Duška Brčić-Šušak’s vocal performance draws sharp criticism from Jacques Houdek

Young Croatian singer Duška Brčić‑Šušak posted a video of her rendition of Oliver Dragojević’s song “Ostavljam te samu” from the “Trag u beskraju” event. The clip went viral and prompted a scathing comment from established pop‑star Jacques Houdek, who described her voice as “sick”, “out of tune” and advised that she “urgent‑ly needs help with her vocal cords”.

The exchange sparked a broader debate on social media. Duška replied that recent medical checks showed her vocal health was fine and thanked Houdek for his concern. Mezzo‑soprano Irena Parlov later joined the discussion, supporting Houdek’s technical assessment and warning that improper vocal technique could shorten a career. Houdek subsequently posted a longer statement asserting he was merely stating the truth and not attacking the young artist, emphasizing his commitment to vocal pedagogy. The controversy revived earlier attention on Duška, who previously made headlines after a voting error at the “Večer dalmatinske šansone” festival in 2023.