Severina: These Heels Are Made For Walking

Severina and her štikla have reached the Belgrade tabloid Kurir, which spent a few days in January trying to prove that Seve was really a Serb. Now, it's trying to prove that Moja štikla is really Serbian too.

More specifically, Kurir has finally got hold of the Goran Bregović story which was circulated by Zagreb's Večernji list a couple of weeks ago. Apparently, Bregović rearranged Severina's song while she was on a recent trip to Belgrade: returning the favour, perhaps, for Croatian composer Tonči Huljić's quiet involvement with the SCG Eurovision entry in 2005?

The tabloid may have something of a point to say that Seve's hook line of 'Ojda da ojda daj ojda daj daj' reminds it of Bregović's Hajdemo u planine from his Bijelo dugme days and its chorus 'Ojda da ojda ojda da da da', although the Gazette says, again: Ruslana? Anyone? On the other hand, its assessment of Seve's prospects for Dora are rather more optimistic than mine:

'Still, despite the striking ethno sounds, not so well-liked in Their Beautiful Homeland, and especially despite the Serbian beats, this song has already been proclaimed the favourite in Croatia and, according to some opinions, is already seen as the representative at the next Eurovision!

It's also interesting that the authors of Dora songs must be Croatian citizens, but, bearing in mind that Bregović is a collector of various passports [pasoša (a i putovnica)], his authorial signature will be a mere formality!'

Well, maybe. And I am Marie of Romania.

In Croatia, Index and 24 sata have both picked up the story all over again. 24 sata breathlessly announces that 'Seve's going to Dora as a turbofolk singer!', and turns the saga into a transnational game of Chinese whispers by adding the comment that part of Moja štikla is in ekavian, ie. Serbian. (Which part, exactly? The part about ojda daj daj?)

Last year, the novelist Jurica Pavičić commented on Magazin's Nazaret that - to paraphrase - it was a jolly good thing it wasn't going to represent Croatia because you just know what everyone would have said about it if it had. Pavičić, and everybody else, are likely to have an even bigger field day with Moja štikla.

If the combination of Bregović, striking ethno sounds, and Seve's own career (in more senses than one) aren't enough, just wait until the first critic notices that Severina is apparently going to be joined on stage by two ganga and rere singers - a traditional Herzegovinan a cappella vocal form - who happen to come from Dicme and Čavoglave. After all: we know who else comes from Čavoglave, and we know what some music journalists think about that.

The Dora final is 4 March, so Croatian showbusiness's answer to the perfect storm has a good two weeks to run yet.