Montenegro’s Eurovision journey continues! RTCG has confirmed that the grand final of Montesong 2025 — the nation’s selection for the Eurovision Song Contest — will take place on December 21 in the Main Studio of Radio-Television of Montenegro.

The submission window for songs closes on today, with organizers already reporting strong interest both from local and international composers. Still, in line with Eurovision rules, only Montenegrin citizens can perform on stage, though collaborations with foreign authors are welcome.

While organizers considered holding the festival with a live audience in Podgorica or other Montenegrin cities, the decision was made to return to the RTCG studio. Executive producer, and Montenegrin representative at Eurovision 2022, Vladana Vučinić, explained that staging Montesong outside the studio would require significantly more resources for logistics, venue rental, and accommodation.

“The most important thing is that production meets the expectations of both the artists and the audience.”

Vladana Vučinić

Last year’s debut edition proved to be a surprise hit, drawing more than 2.5 million unique users across RTCG’s platforms, along with over 80,000 hours of video watched before the Eurovision season even began. This success has solidified Montesong as more than just a national selection — it’s being shaped as a platform for showcasing the Montenegrin music scene and supporting new talent.

When asked whether the submission deadline might be extended — as has been the case in some neighboring countries — Vučinić responded:

“We haven’t considered that option, since there was no need for it last year. However, preparing a competition like Montesong is a creative process, subject to changes, and we are always open to suggestions. In any case, we would need to wait a few more days to assess what exactly we would gain by extending the deadline.”

Vladana Vučinić

Vučinić also confirmed that a large number of songs have already reached RTCG from abroad, especially from Scandinavia, via digital submission.

“Of course, we are pleased to hear there is interest from talented authors outside Montenegro. However, the rules are clear and in line with Eurovision standards: the performer must be a citizen of the country they represent. It’s not excluded that some of those foreign authors may have already found potential collaborators among Montenegrin performers.”

Vladana Vučinić

Once the submission period closes, RTCG will take several days to verify entries before the professional jury reviews them. The final lineup will then be announced ahead of December’s big night.

Montenegro hopes that Montesong 2025 will once again deliver fresh talent and memorable songs — and, ultimately, a strong contender for the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 in Austria. It was Nina Žižić who represented Montenegro at the 2025 Eurovision Song Contest, in Basel, Switzerland, with her song Dobrodošli.

Which Montenegrin artist do you want to see on the Montesong stage this year? Tell us in the comments or tag us on social media @buildingbridgespod as we follow Montenegro’s road to Austria 2026!

Photo: Corinne Cumming / EBU