Serbia’s journey to choosing an entry for Eurovision 2023 continued on Thursday night. Semi-final 2 of Pesma za Evroviziju 23 hit our screens with 16 acts vying for eight spots in the grand final.
If you missed it, you can watch the whole things back on broadcaster RTS’s YouTube channel.
Pesma za Evroviziju 23 semi-final 2
Results
Both a jury and the public had their say. The final outcome was determined by a 50:50 split between their votes.
After being announced, the qualifiers randomly drew their starting positions for the grand final — these are given in brackets.
The qualifiers were:
- Frajle – “Neka, neka” (6)
- Nadia – “Devojka tvog dečka” (3)
- Filarri – “Posle mene” (13)
- Gift – “Liberta” (14)
- Hurricane – “Zumi zimi zami” (7)
- Dzipsii – “Greh” (9)
- Zejna – “Rumba” (16)
- Duo Grand – “Viva la Vida” (4)
The eight qualifiers from semi-final 2 will join the eight from Wednesday’s semi-final 1 in the grand final on Saturday.
Running order
- Hurricane – “Zumi zimi zami”
- Nadia – “Devojka tvog dečka”
- Filarri – “Posle mene”
- Zejna – “Rumba”
- Frajle – “Neka, neka”
- Igor Vince & Bane Lalić – “Zato što volim”
- Egret – “Ako shvatim kasno”
- Dzipsii – “Greh”
- Eegor – “Starac dana”
- Jelena Vlahović – “Kao grom iz vedra neba”
- Ivona – “U noćima”
- Gift – “Liberta”
- Milan Bujaković – “Fenomen”
- Duo Grand – “Viva la Vida”
- Anđela – “Loše procene”
- Doris Milošević – “Tišina”
What did you think of the show? Do you think the ultimate winner will be a qualifier from semi-final 2? Shout out in the comments below.
Sad for Ivona and Doris not making it, but overall I get the qualifiers, except for Nadia. Others were to be expected but never to my taste – zumizimizami, rumbaboomboomboomboom -, but at least Dzipsii got through. They need to do something about his outfit though, because “disguising” the receiver for the mic under the loose-fitting onesy, so he has an enormous bump on his lower back, wasn’t ideal.
I love how unashamedly gay Serbia’s national selection this year is. Everything is teeming with queerness and yet we tend to think of the Balkans as a macho and backwards region
I applaud the decision of the Serbian broadcaster to let many flamboyant and traditionally queer-styled performers in their semi. I don’t like, however, the fan-response of limiting queer experience to flamboyant or gender non-conforming styling. There are plenty of men with traditionally masculine styles, and plenty of women with traditionally feminine styles who are equally gay/bi/pan. And there are also plenty of straight people who dress “traditionally queer/non-conforming” for their stage persona. Other than that, I second that this is a great move to showcase the openness and progression of the Serbian modern scene. It showcases the diversity.
What a shame that Doris’ vocals were not top notch, it’s still an amazing studio cut though.
And Gift is one of my favourite rock performances of this national final season, I’m glad they got through.
Eegor should have gotten through!
Glad Filarri and Dzipsii are through but the one I was most impressed last night who I’m glad got through was Eegor who stood out among the rest! The big favourites for a lot of criticism and flopped a bit but still got through it seems!
Oops! Eegor didn’t get through! My bad! But he was still one of the best acts of the night!
i think my top 3 are luke, filip balos, and zejna
I didnt watch the show tonight so idk if there were shock qualifiers/non qualifiers from the performances. ill be honest though, from watching the show the first night, I think I want Filip to win, the song is very catchy (an earworm), the stagibg is slick (id change a few camera angles but overall, great) and I feel like his stage presence adds to the performance. For Luke, whilst I found the studio version intriguing (but a little too much going on) I didnt enjoy watching the performance unfortunately. The staging felt a bit random for me and the different… Read more »
Many good acts here but Luke is the only winner, face it!
Am i the only one who really liked Ivona and Andjela tonight? Yeah the songs weren’t really outstanding, but they sold it and did a great job.
Anyway for the finale i’d be happy if Luke, Filip or Zejna win. No, actually i’m lying, it has to be Luke.
For some reason, Serbians seem to love Princ, so don’t be surprised if he wins.
I’d personally love to see Filip Balos win.
Got the feeling that non serbians are more into Princ than serbians themselves.
I love it! Btw I’m Bosnian, so I can’t vote.
Good thing you can’t vote.
I’ll be voting for Luke.
His main video (2nd place after Zejna) has a lot of views but is low on likes compared to the number of views.
That sound will always be popular among Serbian audience and I can see him getting very high placement.
Dzipsii is good also, voice, charisma, disco Vibes ! But, I don’t Know but I’m not a Big fan of this song but it’s good.
But I prefer Zejna, Hurricane, Luke Black & Filip Balos !
It’s gonna be Zejna vs Luke Black, pick your team
You mean Luke Black vs Filip Balos, Zejna has no business being in the mix.
you should hear music with you ears,not with your eyes.
Ahaha, I’m straight so your comment doesn’t actually apply at all here. Also, telling me to check my ears while you’re supporting a cheap dance track repeating “Rumba boom boom” over and over is quite funny.
She doesn’t have the dance skills to pull a song like this off. A song with very very basic lyrics needs more than just a strong voice.
The fact that them two compete against each other together with Dzipsii already favours someone else like Zejna or Princ. I’m sorry, Filip and Dzipsii being there stop Luke Black standing out as much as he would.
I don’t want to choose my fighter!
rumbatrain is here.
😀
Only 1 out of the 3 I was rooting for actually made it through this time, the disco Dzipsii. The other 2, Egret and Eegor failing to even qualify instead of some of the trash that did is an absolute joke.
I’ve got traumas from Eegor’s staging. I have no clue what he tried to say, but somehow everything could be understood in a very disturbing way.
A psychedelic dream while high on drugs or medication.
Zejna was the best tonight. My favorites to win are Zejna. Nadja or Dzipsi.
I wanted to say the results were unpredictable, but knowing Serbian general public, no they weren’t. Overall first semi was better. Hoping it’s Luke Black for Liverpool!
Zejna is definitely my favorite !
I’m so happy for Filarri, Hurricane, Frajle & Nadia but the rest…. Not my cup of tea. Duo Grand is so iconic but it’s difficult for me to determine if I like or not !
For the Big final, my favorites are Luke Black, Zejna, Princ, Filip Balos, Hurricane & Boris Subotic !
How interesting. All my boys turn out in the running order next to each other. From 10th to 13th. Luke, Filip, Princ and Filarri. I hope they can still stand out.
Luka noc.
Rumba gets to close the final great i was hoping that would be the case
Such underwhelming results. I don’t particularly like any of the finalist entries. I want an Uno reverse card this time around, and a switch with NQs. I am thankful for the first semi qualifiers. The winner should be from the first semi.
DAMN, I’M A PROPHET.
Watch Zejna getting to perform last.
YESSSS!!! All my four favs tonight to the Final: Frejle, Nadia, Gift & Zejna. And with yesterday I got 6 out of 7 favs to the final! That’s quite unusual for me, Serbia I love you!!!
no teddybears with wings!
this is not ok!
but the rumbatrain is rolling now!
Egret, Eegor, and Doris missed? Well jeez.
I do really like Nadia, Dzipsii and Filarri. I need to give the other finalists some spins.
HOW, WAIT, WHAT??? XD
Bye, Eegor.
COME ON, ANNOUNCE EEGOR.
Zejna also through!
Dzipsii through, nice!
Damn, Hurricane actually made it, haha.
Filarri through too.
Neka Neka, very fair qualification, same for Nadia.
I like “Neka, neka”, I’m happy it’s through.
anyone knows why there is no live audience?
Funny how the audience give the exact same half-hearted clap to every performance.
That’s because there isn’t an actual audience in the studio, I think, it’s a pre-recorder applause, similar for everyone, haha.
The applause in the greenroom is much livelier.
THEY’RE PERFORMING “OPA”!! MY COUNTRY’S, GREECE’S OPA!! SERBIA, I LOVE YOU!!
Opa!
Oh, Serbia, you’re so innocent, hard-working and pure when it comes to participating in this contest, please never change.
Zejna will win
Lane Moje, best Balkan song that ever participated in Eurovision. <3
I never knew I’d hear a turbofolk opera mix, and yet, here we have Viva la Vida. Part of me thinks it attacks my senses in a really cringe way. Part of me wants to see it in the finals, as it’s so out of the box, and will add to the diversity in the finals.
Overall… semi 1 was better.
the rumbatrain is rolling?
there were 2 things today – rumba,rumba and teddybears with wings.
You forget the weird outfits of some participants ? but you got the basics covered for tonight lol
Eegor has the most interesting song + performance. It’s very different, meditative, and psychodelic. Should win this semi. I didn’t pay attention to Loše procene in the studio version, but Andjela sold it well tonight. With Egret, those are my top 3 of this semi. I know that Zejna, Hurricane, and at least one of Dzipsii / Filarri are making it through.
I just want zejna through and the rest can serbia decide on their own ? that’s not too much asked right
Ok, based on what I saw tonight, my top 3, in that order, renewed:
1. Eegor – “Starac Dana” (9.5/10)
2. Zejna – “Rumba” (7.5/10)
3. Dzipsii – “Greh” (7/10)
No, this rating is not a joke. 😀
Just like the 1st SF, replace Zejna with Egret and this is my exact same top 3, not necessarily in the same order.
Dzipsi and Zejna the best tonight
…And Eogor
was it just me or Nadia performed twice?
I think I like the 2nd time better.
any idea why tho?
She had some technical difficulties in the first run
I’ll take Jaques Houdek any day and ex the fake guitar lady.
I had that with another song where 3 ladies were playing two trumpets and a sax like seemed fake big time
It doesn’t even vaguely look like that woman is actually playing the guitar.