Celebrating 20 Years of Feminnem at Eurovision

To mark Bosnia & Herzegovina’s Statehood Day on 25 November, we’re fondly remembering the 20-year anniversary of the fun and fabulous girl group Feminnem beginning their long and storied Eurovision journey.

The name Feminnem is a witty and feminised twist on the name of the rapper Eminem, yet the group’s story goes far beyond a punny name. Apart from their playful 2005 debut, the band's Eurovision legacy actually includes numerous national final comeback attempts and a 2010 return to the Eurovision stage for an entirely different nation!

2005: The Debut - Call Me (Bosnia & Herzegovina)

Performing for Bosnia & Herzegovina In 2005, the pink-and-blonde pop trio from the Balkans strutted onto the Eurovision stage with their iconic song Call Me. The song featured synchronised hair flips, a killer hook, and a contagious energy that suggested they knew exactly how insanely catchy their tune was.

The trio - Pamela Ramljak, Neda Parmać, and Ivana Marić - certainly delivered one of the year’s most entertaining and polished pop entries. Featuring a bouncy party atmosphere, upbeat melody and infectiously happy lyrics, the English-language performance of Call Me (the national final version was performed as the Serbo-Croatian Zovi) totally embodied mid-2000s Europop at its most enjoyable.

Performing on Kyiv Grand Final stage, Feminnem’s Call Me earned a respectable 79 points to finish in 14^th place. This was a strong showing for the girl group in a very competitive year, ultimately won by Greece’s Helena Paparizou with her classic My Number One.

Although it didn't crack the Eurovision top 10, Call Me was a solid fan favourite, and is a nostalgic gem that still holds up two decades later.

2007: A Croatian Comeback Attempt - Navika (Dora National Final, Croatia)

Not content with their 14^th place representing Bosnia & Herzegovina, Feminnem set their sights on another contest: Croatia’s national selection for Eurovision, Dora, in 2007.

Their entry, Navika, was a sophisticated and more mature track. A pop song that was more jazz than bubblegum, Navika perfectly showed off the group’s evolving musical direction and demonstrated their ability to adapt beyond the bright-pink charm of their Eurovision debut.

Despite being a memorable performance, Navika could barely manage a top 10 finish, dashing Feminnem’s dreams of a second Eurovision Grand Final appearance for the time being.

2009: A Second Croatian Attempt - Poljupci u boji (Dora National Final, Croatia)

In 2009, Feminnem returned to Dora with the stripped-back ballad Poljupci u boji (English translation: Kisses in Colour). For this performance, founding members Pamela and Neda were joined by new member Nikol Bulat after Ivana's departure from the group.

Despite being a fan-favourite, the girls once again missed out on heading to Moscow that year, but finished in an impressive third place this time around.

2010: Croatia Finally Sends Feminnem back to Eurovision - Lako je sve (Croatia)

On their third attempt at Dora in 2010, Feminnem finally triumphed with the dramatic and emotional power-ballad Lako je sve (English translation: Everything Is Easy), winning the right to represent Croatia. The girl group again looked a little different this year, with Nikol making way for new member Nika Antolos to join Pamela and Neda.

The tune was a dramatic shift from their earlier pink bubblegum pop sound, showing heartbreaking harmonies and elegant styling in what was one of Croatia’s most polished stagings of the decade.

The song quickly became a pre-contest favourite, yet only managed to place 13^th in their semi-final, thus missing out on qualifying for the Grand Final

Despite the shock non-qualification, Lako je sve remains a beloved entry in Croatian Eurovision history and often appears on “robbed” lists among fans. Vocally flawless and emotionally charged, it helped solidify Feminnem’s reputation as Eurovision royalty in the region.

A Cross-Border Legacy for the Record Books

Feminnem are unique in Eurovision history, having represented both Bosnia & Herzegovina and Croatia, and therefore are part of a small group of Eurovision acts who have performed for more than one country.

Plus their Eurovision catalogue - from the irresistible fun origins of Call Me to the soaring ending of Lako je sve – certainly spans the full pop spectrum, reflecting the collaborative nature of the Balkan pop industry and the musical bridges between the two countries.

Celebrating 20 Years of Call Me for Bosnia & Herzegovina

Two decades later, Call Me still feels like a burst of pure Eurovision joy. It’s catchy, cheeky, oh so camp, and instantly recognisable. It’s a song that defined a moment in mid-2000s Eurovision and introduced Europe to a trio who would go on to become Balkan icons.

After disbanding in 2012, the girls reunited in 2022 and released new music for the first time in over 10 years. Their latest single, 2023's Trending, has been their highest-charting single ever, indicating there's still a lot of love for the girls amongst fans. Surely we can't rule out one final attempt by Feminnem to make the Eurovision Grand Final?

Whether you remember their pink dresses, the playful choreography, or simply the chorus stuck in your head, Feminnem’s debut is firmly cemented in Eurovision history, and fans across the world are still ready to give them a call.

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