Serbian broadcaster RTS has confirmed that they will be taking part in next year’s Eurovision Song Contest in Rotterdam. So far, 29 countries have confirmed their participation in the 2021 contest.
RTS confirmed the news to ESCToday, however they have not announced any further details about how their act will be chosen for next year. Many countries have invited their 2020 artists back next year, to give them a chance to perform on the Eurovision stage.
Will Hurricane be back?
Back in June, Serbian tabloid Blic reported that Beovizija 2020 winners, Hurricane, would be representing Serbia in Rotterdam in 2021. The following day, the band’s publicist confirmed that they had not yet received any information about their return from RTS.
She went on to say that they “won’t know [whether Hurricane will be returning] until September or October”. With September now upon us, we might be seeing news coming from RTS very soon.
Last month, Hurricane released “Folir’o” – their new single. After racking up over 1 million views within 24 hours, the song has now been viewed over 9.2 million times. A good omen for a return next year?
Serbia in the Eurovision Song Contest
After previously competing as part of one-time winning nation Yugoslavia, and then Serbia & Montenegro, Serbia made their debut as an independent nation in 2007. Marija Šerifović was selected as Serbia’s first Eurovision entrant, with “Moltiva”. After winning the semi-final with 298 points, Serbia managed to win the whole contest, scoring 268 points in the final.
Following a successful first year, Serbia placed 6th on home soil in 2008, however, in 2009, they failed to make the final for the first time.
Since then, Serbia have managed one more top three placing – in 2012. Željko Joksimović, who had already been a Eurovision runner-up in 2004 for Serbia & Montenegro, finished 3rd with “Nije ljubav stvar”.
This year, back in March, Hurricane were selected to represent Serbia at the 2020 contest, due to be held in Rotterdam. A few weeks after their selection, the contest was cancelled. Their entry, “Hasta La Vista”, had won Beovizija 2020 with a maximum 24 points.
Would you like to see Hurricane return to the Eurovision stage in 2021? Are you happy that Serbia will be back next year?
Let us know in the comments below and on social media @ESCXTRA.
