Danijela

Early Life and Magazin

Danijela Martinović was born on 15 July 1971 in Split, Croatia (then part of Yugoslavia). She loved music from a young age and began singing early. Her older sister Izabela is also a singer who performed with the band Stijene. Danijela’s big break came in 1991 when she became the lead vocalist of the popular Croatian pop band Magazin. Magazin was already an established group, and Danijela became their fourth lead singer. This role made her a household name in Croatia. In 1995, as part of Magazin, Danijela represented Croatia at the Eurovision Song Contest. They performed the song “Nostalgija” with opera singer Lidija Horvat-Dunjko and achieved sixth place in the final. The Eurovision appearance gave Danijela international exposure. In 1996, she left Magazin to pursue a solo career.

Solo Career and Eurovision 1998

After leaving the group, Danijela continued working with Magazin’s songwriter Tonči Huljić to launch her solo career. She released her debut solo album Zovem te ja in 1996. In 1998, Danijela competed in and won Dora, Croatia’s national song contest, with the ballad “Neka mi ne svane” (“May the Sun Never Rise”). This victory led her to represent Croatia as a solo artist at the 1998 Eurovision Song Contest. At Eurovision in Birmingham, she gave a heartfelt performance of “Neka mi ne svane” and finished in fifth place out of 25 countries.

The song became one of her signature hits. Following this success, Danijela released her second solo album To malo ljubavi in late 1998, which featured “Neka mi ne svane”. She continued her momentum with a third album, “I po svjetlu i po mraku,” in 1999. By the end of the 1990s, Danijela had cemented her status as a leading pop singer in Croatia.

Albums and Continued Success

Danijela Martinović remained a prominent pop act throughout the 2000s. She released a string of successful albums and singles during this decade. Notable releases included the album Pleši sa mnom in 2001 and the album Oaza in 2005. In 2006, she even recorded a Spanish-language album titled Canta y baila con Danijela, expanding her reach to international audiences.

Danijela also aimed to return to Eurovision during the mid-2000s. She entered the Croatian national selection Dora in 2005 with the song “Za tebe rođena,” where she placed third in the final. In 2006, she tried again at Dora with the song “Oči od safira,” but this time she finished 14th. Despite these outcomes, Danijela continued to dominate the Croatian pop scene. In 2011, she released her eighth studio album, Unikat. The following year, she scored one of the biggest hits of her career with the single “Brodolom” (“Shipwreck”). She premiered “Brodolom” at the Split Festival in 2012, and it became a massive summer hit, gathering over three million YouTube views in less than a month.

Television Projects and Recent Work

Beyond her music, Danijela expanded her career into television. In 2007, she took part in the Croatian edition of Dancing with the Stars (locally known as Ples sa zvijezdama). She appeared as one of the celebrity contestants, dancing with professional partner Nicolas Quesnoit. Danijela only reached the fifth episode of the season.

In 2016, she returned to television as a judge on Supertalent, Croatia’s version of the Got Talent franchise. That year she sat on the judging panel alongside other Croatian celebrities, evaluating new performers on the popular reality talent show. These television projects kept Danijela in the public eye outside of music. She also continues to perform at concerts and festivals across Croatia. Danijela remained musically active into the 2020s, regularly releasing new singles. In 2023, she achieved a No. 1 hit on Croatia’s music chart with the duet “Ono nešto,” demonstrating her lasting popularity.

Personal Life

Danijela Martinović’s personal life has often attracted attention in the Croatian media. In 1995, she married fellow Croatian singer Marko Perković, popularly known as Thompson, but the marriage ended in 1998. Shortly after, Danijela began a long-term relationship with pop singer Petar Grašo. Petar Grašo was the composer of her 1998 Eurovision song “Neka mi ne svane”, and together they were one of Croatia’s notable celebrity couples for over two decades. Their partnership ended in 2021.

Despite these changes in her personal life, Danijela has maintained a positive public image. She remains beloved in Croatia for her enduring music career and engaging personality.