“Put a smile on your face, endure it all, it’ll pass” — Nina Žižic sings of women enduring challenging times in the “Dobrodošli” lyrics

Montenegro brings a powerful vocal performance to the Eurovision 2025 stage in Basel this May courtesy of Nina Žižić and the song “Dobrodošli”. This isn’t Nina’s first time at Eurovision; she previously competed in 2013 alongside the duo Who See with the song “Igranka.”

During Montenegro’s national selection, Montesong, in November of last year, she finished as a runner-up, winning the jury vote but placing fourth in the televote. The selection was won by the rock band NeonoeN, but following their withdrawal after it came to light they had performed their entry at a music festival in 2023, Nina was chosen to fly the flag in Basel as the runner-up.

We have a powerful song about women—let’s see what it’s all about!

Scroll down to read the “Dobrodošli” lyrics

Montenegro at Eurovision 2025: Nina Žižić with “Dobrodošli”

Nina was born in Nikšić, the second-largest city in Montenegro. She began her music career in 2004, not as a solo artist, but as part of the girl group Negre. That same year, they competed in Montenegro’s national selection for Eurovision. However, shortly after, Nina left the group to pursue a solo career.

Besides being a Eurovision fan herself and wishing to return—a wish that is coming true this year—Nina has remained closely connected to Montenegro’s Eurovision scene even after her previous participation.

In 2021, she was part of the internal jury that selected Montenegro’s 2022 Eurovision representative. That year, the country was represented by Vladana with the song “Breathe.”

What do the “Dobrodošli” lyrics mean?

This year’s song, “Dobrodošli” (Welcome), is a powerful ballad in Montenegrin. The lyrics speak about women, their vulnerabilities and inner demons, but also their capacity to endure hardships and pain, even with a smile on their face, hiding everything they’re going through:

Put a smile on your face, endure it all, it’ll pass

The hardships bring distance and isolation, making the protagonist feel as though she is trapped somewhere. Behind a wall lies the real world, with people braiding flowery wreaths, symbolising joy. While others are able to find happiness and experience it, the protagonist feels locked away from all the joy, enduring loneliness:

Is the ruddy dawn coming at all, or is it just dreaming
To put balm on the wounds

Where’s everyone now? They are behind the walls
Braiding flowery wreaths

There is also a duality between knowing that everything will eventually pass and that better days are on the horizon, and the uncertainty that comes with not knowing exactly when things will change or how much more pain must be endured:

It’ll disappear, it’ll be gone. Yeah, but when?

There is also the lack of support from the people who should be there through both the good and the bad. This creates a deep sense of disappointment, as she feels abandoned and alone, with no one by her side during her struggles.

The lyrics express a longing for understanding and empathy from those who should have stood by her. The protagonist wonders if the people who turned their backs on her or betrayed her would be willing to face the consequences of their actions, especially in the face of divine judgment:

How are you hon, are you alright?
Where’s everyone now, is their conscience clean before God?
They just stand here speechlessly, as if mute
The same ones that should be here in both good and evil

Nina is welcoming us all to a “hotel of weaknesses,” opening the doors to her vulnerabilities and showing us that it’s okay not to be okay. She acknowledges that life is hard for everyone, and embracing vulnerability by admitting you’re struggling is the first step toward healing. In her eyes, pain is part of the journey, even framed as a stage of love. By presenting her own pain as a shared experience, she offers comfort, showing that she understands what it’s like to suffer from love for the ones who experience this:

Welcome ye all
To the hotel of my weaknesses
Welcome, ye all
To this staging
Of love

“Dobrodošli” lyrics — Nina Žižić (Montenegro Eurovision 2025)

Songwriter (music and lyrics): Boris Subotić, Darko Dimitrov, Violeta Mihajlovska

Do the lyrics of “Dobrodošli” help you connect more with Nina Žižić’s song? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.