Niš-based group LAVINA Conquers Košutnjak! Metal sound takes Serbia to Vienna!

Serbia has chosen! Following the spectacular finale of the Pesma za Evroviziju ’26 festival, the winner’s crown and the ticket to Vienna were seized by the Niš-based metal band Lavina with their powerful composition „Kraj mene“ (By My Side).

In a night filled with emotion, fierce sound, and unexpected twists, this band achieved what few before them could—uniting the votes of the professional jury and the public to win with a maximum of 24 points.

Although the competition was fierce, Lavina was considered a „dark horse“ from the very first beat of the semi-finals, only to completely blow away the competition in the final. Following them in second place was the audience favorite Zejna with the song „Jugoslavija“, while the third position was taken by Harem Girls x Ivana Krunić with an energetic performance of „Bom bom“.

Serbia’s representatives at the Eurovision Song Contest 2026

Jury and public results

The decision on the new representative was made by a five-member jury consisting of renowned musical names:

• Zoe Kida (Singer-songwriter)
• Alek Aleksov (Arranger and composer)
• Nina (Danica Prodanović) (Serbia’s Eurovision 2011 representative)
• Igor Panić Nucci (Popular rapper and composer)
• Aleksandra Kovač (Composer and Jury President)

Interestingly, Lavina was the favorite of most jury members, while only Nucci and Aleksandra Kovač gave their 12 points to Zejna. Nevertheless, the Niš metalheads confirmed the absolute legitimacy of their victory by receiving 12 points from the jury and 12 points from the public.

The festival winner was decided by the well-known Eurovision system—professional jury votes and public votes were valued at a 50:50 ratio. While tastes often diverged, the final results show a clear picture of who Serbia wanted to see in Vienna.

Top 5 Finalists Point Overview:

1. Lavina – „Kraj mene“: Absolute triumph with a total of 24 points. The band united the industry and the people, receiving 12 points from the jury (56 votes) and an incredible 12 points from the public, backed by 29,759 SMS votes.
2. Zejna – „Jugoslavija“: Took a high second place with 16 points. The professional jury rated her highly with 10 points (50 votes), while she received 6 points (4,454 votes) from the public.
3. Harem Girls x Ivana Krunić – „Bom bom“: Bronze position with 15 points. The jury awarded them 7 points (26 votes), but they fared significantly better with the public, winning 8 points thanks to 6,130 votes.
4. Brat Pelin – „Fräulein“: The biggest public favorite after the winner. With 14,003 votes, he received a high 10 points from televoting, which, combined with 4 points from the jury (22 votes), brought him to a total of 14 points and fourth place.
5. Zona – „Čairi“: Closes the top five with 10 points. They received 3 points from the jury (18 votes), while the public rewarded them with 7 points (4,726 votes).

It is interesting to note that Brat Pelin had nearly three times more public votes than the runner-up Zejna, but lower scores from the professional jury prevented him from reaching the podium. On the other hand, Lavina set a standard that will be remembered for a long time, leaving the runner-up in SMS votes trailing by more than double.

Studio spectacle and humanitarian heart

The three-and-a-half-hour program was hosted by the reliable duo Dragana Kosjerina and Kristina Radenković, while Stefan Popović warmed up the atmosphere in the „Green Room.“

While votes were being tallied backstage, the stage of Studio 8 transformed into a true European podium. This year’s interval act was not just „filler“ but a spectacle marked by a historical precedent.

For the first time in the history of the national selection, the Serbian audience had the opportunity to hear a live performance by an official representative of another country competing in Vienna that same year! That honor went to Greece and their representative, Akylas.

He performed his Eurovision entry „Ferto,“ and the reactions in the studio and on social media confirm that Greece is aiming for the very top this year. This move by RTS and the Greek delegation further solidified PZE’s status as one of the strongest national selections in the region.

The representative of Greece in the PZE final on the 26th

OGAE Serbia Award – Zejna is the queen of Eurovision fans

Alongside the main trophy, the OGAE Serbia award was traditionally presented. Members of the association, who follow the competition with special passion, voted for the best composition among the 24 participants, and this year’s „Fan Favorite“ title went to Zejna with the song „Jugoslavija.“

In an extremely close finish, Zejna triumphed with 208 points, closely followed by the group Zona and their song „Čairi,“ which won only one point less! Third place in the fans’ choice went to the festival winners, Lavina.

Although the main victory eluded her, Zejna received this prestigious recognition at the Košutnjak studio, ensuring her participation in the international internet competition OGAE Second Chance 2026. There, her „Jugoslavija“ will battle against fan favorites from all over Europe who did not manage to win their respective national selections.