Croatia participated in the Eurovision Song Contest 2013 in Malmö, Sweden. The Croatian entry was selected through an internal selection, organised by Croatian broadcaster Croatian Radiotelevision. Klapa s Mora represented Croatia with the song "Mižerja", which failed to qualify from the first semi-final of the contest, placing 13th and scoring 38 points.
Internal Selection
On 26 November 2012, HRT revealed that their selection process to select an entry for the Eurovision Song Contest 2013 would involve sending a traditional Croatian style Klapa. A song submission was opened for Croatian composers to submit songs in the Klapa style, where one would be eventually selected by a three-member jury panel to be performed by an up to 6 member Klapa ensemble. On 16 January 2013, the jury panel assembled by HRT selected the song "Mižerja", composed by Goran Topolovec, to represent Croatia. In addition, the song "Cili Svit Za Bili Cvit", composed by Miroslav Buljan, was selected as a reserve entry. On 11 February, HRT announced the names of the artists that would form the klapa ensemble, the performers of the Croatian entry. The klapa comprises:
Marko Škugor, from klapa Kampanel
Ante Galić, from klapa Sinj
Nikša Antica, from klapa Kampanel
Leon Bataljaku, from klapa Crikvenica
Ivica Vlaić, from klapa Sebenico
Bojan Kavedžija, from klapa Grdelin
Mojmir Čačija was part of the jury panel that selected the artists and was also responsible for the vocal arrangement. Nikša Bratoš and Dragan Brnas were responsible for the arrangement of "Mižerja". The song was officially presented to the public during a press conference in Zagreb on 27 February 2013. During the pressconference, the official name of the group, Klapa s Mora, was also revealed.
At Eurovision
Croatia was allocated to compete in the first semi-final on 14 May for a place in the final on 18 May. In the first semifinal, the producers of the show decided that Croatia would perform 4th, following Slovenia and preceding Denmark. The Croatian performance focused on the vocals of the six members of Klapa s Mora, who were dressed in traditional uniforms worn by Croatian knights. Croatia failed to qualify from the first semi-final of the competition, placing 13th and scoring 38 points.
