The Wiwi Jury reveals their favourites for Serbia’s Beovizija 2019

On Sunday night, Serbia will select their entrant for Eurovision 2019 in Tel Aviv using their national final Beovizija for the second year in a row. Twenty-four entries will battle it out over three spectacular nights for the right to represent Serbia. But first, the Wiwi Jury — our in-house panel of music unprofessionals — is here to give our take on the songs.

Antony

1.  Gipsycord – “Boje”

In a national final where so many songs just fly under the radar and blend into oblivion, there is just one song that really caught my attention and kept me going back. For me, ethnic sounds in a modern beat are like bees to honey. “Boje” has exceptional violin work supported by a thumping beat with a throwback twang and it’s just pure bliss. With fantastic vocals, it packs bags of fun and positivity. And just like with “Nova Deca”, Serbia can do it all over again.

2. Sofija Perić – “Aritmija”
3. Dženan Lončarević – “Nema suza”
4. Ivana Vladović & Wonder strings – “Moja Bol”
5. Saška Janks – “Da li čuješ moj glas?”

Antranig

1. Goga Stanić – “Čudo”

Karma, karma, come and dance with me. I’m not really feeling Beovizija this year. There are a lot of really nice songs but nothing that screams a really good Eurovision entry. Goga is my favourite with a modern upbeat number that would be a great addition to a dance playlist. However, I think Nevena Božović and Ivana Vladović & Wonder strings (my number six) are the acts that will achieve the best results for Serbia. The former screams discount “Molitva” and the latter screams discount “Nova Deca”. There’s hope for Serbia but some work needs to be done.

2. Sofija Perić – “Aritmija”
3. Nevena Božović – “Kruna”
4. Eleonora – “Samo Lagano”
5. Osvajači – “Voda i Plamen”

Barnabas

1. Funked Up – “Zašto da se ne desi?”

It’s been a while since I’ve last heard a song like this in the Eurovision bubble, and, well, this time Serbia serves a quality funk song with a little edge. The guitars and the brass blend together well with the electronic percussion, and the vocals are what make the song unique. Would they get the arena dancing? I’m quite sure of it.

2. Nevena Božović – “Kruna”
3. Osvajači – “Voda i Plamen”
4. Sanja Rio – “Ljubimo Se”
5. Ivana Vladović & Wonder strings – “Moja Bol”

Dayana

1. Dženan Lončarević – “Nema suza”

After spending half a year in Serbia, I got very addicted to Serbian traditional music. Listening to their distinctive sound combined with the Balkan language just brings me back to the carefree times spent in Kafanas (local bistros in ex-Yugoslav countries). To some “Nema suza” might sound rather dull; but you got to feel it, not just hear it. Listening to it for the first time literally just gave me goosebumps. Saška’s song would be more received by the Eurovision audience due to its modern and upbeat sound (that also luckily comprises the native Balkan vibe). Go traditional, folks.

2. Jana Šušteršič – “Viktorija”
3. Saška Janks – “Da li čuješ moj glas?”
4. Goga Stanić – “Čudo”
5. Ivana Vladović & Wonder strings – “Moja Bol”

Luis

1. Lord – “Radnički sin”

Balkan music and ska are my weak spot, so this entry is pure fantasy. It’s clear Serbia will not pick this in a million years, but what a bang it would be if they came up with this in Tel Aviv. It’s fun, easy on the ears and makes you want to move. There’s a sea of power ballads and heavy instrumental entries in Beovizija 2019, and look, we all know Serbians do those genres like no other. Isn’t it time to take a little risk?

2. Nevena Božović – “Kruna”
3. Ivana Vladović & Wonder strings – “Moja Bol”
4. Tamara Milanović – “Reči nisu dovoljne”
5. Majdan – “Budim Te”

Oliver

1. Sofija Perić – “Aritmija”

For a country that has such seasoned professionals as Jelena Karleusa and Sandra Afrika as well as up and coming artists like Luke Black or Teodora, this selection is somewhat of a disappointment. Many of the songs were a total blur to me after listening to them all. Nevertheless one managed to stand out and that was Sofija Perić with the song “Aritmija”. Many songs followed a rather bland progression but when this number appeared it was a breath of fresh air. It is modern, fresh and fun to listen to. With the right staging, I could see this doing well in the contest.

2. Nevena Božović – “Kruna”
3. Saška Janks – “Da li čuješ moj glas?”
4. Dženan Lončarević – “Nema suza”
5. Ivana Vladović & Wonder strings – “Moja Bol”

Patrick

1. Nataša & Una – “Samo bez straha”

Now this was tougher than I initially thought it would be, especially deciding between my first place and runner-up. What made the decision easier was the strength, the feminine girl power mixed with that Serbian touch that this entry brings to the plate. And that rap part just put it over every other song, making it different and standing out. The mixture between their tone of voices harmonises perfectly and the bold “I don’t care” vibe makes it a definite winner for me and definitely the best act Serbia could send to Tel Aviv. You go, girls!

2. Nevena Božović – “Kruna”
3. Ivana Vladović & Wonder strings – “Moja Bol”
4. Snežana Berić – Extra Nena – “Još ti čujem glas”
5. Saška Janks – “Da li čuješ moj glas?”

Robyn

1. Ivana Vladović & Wonder strings – “Moja Bol”

There are a lot of strong contenders in this year’s lineup — and in a way I would be happy with any of my top five going to Tel Aviv. But at the top of my list is “Moja Bol”. It serves loads of drama, building on layers of vocal intensity and the string accompaniment. There’s a lot of potential for the staging to intensify the theatrics even more. It comes with a distinct Serbian sound but isn’t too rooted in tradition. If this all works out live, it would be a good choice to take to Tel Aviv.

2. Saška Janks – “Da li čuješ moj glas?”
3. Ivan Kurtić – “Bela”
4. Lord – “Radnički sin”
5. Dženan Lončarević – “Nema suza”

Which juror’s opinion do you most agree with? Who do you think should win Beovizija and represent Serbia at Eurovision this year? Let us know in the comment section down below!

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