🇲🇰 North Macedonia’s Eurovision Journey: A Tale of Music, Culture and Identity


22 September 2024 at 5:23 PM

By Florin Duca



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North Macedonia has participated in the Eurovision Song Contest 21 times since debuting in 1998, following an unsuccessful attempt in 1996. The country’s best result came in 2019, when Tamara Todevska‘s “Proud” finished seventh, marking a significant achievement after years of mixed results. Before this, its highest placement was 12th with “Ninanajna” by Elena Risteska in 2006. However, after two consecutive non-qualifications, the national broadcaster, MRT, withdrew from the 2023 contest in Liverpool.

North Macedonia’s journey in the Eurovision Song Contest began with a rocky start. The nation first attempted to enter in 1996 with Kaliopi’s “Samo ti”, but it failed to qualify from the pre-selection round. A new scoring system in 1997 further barred the country from participating due to its low average scores. However, North Macedonia finally made its official debut in 1998 with Vlado Janevski’s “Ne zori, zoro”, finishing 19th.

North Macedonia kicked off the decade with the entry “100% te ljubam” by the band XXL in 2000. Sung in a mix of Macedonian and English, the song finished in 15th place, garnering 29 points. While this entry did not set any records, it marked the beginning of a consistent presence in the competition, as North Macedonia aimed to refine its approach to future contests.

In 2002, Karolina took the stage with “Od nas zavisi“, performed entirely in Macedonian. The entry finished 19th, with a total of 25 points. Despite the lower placement, the commitment to using the national language showcased North Macedonia’s desire to celebrate its cultural identity.

In 2005, Martin Vučić represented North Macedonia with “Make My Day” and placed 17th with 52 points, but next year was going to mark the country’s best result yet with Elena Risteska’s “Ninanajna”. Blending Macedonian and English, the song finished 12th, garnering 56 points. Elena’s captivating performance marked the best result for North Macedonia during the decade.

Karolina returned in 2007 with “Mojot svet” finishing 14th with 73 points, another mix of English and Macedonian reflecting North Macedonia’s evolving musical style, balancing domestic identity and international appeal.

The country failed to qualify for the final the next two years with Tamara, Vrčak and Adrijan‘s “Let Me Love You” in 2008 and Next Time‘s “Nešto što kje ostane”, both placing 10th in the semi-final.

The beginning of the 2010s also marked a struggle in North Macedonia’s efforts to reach the final, their 2010 and 2011 entries “Jas ja imam silata” by Gjoko Taneski and “Rusinka” by Vlatko Ilievski failing to qualify for the final, placing 15th and 16th in the semis.

In 2012, Kaliopi made a triumphant return to the Eurovision final with her powerful rock influenced ballad “Crno i belo”. Sung in Macedonian, the song showcased her exceptional vocal talent and emotional depth, placing on the 13th place with a total of 71 points.

In the years following their 2012 success, North Macedonia faced a series of challenges at Eurovision with several entries failing to qualify. In 2013, Esma and Lozano brought “Pred da se razdeni” a fusion of Macedonian and Romani, but finished 16th in the semi-final with just 28 points.

Tijana‘s “To the Sky” in 2014 showcased her vocal strength but ultimately fell short, finishing 13th with 33 points, overshadowed by stronger entries that year. The following year, Daniel Kajmakoski‘s “Autumn Leaves” also struggled, placing 15th with 28 points. Kaliopi returned in 2016 with “Dona” delivering a solid performance but lacking the same impact as her 2012 entry, finishing 11th with 88 points.

In 2017, Jana Burčeska offered a modern, radio-friendly sound with “Dance Alone”, becoming a fan favorite. However, her solo performance did not resonate as powerfully as anticipated, leaving her in 15th place. Next year, Eye Cue‘s “Lost and Found” introduced a different sound, but suffered from a relatively weak stage performance, resulting in an 18th place finish with 24 points.

In 2019, North Macedonia made a triumphant comeback at the Eurovision Song Contest with Tamara Todevska‘s powerful entry “Proud”. Her performance, marked by impactful lyrics and stunning staging, resonated deeply with the jury, earning her a remarkable 247 points, which placed her first in the jury votes. However, the televote was less favorable, giving her only 58 points and resulting in an overall 7th place finish with 305 points. During the live show, a voting misunderstanding from the Belarusian jury initially showed Tamara in 2nd place for the jury votes, but this was quickly rectified post-show, confirming her as the jury vote winner. Tamara’s strong performance and emotional delivery not only showcased her talent but also marked a significant moment for North Macedonia in Eurovision history.

The 2020s began with high hopes for North Macedonia in Eurovision, but the results were disappointing. The 2020 contest was canceled due to the pandemic, and Vasil was re-selected to represent the country in 2021 with the song “Here I Stand”, a totally different style from his 2020 entry “You”, which had way more appeal among the Eurofans. Unfortunately, despite his strong vocals, the entry failed to qualify, finishing in 15th place with just 23 points.

In 2022, Andrea took the stage with “Circles”, delivering a compelling performance that earned her 11th place in the semi-final, garnering 76 points, thus failing to qualify for the final.

North Macedonia withdrew from the Eurovision Song Contest 2023 in Liverpool, United Kingdom, with broadcaster MRT citing financial difficulties, and did not return either for Eurovision 2024 in Malmo.

North Macedonia continued its tradition by participating in the Junior Eurovision Song Contest in both 2023 and 2024. The national broadcaster, MKRTV, also broadcasted both editions of the Eurovision Song Contest for 2023 and 2024, and has confirmed plans to broadcast the 2025 editions of both Eurovision and Junior Eurovision. While no public statements have been made regarding North Macedonia’s potential return to the Eurovision competition in 2025, it is likely that a decision has already been communicated to the EBU, as the deadline for participation was September 15. The official list of participants is expected to be revealed in November.


Category: 📽 History


Florin Duca

Digital Content Creator