Earlier this week, Montenegro broadcaster RTCG confirmed that they would be returning to Eurovision after a two-year absence. Now the broadcaster is preparing to reveal their new selection method for 2022. But one thing is certain — Montenegro won’t be using their recent national final Montevizija.
RTCG recently confirmed that will announce their selection plans sometime this coming week. At this stage, the broadcaster isn’t saying much, but they have confirmed that they won’t be holding a 2022 edition of the recent national final format Montevizija.
RTCG Editor in Chief — and Montevizija host — Ivan Maksimović revealed the reason the broadcaster won’t be returning to its national final. Budget concerns and pandemic uncertainty were the two big drivers. He explained:
“The first reason is related to the costs involved in organising the competition. It is a large amount that, for example, can be redirected to other projects.
“The second reason concerns the coronavirus pandemic. We do not know what will be and how it will be, so we would not like to be in a situation to expose ourselves to several months of efforts in that environment and then the competition will be uncertain.”
With a population of 627,809, Montenegro is one of the smallest competing countries at Eurovision and consequently broadcaster RTCG has a smaller budget than many other broadcasters. Budgetary concerns were behind Montenegro’s withdrawal from Eurovision 2020. The broadcaster opted to reallocate its Eurovision budget to buying a much-needed new fleet of work cars for staff.
How will Montenegro select their act for Eurovision 2022?
Ivan Maksimović would not reveal any specifics of the broadcaster’s 2022 selection method, but confirmed it would not involve a public vote. The RTCG spokesperson also said it would be likely that the process would be open to songwriters from outside Montenegro:
“We have yet to announce a competition. Maybe the greater focus will be on the commission that will deal with these things, and it is more likely that it will be a way of selection, and not through public voting. However, we will talk about it when the time comes.
“The most important thing is that […] there are no limits that would prevent songwriters from other locations to apply and offer a composition [intended for] performers in Montenegro who would sing it.”
Since its Eurovision debut in 2007, Montenegro has only selected its act using a national final four times. Most years RTCG has internally selected their act. Some years the broadcaster has accepted open submissions, other time RTCG has used a closed process.
Montenegro first used the national final MontenegroSong to select its entry in 2007 and artist alone in 2008. In 2018, the broadcaster introduced the new national final format Montevizija, which was used for just two years. Both Montevizija acts — vocalist Vanja Radovanović and vocal group D mol failed to qualify for the Eurovision grand final.
What do you think? How should Montenegro select its act for Eurovision 2022? Who should represent the country in Turin? Tell us your thoughts below!
That was sad. I really liked Montevizija. 🙁
I know that many people are complaing about the bad results that songs selected through Montevizija received, and I agree that they could have selected a better song in 2019, but in 2018, the selected entry was a very beautiful Montenegrin ballad, just like their best result in 2015. Maybe the staging was the reason why it got a bad result. Perhaps they should have made it more like in the music video. The song itself feels timeless, and I still listen to it.
Completely agree! I really enjoy when Montenegro sends authentic entries, like in 2018.
Thought I was a big Eurovision fan, but ashamed to say, I had never heard of “Montevizja”
It depends on when you became a fan of Eurovision. Montevizja was the name of the national final Montenegro used for 2018 and 2019.
Ralph Siegel might be circling…
Well bring on a perfectly constructed Balkan Ballad!
I have a feeling Montenegro will continue to participate in the next couple of years but then withdraw because they won’t qualify a single time…
I just doubt they have it in them to qualify… maybe Senidah could do it for them but there’s a question of her doing it for Montenegro instead of for Slovenia.
That’s a little pessimistic, but it’s true Montenegro’s track record isn’t really that great. But every year is a clean slate so you never know what could happen. Maybe Montenegro will make the final for the first time since 2015 or they won’t. It all depends on what the competition is and where it’s allocated in the semi finals. It’s just a matter of luck.
okay karen lol
Their ethnic ballads have been their best and most successful efforts, and Balkan ballads just sound amazing to my ears if they’re in minor keys, so RTCG just send those I wouldn’t mind.
You know, when I wrote that longform comment about my thoughts on every country, I was hoping that Montenegro would use an internal selection And it seems like I was right on the money, or at least the broadcaster isn’t using montevizija for 2022. It’s probably a better choice to concentrate all your resources to developing something for one particular artist. Qualifying has always been a long shot with this country, but would it be cool if it actually made the finals for the first time since 2015?
I think that montenegro should send vanna to the eurovision song contest as when she sang for croatia back in 2001 she placed top ten and she should have won it
Old merits rarely work. Especially if they were 20 years ago…
And why would Montenegro even hire a foreign artist?
She is one of the biggest stars in the Balkens
If she wants to go she’ll probably sign up for Dora because I doubt she’d want to represent another nation other than her home country anyway.
Ok thanks for telling me
I think this is the right direction for Montenegro, if they can find an amazing artist with a complementary song, they can invest the funds toward the live performance & hopefully Montenegro can qualify or even achieve their best result. If I’m correct their best result as an independent country was in 2015 with Knez, Adio was a beautiful Balkan ballad, curious to see what they will send.
I love for them to win the eurovision song contest
small countries like montenegro thrive the most with internal selections. it’s easier to concentrate all resources on one selected artist in their case.
It makes sense to not use a public vote since each version of Montevizija had ‘suspiciously odd’ voting.
Yeah, It was really weird to see the weakest song win the national final, and then they inevitably fail to qualify. I hope the broadcaster does have a modest aim just make the final period. But even if Montenegro has their best song ever, it all comes To whether their song is up to snuff compared to the rest of the competition, or where they are allocated for the semi finals. They could be stuck in a tough semifinal where their qualification chances are limited. The song itself could be easily overshadowed My other entries or the singer could flop… Read more »
Cyprus will involve locals in their entry, why am I feeling that Montenegro will take their place and buy a melfest reject 🙁
the only two times they qualified, they did so with traditional music that they never went further than across the border with serbia in order to write and produce. they’d be dumb to go down the cyprus route.
It’s a sensible decision, I just hope they don’t become another MelFest rejects acquirer