Croatia: Nina Kraljić will sing "Lighthouse"

Lighthouse is the title of the Croatian entry in the 2016 Eurovision Song Contest, sung by Nina Kraljić. The song was written by Andreas Grass and Nikola Paryla from Austria, and it was produced by Thorsten Brötzmann in Germany. The song will be included on Nina's first album, which will be released by Universal Music.

Nina Kraljić points out that she is very happy because her song is a combination of what she loves: relatively modern sounds and ethno. "It has been an exceptional honour for me to work with such a talented and experienced team. The song has a brilliant message of hope, which, without looking at all the mischiefs in life, is always present and shining", Nina explains.

You can listen to the song below:

Lighthouse - The lyrics

verse1:
Lightning strikes on the sea
Breaking waves around me

Stormy tides and I feel
My ship capsizing

Out of sight - saving shore
Ever gone - evermore

Ropes untied - rain that pours
The waters rising

pre-chorus:
In devastating times
I keep this hope of mine
Even in the darkest night

chorus 1:
'cause there is a light
Guiding my way
Keeping me safe when oceans rage

There in the sky
Hiding away
Never to die and fade

I know that I'll find your

Your lighthouse
Your lighthouse
Your lighthouse
Your lighthouse
Your lighthouse
Your lighthouse

verse2:
Harbours near
No more fear
Wall of clouds disappears

So I steer to the pier
In tears - arriving

pre-chorus2:
No devastating times
I kept this hope of mine
Even in the darkest night

chorus 2:
'cause there is a light
Guiding my way
Keeping me safe when oceans rage

There in the sky
Hiding away
Never to die and fade

I know that I'll find your

Your lighthouse
Your lighthouse
Your lighthouse
Your lighthouse
Your lighthouse
Your lighthouse

chorus 3:
'cause there is a light
Guiding my way
Keeping me safe when oceans rage

There in the sky
Hiding away
Never to die and fade

I know that I'll find your

Your lighthouse
Your lighthouse
Your lighthouse
Your lighthouse
Your lighthouse

I know that I'll find your

"Basically the song talks about someone who got lost at sea. Even if the protagonist has the impression in the beginning that all hope is lost, she remains confident to overcome all obstacles and find a safe harbour - lead by the signal of the Lighthouse", says Andreas Grass, one of the songwriters.

"The voice of Nina Kraljić touched me already at the very first listen, and even more so during the studio recording of the song Lighthouse. Her performance has given the song a wholly new dimension. I think we have created something extraordinary, something magic", comments Thorsten Brötzmann, who has worked with many world-famous artists, including Lena, Bonnie Tyler, No Angels, Reamonn, Amy MacDonald, and Modern Talking.

"When I was thinking about to whom and what I would dedicate my song, I remembered some of my friends who work on a ship and only return home after six months or a year, and their stories: of homesickness and the sudden feeling of anxiety, of upcoming adventures, of which the seas hold infinitely many yet unexplored ones. Likewise the song has deeply reminded us of the refugees who are looking for a home overseas, and of the tragic situations they are faced with," Nina Kraljić adds.

Željko Mesar, Head of the Croatian Delegation in the 2016 Eurovision Song Contest, confirms that Nina Kraljić will sing in English in Stockholm, and he believes in her success and her qualification for the Grand Final. "The song is very interesting, tailored to Nina's voice, and I am sure that she will represent us in the best possible way. Apart from her performance of the song, a creative team has been working intensively to design Nina's stage act. They have been thinking about her hairstyle, dress, the stage lighting, make-up, but the most important thing remains her stage performance."

Croatia has skipped the last two editions of the Eurovision Song Contest. Now they are back in the competition with Nina Kraljić - in the very year Croatian Radio celebrates its 90th anniversary, and Croatian Television its 60th.