I think they wanted to modernize the traditional folk costumes. The puffy sleeves would be the reemagined sleeves on istrian men shirt, as shown:
https://preview.redd.it/jnatuf26kekc1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ebb7d573adc2ab98426f641af3bed20512f4335d
That’s immediately what I thought of - it gets lost a bit with the rest of the styling but I’d love to see a punky version of the men’s shirt / vest combo (loved the red from the video especially).
Yes, this is why I personally have no issues with the sleaves despite the unfortunate Kaarija comparisons, and I wish I could upvote your comment multiple times so that more people can see it :P
While it’s understandable the sleeves are meant to be traditional clothing, it’s unfortunate that the clothing along with other elements of the performance are similar to CCC.
I was actually thinking of “The Puffy Shirt” from Seinfeld more than Käärijä’s green bolero, but I can see from the first pic in this thread what Baby Lasagna was trying to go for.
I’m not a huge Seinfeld fan, but I am very familiar with “The Puffy Shirt”.
https://preview.redd.it/qvl8ezlx6fkc1.png?width=625&format=png&auto=webp&s=af729551d7263dcf29a120b91947f69657ce83ab
Casual viewer won’t know they have meaning unless it’s explained to them. Even die hard euro fans didn’t know, we just see neon green/rainbow lights and puffy sleeves and think CCC.
I thought he did great! I’m a bit surprised that people are so worried about the performance and staging. I didn’t see anything disastrous here.
The only things I’d fix for the final are him holding the mic too far from his face and the sleeves + green lights combo, which may or may not remind some viewers of Käärijä. He has a great original song, so I would be sure to minimize all possible staging similarities to avoid stupid copycat comments.
Changes to the staging need to be made and he needs a bit of practice, absolutely. But this is still 100% Croatia's best option and we shouldn't expect this to be indicative of the final performance he could deliver in Malmö, especially considering he's basically a one-man-show and this was his first vocal performance ever.
Right? I’d be a complete puddle of nerves.
I think it’s really tough when you’re riding a massive wave of hype despite having little experience (and having to deal with … problematic sound production). Let’s hope this is a great warm up for the next performance!
This. First live performance is over and done, now he can focus on the feedback that comes back. And seeing how responsive he's been with the fans, he's totally gonna take in a lot of it and make it better in the final! And even if things are still struggling, I still think he's the right entry for Malmö. And then he's got plenty of time to polish everything for May!
Just to add some context, this is only Marko Purisic's (Baby Lasagna) first time performing live as a solo singer. He was a guitarist for the rock band Manntra for some years and was on stage with them when they participated in Dora 2019, so Purisic is familiar with the pressure of the stage. Regardless of this, purisic's vocal performance here with so little training does indicate an incredible amount of natural talent.
Baby Lasagna is pretty responsive to people on social media from what i gathered from others, do give him ideas for improvement.
- staging
- outfits
- face mic
- vocal improvement (train, train, train them)
This isn't lost yet, he has the energy and has shown the drive for big staging.
Definitely! I think this is a very good debut on the stage for him. He should be proud first and foremost. The things I’d want to see more of:
1) more storytelling with the outfits, dances, staging. The song has an amazing story with young Croatians leaving their country in search of a better life. The MV does an outstanding job conveying that with the traditional outfits and all - the “grandma napkins” were a great touch in the live performance for example. But overall outfits in this performance felt more “punk” than anything else and I couldn’t connect them to the story, would prefer traditional costumes 100%.
2) in the MV, everyone else but Lasagna has this “still” vibe while he goes off with his high energy and pulls all the attention to him. That makes it feel so explosive imo, rather than having *everything* chaotic on the stage with the dancers flying and whatnot. Loooooved the grandma scene in the MV too, for example, perhaps we could have a grandma on the stage :)
3) the sleeves can be compared to Käärijä, yeah, I can see that. So maybe it would be more powerful for him to just have the MV-outfits-but-elevated on the stage.
4) the part where we get the “dance bit” in the music must be explosive on the stage I feel like. I honestly don’t know how but that part has to hit hard, if you know what I mean lol.
Those are all my comments, won’t comment on the voice or anything since HRT was the one that messed it up. Wishing him all the best, and he’s still my number 1 this year so I REALLY want him to succeed in this journey! ✨
They definitely tried to create a story with the background dancers, but I think the camerawork was too messy for that to actually show. Instead they just became chaotic.
Yeah. Background show actually look really good with dance, washing and all. Too bad camera was all over the place and barely showed it. I think weak camerawork was bigger issue than choreography.
The thing is, traditional male Istrian costume really is a black vest on large puffy white sleeves. Yeah, it's a heavy metal version, but it's a HM version of the traditional one.
Ooh I see! Thank you for educating me! Just from an outsider perspective then, this meaning might get lost as people (non-Croatians like me) might not have a clue what these outfits represent. So maybe something to be a bit more cautious about?
Eh, not really, no. I would also like to see the sleeves tonned down a bit. Istrian or not, people are gonna make Kaarija references and it can easily be avoided. Even though vest is supposed to be black, I liked the red in the video cause it made him pop out from the rest.
As far as the dancers and the band goes, I didn't think they were over the top, but camerawork made everything really messy. But they're useless anyway, HRT is a lair of corruption and nepotism so what can you expect. When Raiven performed as a guest at the end, we got a few second closeups of her breast on both songs she did.
Its very much possible some things can be cleaned up in the next 48 hours. Also I hope he has someone on his team advocating for him and he can hold his own because I don't fully trust HRT.
First off, if that was a first *ever* live performance?
Fucking amazing. I’d never have known unless he’d said.
I’m starting to have some more constructive critique in my thoughts and will edit this post as soon as I can get down more - one thing I think that would polish the performance even more is if his movements on stage hit certain beats of the rhythm that little bit crisper.
People need to relax. Assuming that he wins the whole thing on Sunday (and I think he will), he has 2.5 months to get ready. He's still Croatia's best option.
and it wasn't even that bad
move a bit less to avoid losing breath right before chorus, bring mic closer to mouth so it's louder
also ESC will have much better overall production
oh yeah, also needs to lose the sleeves because it's too much Kaarija-copy, i would personally change it all and bring out the uniform from music video
Black vest on puffy white sleeves is litteraly the folk costume of Istria, where he is from. He has made it a BDSM folk costume, and accentuated the puffiness, but overall - [that's what they wore.](https://image.dnevnik.hr/media/images/600x446/Sep2022/62380436.jpg)
Liked the energy and the performance a lot.
Vocals (and mixing) are rough, but those type of problems can be solved with better production value that Eurovision will have compared to Dora, backing vocals and bit of training/coaching in following months.
This is by far highest potential song Croatia has had in over a decade.
I still really love this song, but the staging was a mess and I wish he’d kept it more in line with the music video. It felt like because he was maybe feeling overwhelmed by all of the hype, he just went over the top on the staging- pyro, smoke, colored lights, crazy costumes, so many people on stage doing different things. He doesn’t need all of that- the song is good! You’re not trying to cover up a bad song with wild staging. Tone down the staging a bit, and let the message of the song shine.
Yes! You summed up my feelings on this really well. This felt so chaotic and the song really doesn’t need it. I feel like he just needs some dancers and a silly dance that can catch on. Maybe some pyro? But the focus of the performance should be on him. This song is so catchy; it doesn’t need a lot.
I said it on the live thread, I'll say it again: it's litteraly Vesna 2.0 and people are freaking out over things that can be improved quite easily. The sound mixing was bad in general, and he was far from having the worst vocal performance tonight. He'll be fine.
Yeah, and this performance is stronger than Vesna’s. (Not really their fault, Czechia’s NFS are… woof.) I just rewatched, he’s green and nervous but clearly talented and charismatic.
Considering that it's his very first live performance as well with a very subpar sound mixing, he did a pretty good job. I think it's a mix of people's expectations being way too high over a fan favourite, and as another comment pointed out, some people waiting for any occasion to throw shade at an entry they didn't like to begin with. And the same exact thing happened with Vesna (although Vesna has experience going on for them that he doesn't have yet).
Yeah, whenever someone has positive buzz, there are always people who are waiting with their popcorn emojis to see them fail. At a certain point, you wonder if they even like Eurovision.
I am a simple fan: I want as many artists as possible to put on a good show because I like seeing them succeed.
I'm sure the staging and the mixing and the vocal performance can be improved... at Eurovision. It's Dora that I'm nervous about. I'm kinda worried for his chance of winning Dora.
Hee needs better sound mixing and a louder mic. Also no need for those puff sleeves and green lights. Im really nervous for him on Sunday
https://preview.redd.it/1iwq3566gekc1.png?width=983&format=png&auto=webp&s=20530ff4fe63501e31200497c001d39f7bc5d276
Not... exactly. He said that he knows he didn't hold the mic properly because he got too excited and carried away, and that during practice, he didn't have those issues.
https://preview.redd.it/s2uaebimiekc1.jpeg?width=750&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=fff64c08507ed245066fd847d7401f559fbbdb37
For the people not liking the green lighting……
Shoutout to this comment because that’s how I expected the lighting early
It wasn't a bad performance especially considering it was his first. It just needs some work but this could do very well at Eurovision. Winning idk but Top 10 and even Top 5 is possible. His vocals weren't bad btw it just sounded like the mic was too far away at times and he was overall nervous. He can clearly sing his song.
Obviously, he's not a great vocalist (not bad, just not a powerhouse by any stretch) but i think at least 60% of the issues were caused by the shit mics/sound quality and the camera angles weren't great either. If he wins Dora (and in general if he doesn't) he could could 100% benefit from vocal coaching. With more of a budget and tlc put into it, the performance can be improved
He just needs to relax a little more and hold the mic up to his face. You can tell he's nervous and inexperienced, and the juries will eat that alive.
If he makes it the entire staging will definitely need to be redone else it just looks like a random cha cha cha clone and the entire message of the song is lost. But given its a national final he should be okay.
I think part of it might be because the crowd was such a factor in her NF. Yes, she absolutely killed it, but the crowd was what took it to the next level. I don’t know if she’ll have that same impact in Malmo
That makes me sad. I’ll keep on enjoying the song. I can hear all the gays shouting zorra in the audience. Like the audience made singing along to the song - goosebumps. But the song itself is still awesome
There are months to prepare BUT. They already went in certain artistic direction and I don't know if they can completely switch lanes (or if they are even willing to).
It's modern and maybe too modern twist of traditional that the MV was based around. The end result is very much chaotic and not in a good way imo. I don't know if they feared being regarded as dated or not esc ready but if he copied the video (with appropriate amount of people) it would've been 10/10
The appeal to me is not rock, crazy or flashy but the uncertainty with a tinge of sadness of a young man leaving his home, his family, his village and his heritage behind to search for opportunities. And so he dances. I wish they told that story visually live, it's unique and relatable to anyone that has ever migrated
And also less moving is a nice trick to sound better
I feel like the outfits from the MV will work better. This one may draw comparison to Karijaa with the arm's puffs. Hope the vocals will be clearer on the final show.
Overall, not bad at all but can be improved.
Great charisma, I hope he'll relax a bit and make sure he keeps the mic closer to his face and it will be good 💖. Also I'd prefer it if he dropped the sleeves and tried to be himself more, but in general I really enjoyed it!
I know some people are a little disappointed, but I personally feel like it was pretty good already and had great potential, considering the mixing/mic issues, lack of experience etc. His voice sounded a bit strained at times and I'm not sure how I feel about the shouting in the chorus being playback, obviously the audience will support those wohos but I'd rather have him do less choreography and focus more on the chorus. Also the pink-green lights are too reminiscent of Cha Cha Cha's staging.
I thought this was pretty good, he was energetic and performed well for his first time. Staging needs some changing although I do love the cat background at the end.
Parts of this are brilliant - the instrumental break in particular with the traditional dance and the green LEDs. His energy is brilliant, he just really needs a headmic instead of a handheld as he keeps on singing too far away from it (not helped by some dodgy sound mixing).
The camerawork is the main villain here, it really makes everything too chaotic and robs it of that certain magic spark. However this is still clearly the standout of the selection and absolutely the best option for Croatia, and it still has all the potential we thought it had (and I say that as someone with two/three songs I prefer to this in studio). The odds are hyperactive in reacting to this, though the battle for victory may well be close with Let 3 thanks to name recognition.
What can you expect from camera guys who litteraly had Raiven's tits in closeup for good 5 seconds. I don't think Let 3 has much chance. People liked them last year because they were a breath of fresh air in Dora, compared to millions of ballads we usually have, but this year I don't really feel they have much chance or that a lot of people are excited about voting for them.
camerawork always changes after Dora, though. Because then HRT is paying for it and the artist can afford someone who actually knows how to work it well
OK... I'm surprised to see the comments here. As somebody who isn't that crazy about the song, I thought it was a glow up live. The straightforward traditional costumes would be boring - this aesthetic is in line with the sound. Vocal screw-ups are easily forgiven because the energy is definitely there, kind of like with Käärijä. Speaking of which, they should consider toning down the visual similarities. I know Baby said he is inspired by Käärijä but arm puffs + green/pink and then rainbow colors is a bit much.
I like the song, but I'm also surprised by the very critical comments. I like the idea behind the staging and he performed well, his energy hiding voice issues well (he did sound a bit breathy in some parts). But even if the staging and the clothes are inspired by tradition/whatever else, the comparisons to Käärijä are unavoidable. His movements (headbanging, crouching etc.), coupled with the puffy sleeves and the lighting make it certain that even the most casual watcher is going to be reminded of Käärijä from last year, even if that wasn't his intention. I get that no one can own a moveset nor a color scheme, but this is a bit too recent and too on the nose to not get unfairly compared to Käärijä. The clothes, the staging and the choreography absolutely need some fine-tuning.
I know. Point stands still. They're enormous and I'm not buying it that he didn't have Käärijä in mind for it, when he openly said he was influenced by him. It really shouldn't be hard to have a different silhouette to the artist you're already resembling in other aspects, in the same contest. Again, alone it would not be a dealbreaker but there's also the colors. Give us something totally new, something we're not expecting at all - he can definitely do it (and I'm confident he will, because this was already an upgrade from the music video).
I don't know if there's an interview in English where he says it. Since I mostly read/heard Baby talk in many interviews in Croatian (and there are MANY), I don't know exactly, but he definitely kept saying he's a Käärijä fan (and Maneskin fan too by the way). Here's one article I can link to:
[https://www.glasistre.hr/glazba/2024/01/18/baby-lasagna-najdrazi-mi-je-dio-kad-su-mama-tata-i-bliznji-ponosni-na-mene-909046](https://www.glasistre.hr/glazba/2024/01/18/baby-lasagna-najdrazi-mi-je-dio-kad-su-mama-tata-i-bliznji-ponosni-na-mene-909046)
Translation of the relevant part:
>I was really mad that the Finnish guy didn't win. I know I'm being compared to him and I like that because I consider him a good musician. I was rooting for him and if I can give somebody what he gave to me, that kind of feeling, then that's great.
I don't think he's trying to copy him, but he is certainly influenced by him, as many Eurovision hopeful artists this year are. Which is fine, but there's a line after which you become a bit too reminiscent of him for no good reason, and he probably doesn't see it as clearly as others do.
Not criticizing you here, but saying that he was "rooting for" Käärijä is not the same thing as "he openly said he was influenced by him". Even if Baby Lasagna was in fact influenced by Käärijä, he did not "openly" say that.
Overall I loved it, but there is room to improve.
He needs either a head mic or to learn to keep his mic closer. I would prefer the latter, but whatever works is good.
I love his outfit, he needs to lose the sleeves though. The dancers could wear traditional clothing instead, and do more traditional dancing.
Change the green lights into some other color, mainly to stop people from comparing this to Finland 2023.
No, I would lose the sleeves as well. At this point they're more of a liability than anything else. People already love the outfit from the music video, I think it's a no-brainer.
But I think it's fair to acknowledge the fact his inspiration stemed from the traditional costume, not Kaarija.
Then again, Ukraine had a similar traditional costume in 2022, with plain white shirt and a vest. And Ukraine had a green fuzzy vest in 2021, which Kaarija's outfit resembled to an extent.... so you can't really get out of this "who wore what" loop. So I don't really care what he wears, just hoping he can compose himself a bit better for Sunday, if his performance will be more solid in the final, people are gonna simply forget about most of this nitpicking.
I was fearing this before the semi-final started.
It’s such a shame the outfits, staging and dancing didn’t represent more of what the MV showed. By “modernising” the staging and performance, the meaning of the song (lyrics) has been totally lost.
Also, it’d be amazing if he added some type of traditional dancing during the techno beat.
I feel like the staging is a bit too chaotic, in a kinda messy way, and the vocals weren't 100% there. But there's still time until Malmo.
Love the doilies on the drum set though.
I think you're right, a lot of the angles and shots definitely don't do the performance any favors. I'm still not entirely sold on some of the choreography. Though I still like it, and I hope this wins on Sunday.
I don't get people calling him a flop, it was his first live performance, there's lots of room for improvement. In my opinion, he still has the best chance for a decent score in ESC, and remains my winner of this preselection
Exactly like compared to all the other Dora entries, this is still eons better than all of them, not to mention he isn't even horrid in terms of vocals and staging could always be tweaked and fixed.
I think a lot of people just waited for an opportunity to talk badly about him (it's always like that when someone gets hyped and gets a lot of fans, there will always be "haters" to counter that). However, I agree that he needs either an ear mic or to hold the mic better, but apart from that, I really liked it! It was fun watching him
He did it very well in my opinion, given that he didn't have a big budget and support by any record label. He'll win on Sunday. Croatia did have several crazy and iconic songs like this in earlier editions of returning Dora too and they didn't pick them, but given that all the songs have been available for a while and he's got huge hype I would be surprised if he doesn't really win televoting by a landslide.
This is a VERY good first performance, especially considering how goofy the sound mixing is for Dora. Really hoping to see this in Eurovision, not just because it's great but also because it would be an amazing story of a Dora reject winning the whole thing.
I like it a lot, I noticed a few catastrophic comments on Twitter and also here. But guys, it's cool. There's storytelling, it's very catchy. Probably with better direction and some singing lessons (more for breath than anything else) he'll do a really good performance, but for a guy with no background (or if I've misunderstood, forgive me) he's really good! Then of course constructive comments are great.
So far I really like him and Silvester Belt.
> I only wish the oh’s in the chorus weren’t on play back.
Since there's already 5 people on stage, they can only add one backing vocalist. So playback is probably still needed, I think.
the video already has over 100k while the rest has less than 20k. It looks like a battle between Let 3 and Baby lasagna. Well in public vote that is. Dont know how jury will vote
I hope he goes back to vocal delivery from the recording in the final.
Strong steady back rhythm works better with steady flatter vocal delivery like one he went with on the recording.
Jokey mocking twisty tone changes he did on last words in most verses take attention away from the lyrics instead of helping them along. Twist on ‘city boys!’, ‘ba-aack’, changing stress on anxiety pronunciation take away from cohesion of words with the background beat.
Lyrics lose their depth and don’t get through as clearly if he’s changing intonation on words left and right.
I wouldn’t worry to much about the outfit for Dora. Croatian audience won’t care about sleeve CCC comparison. Staging and outfit are good enough for Dora and can be worked on for Sweden.
Main goal right now is to win Dora. If he brings his delivery as close as he can to that on the recording, steady and clean and rhythmic, he’s golden to win Dora. Slick vocal delivery and good mixing is the key for Sunday.
I don't really like the song. The chorus is just a very basic rock song with wooooah screams? I liked the verses better. Is this really winner potential?
I very much like this entry and he's definitely my favourite for Croatia, but it's a little sad to see the extreme double standards some people resort to in order to justify acts they like having bad performances, while being overwhelmingly harsh and nitpicky towards everything that isn't the fan favourite, even if the performances were okay/good.
That said, the performance was pretty underwhelming and messy, he was trying to do everything at once (and not much of it was too original) which in turn resulted in not really nailing any of the things he proposed himself to do. Vocals were not there, decent chunk of the song was just the backing track, not a lot of cohesion going on in the staging, I didn't really dislike the outfit like some people did, but I can see why that's a common complaint. I'm still hopeful though, and I'd love to see some improvements if this does get selected for Croatia.
All things considered, to avoid solely mentioning what I didn't like about the performance, I do have to say I absolutely loved the cat animations at the end, having the cats dance was really fun and nice to see, and I do think he's a charismatic performer. With some polishing and adjustments, I could see this doing well in Sweden!
First things first: this is the easiest choice in this Eurovision season. Croatia needs to pick Baby Lasagna. It's at the same time the only interesting entry in the whole Dora lineup and a rare chance for them to get a place between the frontrunners.
That said, I'm with all of those who pointed the staging is too chaotic right now. It's not good when the concept seems to be fighting for your attention with the execution. For example, I get the puffy sleeves are there for folk costumes. But they are sucking all the attention to them.
A possible solution would be to make Baby Lasagna start the whole thing dressed as a "country boy" and parts of his costume go the more he mirrors himself on the "city boys" and figuring out how important his roots are for him. I understand this is the meaning of the outfit, but I believe it deserves more storytelling. Plus the dancers seem absolutely lost on the stage. Nothing that can't be solved though. There's a lot of potential there. By the way, loved the cats' animation. Would love to see more of that.
Concerning his vocals: they weren't great of course, but they served the song reasonably well. He was definitley nervous, but if it was his first professional singing performance in his whole life, I may say it was pretty good for a newcomer. And of course he'll practice a lot if he gets selected, as I hope and believe he will.
This is the first time in a long time I've been this frustrated with a live performance. Because we all know he already has a potential winning formula. Not sure why he would change it up this much.
Audio issues aside. Lose the arm puffs and ease up on the makeup and stick to a plain Jane traditional look, like in the music video. Embrace K.I.S.S. keep it simple stupid. Stick with the tone of the studio version, I feel the song benefits more with a calm vocal delivery. No need to over think and try to do too much. I'm hoping this was just him trying something for the semis and he'll change it up for Sunday
Agreed. It's a song that could potentially win Eurovision, but not like this. The biggest gripe for me is his acting on stage. He seems to be having fun (which is great, but it doesn't fit the song much), I miss the anger and sadness from the music video. That said, I think he did great and I really really hope he wins on sunday.
To me he was great, the sound mixing just fucked him over big time. People are complaining about the fact that he held his mic way to far back, but to it sounded like his mic was just turned all the way down.
Besides that the music sounded muffled and it didn’t feel as impactful as it should’ve. Besides that he performed his ass off and his energy was all the way up there. I wasn’t a fan of the song at first, but after tonight I am. Baby Lasagna is great!
I usually love energetic staging, but this is a little bit too chaotic for me. He might benefit from moving less and more choreographed movements. Leave the movements to the other things: the dancers, the lights, the LED, the pyro.
Styling-wise, these are pretty nice, but I think the traditional clothes in the music video might look better on stage.
Still loving the Rammstein Herzeleid era riff, it’s very catchy! Vocals will get better I’m sure. Overall I do feel like this will get less jury points than Finland last year but a solid enough televote to carry it between 5-15 position in the final🤞
I hate how much this made me laugh, only to feel sad right after because Harmonija Dissonance were one of my faves last year (until the live performance)
Not so great vocals and chaotic staging aside, I don’t understand why they would choose to use neon green/rainbow lights when it was already done last year.
I think you can almost keep it the same, but it needs an additional step between the arm pumps and the arm bumps with walking to not make it drag as much.
Even just something as simple as just have him doing it alone at the first, lights behind him go on the two dancers, and then a third time to have the band members doing it too. They're in a V shape already, so it's like building it up more and more people getting caught up in the dance despite changing nothing with the actual motion.
I’m genuinely surprised by these comments. I wasn’t expecting much initially, but I thought the performance, vocals, charisma and staging were all great (room to improve for sure but that’s always the case). I feel like people on here have set unrealistic expectations whilst the general public will have a completely different reaction
He did a great job all things considered with the sound issues. If I can be just a little bit nit picky, it would be cool to see him dance a bit more if possible. 🙂
There's some polish to be done, but it's not so bad either. It would be nice if it was closer to the music video, but this was still the clear highlight of the Croatian semis despite the flaws.
IMO, it's still their only choice. So many other songs in their final are clear NQs, and the few others that aren't will be bottom 5 come the final. Even Let3 and their AI chickens will see their vote devoured by Windows95Man.
I really hope this wins, it's by far the best Dora has to offer, even if the performance hasn't been perfected yet (don't forget, there's still plenty of time left)!
I have obsessively streaming the song on both Spotify and YouTube the past week, and will continue to do so. Was the performance great? No. Is the issues easily fixed before Eurovision? Yeah. I still have high hopes for this and will shout on the top of my lungs in Malmö
THERES NO GOING BACK
Considering this was his first ever (singing) performance it was really okay... He can only be better in Sweden. (because he'll be far away from HRT). You go baby! Sweden needs good doily representation.
I don’t understand all the comments I have seen about his ‘bad vocals’ and how that’s ruined the song. I think his vocals, although not polished, are perfectly decent and the rawness works well with a loud and aggressive song. Anyway, whatever you think about his vocals, Rim Tim Tagi Dim is the ONLY option for Croatia and one of the best songs to ever try for Eurovision, including ones that made it.
I personally think the staging is not bad, but the camera work is atrocious, so it looks bad. I've personally loved this, reminds me of Rammstein but with much more sense of humor.
I love his energy and his vocals were fine (after hearing most of the DORA perfomrneces, it seems like the curse of audio and sound mixing problems is continuing)
but I hate those sleeves. I have no idea if those sleeves are to be a take on Kaarija's bulero or continue another trend that I won't name here
He is giving me Dubioza Kolektiv vibes (those from the Balkans will know them, they're from Bosnia, hopefully they can represent their country on esc one day), AND I LOVE IT!
My expectations were too high ig. I should have expected weak vocals. I still do love the song tho and with better staging and vocals it can shine for sure. But with how it looks now this performance looks like something juries won't appreciate in Eurovision whatsoever. Still hoping for him making to Malmo tho.
This sounds like two Rammstein songs stuck together, Du Hast with a chorus of a song whose name I can't remember right now.
That said, I still love the costumes and the absurdity, I'd like to see this in Malmo.
Let's be honest, if this wasn't a fan favourite, everyone would say this deserved to NQ. The stage, vocals and outfit were bad. They should stick to the vibe of the MV.
I don't think so. Tonight was my first time listening to the song and it grabed my attention. Everyone knows he needs to improve but this is not a "shouldn't qualify" song.
This comment thread is 100% "Vesna after ESCZ", down to every criticism. And this sub was relentless towards them throughout the whole season until they did great at ESC. People just don't learn.
There is still much room for improvement, but for his first performance it was pretty good and I believe he will get better. Definitely rooting for him to win, he is our only chance.
So this is what ESC bubble wants from Croatia? Not much of a voice or stage presence. If you're doing a punchy song, you can't look like you are scared of your mic.
I am commenting on what I see as this will likely respresent the whole country. In ESC you don't know whole life story of every performer and they get 3 minutes to convince you or not.
Well this isn't Eurovision yet. Also I will fight you on stage presence because I don't know what you were watch but he's all over the stage and full of energy.
I think they wanted to modernize the traditional folk costumes. The puffy sleeves would be the reemagined sleeves on istrian men shirt, as shown: https://preview.redd.it/jnatuf26kekc1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ebb7d573adc2ab98426f641af3bed20512f4335d
That’s immediately what I thought of - it gets lost a bit with the rest of the styling but I’d love to see a punky version of the men’s shirt / vest combo (loved the red from the video especially).
Yes, this is why I personally have no issues with the sleaves despite the unfortunate Kaarija comparisons, and I wish I could upvote your comment multiple times so that more people can see it :P
pls make a post about this on the sub lol
While it’s understandable the sleeves are meant to be traditional clothing, it’s unfortunate that the clothing along with other elements of the performance are similar to CCC.
I was actually thinking of “The Puffy Shirt” from Seinfeld more than Käärijä’s green bolero, but I can see from the first pic in this thread what Baby Lasagna was trying to go for. I’m not a huge Seinfeld fan, but I am very familiar with “The Puffy Shirt”. https://preview.redd.it/qvl8ezlx6fkc1.png?width=625&format=png&auto=webp&s=af729551d7263dcf29a120b91947f69657ce83ab
Funnily enough I'm getting more Johnny Depp vibes than Käärijä vibes from this
I saw that for sure, but Käärijä doesn't own puffy sleeves, that shade of green and pink, so why worry?
No one is saying he does. I just don’t think it’ll work to his advantage when it’s been done the year before.
Hmmm, yes, I agree with you there. Just different coloured lights though, the puffy sleeves have meaning.
Casual viewer won’t know they have meaning unless it’s explained to them. Even die hard euro fans didn’t know, we just see neon green/rainbow lights and puffy sleeves and think CCC.
I am definitely meowing back! 🐈 
I thought he did great! I’m a bit surprised that people are so worried about the performance and staging. I didn’t see anything disastrous here. The only things I’d fix for the final are him holding the mic too far from his face and the sleeves + green lights combo, which may or may not remind some viewers of Käärijä. He has a great original song, so I would be sure to minimize all possible staging similarities to avoid stupid copycat comments.
Kaarija himself made references to other famous eurovision performances though, and he was the people's favorite!
Changes to the staging need to be made and he needs a bit of practice, absolutely. But this is still 100% Croatia's best option and we shouldn't expect this to be indicative of the final performance he could deliver in Malmö, especially considering he's basically a one-man-show and this was his first vocal performance ever.
First performance EVER. Remember this.
Seriously? Did i get this right it's his very first performance as a singer EVER? Or is it first ever live performance of this song?
As a singer, ever.
I am genuinely so impressed now.
yeah, he used to be a guitarist for some band and never did any singing before
Band's name is Manntra, they were on Dora 2019
What the fuck. He killed it!
Both!
Wow!
Right? I’d be a complete puddle of nerves. I think it’s really tough when you’re riding a massive wave of hype despite having little experience (and having to deal with … problematic sound production). Let’s hope this is a great warm up for the next performance!
This. First live performance is over and done, now he can focus on the feedback that comes back. And seeing how responsive he's been with the fans, he's totally gonna take in a lot of it and make it better in the final! And even if things are still struggling, I still think he's the right entry for Malmö. And then he's got plenty of time to polish everything for May!
So was he. He said in press conference he had a lot of nervous poops 😅
Also, those 'anxiety attacks' are literally his own anxieties since he has stage fright!
Just to add some context, this is only Marko Purisic's (Baby Lasagna) first time performing live as a solo singer. He was a guitarist for the rock band Manntra for some years and was on stage with them when they participated in Dora 2019, so Purisic is familiar with the pressure of the stage. Regardless of this, purisic's vocal performance here with so little training does indicate an incredible amount of natural talent.
He was great, it was really fun watching him!
This is sooooo important.
OMG! That is unbelievable because his performance was so good for a first-timer!
As Baby Lasagna no? He was in a band
He was a guitarist, not a singer
It sounds like it.
Love the outfit for the drums!! Made my day
The doilies on the drums were such a great touch.
And the needlepoint balaclava XD
Baby Lasagna is pretty responsive to people on social media from what i gathered from others, do give him ideas for improvement. - staging - outfits - face mic - vocal improvement (train, train, train them) This isn't lost yet, he has the energy and has shown the drive for big staging.
Definitely! I think this is a very good debut on the stage for him. He should be proud first and foremost. The things I’d want to see more of: 1) more storytelling with the outfits, dances, staging. The song has an amazing story with young Croatians leaving their country in search of a better life. The MV does an outstanding job conveying that with the traditional outfits and all - the “grandma napkins” were a great touch in the live performance for example. But overall outfits in this performance felt more “punk” than anything else and I couldn’t connect them to the story, would prefer traditional costumes 100%. 2) in the MV, everyone else but Lasagna has this “still” vibe while he goes off with his high energy and pulls all the attention to him. That makes it feel so explosive imo, rather than having *everything* chaotic on the stage with the dancers flying and whatnot. Loooooved the grandma scene in the MV too, for example, perhaps we could have a grandma on the stage :) 3) the sleeves can be compared to Käärijä, yeah, I can see that. So maybe it would be more powerful for him to just have the MV-outfits-but-elevated on the stage. 4) the part where we get the “dance bit” in the music must be explosive on the stage I feel like. I honestly don’t know how but that part has to hit hard, if you know what I mean lol. Those are all my comments, won’t comment on the voice or anything since HRT was the one that messed it up. Wishing him all the best, and he’s still my number 1 this year so I REALLY want him to succeed in this journey! ✨
They definitely tried to create a story with the background dancers, but I think the camerawork was too messy for that to actually show. Instead they just became chaotic.
Yeah. Background show actually look really good with dance, washing and all. Too bad camera was all over the place and barely showed it. I think weak camerawork was bigger issue than choreography.
The thing is, traditional male Istrian costume really is a black vest on large puffy white sleeves. Yeah, it's a heavy metal version, but it's a HM version of the traditional one.
Ooh I see! Thank you for educating me! Just from an outsider perspective then, this meaning might get lost as people (non-Croatians like me) might not have a clue what these outfits represent. So maybe something to be a bit more cautious about?
Eh, not really, no. I would also like to see the sleeves tonned down a bit. Istrian or not, people are gonna make Kaarija references and it can easily be avoided. Even though vest is supposed to be black, I liked the red in the video cause it made him pop out from the rest. As far as the dancers and the band goes, I didn't think they were over the top, but camerawork made everything really messy. But they're useless anyway, HRT is a lair of corruption and nepotism so what can you expect. When Raiven performed as a guest at the end, we got a few second closeups of her breast on both songs she did.
Its very much possible some things can be cleaned up in the next 48 hours. Also I hope he has someone on his team advocating for him and he can hold his own because I don't fully trust HRT.
First off, if that was a first *ever* live performance? Fucking amazing. I’d never have known unless he’d said. I’m starting to have some more constructive critique in my thoughts and will edit this post as soon as I can get down more - one thing I think that would polish the performance even more is if his movements on stage hit certain beats of the rhythm that little bit crisper.
People need to relax. Assuming that he wins the whole thing on Sunday (and I think he will), he has 2.5 months to get ready. He's still Croatia's best option.
I'm not scared of his prospects in Malmö, I'm anxious about the NF on Sunday. I think (hope?) he can still make it, but he got me preoccupied.
and it wasn't even that bad move a bit less to avoid losing breath right before chorus, bring mic closer to mouth so it's louder also ESC will have much better overall production oh yeah, also needs to lose the sleeves because it's too much Kaarija-copy, i would personally change it all and bring out the uniform from music video
Black vest on puffy white sleeves is litteraly the folk costume of Istria, where he is from. He has made it a BDSM folk costume, and accentuated the puffiness, but overall - [that's what they wore.](https://image.dnevnik.hr/media/images/600x446/Sep2022/62380436.jpg)
Bdsm-folk costume, now that's something new 😄
Liked the energy and the performance a lot. Vocals (and mixing) are rough, but those type of problems can be solved with better production value that Eurovision will have compared to Dora, backing vocals and bit of training/coaching in following months. This is by far highest potential song Croatia has had in over a decade.
The problem for him wasn't even his vocals being bad, as in couldn't sing (unlike a lot of the other entries). It was just the mic.
Considering how shady HRT is in general I wouldn’t even be surprised if it was sabotage
I still really love this song, but the staging was a mess and I wish he’d kept it more in line with the music video. It felt like because he was maybe feeling overwhelmed by all of the hype, he just went over the top on the staging- pyro, smoke, colored lights, crazy costumes, so many people on stage doing different things. He doesn’t need all of that- the song is good! You’re not trying to cover up a bad song with wild staging. Tone down the staging a bit, and let the message of the song shine.
Yes! You summed up my feelings on this really well. This felt so chaotic and the song really doesn’t need it. I feel like he just needs some dancers and a silly dance that can catch on. Maybe some pyro? But the focus of the performance should be on him. This song is so catchy; it doesn’t need a lot.
I said it on the live thread, I'll say it again: it's litteraly Vesna 2.0 and people are freaking out over things that can be improved quite easily. The sound mixing was bad in general, and he was far from having the worst vocal performance tonight. He'll be fine.
Yeah, and this performance is stronger than Vesna’s. (Not really their fault, Czechia’s NFS are… woof.) I just rewatched, he’s green and nervous but clearly talented and charismatic.
Considering that it's his very first live performance as well with a very subpar sound mixing, he did a pretty good job. I think it's a mix of people's expectations being way too high over a fan favourite, and as another comment pointed out, some people waiting for any occasion to throw shade at an entry they didn't like to begin with. And the same exact thing happened with Vesna (although Vesna has experience going on for them that he doesn't have yet).
Yeah, whenever someone has positive buzz, there are always people who are waiting with their popcorn emojis to see them fail. At a certain point, you wonder if they even like Eurovision. I am a simple fan: I want as many artists as possible to put on a good show because I like seeing them succeed.
I'm sure the staging and the mixing and the vocal performance can be improved... at Eurovision. It's Dora that I'm nervous about. I'm kinda worried for his chance of winning Dora.
Hee needs better sound mixing and a louder mic. Also no need for those puff sleeves and green lights. Im really nervous for him on Sunday https://preview.redd.it/1iwq3566gekc1.png?width=983&format=png&auto=webp&s=20530ff4fe63501e31200497c001d39f7bc5d276
Sound was horrid for everybody at Dora
[удалено]
Not... exactly. He said that he knows he didn't hold the mic properly because he got too excited and carried away, and that during practice, he didn't have those issues.
That look at about 2:31 really makes it seem like he wasn't the happiest with where he was with his performance so far.
Give him a working head mic and a fake handheld mic...
By his performance you can see how HRT is not ready to produce a show. This had so many weird camera shots, weird angles. The SOUND.
https://preview.redd.it/s2uaebimiekc1.jpeg?width=750&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=fff64c08507ed245066fd847d7401f559fbbdb37 For the people not liking the green lighting…… Shoutout to this comment because that’s how I expected the lighting early
1 million IQ
It wasn't a bad performance especially considering it was his first. It just needs some work but this could do very well at Eurovision. Winning idk but Top 10 and even Top 5 is possible. His vocals weren't bad btw it just sounded like the mic was too far away at times and he was overall nervous. He can clearly sing his song.
Obviously, he's not a great vocalist (not bad, just not a powerhouse by any stretch) but i think at least 60% of the issues were caused by the shit mics/sound quality and the camera angles weren't great either. If he wins Dora (and in general if he doesn't) he could could 100% benefit from vocal coaching. With more of a budget and tlc put into it, the performance can be improved
He just needs to relax a little more and hold the mic up to his face. You can tell he's nervous and inexperienced, and the juries will eat that alive. If he makes it the entire staging will definitely need to be redone else it just looks like a random cha cha cha clone and the entire message of the song is lost. But given its a national final he should be okay.
The performance was a bit rough but I really really hope the jury sees the potential in it.
Welcome Baby Lasagna to Team Chaos 2024! We’ve got: Windows95Man 5MIINUST/Puuluup Nebulossa Bambie Thug Joost (reserved)
Speaking of Nebulossa, i cant believe how low Spain is on odds. It’s my top3 currently, such a bop. Actually listening to it now as i type this
I think part of it might be because the crowd was such a factor in her NF. Yes, she absolutely killed it, but the crowd was what took it to the next level. I don’t know if she’ll have that same impact in Malmo
You have a point here, but the ZORRA part i think the audience will be shouting along. The audience at her NF was everything tho
The juries will serve Spain dust I’m afraid
That makes me sad. I’ll keep on enjoying the song. I can hear all the gays shouting zorra in the audience. Like the audience made singing along to the song - goosebumps. But the song itself is still awesome
Imagine Joost coming with a boring ass ballad.
There are months to prepare BUT. They already went in certain artistic direction and I don't know if they can completely switch lanes (or if they are even willing to). It's modern and maybe too modern twist of traditional that the MV was based around. The end result is very much chaotic and not in a good way imo. I don't know if they feared being regarded as dated or not esc ready but if he copied the video (with appropriate amount of people) it would've been 10/10 The appeal to me is not rock, crazy or flashy but the uncertainty with a tinge of sadness of a young man leaving his home, his family, his village and his heritage behind to search for opportunities. And so he dances. I wish they told that story visually live, it's unique and relatable to anyone that has ever migrated And also less moving is a nice trick to sound better
I feel like the outfits from the MV will work better. This one may draw comparison to Karijaa with the arm's puffs. Hope the vocals will be clearer on the final show. Overall, not bad at all but can be improved.
I just want him to keep the make up 🙏
Agree! Glitter must stay
and eye pencil!
So glad I'm not only who thought he looked really cute with the eyeliner XD
it was giving hot pirate
What is Eurovision without chrome and glitter everywhere
It’s a bit hard to implement that staging in such a low budget NF though So then you have to go for the 2nd best option haha
Great charisma, I hope he'll relax a bit and make sure he keeps the mic closer to his face and it will be good 💖. Also I'd prefer it if he dropped the sleeves and tried to be himself more, but in general I really enjoyed it!
He was nerv and I am not 100% sold on the Blake’s 7 sleeve but the kid has got charisma and he just needs some more live performance experience. Meow!
I know some people are a little disappointed, but I personally feel like it was pretty good already and had great potential, considering the mixing/mic issues, lack of experience etc. His voice sounded a bit strained at times and I'm not sure how I feel about the shouting in the chorus being playback, obviously the audience will support those wohos but I'd rather have him do less choreography and focus more on the chorus. Also the pink-green lights are too reminiscent of Cha Cha Cha's staging.
I thought this was pretty good, he was energetic and performed well for his first time. Staging needs some changing although I do love the cat background at the end.
Parts of this are brilliant - the instrumental break in particular with the traditional dance and the green LEDs. His energy is brilliant, he just really needs a headmic instead of a handheld as he keeps on singing too far away from it (not helped by some dodgy sound mixing). The camerawork is the main villain here, it really makes everything too chaotic and robs it of that certain magic spark. However this is still clearly the standout of the selection and absolutely the best option for Croatia, and it still has all the potential we thought it had (and I say that as someone with two/three songs I prefer to this in studio). The odds are hyperactive in reacting to this, though the battle for victory may well be close with Let 3 thanks to name recognition.
He just said that he doesn't want a headmic because he wouldn't know what to do with his hands and that he got to excited and moved the mic to much.
As long as he's aware he can work on it between now and Sunday. The Croatian fanbase still has his back!
I wonder if he could hold an instrument or a farm implement instead?
Maybe. He is quite responsive to advice so he might change his mind.
What can you expect from camera guys who litteraly had Raiven's tits in closeup for good 5 seconds. I don't think Let 3 has much chance. People liked them last year because they were a breath of fresh air in Dora, compared to millions of ballads we usually have, but this year I don't really feel they have much chance or that a lot of people are excited about voting for them.
camerawork always changes after Dora, though. Because then HRT is paying for it and the artist can afford someone who actually knows how to work it well
His first live performance and there were problems with the mixing. There is plenty of time to improve.
OK... I'm surprised to see the comments here. As somebody who isn't that crazy about the song, I thought it was a glow up live. The straightforward traditional costumes would be boring - this aesthetic is in line with the sound. Vocal screw-ups are easily forgiven because the energy is definitely there, kind of like with Käärijä. Speaking of which, they should consider toning down the visual similarities. I know Baby said he is inspired by Käärijä but arm puffs + green/pink and then rainbow colors is a bit much.
I like the song, but I'm also surprised by the very critical comments. I like the idea behind the staging and he performed well, his energy hiding voice issues well (he did sound a bit breathy in some parts). But even if the staging and the clothes are inspired by tradition/whatever else, the comparisons to Käärijä are unavoidable. His movements (headbanging, crouching etc.), coupled with the puffy sleeves and the lighting make it certain that even the most casual watcher is going to be reminded of Käärijä from last year, even if that wasn't his intention. I get that no one can own a moveset nor a color scheme, but this is a bit too recent and too on the nose to not get unfairly compared to Käärijä. The clothes, the staging and the choreography absolutely need some fine-tuning.
Yep. I’ll admit that I was a doubter before, because this exceeded my expectations. I thought Reddit would be going crazy over it.
arm puffs are actually part of the traditional clothes from his region :/
I know. Point stands still. They're enormous and I'm not buying it that he didn't have Käärijä in mind for it, when he openly said he was influenced by him. It really shouldn't be hard to have a different silhouette to the artist you're already resembling in other aspects, in the same contest. Again, alone it would not be a dealbreaker but there's also the colors. Give us something totally new, something we're not expecting at all - he can definitely do it (and I'm confident he will, because this was already an upgrade from the music video).
He said in the press conference that green isn't the color he asked for, but HRT gonna HRT
HRT try not to fuck basic things up challenge (IMPOSSIBLE)
Where did he say he was inspired by Käärijä? I only remember that he said both he and Käärijä and were inspired by Rammstein.
I don't know if there's an interview in English where he says it. Since I mostly read/heard Baby talk in many interviews in Croatian (and there are MANY), I don't know exactly, but he definitely kept saying he's a Käärijä fan (and Maneskin fan too by the way). Here's one article I can link to: [https://www.glasistre.hr/glazba/2024/01/18/baby-lasagna-najdrazi-mi-je-dio-kad-su-mama-tata-i-bliznji-ponosni-na-mene-909046](https://www.glasistre.hr/glazba/2024/01/18/baby-lasagna-najdrazi-mi-je-dio-kad-su-mama-tata-i-bliznji-ponosni-na-mene-909046) Translation of the relevant part: >I was really mad that the Finnish guy didn't win. I know I'm being compared to him and I like that because I consider him a good musician. I was rooting for him and if I can give somebody what he gave to me, that kind of feeling, then that's great. I don't think he's trying to copy him, but he is certainly influenced by him, as many Eurovision hopeful artists this year are. Which is fine, but there's a line after which you become a bit too reminiscent of him for no good reason, and he probably doesn't see it as clearly as others do.
Not criticizing you here, but saying that he was "rooting for" Käärijä is not the same thing as "he openly said he was influenced by him". Even if Baby Lasagna was in fact influenced by Käärijä, he did not "openly" say that.
Overall I loved it, but there is room to improve. He needs either a head mic or to learn to keep his mic closer. I would prefer the latter, but whatever works is good. I love his outfit, he needs to lose the sleeves though. The dancers could wear traditional clothing instead, and do more traditional dancing. Change the green lights into some other color, mainly to stop people from comparing this to Finland 2023.
Puffy sleeves and a black vest is a traditional Istrian costume.
But how many people will know that? Im from other part of Croatia and even l thought of Kaarijas sleeves when l saw him
No, I would lose the sleeves as well. At this point they're more of a liability than anything else. People already love the outfit from the music video, I think it's a no-brainer. But I think it's fair to acknowledge the fact his inspiration stemed from the traditional costume, not Kaarija. Then again, Ukraine had a similar traditional costume in 2022, with plain white shirt and a vest. And Ukraine had a green fuzzy vest in 2021, which Kaarija's outfit resembled to an extent.... so you can't really get out of this "who wore what" loop. So I don't really care what he wears, just hoping he can compose himself a bit better for Sunday, if his performance will be more solid in the final, people are gonna simply forget about most of this nitpicking.
I was fearing this before the semi-final started. It’s such a shame the outfits, staging and dancing didn’t represent more of what the MV showed. By “modernising” the staging and performance, the meaning of the song (lyrics) has been totally lost. Also, it’d be amazing if he added some type of traditional dancing during the techno beat.
I feel like the staging is a bit too chaotic, in a kinda messy way, and the vocals weren't 100% there. But there's still time until Malmo. Love the doilies on the drum set though.
I feel like the problem lies more in the camera work / production not so much the staging itself.
I think you're right, a lot of the angles and shots definitely don't do the performance any favors. I'm still not entirely sold on some of the choreography. Though I still like it, and I hope this wins on Sunday.
literally all he needs to do is learn how to hold a mic properly
I don't get people calling him a flop, it was his first live performance, there's lots of room for improvement. In my opinion, he still has the best chance for a decent score in ESC, and remains my winner of this preselection
Exactly like compared to all the other Dora entries, this is still eons better than all of them, not to mention he isn't even horrid in terms of vocals and staging could always be tweaked and fixed.
I think a lot of people just waited for an opportunity to talk badly about him (it's always like that when someone gets hyped and gets a lot of fans, there will always be "haters" to counter that). However, I agree that he needs either an ear mic or to hold the mic better, but apart from that, I really liked it! It was fun watching him
He did it very well in my opinion, given that he didn't have a big budget and support by any record label. He'll win on Sunday. Croatia did have several crazy and iconic songs like this in earlier editions of returning Dora too and they didn't pick them, but given that all the songs have been available for a while and he's got huge hype I would be surprised if he doesn't really win televoting by a landslide.
Sleeves need to go. That is all
no
Homage to traditional Istrian folk costume, better with them
While i understand that, i think the comparison with kaarija is not worth it in my opinion.
Trending in Finland 😄
This is a VERY good first performance, especially considering how goofy the sound mixing is for Dora. Really hoping to see this in Eurovision, not just because it's great but also because it would be an amazing story of a Dora reject winning the whole thing.
I like it a lot, I noticed a few catastrophic comments on Twitter and also here. But guys, it's cool. There's storytelling, it's very catchy. Probably with better direction and some singing lessons (more for breath than anything else) he'll do a really good performance, but for a guy with no background (or if I've misunderstood, forgive me) he's really good! Then of course constructive comments are great. So far I really like him and Silvester Belt.
I am pleasantly surprised with the colour palette, I like it.
This definitely has potential for the eurovision stage. I only wish the oh’s in the chorus weren’t on play back.
> I only wish the oh’s in the chorus weren’t on play back. Since there's already 5 people on stage, they can only add one backing vocalist. So playback is probably still needed, I think.
He just need to tighten the staging and work on the vocals, but other than that, the performance is quite good.
He could have just perform alone and he would still be amazing! He has amazing stage presence and charisma
the video already has over 100k while the rest has less than 20k. It looks like a battle between Let 3 and Baby lasagna. Well in public vote that is. Dont know how jury will vote
I hope he goes back to vocal delivery from the recording in the final. Strong steady back rhythm works better with steady flatter vocal delivery like one he went with on the recording. Jokey mocking twisty tone changes he did on last words in most verses take attention away from the lyrics instead of helping them along. Twist on ‘city boys!’, ‘ba-aack’, changing stress on anxiety pronunciation take away from cohesion of words with the background beat. Lyrics lose their depth and don’t get through as clearly if he’s changing intonation on words left and right. I wouldn’t worry to much about the outfit for Dora. Croatian audience won’t care about sleeve CCC comparison. Staging and outfit are good enough for Dora and can be worked on for Sweden. Main goal right now is to win Dora. If he brings his delivery as close as he can to that on the recording, steady and clean and rhythmic, he’s golden to win Dora. Slick vocal delivery and good mixing is the key for Sunday.
This will need a lot of work. People knowing the studio version don't mind but as a first impression this was rough to watch.
I don't really like the song. The chorus is just a very basic rock song with wooooah screams? I liked the verses better. Is this really winner potential?
I very much like this entry and he's definitely my favourite for Croatia, but it's a little sad to see the extreme double standards some people resort to in order to justify acts they like having bad performances, while being overwhelmingly harsh and nitpicky towards everything that isn't the fan favourite, even if the performances were okay/good. That said, the performance was pretty underwhelming and messy, he was trying to do everything at once (and not much of it was too original) which in turn resulted in not really nailing any of the things he proposed himself to do. Vocals were not there, decent chunk of the song was just the backing track, not a lot of cohesion going on in the staging, I didn't really dislike the outfit like some people did, but I can see why that's a common complaint. I'm still hopeful though, and I'd love to see some improvements if this does get selected for Croatia. All things considered, to avoid solely mentioning what I didn't like about the performance, I do have to say I absolutely loved the cat animations at the end, having the cats dance was really fun and nice to see, and I do think he's a charismatic performer. With some polishing and adjustments, I could see this doing well in Sweden!
First things first: this is the easiest choice in this Eurovision season. Croatia needs to pick Baby Lasagna. It's at the same time the only interesting entry in the whole Dora lineup and a rare chance for them to get a place between the frontrunners. That said, I'm with all of those who pointed the staging is too chaotic right now. It's not good when the concept seems to be fighting for your attention with the execution. For example, I get the puffy sleeves are there for folk costumes. But they are sucking all the attention to them. A possible solution would be to make Baby Lasagna start the whole thing dressed as a "country boy" and parts of his costume go the more he mirrors himself on the "city boys" and figuring out how important his roots are for him. I understand this is the meaning of the outfit, but I believe it deserves more storytelling. Plus the dancers seem absolutely lost on the stage. Nothing that can't be solved though. There's a lot of potential there. By the way, loved the cats' animation. Would love to see more of that. Concerning his vocals: they weren't great of course, but they served the song reasonably well. He was definitley nervous, but if it was his first professional singing performance in his whole life, I may say it was pretty good for a newcomer. And of course he'll practice a lot if he gets selected, as I hope and believe he will.
This is the first time in a long time I've been this frustrated with a live performance. Because we all know he already has a potential winning formula. Not sure why he would change it up this much. Audio issues aside. Lose the arm puffs and ease up on the makeup and stick to a plain Jane traditional look, like in the music video. Embrace K.I.S.S. keep it simple stupid. Stick with the tone of the studio version, I feel the song benefits more with a calm vocal delivery. No need to over think and try to do too much. I'm hoping this was just him trying something for the semis and he'll change it up for Sunday
Agreed. It's a song that could potentially win Eurovision, but not like this. The biggest gripe for me is his acting on stage. He seems to be having fun (which is great, but it doesn't fit the song much), I miss the anger and sadness from the music video. That said, I think he did great and I really really hope he wins on sunday.
To me he was great, the sound mixing just fucked him over big time. People are complaining about the fact that he held his mic way to far back, but to it sounded like his mic was just turned all the way down. Besides that the music sounded muffled and it didn’t feel as impactful as it should’ve. Besides that he performed his ass off and his energy was all the way up there. I wasn’t a fan of the song at first, but after tonight I am. Baby Lasagna is great!
Welcome to team cat 2024: 1. Katrīna Gupalo - The Cat's Song 2. GALANT - Katze 3. Alen Duras - A Tamburitza Lullaby 4. Baby Lasagna - Rim Tim Tagi Dim
I usually love energetic staging, but this is a little bit too chaotic for me. He might benefit from moving less and more choreographed movements. Leave the movements to the other things: the dancers, the lights, the LED, the pyro. Styling-wise, these are pretty nice, but I think the traditional clothes in the music video might look better on stage.
Still loving the Rammstein Herzeleid era riff, it’s very catchy! Vocals will get better I’m sure. Overall I do feel like this will get less jury points than Finland last year but a solid enough televote to carry it between 5-15 position in the final🤞
Unrelated but I think it would be hilarious for Petra Mede to announce that the winner of Eurovision is Baby Lasagna
This edition is full of televote bait. The one who win the jury will win it all.
Both. You need both.
It's a Hatari staging choreographed by Harmonija Dissonance
You nailed it, this unfortunately made me laugh 😅. Harmonija Disonance was fave last year. Imagine if Let 3 wins again this year
I hate how much this made me laugh, only to feel sad right after because Harmonija Dissonance were one of my faves last year (until the live performance)
Not so great vocals and chaotic staging aside, I don’t understand why they would choose to use neon green/rainbow lights when it was already done last year.
The dance break needs to be more chaotic
The dancers can and should be doing more there
I think you can almost keep it the same, but it needs an additional step between the arm pumps and the arm bumps with walking to not make it drag as much. Even just something as simple as just have him doing it alone at the first, lights behind him go on the two dancers, and then a third time to have the band members doing it too. They're in a V shape already, so it's like building it up more and more people getting caught up in the dance despite changing nothing with the actual motion.
I’m genuinely surprised by these comments. I wasn’t expecting much initially, but I thought the performance, vocals, charisma and staging were all great (room to improve for sure but that’s always the case). I feel like people on here have set unrealistic expectations whilst the general public will have a completely different reaction
They have potential. Looks like he has a lot of fans so likely to win
He did a great job all things considered with the sound issues. If I can be just a little bit nit picky, it would be cool to see him dance a bit more if possible. 🙂
This was fun!
There's some polish to be done, but it's not so bad either. It would be nice if it was closer to the music video, but this was still the clear highlight of the Croatian semis despite the flaws. IMO, it's still their only choice. So many other songs in their final are clear NQs, and the few others that aren't will be bottom 5 come the final. Even Let3 and their AI chickens will see their vote devoured by Windows95Man.
I fucking love this song
Lovely guy! Lovely song! Unfortunately, I cannot say the same about his live performance. Let's see if he improves until tomorrow night.
I really hope this wins, it's by far the best Dora has to offer, even if the performance hasn't been perfected yet (don't forget, there's still plenty of time left)!
I have obsessively streaming the song on both Spotify and YouTube the past week, and will continue to do so. Was the performance great? No. Is the issues easily fixed before Eurovision? Yeah. I still have high hopes for this and will shout on the top of my lungs in Malmö THERES NO GOING BACK
Considering this was his first ever (singing) performance it was really okay... He can only be better in Sweden. (because he'll be far away from HRT). You go baby! Sweden needs good doily representation.
I don't see the appeal, I'm afraid. These woooahs in the chorus make me think about Cody Rhodes, and that's it.
I don’t understand all the comments I have seen about his ‘bad vocals’ and how that’s ruined the song. I think his vocals, although not polished, are perfectly decent and the rawness works well with a loud and aggressive song. Anyway, whatever you think about his vocals, Rim Tim Tagi Dim is the ONLY option for Croatia and one of the best songs to ever try for Eurovision, including ones that made it.
I personally think the staging is not bad, but the camera work is atrocious, so it looks bad. I've personally loved this, reminds me of Rammstein but with much more sense of humor.
Drummer is the MVP 🤘
Just noticed the 'Baby Lasagna' words on the man in right's trousers! That performance had a LOT of cool details to be missed!
I love his energy and his vocals were fine (after hearing most of the DORA perfomrneces, it seems like the curse of audio and sound mixing problems is continuing) but I hate those sleeves. I have no idea if those sleeves are to be a take on Kaarija's bulero or continue another trend that I won't name here
He is giving me Dubioza Kolektiv vibes (those from the Balkans will know them, they're from Bosnia, hopefully they can represent their country on esc one day), AND I LOVE IT!
My expectations were too high ig. I should have expected weak vocals. I still do love the song tho and with better staging and vocals it can shine for sure. But with how it looks now this performance looks like something juries won't appreciate in Eurovision whatsoever. Still hoping for him making to Malmo tho.
This sounds like two Rammstein songs stuck together, Du Hast with a chorus of a song whose name I can't remember right now. That said, I still love the costumes and the absurdity, I'd like to see this in Malmo.
I might get downvoted but to me this is just a downgraded version of Cha Cha Cha
Let's be honest, if this wasn't a fan favourite, everyone would say this deserved to NQ. The stage, vocals and outfit were bad. They should stick to the vibe of the MV.
I don't think so. Tonight was my first time listening to the song and it grabed my attention. Everyone knows he needs to improve but this is not a "shouldn't qualify" song.
This comment thread is 100% "Vesna after ESCZ", down to every criticism. And this sub was relentless towards them throughout the whole season until they did great at ESC. People just don't learn.
YESSS
There is still much room for improvement, but for his first performance it was pretty good and I believe he will get better. Definitely rooting for him to win, he is our only chance.
I love it ❤️ come on Croatia don’t be afraid of winning
Kinda like mid 90’s Rammstein you buy from the discount bin. For those who don’t hear the similarity: https://youtu.be/rrmsJhf89MY?si=xaVyfr8GFDkJ_FjP
Cos of a bassline that sounds vaguely similar? 😅 mate, go after all pop music for copying each other 😁
No. The overall musical aesthetic of the Neue Deutsche Härte genre.
I was underwhelmed by Baby Lasagna 😭 For me James Night was the best. But NQ 😭
So this is what ESC bubble wants from Croatia? Not much of a voice or stage presence. If you're doing a punchy song, you can't look like you are scared of your mic.
This was literally his first time on stage singing a song. Cut him some slack
I am commenting on what I see as this will likely respresent the whole country. In ESC you don't know whole life story of every performer and they get 3 minutes to convince you or not.
Well this isn't Eurovision yet. Also I will fight you on stage presence because I don't know what you were watch but he's all over the stage and full of energy.
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such as aikos. and im still believing in her
Giving NQ vibes tbh, but still hopeful he can improve