Nina Kraljić
Her voice and her unique interpretation of songs have made Nina Kraljić the most successful shining star of the Croatian music scene. After winning the talent show The Voice, public broadcaster HRT nominated her to represent Croatia in the 2016 Eurovision Song Contest. In Stockholm she will sing Lighthouse, a song written by Andreas Grass and Nikola Paryla.Nina Kraljić is a 24-year-old student from Lipovljani, Croatia. She has been singing since the early days of her childhood and has developed her singing skills through various music projects and the synchronisation of animated movies.
Her performances in the first season of The Voice - Najljepši glas Hrvatske (2015), left the audience speechless. Her extraordinary voice and unique interpretation of songs in various genres led to her victory in the show. Two months after winning, she presented her debut single Zaljuljali smo svijet. The official audio and video of the single have been viewed more than 600.000 times on Vevo.
In the beginning of 2016, she was nominated for three Croatian Music Awards; Porin 2016 (Best New Act, Best Song Arrangement, Best Female Vocals Performance). Nina was also recognised as Best Newcomer by Croatian national public broadcaster’s radio HR2.
Things you should know about Nina Kraljić
What are the most interesting aspects about your entry?
The extraordinary set of events lead to my participation in Eurovision. Firstly, winning The Voice, then releasing a single that won three nomination for a prestigious Croatian music award Porin, and finally being chosen to represent Croatia at Eurovision – everything happened in just one year.
What are the most impressive facts about you?
- I like to play videogames on my Playstation
- I have two tattoos, dedicated to people that mean a lot to me
- I figured out how to approach music when I quit music for two years and dedicated myself to other stuff
- I left my home when I was 14 because of music and education and kept moving for nine years
- I am not a fan of partying the way my generation does it - I prefer spending time at home, with my loved ones or solo in my own world
- I am obsessed with writing, calligraphy and colours.
Do you have a (lucky) routine before you go on stage?
The most important for me is to get a good rest the night before the performance. I avoid too many rehearsals, I believe that continuous repetition of the same song results in the loss of magic that is present when you sing the song for the first time. Singers often say that the first performance of a song is sometimes the best because it carries a special emotion of the unexpected. My goal is to keep that feeling, to turn off the brain and turn on the heart.
Why is the Eurovision Song Contest important for you?
I have been following Eurovision since I was little, and in a certain way, this is a dream come true. The Eurovision Song Contest will, regardless of the changes brought on as time passes, remain the most recognised singing competitions in the world.
