Sara Renar - Smile and Wave (Croatia Records 2026)

Info

Sara Renar's Smile and Wave is the third single from her album Nježne rijeci — a funk-tinged electropop piece that turns music-industry pressure ("Why don't you sing in English?", "Why don't you adapt?") into sharp, playful irony. Written in English on purpose; music and lyrics by Renar, arrangement with Dimitrije Simović, produced by Jan Kincl and Renar, recorded at Cycle Studio Zagreb. Out on Croatia Records, 2026.

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Review

"That tension between intellect and instinct runs through the whole album, but nowhere is it as exposed as in the funky 'Smile and Wave'. The seemingly simple refrain works as a passive-aggressive shield — 'just smile and wave' here is not a gesture of politeness but a learned survival reflex in a system that simultaneously erases and elevates. Whether nodding with cynicism or irony at local Eurovision successes, Renar quite openly exposes the limits of such ambitions — and why they rarely cross the local frame." — Ivana Lulić, Glazba.hr

Tracklisting

1. Smile and Wave 02:13 YouTube

Credits

Music: Sara Renar
Lyrics: Sara Renar
Arrangement: Dimitrije Simović, Sara Renar
Production: Jan Kincl, Sara Renar
Mastering: Sven Weisemann
Recorded at Cycle Studio Zagreb
(C) & (P) 2026 Croatia Records