Montenegro MONTENEGRO 2025 - Nina Žižić - Dobrodošli

[ESC United Mod Team]

 

[Sammy]

I wouldn’t mind getting rid of this song because I really don’t care about it. But we have seen similar cases in the past where the song was allowed because the audience who heard ist prior to the deadline was really small.
On the other hand - given the small amount of votes that were decisive, even a small audience back then could have been a relevant factor.

 

[AlekS]

"We performed in front of 20 people."
20 people:

 

[mauve]

They didn’t expect “clickbait” to win. Probably bet on Nina, as the odds predicted. Now they are you trying to pull the ripcord? That's how it feels to me.

 

[Mainshow]

I absolutely dislike the band's attitude.
They clearly broke the rules of Montesong and now they are trying to save grace by lying.

I don't want to start the season with so much drama. Bending the rules for them would be such a bad move for the future of Montesong. Other artists could copy the band's strategy... especially since only very few votes decided on the winner of the whole festival.
Like I said, the EBU would geeenlight the entry but Montesong shouldn't do it - if they want to keep the NF alive.

 

[Mainshow]

They didn’t expect “clickbait” to win. Probably bet on Nina, as the odds predicted. Now they are you trying to pull the ripcord? That's how it feels to me.

Dunno. They shouldn't have let them compete with that song in the first place.
I know it's difficult to make sure that a song wasn't performed before (theoretically you have to check all setlists from all concerts performed by all artists) but now it's clear that NeoneoN broke Montesong's rules and now they are even lying about it, e.g. "only performing in front of 20 people". They didn't even mention or refer to rule #1 of Montesong which clearly stated that a song wasn't allowed to have been performed before.
The broadcaster should disqualify them for not even reading rule 1 out of 8 before submitting their entry (or they didn't care about it and willingly lied about it which is even worse conduct).

 

[EscGeek]

We've had so many cases like this, i stopped counting and stopped taking that rule seriously

 

[Mainshow]

We've had so many cases like this, i stopped counting and stopped taking that rule seriously

You are right that that rule isn't really "important". EBU would clearly allow the song to compete.

However, we still have to distinguish between NFs stating that a song shouldn't have been commercially released (ESCCZ) or shouldn't have been performed or released before (Montesong).

Thus, Aiko technically didn't break any NF rules but NeoneoN did.

The EBU still doesn't care... the question is... what will RTCG do? Establishing a national final based on breaking and bensing the rules in the first edition?
Or saving grace? 40 votes less in televoting would have changed the overall winner and the band clearly performed in front of more than 20 people.

 

[mauve]

Dunno. They shouldn't have let them compete with that song in the first place.
I know it's difficult to make sure that a song wasn't performed before (theoretically you have to check all setlists from all concerts performed by all artists) but now it's clear that NeoneoN broke Montesong's rules and now they are even lying about it, e.g. "only performing in front of 20 people". They didn't even mention or refer to rule #1 of Montesong which clearly stated that a song wasn't allowed to have been performed before.
The broadcaster should disqualify them for not even reading rule 1 out of 8 before submitting their entry (or they didn't care about it and willingly lied about it which is even worse conduct).

I absolutely agree. Why are there rules when nobody follows these? Other acts see this as a free ticket in the future.
Yes, it happened many times before at ESC, but then EBU should simply change the rules or strictly follow the rules. Otherwise it makes no sense.

 

[Looren]

I'd be disappointed for them if they get DQed, songs were allowed to Eurovision while being performed before the 1st September, so I don't think the EBU would take the decision to DQ, I'm maintly worried about RTCG, those actually might take the decision to DQ NeonoeN (also like wtf why didn't they make any research to find out the song was performed in the past ?) well anyway let's see what happens

 

[ESC94]

When can we expect a decision??

 

[Looren]

x.com

x.com

I feel very bad for these guys

 

[Mainshow]

x.com

x.com

I feel very bad for these guys

It's quite shocking that they withdrew but honestly, that's the best thing for Montesong's future.
It gives a chance for the 2025 entrant to represent Montenegro without feeling "too guilty" or "shabby" like taking NeoneoN's right away whilst the rules of Montesong aren't bend for them.
This should be a lesson for RTCG to fully check all entries and for interested artists to follow the rules so that it won't end up in misery.

It's a pity that they don't want to pursue their dream of taking part in Eurovision. That's definitely the bad part.

But I don't feel "very bad" for them since they hadn't read the rules of Montesong before submitting their entry.
I think that RTCG also told them that they didn't follow Montesong's rules and that's it's not really an "if the EBU allows it" issue.. maybe that's why they withdrew?

I feel bad for them that RTCG didn't check all entries and didn't tell them BEFORE they performed the song that they needed to change it, though.

 

[RainyWoods]

I feel had NeonoeN's song been much more well received (or received at all even) by the fans then they would have let this slide. The EBU certainly would have I think seeing as they allowed Jamala to enter and then win the contest with 1944 despite her having performed it at a concert 4 months prior to the eligibility window.

This is just an incredibly handy way for Montenegro to change their song, and rules are rules so they're not wrong to. Judging though by EBU's response to such cases in the past, Clickbait to my knowledge wasn't commercially released and so I don't think this performance gave them any kind of upper hand.

 

[EscGeek]

Damnit! I was envisioning them in my final top 10 or just outside of it...

Them winning was epic due to being last in the spotify streams and tied last in the odds... this in itself was legendary

Let's go Nina, i guess?

 

[Mainshow]

I feel had NeonoeN's song been much more well received (or received at all even) by the fans then they would have let this slide. The EBU certainly would have I think seeing as they allowed Jamala to enter and then win the contest with 1944 despite her having performed it at a concert 4 months prior to the eligibility window.

This is just an incredibly handy way for Montenegro to change their song, and rules are rules so they're not wrong to. Judging though by EBU's response to such cases in the past, Clickbait to my knowledge wasn't commercially released and so I don't think think this performance gave them any kind of upper hand.

I fully agree with you.
RTCG probably wanted the Montesong rules to be followed/enforced. They specifically and explicitly mentioned that a song shouldn't have been performed either.

Also, the runner-up in Montesong only needed 40 votes to win the whole national final and therefore, one could assume that a performance in front of more than 20 ppl (what the band somehow suggested) may have given them an advantage to win Montesong. - Thinking bigger - like Eurovision - it clearly wouldn't matter at all... but on the scale of Montesong, they might have had a the upper hand and they clearly needed to compensate somehow that they didn't read the rules of the national final to begin with.. I assume that they didn't like what RTCG offered to them and therefore, they decided to withdraw.

 

[GRE]

I didn't expect this to happen.
I am ready to give less points now, if the screaming lady will be chosen.

 

[Mainshow]

The band released a statement:

Dear,

In the best public interest, with the desire to end the uncertainty and once again contribute to the music that we are here for, we inform you that we are voluntarily withdrawing from participating in Eurovision. RTCG, in accordance with the regulations, will choose another representative, and we will be the first to wish him luck and provide full support.

The victory at Montesong brought us publicity whose type and scope we did not choose, nor could we control. We would like to point out, and the facts confirm this, that performing the working version of the song live neither jeopardized the process of the Montesong festival itself, nor could it have influenced its final outcome and our placement. The fact is that there have been many similar examples and that the EBU has always decided that these songs can participate (one even won at Eurovision), because they did not have a competitive advantage over the others, which is clear to everyone.

However, we simply do not want to be part of any stories outside of music, nor to promote our author’s work in this way.

Eurovision has never been a goal in itself for us. Expanding the field of our musical activity – it certainly is!

The Montesong Festival organized by the Association of Entertainers brought 16 new songs and that is its greatest value.

We would like to thank the management of RTCG for their good will and intention to give us space for other options. We believe that they will understand our decision to give up on Eurovision and we also thank them for that.

Special and immense gratitude for the support of fellow musicians, lovers of good music, friends, acquaintances, journalists and the general public from Montenegro and abroad, which gave us strength in the last days. Our families, together with us, have experienced all the splendor and despair of this process and now it is time to repay them and dedicate ourselves to them in the right way.

CLICKBAIT continues to live as a musical single, but we are also afraid of it as a contemporary social phenomenon.

Once again, thank you all. Now let’s all support Montenegro at Eurovision!”

🇲🇪 Montenegro: NeonoeN Withdraw as Eurovision 2025 Representative - Eurovoix

NeonoeN will no longer represent Montenegro at the Eurovision Song Contest 2025 in Basel, Switzerland.

eurovoix.com

All in all, I think that we don't have to feel bad for them since Eurovision has never been their goal.

It's interesting to point out that RTCG seemed to have offered them some different options.
Maybe choosing another song?

Overall, I think that their statement sounds quite positive and that there isn't much bad blood - they even support RTCG, Montesong and the other artists!

What I don't like, though, is that they still bring it up that the performance didn't "jeopardize the process of Montesong" - although they clearly broke the rules and it should be clear to them now. Also, I still beg to differ that performing in front of many people could have led to 40 votes - which might have changed the overall results of Montenegro's NF.

But kudos to them, they made a decision and didn't bring RTCG in a very bad position to let this messy situation slide which may affect Montesong's editions in the future.

 

[BorisBubbles]

Wow we well and truly are off to a flying start.

And what we need now is for CGTV to skip over their insane jury's brainrot decision-making, and select the televote winner for Basel.

 

[Realest]

I didnt miss this country here at all.

 

[BernadetteCydonia]

I feel like all of this would've been incredibly avoided had the video been discovered ahead of Montesong, so they could just stick in one of the reserve entries (like "Poguban let" was - y'all forget so easily this was a reserve entry and that it ended up with 0 televote points) or make it a 15 song lineup.

It just looks like the wait got to them and they realized that being the centre of attention for all the wrong reasons is not their thing (kinda like when Joost was seriously considering to return to Eurovision 2025 until he didn't because the Dutch media reacted to him the way they did). Which is a shame because for one I'm all in for unexpected NF winners. I loved "Looking Back" in UMK 2020 and "Clickbait" was like, my 3rd/16 of Montesong 2024. And when shit like this happens to said unexpected winners AND the fan favourite is directly under them as 2nd, they think they have all the right to act annoying as shit just because their non-prefered song is finally not going. Which is what I fear will happen if Nina is the one chosen (which she most likely will be, as she was 2nd).

But it's not like they traded a completely chanceless song for a completely chanceful song either. Yes, "Dobrodošli" raises the bar for the country, but probably up to like 12th place in semi or something. Ex-Yu countries were the only ones to vote for "Breathe" in televote in its semifinal (arguably the lesser fan favourite song but a ballad by a woman and from Montenegro, so compareability is there), "Verjamem" was touted as a big fan fav for Slovenia back in 2012 but I originally expected it to not qualify either (although it was an opinion more based out of me being bitter that Slovenia didn't do a funny and didn't select the Prusnik twins instead)... a competent singer on a Balkan ballad does not an easy qualifier make, especially if thrown in on a jam packed semifinal and with only 1 Ex-Yu country in their semi instead of 2 (dunno how will they reshape pots in 2025 as Switzerland is an automatic qualifier though), but I think it will struggle on its own regardless. Also, for me personally it reminds me of a poorly constructed "Before the Party's Over", and we all know how well that went over.

As for anyone else potentially having a chance... I see "Dva srca" being misunderstood and end up with a "The Real Thing" type of result. "To ljubav je" might have some sort of bigger adoration for those who love the sweeter Balkan ballads but without a better staging it won't carry itself almost immediately. "Obala raja", well, they need to learn what a revamp means and ditch the Bejba NF staging, but that would not immediately carry the act into iconicity, not even the "Repeat" levels of one.

Whatever they end up deciding, I already wish them better luck in 2026, unfortunately, with all due respect.