Damir is stood centre stage with a microphone stand. He is dressed rather underwhelmingly in black trousers. To our right but a bit further back are five female backing singers also dressed head to toe in black. The backdrop, which is more atmospheric and abstract than something implying the song's meaning, is also rather dark which means at times all you can see are floating heads (unless that is the effect they were hoping for!)
This is another ballad where very little happens Damir is rooted to the spot behind his stand for the first half of the song. Even when he handles the microphone he takes about three steps forward and stays there. The backing singers doesn't move because they are stuck behind their stands too. The whole thing looks very empty and awkward, especially when you then factor in the dark setting. Although there is some variation of camera shot for the viewers at home far too much of the camera time is fixated on Damir's head and shoulders.
Let's focus on the song. The ballad starts full on compared to many songs we've already seen. The first verse does wind around for a while. It almost feels like a short verse, bridge, short verse. Once into the chorus the drums really kick in as does the ultra harmonic ladies on backing. Interesting move to see that the title is the chain thank links between the verse ending and chorus starting. The next verse starts up but this time just the backing singers to start. This verse reveals itself to be a truncated version of the first verse and and is done in half the time. This brings us into another chorus that continues longer than normal with Damir repeating the last lines in an echoing way before his voice rises up for the big note before the last chorus. The song then ends with drum beats before just stopping.
This is a lovely song with a whiff of the good old fashioned Balkan ballad, something currently lacking from the line-up as I write. The Croatian language sounds really nice to the ear and fits well with the power and flow of the music. Damir's voice is clear, well controlled and sounds good on his own and in the mix with the backing singers. I guess here, at least for me, the main problem is the total lack of presentation. They could very easily pick this exact performance and plonk it straight onto the stage in Rotterdam but it is going to feel cold and empty and is not going to connect. If the Croatian delegation want to qualify they need the song or Damir (or both) to reach the audience, especially as almost all of them will not understand Croatian. On that note, yes they could by wiley and change the language in whole or in part but I think the language makes this one stand out more.
The more I have listened to this song, the more it has it has made an impression on me. Unfortunately for them, on first listen it makes barely any impression. It is quite a dated entry and needs some pizazz to make it stand out. As much I would love the song to qualify (and Damir is a solid confident singer) everything else doesn't deserve to. Great song, shame about the rest of it.
Artist - Damir Kedžo
Song - Divlji vjetre (Wild wind)
Composer - Ante Pecotić
Lyricist - Ante Pecotić
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