Croatia has selected its representative for Eurovision 2026. Among 16 finalists at the Dora festival, LELEK managed to stand out with a combination of powerful vocals, striking aesthetics, and a song that flirts with tradition.
At this year’s Dora, the five-member ethno-pop group LELEK triumphed with the song “Andromeda,” winning a total of 136 points and securing the support of both the jury and the public.
Among 16 finalists at the Dora festival, LELEK managed to stand out with a combination of powerful vocals, striking aesthetics, and a song that flirts with tradition while remaining firmly within a contemporary pop framework, reports Danas.rs.
Their sound has been circulating on social media for some time, where they broke through with covers of traditional songs, but “Andromeda” marks their most ambitious step so far.
Particular attention has been drawn to the author behind the music, Serbian singer-songwriter Zorja, born Zorica Pajić. She worked on the music for the winning entry together with her husband and also appears in the song as a backing vocalist. This is not their first collaboration: the song “Tane,” which they previously co-wrote, continues to live on social media, with fans commenting that it deserved a festival opportunity.
Zorja has not yet spoken publicly about her participation at Dora, but her authorial signature has already sparked public interest, especially since “Andromeda” carries a strong symbolic layer. The inspiration comes from a specific tradition of Catholic women from central Bosnia, tattoos known as sicanje or bocanje, a practice of permanent skin puncturing dating back to the Ottoman period and characteristic precisely of women from that region. In the song, that historical motif takes on a contemporary, almost mythical framework.
LELEK is a relatively young group, founded in September 2024. Its members are Judita Štorga, Marina Ramljak, Korina Olivia Rogić, Lara Brtan, and Klaudija Pulek – five vocalists who create a recognizable blend of traditional heritage and modern pop expression. Dora 2025 was their big stage, and Eurovision will be the test of how far “Andromeda” can go.
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Source: N1; Foto: Printscreen YouTube