"07" by Nina Badrić (2007)

What a pleasure to follow all the chapters, changes and music metamorphoses of Nina Badrić - her early, clubbing music didn't strike me as anything special and back than I wondered what was all fuss about as those beginnings were frankly very generic, but with time she moved on and subsequent albums were really gratifying. Not only that Badrić has one of the most powerful, soulful voices in Croatian pop music but she also loves to experiment and expand her music horizons. Because she is also a strikingly attractive woman, I wondered how many people are aware of the fact that usually the best songs on her albums were written by herself. She collaborates with other people but if you look closely, it is her name signed under most memorable songs.

On her seventh studio album (hence title) Badrić boldly moves on even further from House music that initially made her famous - opening "Kralj života mog" is a duet with late gypsy singer Ljiljana Petrović - Buttler, on "Sila prirode"  she is backed with traditional a cappella vocal band (so-called klapa) Klapa Subrenum and "Imati Pa Nemati" combines Middle Eastern melody with funky vocals worth of her idol (and early supporter) Dino Dvornik. There is also James Bond-meets-Amy Winehouse "Neka voda nosi ljubav" and wonderfully breezy, uplifting "Osjećaj" that together with irresistible, funky "Iz inata" was written by singer herself. Perhaps the most striking is lyrical ballad "Vlak" (written by Dino Dervišhalidović) with unforgettable refrain, though three mournful ballads by Aleksandra Milutinović are perhaps overbalancing the total effect - they are fine songs but tend to bring the atmosphere down.

This was also a year when Badrić was chosen to grace adverts of internationally famous watch company Frederiqué Constant which means her face was seen on billboards around the world and since I am surrounded with luxury watches at work, it was always been a something that I proudly point to my colleagues when they work on watch displays in the windows - the beauty in our windows is Croatian and she is now in the company of people like Gwyneth Paltrow and other celebrities.