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 organize the national final Montesong 2024 to select its entry for the contest.
| Eurovision Song Contest 2025 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Country |  Montenegro | |||
| National selection | ||||
| Selection process | Montesong 2024 | |||
| Selection date(s) | 26 November 2024 | |||
| Montenegro in the Eurovision Song Contest | ||||
| ||||
Background
editPrior 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 confirmed 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 doing so in 2018 and 2019.
Before Eurovision
editMontesong 2024
editMontesong 2024 is set to be the national final format organized 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 will be held on 26 November 2024, with an awards ceremony to take place on 27 November 2024. Both shows will take place at the Voco Hotel in Podgorica.[7][8][9]
Format
editThe competition will consist of a live final to be held on 26 November 2024, followed by an awards ceremony 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.[10] The professional jury will consist of both local music professionals and music representatives from across Europe.[10]
Competing entries
editOn 7 August 2024, RTCG opened a submission platform for interested artists and composers, which will remain 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 will review the submissions and select up to sixteen songs for the competition. Each juror will judge 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 can earn a maximum of 100 points. However, songs must 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, confirmed that sixteen entries will perform in the national final.[10]
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.
- ^ "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.