Dora 2021 is taking place this Saturday, where a total of 14 acts are going to compete in order to be the one to represent Croatia in the 2021 Eurovision Song Contest. ToMa (Tomislav Marić) is a newcomer in this Contest, and he will try to win Croatia’s ticket to Rotterdam with the song “Ocean Of Love”, which he co-wrote together with an international team.

We spoke to ToMa about his upcoming performance, asked him more about his song, his plans for the Contest, his expecations, and a lot more. Check it all out in this interview below:

Hi ToMa, first of all thank you for finding time to do this interview with us. For the beginning of this conversation, and for all foreign Eurovision fans, how would you briefly describe yourself?

First of all, greetings to all ESCBubble followers! I am ToMa, full name Tomislav Marić, a 23-year-old musician. Those who know me describe me as an extremely cheerful, positive spontaneous person. But also a person who sticks to his friends and their emotions.

Music has honestly been my biggest passion ever. I have been working on my music all my life and I hope to continue doing so in the future as well. Music is love, and what is life without love?

If I’m not mistaken, you also work as a TV journalist. Do you want to get closer to the world of music with your participation in Dora, or would you like to work as a journalist and a musician at the same time?

I work in television as a presenter and journalist and I really love my job. It is spontaneous, challenging and unpredictable. It allows my creativity to surface. But like I said before, my goal is music. And performing in Dora is an opportunity to present myself to everyone as a singer and as an artist.

You collaborated with an international team on your song. How did this collaboration come about, and how did the whole preparation go?

The song was written by Adriana Pupavac, Andreas Bjorkman, Kalle Persson and myself, and our team got together via Instagram. They saw my covers, contacted me and that’s where our musical collaboration began.

We wrote the song for Dora, “Ocean Of Love”, 5 days before the submission period ended, and we submitted it two hours before the deadline. And we didn’t expect to pass because we weren’t sure if we were late. But the song got through to Dora and now we can’t wait for Saturday to show everyone our song and performance.

What can you tell us about the song “Ocean Of Love”?

The song is distinctly cheerful, positive, energetic, with a quality worldly production. The lyrics carry a very important and strong message, and we have packed the lyrics into a cheerful melody so that we still get people to dance and cheer them up, but we still give them the support that the lyrics provide.

Was this song then written especially for Dora?

Yes, we wrote it just for Dora, but keeping in mind that it will also reach the rest of the audience who do not follow the Eurovision Song Contest. And I think we succeeded. I believe everyone will love the song.

What kind of performance can we expect?

The performance will be dynamic, energetic and strong, following the example of my music role models. Dancing, singing, fun and enjoyment. It’s going to be crazy.

What are your expectations for Dora?

Dora is a great opportunity for promotion, but the Eurovision Song Contest is the ultimate goal. That’s why we’re here, to prove that we are worthy of this trip to the Netherlands.

Do you follow the Eurovision Song Contest, and were there any songs that you particularly liked?

I always do! “Kuula” is perhaps my favorite from the Eurovision Song Contest. Of the more recent ones, “She Got Me”. So many good songs. It’s hard to pick just one.

Why should you win this year’s Dora?

I am young, creative and tactful. I think it is time to send a young person to the Eurovision Song Contest who will bring a little freshness on behalf of the Croatian flag.

Do you have a message for all foreign fans of the Eurovision Song Contest, who will follow Dora, and maybe support you?

Watch us on Saturday, and if you like the song, be sure to support our performance! I promise you fun and dancing, a great three minutes to get away from gloomy themes and minor tunes. 🙂

Thank you very much for your time ToMa, and I wish you good luck on Dora!

Give a listen to the 1 minute snippet of ToMa’s entry “Ocean Of Love” right here:

If ToMa is your personal favorite, make sure you cast your vote for him, and for up to four more acts in our poll right here: