“I only want to take care of you” — Serbia’s Princ laments about the pain and passion of love in the “Mila” lyrics

Serbia have selected Princ to represent the country at Eurovision 2025 in Basel. With his luscious locks and his song “Mila”, Princ will take the audience on a journey through love, with all its trials and tribulations.

“Mila” follows in the footsteps of many native-language ballads from the former Yugoslavia that have graced the Eurovision stage. This particular ballad brings a mix of both traditional and rock elements.

Serbia at Eurovision 2025: Princ with “Mila”

Back in December, Princ – real name Stefan Zdravković – was announced as one of 30 entries who would compete in the country’s national final, Pesma za Evroviziju. This marks Princ’s second time competing in PZE, as he had competed in the national selection for his first time in 2023.

After two semi-finals and a grand final, Princ emerged at the top of the scoreboard with “Mila”, having secured second place in the jury vote and third place in the televote. “Mila” then underwent a revamp – with a little help from none other than Željko Joksimović, a long-time Eurovision alum.

Serbia has consistently ended up in the Eurovision grand final since 2018 (2020 aside given the pandemic), so Princ has a lot to live up to. Luckily, Princ is a vocal powerhouse, having earned the nickname “Princ od Vranja” (Prince of Vranje) thanks to his singing talents. 

What do the “Mila” lyrics mean?

“Mila” speaks to the pain and passion that come with possibly losing a lover. The lyrics move through a plethora of feelings: Princ begs for his lover to come back, expresses indignance at betrayal, and everything in between.    

Throughout the song, Princ sings to his lover and muses on their relationship. The lyrics leave the identity of the lover ambiguous, as Mila is not only a female name in Serbian and many Slavic languages, but it is also used as a term of endearment – “my dear” or “my love”.

In any case, right off the bat, Princ seems to lament that his love with his darling is on its last legs: “Let this be for me / The last supper.” He then pivots to a less defeatist – but still pensive – mood as he reminisces about the memories that have been made: “Let the scent of memories / Wake you up / And my music / Made from your name.”

Princ goes on to acknowledge that this love has been difficult for her, even while it has saved him: “Mila / You’ve paid the price for my love / Mila / You’ve brought life back from the edge.”

He even admits that he might not be the best match for his lover, or that he could have done more to keep this love afloat: “You have many reasons / To love another one.”

In the second chorus, Princ delves into the flip side – the darker side – of this love. There seems to be some resentment towards his competition: “Let the better liar / Kiss you / Let the one who risks it all / Win you over.”

However, throughout the song, Princ repeats this phrase throughout each chorus, a testament to his enduring love: “I only want to take care of you.”

“Mila” lyrics and translation — Princ (Serbia Eurovision 2025)

Music: Dušan Bačić
Lyrics: Dušan Bačić

What are your thoughts on Princ’s “Mila” lyrics? Let us know in the comments below.