Serbian national final, Beovizija kicks off tonight as twenty entries try to win their ticket to the Eurovision Song Contest in Helsinki. Ten semi-finalists of tonight�s show will compete at the National final the following day when the winner will be decided.

The show will be broadcast live from 21:00 on RTS1, RTS Sat and webcast
Satellite info can be found here
For live webcast click here (real player required)

The running order:

1. Aleksandra Perović – Noćas budi moj
2. Maja Marković – Nije nam se dalo
3. Negativ – Prava stvar
4. Marija Šerifović – Molitva
5. Bane i Tanja – Simpatija
6. Ivana Jordan – Bomba
7. Jelena Kovačević – Senjorita
8. Aleksa Jelić – Beli grad
9. Igor Vukojević – Dobro te znam
10. Amadeus band – Zato što znam
11. Blah blah band – Ruski rulet
12. Blizanci – Mambo Jambo Serbiano
13. Miki Perić – Jablan
14. Maja Nikolić – Ja znam da ti me ne voliš
15. Mira Škorić – Voli je
16. Suzana Dinić – Nudim ti srce svoje
17. Slobodan Trkulja i Balkanopolis – Nebo
18. Peca Jovanović – Kao da je bilo juče
19. Betty Boop – Sama
20. IQ – Ljubav za sve

Voting process:

The ten finalists will be decided by 50% jury and 50% televote. One sms vote per mobile number is allowed. Both jury and sms votes will be awarded in Eurovision style from 1-12 (without 9 and 11). Should there be a draw for the tenth place, the act that got more points from the jury will go through. After the voting is over, the names of the ten finalists will be drawn from the envelops.

Live coverage:

Show just started. The stage looks impressive, it is of Eurovision proportions with screens surrounding it and a grand flight of stairs in the middle from where hosts Jelena Jovicic and Slobodan Ninkovic descend performing last year winning song Crazy summer dance. They explain the procedure for the evening. The jury comprises of Aleksandrar Lokner (composer), Maja Japundza (tv host), Branimir Dimitrijevic (tv director) – jury. The sms number will be 1201 BV xx (xx number of the song). And it's time for the first 4 songs.

1.Aleksandra Perović – Noćas budi moj
Aleksandra is first to perform. She’s wearing a sexy red dress. Accompanied with 4 female dancers on stage, Aleksandra gives a decent vocal performance. This is the first and only dance song at this year’s contest.

2. Maja Marković – Nije nam se dalo
A dramatic performance by Maja. Vocally very good. Maja alone on the stage wearing nice black gown. Warm applause by the audience.

3. Negativ – Prava stvar
Ivana, front singer wrote this happy rock song for her 6 months old son. She gives a powerful vocal performance! Best reactions by the audience so far.

3. Marija Šerifović – Molitva
Marija is next! This power ballad is vocally very demanding but Marija nails it! This went very well in the hall, receiving applause before the song even finished.

Jelena takes us back in the days when ethno just started its first attemps to enter the Eurovision Song Contest. In charleston outfit she performs the song sang by Lepa Brena Sitnije cile sitnije, a runner up at the Yugoslav national final back in 1983.

5. Bane i Tanja – Simpatija.
Although they usually sing Serbian folk songs, Bane and Tanja now perform their latino song. Vocally decent. Tanja’s wearing a brown/pink dress and Bane in white suit with brown shirt and white hat. A little taste of Cuba in the Serbian semi, crowd cheers as the singers do a little samba act. At the end, dancers in short dresses rainbow colour appear.

6. Ivana Jordan – Bomba
An excellent and classy performance by Ivana! Hollywood style, Ivana is wearing a beautiful white gown, accompanied with five male dancers wearing tuxedoes. Vocally good and so far the best dance routine a la Madonna’s “Material Girl”. Receives loud applause!

7. Jelena Kovačević – Senjorita
Another latino act. Jelena accompanied by five male dancers as well. She gives a good vocal performance. At the end she loses a part of the dress and the crowd seems to be enjoying it. The end of the song has a J Lo written all over it. Good reactions by the audience once again!

8. Aleksa Jelić – Beli grad
Aleksa sings a nice song inspired by the city of Belgrade. His vocals are a bit shaky at the beginning but improve as the song continues. Nice dance routine. Warm welcome by the audience.

Our host Jelena is now performing one of the most popular Yugoslav entries at the Eurovision Song Contest, Bebi Dol's Brazil. Wearing a hysterical outfit and flowers in her hair ( big , shocking pink ones too), she gives her best to entertain the audience. And she does a fantastic job!

9. Igor Vukojević – Dobro te znam
Four ballet dancers join Igor on stage as he performs his mediterannean ballad. The stage is too dark so it’s not very clear what the dancers are actually doing. Nice vocal performance.

10. Amadeus band – Zato što znam
An old fashioned rockish entry by Amadeus band. They are all wearing white, which looks nice on the stage. The usual rock gimmick is also present. Nice welcome by the audience. Vocally decent.

11. Blah blah band – Ruski rulet
A happy pop song by The Blah Blah band. And so is the performance. The girls are wearing ‘Moulin Rouge’ inspired outfits. Vocally almost perfect. Well received by the audience.

12. Blizanci – Mambo Jambo Serbiano
A comedy act by the Twins. The vocals are shaky and the whole act seems a bit amateurish. They wear silver glittery “sajkace” (Serbian national caps) at the end when they also start dancing ‘kolo’ (Serbian national dance).

Jelena now performs the last Yugoslav entry Ljubim te pesmama sang by Extra Nena at the Eurovison Song Contest in 1992.

13. Miki Perić – Jablan
Four female dancers join Miki on stage. Miki is wearing a black suit, the dancers are in white. He gives a surprisingly good vocal performance of this uptempo ballad.

14. Maja Nikolić – Ja znam da ti me ne voliš
One of the most experienced Serbian female singers, Maja Nikolic, is next. This looks very classy on screen. Maja gives a great vocal performance of this sad ballad.

15. Mira Škorić – Voli je
Another sad ballad. Mira is wearing a white gown. The stage looks really good on this one, with yellow background which turns to fiery orange towards the end. Vocally and visually very nice. Warm applause once again!

16. Suzana Dinić – Nudim ti srce svoje
The third female ballad in a row, after two experienced singers a newcomer Suzana performs her song in a black dress accompanied by four male dancers also in black. Vocally very good. A certain dance routine at the end. This looked very well on screen and the audience in the hall seems to be satisfied. Warm applause, yet again.

The hosts Jelena and Slobodan are performing popular Priceza, the song that was a runner up at the Yugoslav national final back in the 80's. Originally performed by Sladjana Milosevic and this year's Croatian representative Dado Topic.

17. Slobodan Trkulja i Balkanopolis – Nebo
This both looked and sounded impressive! Slobodan and his band performed their ethno entry inspired by the ancient Serbian and Byzantine sounds. Vocally perfect at the end. The biggest applause by audience so far, and well deserved too.

18. Peca Jovanović – Kao da je bilo juče
An ‘old man’s sad ballad’ which will probably be popular in Skadarlija, the bohemian part of Belgrade. The stage looks very interesting and it gives the perfect atmosphere for this song. It sounds perfect for a bottle of red wine, but is it for Eurovision? Great reactions from the audience.

19. Betty Boop – Sama
Teenage girls with guitars! This shakes up the atmosphere in the hall if nothing else. Vocally ok concerning that they are inexperienced and young. Will there be performing on stage tomorrow as well, or they will be watching Bratz it remains to be seen. Nice and warm welcome by the audience!

20.IQ – Ljubav za sve
A decent vocal performence by IQ. They sing a happy song "Love for all". All dressed in whiteIt looked good on stage and receives a nice welcome by the audience.

There were apparently some technical problems with the microphones so Blizanci are performing their song again. It now sounds slightly better.

A review of the songs now as we proceed with the 20 minute voting. The sms numberis 1201 BV xx (xx number of the song).

Last year's winners Flamingosi and Luis receive the award for the most popular Beovizija song of the year 2006. They will perform some of their songs now while we are waiting for the results.

And the ten finalists are ( in the final running order):

1 Peca Jovanovic – Kao da je bilo juc
2 Miki Peric – Jablan
3 Negativ – Prava Stvar
4 Betty Boop – Sama
5 Slobodan Trkulja and Balkanopolis – Nebo
6 Marija Serifovic – Molitva
7 Maja Markovic – Nije Nam Se Dalo
8 Blizanci – Mambo Jumbo Serbiano
9 Ivana Jordan – Bomba
10 Aleksa Jelic – Beli Grad