It’s good to celebrate people in Eurovision circles that blaze a trail. Those that do achieve a first. Like Milly Scott for example. Or even Lys Assia.
Today it’s birthday girl Невена Божовић/Nevena Božović (now Ивановић/Ivanović). Why, you may ask, did she blaze a trail? Well, Nevena is the first person to represent their country in a ‘main’ capacity at both the Junior Eurovision and the main event. Others have done similar things, but Nevena’s double was in 2009, and in 2013 as part of Moje 3. Then, not content with languishing in a semi-final with her Moje 3 pals Мирна/Mirna and Сара/Sara, she tried again in 2019 and made it to the Grand Final. Her progress and eventual 18th place finish was made up of a scattering of 12-points here and there, and proved that a pleasant ballad can still cut it with houses on stage, robots and leather-clad Nordic techno-pop. That can only be a good thing.
Nevena is 28 today.
Срецан родјендан, Невена!