The Eurovision Song Contest is heading towards its 70th edition, which will take place in Vienna (Austria) on May 12, 14, and 16 at the Wiener Stadthalle.
Once again, Serbia has selected its representative through Pesma za Evroviziju ’26. Maintaining its format with two semi-finals and a grand final, 24 artists competed for the victory, which ultimately went to LAVINA with their song “Kraj Mene”.
Is this their first attempt to go to Eurovision? How did the creation of the musical group come about? Which artists and styles have influenced the development of their entry for Vienna 2026?
On this occasion, we review the musical career of LAVINA, the context of their candidacy, and their song. The Serbian representatives at the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 aim to qualify for the Grand Final with “Kraj Mene”, in what will be Serbia’s 19th participation in the European contest.
This is LAVINA, progressive metal on the Eurovision stage
LAVINA, whose name means “avalanche” in Serbian, is a band formed in 2020 in the city of Niš, in southeastern Serbia. The group is composed of six members: Luka Aranđelović as vocalist, Pavle Aranđelović on keyboards, Pavle Samardžić and Andrija Cvetanović on guitars, Nikola Petrović on bass, and Bojan Ilić on drums. From their beginnings, they have focused on a style based on progressive metal, blending heavy metal and progressive rock with Balkan influences and a marked sonic intensity.
Their musical proposal is characterized by complex rhythms, unexpected changes, and a combination of aggressive passages with more elaborate melodic moments. Inspired by groups and local bands such as Styptic, they have developed a distinct identity within the Balkan metal scene. They are also known for their powerful live performances, where energy and stage presence play a fundamental role.
In 2022 they released their first studio album, Odyssey, under the Miracle of Bravery Records label. The album, composed of eight songs, reflects the group’s diverse influences and combines powerful riffs with orchestration and choirs. Tracks such as «Id», «Myopic» and «Paragon» consolidated their style and marked their entry into the music scene. The production involved collaboration with international professionals, which helped refine their sound.
Their live debut took place in February 2023, coinciding with the definitive addition of Bojan Ilić on drums. From that point on, they began participating in festivals and competitions such as the Wacken Metal Battle of the Balkans, strengthening their presence in the emerging metal circuit.
In the following years LAVINA continued releasing new songs, such as «In Your Absence», «IRON WILL» and «This Too, Will Pass», where they explored new sounds without abandoning their essence. At the same time, they toured several European countries and performed at major festivals, expanding their international reach.
This is “Kraj Mene”, the proposal by LAVINA to represent Serbia at Eurovision 2026
LAVINA son los encargado de defender los colores de Serbiaen el Festival de Eurovisión 2026 con su canción«Kraj Mene» (Cerca De Mí). La propuesta contó con la composición de los seis miembros del grupo junto a Ivan Jegdić, quien se encargó de la traducción de la letra al serbio.
Musicalmente, «Kraj Mene» fusiona la instrumentación del metal progresivo con toques melódicos y atmosféricos, junto a reminiscencias y guiños a propuestas rock eurovisivas como «Hard Rock Hallelujah» de Lordi (Finlandia 2006). Según la banda, la canción representa una evolución natural de su dirección artística. De hecho, originalmente se escribió en inglés, pero decidieron adaptarla al serbio para expresar mejor su emoción.
La letra trata temas como la lucha emocional, el amor no correspondido y el conflicto interior. El protagonista está profundamente enamorado de alguien que quizá no comparte ese sentimiento, aferrándose a la esperanza incluso cuando duele, como se expresa en la canción: “Este amor unilateral me está matando”, y el peso emocional de querer estar cerca de esa persona (“a mi lado”) mientras se siente rechazado o distante.
Lyrics
Serbian
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 se
Što više dajem manje želiš me
English
And it took me a while
To sink back in the arms
Of a habit so vile
Unaware, you opened your heart
Gave it away, no second thought
Just so I could rip it apart
How do I show you just how much I care?
But, even then,
Sooner or later
I’ll tear everything down
I still hold a place for you by my side
But this one-sided love still breaks me inside
Can you see my pain, feel our divide?
The more I give the less you have me
Why do you just gaze from above?
While I call out in vain
The silence, and absence of love
Reminds me that it is too late
I can’t go on for much longer
Crawling and bowing in worship
You were there when I was stronger
You were there when you thought I was perfect
I still keep a place for you by my side
But this one-sided love still breaks me inside
Can you see my pain, feel our divide?
The more I give the less you want…me
I still dream that you’re by my side
But this unrequited love will eat me inside
Can you feel my pain, feel our divide?
The more I give the less you want me
Serbia at Eurovision: A Quick History
Serbia debuted in Eurovision in 2007 with Marija Šerifović and «Molitva», a victory in its first participation that marked the beginning of its journey in the contest. Since then, it has maintained a relatively solid performance, with four Top 10 finishes, including the third place of Željko Joksimović in 2012 with «Nije Ljubav Stvar».
It has also achieved good results with entries such as «Oro» in 2008 or Konstrakta’s fifth place in 2022 with «In Corpore Sano». In recent years it has alternated qualifications with tighter eliminations in the semifinals. In 2025, Princ presented a classic-style ballad heavily focused on vocal performance, and failed to reach the final, finishing 14th in the semifinal.