Serbia at Eurovision 2026: Lavina won “Pesma Za Euroviziju ’26” and will perform the song “Kraj mene” at Eurovision 2026. Listen to the song.
“Kraj mene” (in English: “By My Side”) is the title of the song Lavina will perform to represent Serbia at Eurovision 2026, which will take place in Vienna, in the second half of the first semi-final on May 12th. The song was written by Sika and Aurimas Galvelis and won tonight over 13 competitors in “Pesma za Evroviziju ’26”. Results were decided by a 50% public vote and a 50% jury vote. The final took place in RTS Studio 8 in Belgrade, hosted by Dragana Kosjerina, Kristina Radenković and Stefan Popović.
The song “Kraj mene” (in English: “By My Side”) is a pop-rock ballad about the need for emotional closeness, loyalty, and the presence of a loved one in moments of difficulty and vulnerability. The lyrics emphasize mutual dependence and the desire for stability within a relationship, with the speaker asking the significant other to remain “by their side” even in challenging times. Musically, the song builds from a quiet, intimate opening to an emotional chorus that strengthens the message of emotional strength through simplicity and sincerity.
The show opens in darkness, from which the band’s lead singer emerges in a black outfit, the singer removes the black coat and continues singing at the front of the stage throughout the performance.
Lavina – Who Are You?
Lavina is a Serbian band active in the local alt-pop-rock scene, blending modern sound, clean production, and pronounced on-stage energy. The lineup is characterized by a contemporary yet melodic approach, with an emphasis on catchy choruses and dynamic arrangements that are reinforced in live performances. They gained broad exposure through their first-time participation in “Pesma za Evroviziju”, reinforcing their status as a symbol of a younger generation in Serbian music.
“Pesma Za Evroviziju ’26”: Results
| Artist | Song | Jury | Tekevoting | Total | Position |
| Lavina | “Kraj mene“ | 12 | 12 | 24 | 1 |
| Zejna | “Jugoslavija“ | 10 | 6 | 16 | 2 |
| Harem Girls & IVANA | “Bom Bom“ | 7 | 8 | 15 | 3 |
| Brat Pelin | “Fräulein“ | 4 | 10 | 14 | 4 |
| Zona | “Čairi“ | 3 | 7 | 10 | 5 |
| LORES | “Unseen“ | 6 | 2 | 8 | 6 |
| YANX | “Srušio si sve“ | 8 | 0 | 8 | 7 |
| Kosmos TRIP | “Sve je u redu“ | 0 | 5 | 5 | 8 |
| LU-KA | “Veruj“ | 5 | 0 | 5 | 9 |
| Iva Grujin | “Otkrivam sebe“ | 0 | 4 | 4 | 10 |
| GEMINNI | “Metar sreće“ | 0 | 3 | 3 | 11 |
| Ana Masulovic | “Zavoli me“ | 2 | 0 | 2 | 12 |
| JACK LUPINO | “Adrenalin“ | 0 | 1 | 1 | 13 |
| Mirna | “OMAJA“ | 1 | 0 | 1 | 14 |
“Kraj Mene”: Lyrics
Toliko trebalo je
Da potonem u naručje
Podle, stare, navike
Srce si otvorila
Uzalud poklonila
Iz nemara da zgazim ga
Kako da ti pokažem da stalo mi je
Naravno, pre ili kasnije, srušiću sve
Ja još ti čuvam mesto kraj sebe
A ova jednostrana ljubav ubija me
Zar ne vidiš koliko lomim se
Što više dajem manje imam te
Zašto me gledaš s visine
Dok zovem u prazno
I odgovaraš glasom tišine
Da ipak je kasno
Ne mogu još dugo ovako
Da puzim i molim, i klanjam se
Tu si bila kad bilo je lako
Dok mislila si da sam savršen
Ja još ti čuvam mesto kraj sebe
A ova jednostrana ljubav ubija me
Zar ne vidiš koliko lomim se
Što više dajem manje želiš me
Još uvek sanjam da si kraj mene
A ova nemoguća ljubav ubija me
Zar ne vidiš koliko lomim ѕe
Što više dajem mаnje želiš me
Eurovision 2026: This will be Serbia’s 18th participation in Eurovision. Serbia joined the contest in 2007 and achieved its best result in the same year when singer Marija Šerifović won first place with the song “Molitva”.
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Ilay Gaist is a leading Israeli content creator and writer specializing in the Eurovision Song Contest. He is a well-known commentator with extensive expertise in the contest’s history, rules, and dynamics. His passion for Eurovision drives him to deliver rich, professional, and innovative content to his audience.
Ilay holds a bachelor’s degree in Arabic and has a multilingual background. He also engages in cultural research, with a particular focus on global culinary traditions and the evolution of local cuisines around the world.
