Serbia Chooses Lavina… and “Kraj mene” Is Heading for Vienna
Serbia has finished its annual national pastime of making us all emotionally overinvest in a scoreboard, and it did it in the most Pesma za Evroviziju way possible: fourteen songs, a glamorous hosting duo, a green-room correspondent with the energy of a live gossip feed, and a final result that feels like Serbia saying, “Right, we’ve decided. Now everyone argue politely.”
Tonight’s Pesma za Evroviziju final crowned LAVINA as Serbia’s next Eurovision act, with “Kraj mene” taking the top spot and the golden ticket to Vienna. The mission was clear from the start: find a successor to Princ and give Serbia the best shot at getting back into that Saturday night spotlight. And when the points landed, they landed with intent.
Hosting duties were handled by Dragana Kosjerina Perduv and Kristina Radenković, with Stefan Popović stationed in the green room, doing what every good green-room host does: smiling warmly while silently clocking every micro-expression of panic. The final also came with a guest appearance from Akylas, Greece’s representative this year, dropping in as the evening’s star guest because Eurovision season is basically one big touring circus and everyone’s invited.
Running order
Brat Pelin – “Fräulein”
Lores – “Unseen”
Jack Lupino – “Adrenalin”
Ana Mašulović – “Zavoli me”
Harem Girls x Ivana – “Bom Bom”
Iva Grujin – “Otkrivam sebe”
Kosmos trip – “Sve je u redu”
Zejna – “Jugoslavija”
Geminni – “Metar sreće”
LU-KA – “Veruj”
LAVINA – “Kraj mene”
YANX – “Srušio si sve”
Zona – “Čairi”
MIRNA – “OMAJA”
Results
LAVINA – “Kraj mene” — 24
Zejna – “Jugoslavija” — 16
Harem Girls x Ivana – “Bom Bom” — 15
Brat Pelin – “Fräulein” — 14
Zona – “Čairi” — 10
YANX – “Srušio si sve” — 8
Lores – “Unseen” — 8
LU-KA – “Veruj” — 5
Kosmos trip – “Sve je u redu” — 5
Iva Grujin – “Otkrivam sebe” — 4
Geminni – “Metar sreće” — 3
Ana Mašulović – “Zavoli me” — 2
MIRNA – “OMAJA” — 1
Jack Lupino – “Adrenalin” — 1
A win with daylight between first and second
What makes this result feel particularly “locked” is that LAVINA didn’t scrape through on a technicality or a last-second shrug from the public. 24 points puts proper distance between them and the chasing pack, and in a national final where the jury and televote both get their say, that kind of cushion matters. It signals agreement, or at least a shared willingness to commit. Serbia, for once, looks like it knows exactly what it’s sending.
Behind them, Zejna takes second with “Jugoslavija” on 16, which is the sort of title that doesn’t just enter a contest, it enters a debate. And then you’ve got Harem Girls x Ivana right there on 15 with “Bom Bom”, because Serbia will always, always keep the door open for something a bit cheeky and potentially chaotic. The top four is honestly a perfect snapshot of the PZE universe: drama, nostalgia, pop bite, and a winner with enough points to shut the room up.
The bigger mission: getting Serbia back to Saturday
LAVINA now inherits the job Princ couldn’t quite finish last year. With “Mila”, Princ ended up 14th in the second semi-final, missing out on the Grand Final. Serbia doesn’t like being told “no” twice, and Vienna is exactly the kind of stage where it can come back swinging if the package is right: staging that tells a story, vocals that don’t wobble, and camera work that doesn’t look like it was directed by someone who just discovered zoom.
So yes, LAVINA is heading to Vienna. Serbia has chosen “Kraj mene”, and whether you’re thrilled, furious, or already composing a 2,000-word thread about how the juries ruined your life, the season has moved on. The only thing left now is the Eurovision glow-up. And Serbia, when it wants to, can glow up like nobody else.
