Montenegro unveils the Eurovision revamp of “Nova Zora” by Tamara Živković, with a powerful feminist message and upgraded production for Vienna 2026.
The revamped version of Montenegro’s Eurovision entry, “Nova Zora” (in English: “New Dawn”), has been released. The song will be performed by Tamara Živković, who has been selected to represent Montenegro in the second half of the first semi‑final of Eurovision 2026 on 12 May in Vienna, Austria. At present, Montenegro is ranked 35th and last in the betting odds.
Listen to Montenegro’s Eurovision revamp of “Nova Zora”:
Symbolic release on International Women’s Day
The Montenegrin national broadcaster (RTCG) unveiled the final Eurovision revamp and official music video today, 8 March, coinciding with International Women’s Day. In an interview with the broadcaster, Živković explained that the timing was planned in advance to underline the song’s core message: respect, female empowerment and personal liberation.
This message receives particularly powerful visual expression in the official video. Throughout the clip, Tamara and other female characters are shown fulfilling traditional “women’s roles” in a clearly patriarchal household: they clean, bake and do the laundry, while the man is symbolically placed at the centre of the sofa, relaxing and reading a newspaper. The video emphasises this contrast until the end of the first chorus, when a turning point occurs: the women imagine switching roles with the man. Reality is flipped, and now they rest while he is forced to handle the household tasks. The song, which symbolises women breaking free from these norms, reaches its climax towards the end as the women quite literally “shatter the dishes” – breaking the old rules in every sense.
Musical revamp: a powerful female cry and boundary‑breaking sound
Regarding the new Eurovision revamp, Živković shared that the production team listened closely to audience feedback and unanimously decided to keep the song in its original Montenegrin language. At the same time, the arrangement has undergone a significant upgrade to sound more compact and convincing on the Eurovision stage.
The most striking change appears in the final verse, which introduces a fascinating melodic twist. Specifically, in the lines:
“Nema okova, nema okova, nema / Kô od gromova rođena žena” (in English: “No chains, no chains, none / like a woman born of thunder”),
powerful female backing vocals have been added, creating a strong, dramatic build‑up towards the singer’s cathartic cry of freedom. From there, the musical drop – the song’s peak moment – has been given a surprising boost with the addition of tolling tower‑bell sounds and a technical “glitch” effect, providing an electronic, sonic metaphor for breaking with tradition and shattering conventions.
Tamara Živković – Who Are You?
Tamara Živković is a Montenegrin musician who burst into the Eurovision fan scene last year when she replaced a withdrawn artist in the national pre-selection “Montesong 2024″.
Following that withdrawal, she sought to represent Montenegro in 2025 with the song “Poguban Let”. Despite being one of the fan favorites, she eventually reached ninth place. This year, competing again with “Nova Zora”. she entered as a leading contender — and ultimately won the national selection. Over the past year, she has released several singles that, unfortunately, did not achieve significant commercial success.
Montenegro in Eurovision 2026
“Nova Zora” (in English: “A New Dawn”) is the song to be performed by Tamara Živković, representing Montenegro at Eurovision 2026 in Vienna, Austria on the second half of the first semi-final on May 12th. The track was written by Boris Subotić, the notable composer behind last year’s Montenegrin entry “Dobrodošli”, and co-produced with Marko Drežnjak.
The song “Nova Zora” is a dramatic female empowerment anthem, depicting a journey of awakening and liberation from a stifling and toxic relationship. The protagonist refuses to be redefined, choosing strength over submission. Through vivid imagery of storms, rain, and fire, the lyrics portray emotional upheaval leading to rebirth – a “new dawn” symbolizing freedom, independence, and self-renewal.
Eurovision 2026: This will be Montenegro’s 14th participation in the Eurovision Song Contest. Montenegro joined the competition in 2007 and achieved its best result in Eurovision Song Contest 2015 when singer Knez reached 13th place with the song “Adio”.
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Noy Yehoyada is an Israeli journalist and content creator at the EuroMix team since 2024, bringing a personal, feminine, and LGBTQ+ voice into the Eurovision sphere. A devoted Eurovision fan since the age of 16, she plays an active role in covering the contest—including on-site reporting at Eurovision 2025 in Basel and across European pre-party events. Alongside her writing and commentary, Noy plans the editorial schedule for the website, closely tracks national selections and song reveals, participates in live broadcasts, and creates digital content focusing on representation, musical diversity, and emotional connections.
Beyond her work at EuroMix, Noy has over six years of experience in the cosmetics and pharma industries, with a background in sales, personal consulting, and managing beauty departments. She enjoys pop, rap, contemporary art, and traveling in Europe—and especially loves songs that make her want to dance, as well as those that tell a story.
