Dino Merlin to represent Bosnia & Herzegovina at Eurovision 2011

During a Eurovision talk show on Bosnian TV station BHRT1, it has been announced that Dino Merlin will represent Bosnia and Herzegovina for the second time on the Eurovision stage, this time in Dusseldorf.

Dino, (real name Edin Dervishalidovic) is a 48 year old singer-songwriter popular in Bosnia and the former Yugoslavia. He founded the band “Merlin” which took his career off to a flying start – recording five hours between 1983 and 1990. After the breakup of his band, he started a solo career under the stage name “Dino Merlin” and has so far released five successful albums.

He also wrote the first Bosnian national anthem, “Jedna si, jedna”. Dino also has previously taken part in the Eurovision Song Contest twice – once as the writer of “Sva bol svijeta”, the Bosnian song in 1993 and as a singer in 1999, alongside french singer Beatrice with the song “Putnici” placing 7th. His song in 1999 is the second most successful song for Bosnia-Herzegovina in Eurovision, after Hari Mata Hari in 2006.

In the talk show, hosted by Belmin Karamehmedovic, head of BHRT and & Dejan Kuric, head of the Bosnian delegation it was not announced what the song would be called but Dino is working on four songs for Eurovision, and will choose the best one to take to Dusseldorf. The song will be premiered on 20th February.

Below you can see the performance of “Putnici” from Eurovision 1999.