in the contest, with "Rock Me" performed by Riva winning the, as well as fourth-place finishes for both "Džuli" by Daniel in and "Ja sam za ples" by Novi fosili in.
Croatia's former sub-national broadcaster RTV Zagreb became the country's national broadcaster after independence, renamed Croatian Radiotelevision. 1997 marked HRT's fifth participation at the contest representing Croatia as an independent country. Previous results for Croatia were mixed, with its first two entries gaining 15th and 16th position. However its entries from 1995 and 1996 both placed within the top 10, with "Nostalgija" by Magazin and Lidija placing 6th in and "Sveta ljubav" by Maja Blagdan placing 4th in.

Before Eurovision

''Dora 1997''

HRT held a national final to select its entry for the Eurovision Song Contest 1997. The broadcaster held Dora 1997 on 9 March at the Crystal Ballroom of Hotel Kvarner in Opatija, hosted by Ljudevit Grgurić Grga. 20 entries competed, and the winner was decided by 20 regional juries.
DrawArtistSongSongwriterPointsPlace
1Tajana"Povedi me"Ivan Mikulić, Fayo019
2Ksenija Sobotinčić"Nemamo to pravo"Andrej Babić617
3Oliver Dragojević"Lučija"Zdenko Runjić, Ivana Runjić, Vedrana Runjić628
4Bay Bis"Boje ljubavi"Zrinko Tutić019
5Branka B."Našoj ljubavi"Zlatan Stipišić Gibonni, Zlatan Stipišić Gibonni, Nenad Ninčević418
6Magazin"Opium"Tonći Huljić, Vjekoslava Huljić647
7Ivana Plechinger"Zora"Ivana Plechinger, Bruno Kovačić529
8E.N.I."Probudi me"Davor Tolja, Alida Šarar1701
9Donna Ares"Zadnja noć"Guido Mineo, Ivana Mavrin, Robert Pilepić4812
10Petar Grašo"Idi"Petar Grašo1612
11Lidija Bajuk"Zora djevojka"Lidija Bajuk795
12Lana Cenčić"Ti si super, ti si mrak"Lana Cenčić, Fayo716
13Brešković Brothers"Voljet ću te vječno"Tonći Brešković, Nikola Brešković, Marko Brešković529
14Novi fosili"Vrijeme"Rajko Dujmi, Fayo529
15Minea"Magla"Fedor Boic, Vjekoslava Huljić2714
16Maja Blagdan"Za nas"Nenad Ninčević1343
17Leo"Moje nebo"Đorđe Novković, Štefanija Soldan, Eduard Matešić666
18Dražen Žanko"Zamantan"Dražen Žanko2315
19Ivan Mikulić"Proljeće"Miro Buljan, Fayo3613
20Alen Nižetić"Ti"Nenad Ninčević1174

At Eurovision

E.N.I. performed 23rd on the night of the contest, following and preceding the. The group received 24 points, placing 17th of the 25 competing countries.

Voting

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