Živković: "We believe in 'New Dawn' and in the emotion we bring to the scene"

The 70th anniversary edition of one of the most famous music festivals, Eurosong, which will be held in Austria from May 12 to 16, is getting closer, and the Montenegrin representative, Tamara Živković, has been "getting to know" the stage in Vienna for the past few days, as part of dress rehearsals.

Before going to Eurovision, "Nova zora", the song with which Živković won Montesong in mid-December, could be heard live in several European cities, as part of traditional pre-parties.

In an interview with "Vijesti", the representative of Montenegro shares her impressions from those performances, her expectations when it comes to reaching the final, but also her socializing with other performers, i.e. representatives of other countries at the Eurovision Song Contest.

"The past weeks have been really intense and beautiful at the same time. We had several performances and promotions, both in Montenegro and across Europe through Eurovision pre-party events, and I think all of that helped us a lot to get 'Nova Zora' to the audience before the competition itself," she points out.

"Until the start of Eurovision, the focus will mainly be on rehearsals, media obligations and final preparations in Vienna, but it is possible that we will have a few more guest appearances and surprises," adds Živković, who also shares her impressions from performances outside Montenegro, and reveals how the audience reacted to the live performance of "Nova zora" in, among other countries, England and Norway.

"The impressions are truly wonderful. It's only when you perform a song live in front of an audience outside your region that you realize how much emotion can transcend language. In London and Oslo, the reactions were very strong, the audience sang the chorus with us and I felt a genuine connection with the people in the hall," she recounts.

"It was especially meaningful to me that many people came up to me after the performance and said that the song had touched them emotionally, even if they didn't understand every word. I think that's the greatest strength of music," the musician concludes.

When asked whether the audience likes the English version or the original Montenegrin version more, he says:

"Honestly, I have the impression that the audience still likes the original version in Montenegrin the most. People often say that the song has the most emotion and authenticity then. Of course, they also react well to the English version, especially because it brings the meaning of the lyrics closer to them, but I think 'Nova Zora' sounds strongest when it remains its own."

Thanks to pre-party events, Živković had the opportunity to meet some of the contestants before arriving in Vienna, but she does not want to single out any Eurovision participant as someone who left the best impression on her.

"I had the opportunity to meet many wonderful people and I really like how much mutual support and good energy there is among the performers. It's hard for me to single out one person, because everyone has their own story and energy, but what I get the most is how normal, open and ready to support each other they all are despite the great pressure of the competition," she explained.

And when it comes to the final preparations for the performance, Živković says that now is the most intense period.

"The final preparations are very intense and now we're mostly working on the details - rehearsals, shots, lighting, performance corrections and everything that the audience may not notice right away, but means a lot in a television broadcast," she emphasizes, and then reveals whether she's nervous, considering that her performance on the big stage is in a few days.

"Of course there is nervousness, I think it would be strange if it wasn't there at a time like this, but I'm trying to turn it into positive energy. The closer the performance gets, the more I feel excited and grateful that I have the opportunity to represent Montenegro on a stage like this," the interviewee told "Vijesti".

At the end of the interview, the representative of Montenegro at this year's Eurovision Song Contest also reflects on her expectations when it comes to reaching the final, especially since in the comments on social networks it can be read more and more often that "Nova Zora" deserves it.

"Honestly, everyone in the team believes in 'New Dawn' and in the emotion we bring to the stage. We worked hard, we put our all into this project and I hope the audience will feel it. After 11 years, it would be wonderful for Montenegro to be in the Eurovision final again and I believe we have reason to hope for a good result," says Živković.

The first semi-final night, when Tamara Živković will also perform, will be held on May 12th, and according to the order determined by the organizers, the eighth will perform their song.

Two days later, on May 14th, the second semi-final evening will be held, while the final is scheduled for May 16th.