Montenegro’s singer Krstinja Matanović expressed her dissatisfaction with the jury’s scoring after her performance at the Montesong contest. Matanović, who performed “Oli oli,” finished in fourth place with 12 points after the votes from the audience and jury were tallied. Following the event, she took to Instagram to sharply criticize jury president Nina Žižić, a previous participant in the Eurosong contest.
In her post, Matanović questioned the criteria used by Žižić to award points, particularly after her own performance at Eurosong last year. “I would ask Ms. Žižić, who shone at Eurosong, how she justifies her scoring. Are you not ashamed?” she wrote. Matanović emphasized that good singing cannot be undermined, expressing disappointment with Žižić’s decisions.
She further stated, “Until tonight, I had deep respect for you, primarily as an older colleague. I even overlooked your past shortcomings at Eurosong, but you have now revealed your true nature.” Matanović’s comments reflect the competitive atmosphere at Montesong and the intense scrutiny that often accompanies performance-based contests.
The winner of this year’s Montesong was Tamara Živković, who received the highest score of 12 points from Žižić’s jury for the band Baryak. The contest, which serves as a platform for emerging musical talent in Montenegro, has sparked discussions about the transparency and fairness of judging criteria.
As the music scene in Montenegro continues to evolve, Matanović’s remarks highlight the complexities of competition in the entertainment industry, where personal relationships and past performances can influence present evaluations. The aftermath of Montesong may lead to ongoing discussions about jury accountability and the standards applied in scoring contestants.
