Montenegro in the Eurovision Song Contest 2025
| Eurovision Song Contest 2025 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Participating broadcaster | Radio i televizija Crne Gore (RTCG) | |||
| Country |  Montenegro | |||
| National selection | ||||
| Selection process | Montesong 2024 | |||
| Selection date(s) | 27 November 2024 | |||
| Montenegro in the Eurovision Song Contest | ||||
| ||||
Montenegro is set to participate in the Eurovision Song Contest 2025, which will be held in Basel, Switzerland, returning after a two-year absence. The Montenegrin participating broadcaster, Radio i televizija Crne Gore (RTCG), will organise the national final Montesong 2024 to select its entry for the contest.
Background
[edit]Prior to the 2025 contest, Radio i televizija Crne Gore (RTCG) has participated in the Eurovision Song Contest representing Montenegro as an independent country twelve times since its first entry in 2007.[1] Its best placing in the contest was thirteenth position, which they achieved in 2015 with the song "Adio" performed by Knez. In 2014, Montenegro qualified to the final for the first time since they began participating and have since featured in the final of the Eurovision Song Contest two times. RTCG briefly withdrew from the competition between 2010 and 2011 as well as in 2021, 2023, and 2024, citing "modest results" and/or financial difficulties as the reason for their absences.[2][3] In 2022, it failed to qualify for the final with the song "Breathe" performed by Vladana.
As part of its duties as participating broadcaster, RTCG organises the selection of its entry in the Eurovision Song Contest and broadcasts the event in the country. On 6 January 2024, RTCG outlined its aim to introduce a popular music festival, which could serve as its selection process for the 2025 contest, dependent on funding.[4] On 7 August 2024, RTCG published a document outlining the rules of Montesong 2024.[5] An official confirmation of both participation in the 2025 contest and the organisation of a national final was announced by RTCG on 15 August 2024.[6] RTCG had used various methods to select the Montenegrin entry in the past, such as internal selections and televised national finals to choose the performer, song or both to compete at Eurovision. The reintroduction of a national final for the 2025 contest marked the first time since 2019 that the broadcaster organised a national selection, with Montevizija held in 2018 and 2019.
Before Eurovision
[edit]Montesong 2024
[edit]Montesong 2024 is set to be the national final format organised by RTCG to select its entry for the Eurovision Song Contest 2025. Organised in a collaboration between the broadcaster and the Association of Variety Performers of Montenegro, a live final was initially scheduled for 26 November 2024, with an awards ceremony to be on 27 November 2024. However, the event was later revised to a final on 27 November 2024.[7][8] The event will take place at the Voco Hotel in Podgorica.[9][10][11]
Format
[edit]The competition will consist of a live final to be held on 27 November 2024. Sixteen entries will compete, with a combination of jury voting (50%) and public televoting (50%) set to determine the winning entry and the subsequent Montenegrin entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 2025.[12] The professional jury will consist of both local music professionals and music representatives from across Europe.[12]
Competing entries
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On 7 August 2024, RTCG opened a submission platform for interested artists and composers, which remained open until 1 October 2024. Performers are required to be citizens of the Republic of Montenegro, while songwriters may be of any nationality. All submitted songs are required to be written in at least 51% of one of the official languages of Montenegro. From there, a committee set up by the broadcaster reviewed the submissions and selected sixteen songs for the competition. The panel consisted of Boris Šarančić (entertainment editor for TVCG), Dražen Bauković (journalist and editor of music shows), Eva Papović (music editor at TVCG), Ana Petrović (music editor at RCG), Renata Perazić (musician and author), Marija Božović (musician and author), and Natalija Pavićević (songwriter). Each juror judged each song using a points system, giving a maximum of 50 points for composition, 30 points for lyrics and 20 points for production, meaning each song could earn a maximum of 100 points. However, songs had to achieve at least 75 points from this process in order to reach the competition stage. RTCG also stipulated that it had the right to internally select its entry for the contest if no submitted entry reached the threshold. At a press conference on 5 September 2024, Festival Director Danijel Alibabić, who represented Serbia and Montenegro in the Eurovision Song Contest 2005 as a part of No Name, confirmed that up to sixteen entries would be performed in the national final.[12] On 2 October 2024, RTCG revealed that it had received 32 submissions, and that they would allow any further late applications due to postal delays.[13] In total, 36 submissions were received, with 4 of those being disqualified.[14] The competing entries (plus three backups) were announced on 10 October 2024 during the RTCG show Jutarnji program, which was broadcast on TVCG 1. Among the competing artists was Nina Žižić, who featured with uncredited vocals for Who See at the Eurovision Song Contest 2013.[15][13][16][17][18] Also among the competing acts are Kejt, who competed in Montevizija 2018 and Milena Vučić, who competed in Evropesma-Europjesma 2004 as a part of the group Negre.
Among the backup entries is Danijel Popović, who won Jugovizija 1983, Yugoslavia's national final for Eurovision, and subsequently represented the country in the 1983 contest with the song "Džuli"; he competed in Yugoslavia's national selection a further 4 times: in 1984, 1986, 1987 and 1991. He previously applied his entry "Kano kastigan" to Dora 2023, Croatia's national selection for the 2023 contest.[19] The competing songs will be released on 10th November 2024.[17]
Entry withdrawn Replacement entry
| Artist | Song | Songwriter(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Anastasija Koprolčec | "Kraj" (Крај) |
|
| Band 9 | "Stop War" | Milić Šarović |
| Boban Rajović | "Suze" (Сузе) |
|
| Dolce Hera | "Repeat" |
|
| Đurđa | "To ljubav je" (То љубав је) |
|
| Glumci Band | "San" (Сан) |
|
| Isak Šabanović | "Ljeto, ljeto, ljeto" (Љето, љето, љето) |
|
| Kejt | "Obala raja" (Обала раја) |
|
| Luka Perazić and Rade Vukčević | "Dva srca" (Два срца) | Rade Vukčević |
| Luka Radović | "Kada dođe maj" (Када дође мај) | Luka Radović |
| Milena Vučić | "Škorpija" (Шкорпија) |
|
| Nemanja Petrović | "Među zvijezdama" (Међу звијездама) | Branislav Opačić |
| Neonoen | "Clickbait" | Ilija Pejović |
| Nina Žižić | "Dobro došli" (Добро дошли) |
|
| Tamara Živković | "Poguban let" (Погубан лет) | TBA |
| Tina Džankić | "Nova" (Нова) |
|
| Verica Čuljković | "Čuješ li" (Чујеш ли) | Verica Čuljković |
| Artist | Song | Songwriter(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Danijel Popović | "Kano kastigan" (Кано кастиган) | TBA |
| Hanibal | "Čuvaj me" (Чувај ме) | |
References
[edit]- ^ "Montenegro Country Profile". EBU. Retrieved 9 September 2024.
- ^ Hondal, Victor (17 November 2009). "Montenegro withdraws from Eurovision 2010". ESCToday. Retrieved 9 September 2024.
- ^ Hondal, Victor (23 December 2010). "Montenegro officially out of Eurovision 2011". ESCToday. Retrieved 9 September 2024.
- ^ Maldonado, Yesaac (6 January 2024). "Today: 🇲🇪 Montenegro: Eyes Possible Eurovision Return in 2025". Eurovoix. Retrieved 9 September 2024.
- ^ Stephenson, James (7 August 2024). "Today: 🇲🇪 Montenegro: Eurovision 2025 Return Likely with New National Final". Eurovoix. Retrieved 9 September 2024.
- ^ Stephenson, James (15 August 2024). "🇲🇪 Montenegro: Eurovision 2025 Participation Confirmed". Eurovoix. Retrieved 9 September 2024.
- ^ Granger, Anthony (26 September 2024). "🇲🇪 Montenegro: Montesong 2024 Revised to One Night Show". Eurovoix. Retrieved 27 September 2024.
- ^ "Montesong 2024: Prijave još do 1. oktobra" [Montesong 2024: Applications open until 1 October]. Radio and Television of Montenegro (in Montenegrin). 26 September 2024. Retrieved 26 September 2024.
- ^ "Montesong u novembru, mladi izvođači da se prijave". rtcg.me (in Montenegrin). RTCG. 5 September 2024. Retrieved 9 September 2024.
- ^ "Pravilnik o proceduri izbora kompozicije za Pjesmu Evrovizije" (PDF) (in Montenegrin). Radio i televizija Crne Gore. Retrieved 9 September 2024.
- ^ "Crna Gora će imati predstavnika na Evroviziji, raspisan konkurs". rtcg.me (in Montenegrin). RTCG. 15 August 2024. Retrieved 9 September 2024.
- ^ a b c Farren, Neil (5 September 2024). "🇲🇪 Montenegro: Montesong 2024 to Take Place on November 26 and 27". Eurovoix. Retrieved 9 September 2024.
- ^ a b "Montesong 2024: Pristigle 32 pjesme, imena finalista 10. oktobra" [Montesong 2024: 32 songs, finalists announced on 10 October]. rtcg.me (in Montenegrin). RTCG. 2 October 2024. Retrieved 2 October 2024.
- ^ Vučinić, Vladana (4 October 2024). "Montesong 2024: Rekordnih 36 prijava, uskoro imena finalista" [Montesong 2024: Record 36 submissions, names of finalists soon]. RTCG. Retrieved 6 October 2024.
- ^ Farren, Neil (2 October 2024). "Montenegro: 32 Submissions for Montesong 2024". Eurovoix. Retrieved 2 October 2024.
- ^ Granger, Anthony (9 October 2024). "Montenegro: Montesong 2024 Finalists to be Announced Tomorrow Morning". Eurovoix. Retrieved 9 October 2024.
- ^ a b "Montesong 2024: Selekciona komisija saopštila imena 16 finalista". rtcg.me (in Montenegrin). RTCG. 10 October 2024.
- ^ "Montenegro 2025: Artists announced for 'Montesong'". Eurovision.tv. 10 October 2024. Retrieved 10 October 2024.
- ^ "Sjećate se pjesme Đuli? Otkriveno kome je posvećena". Dnevnik.hr. 3 February 2023. Retrieved 15 October 2024.
- ^ Granger, Anthony (15 October 2024). "Montenegro: RTCG Reveals Songwriters Behind the Montesong 2024 Entries". Eurovoix. Retrieved 15 October 2024.