New Songs Selected for Split Festival 2023

The artistic director of the festival, Stevo Vučković Stivi, presented the concept and announced a comprehensive program catering to different musical tastes. Although all the programs are being worked on at the same time, special attention was given to the Final Competition Evening.

After the competition for submitting new compositions closed at the beginning of March, the members of the jury listened to 166 submitted songs and evaluated their favorites based on their experience and expertise. Ninoslava Zorica, music editor of Radio Split, musicians Dado Topić, Miron Hauser and Remo Cartagine, and producer Damir Dado Marušić, headed by the festival's artistic director, have selected 22 new compositions that will be premiered at Prokurative. These will be joined by two winning songs from the evening Rising Stars featuring young performers, as chosen by the audience and jury.

"I am very satisfied with the selected songs, and it seems to me that the diversity of the jury greatly contributed to this. Different approaches and experiences made us choose the best for the loyal and demanding Split audience. We kept the names of the jury members secret until the last moment so that they could perform the evaluation as efficiently as possible. I use this opportunity to once again thank my colleagues for their efforts and extremely useful advice. Music is always a medium that opens up some new perspectives and that makes me extremely happy. We are continuing with the organization of this seven-day event, which I believe will be enjoyed by our fellow citizens and visitors," said organizer Stevo Vučković Stivi.

Nenad Vilović presented the songs he had chosen for his important jubilee and emphasized: "This is a very emotional period for me because, while preparing the materials, I remembered different stages of Split Festivals, songs, events and people, some of whom are no longer with us. The Split Festival marked my career and some of my favorite songs were performed on that stage. I am especially looking forward to the new performances of some well-known hits, and I believe that the audience in Split will recognize that."

The Split creative duo Kazinoti & Komenda presented the new creative concept of the Split Festival 2023, while Viktoria Šižgorić Zorić designed the visual identity and logo.

The organizer emphasizes the Mediterranean as an inexhaustible source of creativity, and the new concept of the festival as a place for its gathering and promotion. "Manifestation tourism is a somewhat newer and more modern branch of tourism that is increasingly important. This form of tourism meets the needs and wishes of modern guests who are looking for additional facilities. That's why I think it's very important to supplement the well-known traditional sound with additional diverse content that will meet the needs of the citizens and guests of the city under Marjan. The Split festival is a symbol of our city and should become a lure for our tourists as well," said Alijana Vukšić, director of the Tourist Board of Split.

By respecting traditional values, the aim is also to create new artistic values that give the festival an extra shine and make it more appealing to different generations. 

"The Split festival is one of the most famous and respected pop music festivals in this region, and it should remain so. It is necessary to adapt it to the times in which we live, to new trends and generations, without forgetting the tradition and all that it has given rise to. Throughout history, locations, stages, performers and organizers have changed, but the energy and hospitality that our city provides are recognized and remembered. For most of the people of Split, the first association with Prokurative is the Split Festival and that's why I'm looking forward to the new edition, which I believe will be even better, where we'll all enjoy good music together," said Split mayor Ivica Puljak.

PROGRAM

LIST OF SONGS: FINAL COMPETITION EVENING & NENAD VILOVIĆ JUBILEE NIGHT