Eurovision 2024: PAIN’s Peter Tägtgren Responds to Plagiarism Allegations Against Croatia’s BABY LASAGNA

In a recent interview with Laureline Tilkin from the Finnish webpage Tuonela Magazine, Peter Tägtgren, the frontman of Swedish industrial metal band PAIN, addressed allegations of plagiarism involving Croatia’s 2024 Eurovision entry, «Rim Tim Tagi Dim» by Baby Lasagna. Critics have claimed that the song closely resembles PAIN’s 2021 hit, «Party In My Head».

Tägtgren initially dismissed the comparisons, stating, «I didn’t even hear it in the beginning, and [comments about the supposed similarities between the two songs] started popping up everywhere. People were, like, ‘Oh, I think Croatia stole your song,’ blah, blah, blah. And I was, like,» What? I didn’t hear it. » He acknowledged a superficial similarity in the chorus but attributed it to common musical elements found in many songs, including KISS’s «I Love It Loud».

Despite the allegations, Tägtgren expressed a positive outlook, appreciating the metal influence on Eurovision. He said, «I thought it was fun. And I think it’s good that they put in a little bit of metal in this Eurovision thing, like they did with LORDI 15 years ago. When you get it right, it gets popular. So people want more metal.»

Baby Lasagna, the stage name of 28-year-old Croatian singer-songwriter Marko Purišić, achieved Croatia’s best result in Eurovision history by winning the public vote and finishing second overall in the 2024 grand final. Purišić openly admits to drawing inspiration from RAMMSTEIN, whose lead singer Till Lindemann has previously collaborated with Tägtgren.

The jury’s decision ultimately placed Baby Lasagna as the runner-up, awarding 210 points to Croatia, while Switzerland, the winner, received 365 points. Despite this, Baby lasagna’s achievement in the public vote with 337 points marks a significant milestone for Croatia in Eurovision history.

As the debate over the similarities between the songs continues, Tägtgren’s relaxed stance and appreciation for the spread of metal in popular music underscore the evolving dynamics of musical influence and originality in contemporary competitions.

Source: Tuonela Magazine