Serbia’s Eurovision 2026 representatives, Lavina, held their second rehearsal in Vienna with the song “Kraj Mene.” Stay tuned for all updates from Austria.
Silence fell over the arena in Vienna as the Serbian band Lavina took the Eurovision stage for their second rehearsal, proving they didn’t just come to sing, but to conquer. Performing the song “Kraj Mene” (in English: “By My Side”), the Serbian group presented a much wilder and upgraded version compared to what was seen in the national selection. Closing the lineup as song number 15 in the first semi-final – which features a total of 15 competing nations – it seems the band members plan to leave the audience in shock just before the voting opens.
Serbia’s Second Rehearsal: More Details
The short video published from the Serbian rehearsal begins before the final chorus of the song: the segment opens with a storm as the band’s lead singer, Luka, demonstrates incredible vocal abilities as only he can. He and the band members are dressed in armor-like suits featuring metal circles throughout. Each band member wears this style of suit differently from the others. The camera angles in this segment are very fast, showing a different band member every second – starting with the vocalist, moving to the guitarist, then the drummer, and back to the stage. The entire first half of the clip moves between rapid camera angles with the camera shaking strongly to emphasize the earth-shaking power displayed by the singer.
In the second half of the segment, the band members lie flat on the floor while the vocalist looks at the ceiling and reaches his hand upward to show his vulnerability and struggle. Beside him on the stage lies a sword, which was also seen in the performance during the national selection, except in this segment, it is thrust into a rock.
Fire and Columns of Smoke
Especially at the beginning of the segment, the entire stage is filled with fire pyrotechnics, creating many flames and an energetic explosion effect. Alongside all the pyrotechnics, the flames are also visible on the LED screen behind the band. Later, just before the entry of the chorus when the band members drop to the floor, the lights descend toward them and flash to the rhythm of the drums, leading straight into the chorus of the song, which the vocalist performs with deep soul and great skill. At the end of the segment, during the chorus, the flames return to surround the stage and appear on the background screen behind.
Will the European audience be ready for the power of Lavina, or will the flames of Serbia burn the qualification chances of the other contestants?
Serbia at Eurovision 2026
“Kraj mene” (in English: “By My Side”) is the song that will be performed by the singer Lavina, which will represent Serbia as song number 15 in the first semi final on May 12th, in Vienna, Austria. The song was written by the band members Luka Aranđelović, Pavle Aranđelović, Andrija Cvetanović, Bojan Ilić, Nikola Petrović and Pavle Samardžić, alongsode Ivan Jegdić. The song is performed entirely in Serbian.
Currently, Serbia is ranked 23rd in the betting tables ahead of Eurovision 2026.
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”.
