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

  1. Hurricane – “Zumi zimi zami”
  2. Nadia – “Devojka tvog dečka”
  3. Filarri – “Posle mene”
  4. Zejna – “Rumba”
  5. Frajle – “Neka, neka”
  6. Igor Vince & Bane Lalić – “Zato što volim”
  7. Egret – “Ako shvatim kasno”
  8. Dzipsii – “Greh”
  9. Eegor – “Starac dana”
  10. Jelena Vlahović – “Kao grom iz vedra neba”
  11. Ivona – “U noćima”
  12. Gift – “Liberta”
  13. Milan Bujaković – “Fenomen”
  14. Duo Grand – “Viva la Vida”
  15. Anđela – “Loše procene”
  16. 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.

137 Comments
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Tibor
Tibor
1 year ago

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.

James
James
1 year ago

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

Colin
Colin
1 year ago
Reply to  James

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.

Kosey
Kosey
1 year ago

What a shame that Doris’ vocals were not top notch, it’s still an amazing studio cut though.

Kosey
Kosey
1 year ago
Reply to  Kosey

And Gift is one of my favourite rock performances of this national final season, I’m glad they got through.

The Voice of Reason
The Voice of Reason
1 year ago

Eegor should have gotten through!

The Voice of Reason
The Voice of Reason
1 year ago

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!

The Voice of Reason
The Voice of Reason
1 year ago

Oops! Eegor didn’t get through! My bad! But he was still one of the best acts of the night!

Zach
Zach
1 year ago

i think my top 3 are luke, filip balos, and zejna

Escfan
1 year ago

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 »

Eve
Eve
1 year ago

Many good acts here but Luke is the only winner, face it!

HaveMySkeletons
HaveMySkeletons
1 year ago

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.

Thallo
Thallo
1 year ago

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.

HaveMySkeletons
HaveMySkeletons
1 year ago
Reply to  Thallo

Got the feeling that non serbians are more into Princ than serbians themselves.

Eurovision fan
Eurovision fan
1 year ago
Reply to  Thallo

I love it! Btw I’m Bosnian, so I can’t vote.

Jghtl
1 year ago
Reply to  Eurovision fan

Good thing you can’t vote.
I’ll be voting for Luke.

jojo
jojo
1 year ago
Reply to  Thallo

His main video (2nd place after Zejna) has a lot of views but is low on likes compared to the number of views.

Mary
Mary
1 year ago
Reply to  Thallo

That sound will always be popular among Serbian audience and I can see him getting very high placement.

Roro31
Roro31
1 year ago

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 !

Eurovision fan
Eurovision fan
1 year ago

It’s gonna be Zejna vs Luke Black, pick your team

Mbappe
Mbappe
1 year ago
Reply to  Eurovision fan

You mean Luke Black vs Filip Balos, Zejna has no business being in the mix.

lasse braun
lasse braun
1 year ago
Reply to  Mbappe

you should hear music with you ears,not with your eyes.

Mbappe
Mbappe
1 year ago
Reply to  lasse braun

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.

jojo
jojo
1 year ago
Reply to  Mbappe

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.

Eurovision fan
Eurovision fan
1 year ago
Reply to  Mbappe

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.

Zanoni
Zanoni
1 year ago
Reply to  Eurovision fan

I don’t want to choose my fighter!

lasse braun
lasse braun
1 year ago
Reply to  Eurovision fan

rumbatrain is here.

😀

Mbappe
Mbappe
1 year ago

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.

HaveMySkeletons
HaveMySkeletons
1 year ago
Reply to  Mbappe

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.

jojo
jojo
1 year ago

A psychedelic dream while high on drugs or medication.

Teddi
Teddi
1 year ago

Zejna was the best tonight. My favorites to win are Zejna. Nadja or Dzipsi.

Nobody important
Nobody important
1 year ago

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!

Roro31
Roro31
1 year ago

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 !

Film4o
Film4o
1 year ago

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.

Jonas
Jonas
1 year ago

Luka noc.

Sab
Sab
1 year ago

Rumba gets to close the final great i was hoping that would be the case

Colin
Colin
1 year ago

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.

Efthymios
Efthymios
1 year ago

DAMN, I’M A PROPHET.

Efthymios
Efthymios
1 year ago

Watch Zejna getting to perform last.

Knut Olav
Knut Olav
1 year ago

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!!!

lasse braun
lasse braun
1 year ago

no teddybears with wings!
this is not ok!
but the rumbatrain is rolling now!

Zanoni
Zanoni
1 year ago

Egret, Eegor, and Doris missed? Well jeez.

Zanoni
Zanoni
1 year ago
Reply to  Zanoni

I do really like Nadia, Dzipsii and Filarri. I need to give the other finalists some spins.

Efthymios
Efthymios
1 year ago

HOW, WAIT, WHAT??? XD

Jonas
Jonas
1 year ago

Bye, Eegor.

Efthymios
Efthymios
1 year ago

COME ON, ANNOUNCE EEGOR.

Efthymios
Efthymios
1 year ago

Zejna also through!

Efthymios
Efthymios
1 year ago

Dzipsii through, nice!

Efthymios
Efthymios
1 year ago

Damn, Hurricane actually made it, haha.

Efthymios
Efthymios
1 year ago

Filarri through too.

Efthymios
Efthymios
1 year ago

Neka Neka, very fair qualification, same for Nadia.

Jonas
Jonas
1 year ago

I like “Neka, neka”, I’m happy it’s through.

MALTESER
MALTESER
1 year ago

anyone knows why there is no live audience?

Jonas
Jonas
1 year ago

Funny how the audience give the exact same half-hearted clap to every performance.

Efthymios
Efthymios
1 year ago
Reply to  Jonas

That’s because there isn’t an actual audience in the studio, I think, it’s a pre-recorder applause, similar for everyone, haha.

Jonas
Jonas
1 year ago
Reply to  Efthymios

The applause in the greenroom is much livelier.

Efthymios
Efthymios
1 year ago

THEY’RE PERFORMING “OPA”!! MY COUNTRY’S, GREECE’S OPA!! SERBIA, I LOVE YOU!!

Jonas
Jonas
1 year ago

Opa!

Efthymios
Efthymios
1 year ago

Oh, Serbia, you’re so innocent, hard-working and pure when it comes to participating in this contest, please never change.

Eurovision fan
Eurovision fan
1 year ago

Zejna will win

Efthymios
Efthymios
1 year ago

Lane Moje, best Balkan song that ever participated in Eurovision. <3

Colin
Colin
1 year ago

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.

lasse braun
lasse braun
1 year ago

the rumbatrain is rolling?

there were 2 things today – rumba,rumba and teddybears with wings.

Sab
Sab
1 year ago
Reply to  lasse braun

You forget the weird outfits of some participants ? but you got the basics covered for tonight lol

Colin
Colin
1 year ago

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.

Sab
Sab
1 year ago

I just want zejna through and the rest can serbia decide on their own ? that’s not too much asked right

Efthymios
Efthymios
1 year ago

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. 😀

Mbappe
Mbappe
1 year ago
Reply to  Efthymios

Just like the 1st SF, replace Zejna with Egret and this is my exact same top 3, not necessarily in the same order.

Teddi
Teddi
1 year ago

Dzipsi and Zejna the best tonight

Danny K
Danny K
1 year ago
Reply to  Teddi

…And Eogor

XOOOD
XOOOD
1 year ago

was it just me or Nadia performed twice?

John
John
1 year ago
Reply to  XOOOD

I think I like the 2nd time better.

XOOOD
XOOOD
1 year ago
Reply to  John

any idea why tho?

Jghtl
1 year ago
Reply to  XOOOD

She had some technical difficulties in the first run

John
John
1 year ago

I’ll take Jaques Houdek any day and ex the fake guitar lady.

Sab
Sab
1 year ago
Reply to  John

I had that with another song where 3 ladies were playing two trumpets and a sax like seemed fake big time

Jonas
Jonas
1 year ago

It doesn’t even vaguely look like that woman is actually playing the guitar.