Montenegro’s Eurovision Dream Resurfaces: Montesong Festival Set for November
After a two-year absence from the glittering and often bizarre spectacle that is Eurovision, Montenegro is preparing for a grand return. The Montesong Festival, to be held on the 26th and 27th of November in the capital, Podgorica, promises to reignite the country’s Eurovision aspirations and bring the nation back into the European music spotlight. But will Montenegro’s next Eurovision hope to be a showstopper, or simply another forgettable entry destined to linger in the semi-finals?
Montenegro’s public broadcaster, RTCG, has officially announced the competition, where 16 contestants will battle it out to represent the country at the 2025 Eurovision Song Contest in Basel. Contestants must be Montenegrin citizens, though the composers can hail from anywhere in the world. It’s an open field — or at least as open as it gets in a tiny Balkan nation that hasn’t exactly been the darling of the contest lately.
Daniel Alibabić, the director of the festival, exudes optimism. «This will be a production Montenegro has never seen before,» he promises. Given the country’s rocky relationship with Eurovision — it’s not exactly a contest Montenegro dominates — the bar is admittedly low. Still, Alibabić is determined to turn Montesong into a tradition on par with Croatia’s famed Dora festival. He envisions a spectacular stage and a show that will, at the very least, get people talking.
Montenegro has never shied away from Eurovision drama, but this year’s return comes with its fair share of logistical challenges. The contest in Basel next year might feature Montenegro’s strongest showing yet, or it might end up being another miss for a country that’s often seen as Eurovision’s plucky underdog.
The competition’s transparency, according to artistic director Vladana Vučinić, will be Eurovision standard: a 50/50 split between jury votes and public votes. The jury will feature a mix of Montenegrin and international musicians, which could mean anything from seasoned Balkan pop stars to Eurovision’s very own glitterati.
And, in a move that will surely raise some eyebrows, Alibabić promises that «the entire performance will be paid for,» offering a tempting financial incentive for up-and-coming artists. A smart move, given that in a small nation like Montenegro, music careers are not exactly lucrative endeavours. Young performers are particularly encouraged to apply, and it’s hoped this will be their ticket to European stardom — or, at the very least, a memorable three minutes on stage in Basel.
The selection process, however, is not without its issues. Vučinić has admitted that the festival’s finances are a perennial challenge, as Montenegro doesn’t have the same cultural sponsorship networks that larger nations do. The Ministry of Culture, apparently uninterested so far, hasn’t stepped in to offer support. But Vučinić remains hopeful that as the date nears, government interest will grow.
With the October 1st deadline for submissions fast approaching, all eyes are on the talent pool. Will this festival produce Montenegro’s next Eurovision icon? Only time will tell. But for now, the stage is set, and the countdown to November’s Montesong Festival has begun.
Whether it’s a victory or another last-place finish, Montenegro’s return to Eurovision promises to be nothing if not entertaining.
Source: RTCG
