His artistic name is Baby Lasagna. His real name is Marko Purišić. He is a Croatian musician, producer, songwriter, and singer. On May 12, 2023, shortly after midnight, he won the 2nd place in the 68 Eurovision Song Contest 2024 in Swedish Malmö. The best ranking for Croatia ever!
My obsession. My cure for anxiety. My joy. “Rim Tim Tagi Dim.”
He was an underdog. He wasn’t even supposed to compete in the Croatian National Selection Dora, because the jury didn’t see him and select him as the finalist. Only thanks to the singer Zsa Zsa, who withdrew from the competition, he stepped in as the first reserve.
Baby Lasagna won the hearts of Croatians and many Eurosong YouTubers even before he won Dora by the landslide. And then, he took over Europe and the fans all over the world.
First, Croatia became the winning country of the Eurovision Song Contest 2024 according to bookmakers and stayed 32 days there. Switzerland took its place and stayed there until a few days before the contest, when Croatia again became number 1 with an incredible 52% winning chance.
Then Croatia won the OGAE network of 42 hardcore fan clubs’ poll with 356 points, 18 points more than Italy.
Before the voting started in the finals on May 11, Croatia also won Eurovision Poll 2024 with 16%, five percent more than second placed Switzerland.
On May 7, Croatia won the first semi-final with 177 points.
With 52% winning chances, Baby Lasagna performed on May 11 in the final, nailing it, and connecting with the audience in the arena like no other performer.
Sadly, all those number-one-predictions and Baby Lasagna being the darling of the public weren’t enough. The national juries had their own agenda and played with our nerves and hearts and robbed Baby Lasagna and Croatia, according to many. Whether it was planned for Nemo from Switzerland to win the Eurosong, it isn’t important. What’s done is done; we cannot turn back the clock. We cannot change the voting and grieving over Croatia not winning and ending up in the same situation as Finland last year doesn’t help much.
What does help is the smile on Baby Lasagna’s face because he knows he and his team did the best they could, all alone, as individuals, sacrificing a lot, and winning the musical world. Over ten million views of his performances in Sweden speak enough of his worldwide popularity and how people like this simple, humble, honest, and natural 28-year-old young man from Umag. A man who made a miracle and entered a Croatian national and Eurovision history. A man who we will remember for years to come, singing and dancing to his “Rim Tim Tagi Dim.”
My hat is off to you, Marko. I am proud of you. And I am grateful for your music, for you, for everything. For the fantastic and hyped three months I spent following you on YouTube and all over the internet. Like a shadow.
“Meow, cat, please, meow back.”
Meowing back!
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