Fenksta Brings ‘Extra’ Energy to DORA 2025: Hip-Hop, Eurovision, and Breaking the Mold

 

The road to Eurovision is never predictable, and for Fenksta, it’s about to get Extra. As he prepares to take the stage at DORA 2025, his bold old-school hip-hop sound is already turning heads. With a song that celebrates individuality and a growing buzz in the Eurovision community, Fenksta is ready to make his mark in Opatija. We caught up with him to talk about his journey, the inspiration behind Extra, and what fans can expect from his performance.

Congratulations on making it to DORA 2025! How does it feel to be part of such an exciting journey?

Now that there is some kind of limbo and you have to prepare everything, there's barely a moment to stop and think "wow I'm part of Eurovision history". That happened in the very beginning when they called me and it'll happen once we're in Opatija.

Your song has a cool old-school hip-hop vibe, which is something new for Eurovision. What inspired you to bring this style to DORA?

It wasn't an intentional decision for old-school Hip Hop. Obviously it was gonna be Hip Hop one way or the other, 'cause that's my style, but I generally understand music through the vibe of the song, so I picked a bunch of instrumentals I thought were good, sent them to friends who like Hip Hop or Eurovision or both, and most people picked the beat for "Extra". I used that beat so many times in beat battles, and every time the drums kick in - people go nuts. That's why I thought this is the perfect fit, but people still expected me to go with a song with fast lyrics, because they saw me do it once on TV.

Can you tell us a bit more about the message of your song? What do you hope listeners take away from it?

The message of the song is very clear and I'll quote my own notes - "fuck blending in". Don't be one of many, be yourself, don't listen to boomers or whoever's trying to shove their beliefs down your throat, whether it be college, family, children, religion - no, do what feels best for you.

The song has gained a lot of attention on the r/Eurovision community. What’s your reaction to the support you’ve been receiving online?

The support on r/eurovision has been insane. I have expected people to stand behind me, but a lot of non-Hip Hop people enjoy it too, which is great, cause you need the opinion of those without expertise too. Croatians have been a bit more divided there, but it's my job to convince them otherwise now.

You’ve been an active member of the Eurovision fandom for a while, especially on the r/Eurovision subreddit. How has being part of the community influenced your journey to DORA?

Honestly, I can't say that the subreddit influenced my decision making for the songs, but it has significantly boosted my love for Eurovision in the first place, so that's definitely their contribution to my journey and me making the decision to sign up.

Finally, what can we expect from your live performance at DORA? Will you be adding any surprises to keep fans on their toes?

You can expect me running out of breath hahaha, but yes, I have a few tricks up my sleeves and I will reveal some of them before the shows :)