Croatia heads to Vienna with LELEK and ‘Andromeda’, chosen through Dora 2026 after winning both their semi-final and then the final itself. That alone gives the entry a decent domestic mandate, even if the song feels less like a broad crowd-pleaser than something Enya might have judged too dull for one of her mid-80s albums. After the post-Baby Lasagna glow, this a sharp turn mood-wise.
‘Andromeda’ sits firmly in that mystical, alt-folk, chant-led space that Eurovision periodically rediscovers and dresses in linen. LELEK are a five-member female group, and the whole thing leans heavily into atmosphere, repetition and an old-world, near-pagan aesthetic rather than any obvious pop payoff. Musically, it’s all a bit too one-note for my liking. The chanting is the point, but the chanting also becomes the limitation. Listeners already inclined towards this sort of thing, twill love it. For others, it may feel like a lengthy three minutes in search of any sort of second idea.
History
Dora 2026 drew a record 251 submissions, and LELEK emerged from a busy field, so this was no token winner in a thin year. It’s also a fascinating choice in the wake of Croatia’s recent volatility. The country went from Let 3’s anarchic ‘Mama ŠČ!’ in 2023 to Baby Lasagna’s runner-up ‘Rim Tim Tagi Dim’ in 2024, before missing the final (by a well-deserved mile) in 2025 with Marko Bošnjak’s shockingly awful ‘Poison Cake’. Croatia is many things at Eurovision, but consistent isn’t one of them.
As for 2026, Croatia has been drawn into the first half of the first semi-final, sandwiched between the electro-banger vibes of Sweden and Greece. This means ‘Andromeda’ will need to establish its mood quickly. That’s possible. This kind of entry can attract jury respect for cohesion and identity. It certainly offers something different in a year split down the middle between bangers and big ballads. Televoters are harder to predict. There’s a fine line between haunting and static. Qualification is possible, but far from certain. If it reaches the final, mid-table feels more realistic than anything loftier. That said, I’m awarding points based on my tastes and not likely achievement, so…
0 Points
