<nowiki>'</nowiki>22 (, PzE '22) was the first edition of , Serbia's national final organised by Radio Television of Serbia (RTS) to select the Serbian entry for the Eurovision Song Contest 2022. The selection consisted of two semi-finals held on 3 and 4 March 2022, respectively, and a final on 5 March 2022. All shows were hosted by Dragana Kosjerina and Jovan Radomir with backstage interviews conducted by Kristina RadenkoviÃÂ and Stefan PopoviÃÂ. The three shows were broadcast on RTS1 and RTS Planeta as well as streamed online via the broadcaster's website rts.rs.
In 2022, RTS decided to organize Pesma za Evroviziju to decide its representative at the Eurovision Song Contest 2022, replacing the previous national final, Beovizija. On 28 September 2022, the rulebook was published. The selection consisted of two semi-finals, held on 3 and 4 March, and a final on 5 March 2023.
In all 3 shows, the jury and the televoting award one set of 12, 10 & 8âÂÂ1 points each to their 10 favourite entries. Nine entries that scored the most points in each semi-final progressed to the final. The act with the most points in the final is declared the winner.
Pesma za Evroviziju '22 was produced by SkyMusic and RTS. RTS management stated that the budget for the contest was , and that were spent.
All shows were hosted by Dragana Kosjerina and Jovan Radomir with greenroom interviews conducted by and Stefan PopoviÃÂ.
Artists and songwriters were able to submit their entries between 28 September 2021 and 1 December 2021. Artists were required to be Serbian citizens and submit entries in one of the official languages of the Republic of Serbia, while songwriters of any nationality were allowed to submit songs. At the closing of the deadline, 150 submissions were received. A selection committee consisting of RTS music editors reviewed the submissions and selected thirty-six entries to proceed to the national final. The selected competing entries were announced on 14 January 2022 and among the competing artists was Sara Jo, who represented Serbia in the Eurovision Song Contest 2013 as part of the group Moje 3.
On 19 January 2022, Stefan Zdravkovià(Princ od Vranje) announced his withdrawal from the national final due to conflicts with the songwriter of his song "". The song was instead performed by Tijana DapÃÂeviÃÂ, who represented Macedonia in the Eurovision Song Contest 2014, under an altered version titled "". On 14 February 2022, RTS announced that Goca Trà ¾an had withdrawn from the national final due to health problems and was replaced with the song "" performed by Chegi and BraÃÂa Bluz Band.
The semi-finals took place at the Studio 9 of RTS in Koà ¡utnjak, Belgrade on 3 and 4 March 2022. In each semi-final eighteen songs competed and the nine qualifiers for the final were decided by a combination of votes from a jury panel consisting of à ½eljko Vasià(singer), Tijana Miloà ¡evià(violinist), Vojislav Aralica (producer), Tijana BogiÃÂevià(represented Serbia in the Eurovision Song Contest 2017) and Biljana Krstià(singer), and the Serbian public via SMS voting.
The first semi-final was held on 3 March 2022. Zorja scored the most points in this semi-final, followed by Konstrakta, Aca Lukas, Biber, Lift, Marija MikiÃÂ, Angellina, Ana Staniàand Ivona. The artists that failed to qualify for the final were Boris SubotiÃÂ, Jelena PajiÃÂ, Igor SimiÃÂ, Sanja BogosavljeviÃÂ, VIS Limunada, Bojana Maà ¡koviÃÂ, Bane Lalià& MVP, Julija and Mia. In addition to the competing entries, former Eurovision contestants Hurricane (who represented Serbia in 2020 and 2021) were featured as the guest performers in the first semi-final.
The second semi-final was held on 4 March 2022. Sara Jo scored the most points in this semi-final, followed by Gift, Zoe Kida, Chegi & BraÃÂa Bluz Band, Gramophonedzie, Orkestar Aleksandra SofronijeviÃÂa, Zejna MurkiÃÂ, Naiva and Tijana DapÃÂeviÃÂ. The artists that failed to qualify for the final were Duà ¡an Svilar, Julijana Vincan, SrÃÂan LaziÃÂ, Rocher Etno Band, Marija MirkoviÃÂ, Euterpa, Ivana Vladoviàand Jovana StanimiroviÃÂ, Marko Nikoliàand Vasco. In addition to the competing entries, former Eurovision contestants Daniel Popovià(who represented Yugoslavia in 1983), Bojana Stamenov (who represented Serbia in 2015), Danica Krstiàand Mladen Lukià(who represented Serbia in 2018 as part of Balkanika), and singers ÃÂorÃÂe David and Ivana Peters were featured as guest performers in the second semi-final
The final took place at the Studio 9 of RTS in Koà ¡utnjak, Belgrade on 5 March 2022 and featured the eighteen qualifiers from the preceding two semi-finals. The winner, "" performed by Konstrakta, was decided by a combination of votes from a jury panel consisting of Dragoljub Ilià(composer), Slobodan Markovià(composer), Una Senià(music journalist), Vladimir Nikolov (composer) and Neda Ukraden (singer), and the Serbian public via SMS voting. Former Eurovision contestants Jelena Tomaà ¡evià(who represented Serbia in 2008), Sergej ÃÂetkovià(who represented Montenegro in 2014), Knez (who represented Montenegro in 2015), Tijana BogiÃÂevià(who represented Serbia in 2017), and singers Lena KovaÃÂeviÃÂ, Kiki LesendriÃÂ, Alen Ademoviàand Boris Reà ¾ak were featured as guest performers during the show.
The three shows were broadcast on RTS1 and RTS Planeta as well as streamed online via the broadcaster's website rts.rs.
Following the event, the fan organisation OGAE Serbia voted on the best song at <nowiki>'</nowiki>22 as decided by association members. The award was won by the winning song "" with 256 points. Second place, with 233 points, came from the song "" by Sara Jo, while third place went to Zorja and her song "Zorja" with 143 points. Sara Jo was also the winner of the OGAE Second Chance, which was awarded after a round of voting with all entries, not including the winning song of the event.
After the final, singer Aca Lukas, who placed 5th in the final with the song "", accused the Serbian public broadcaster RTS of irregularities in the voting of the selection, stating he would file a criminal complaint against the head of RTS, editor of entertainment program and general director for "stealing votes". RTS responded, stating that the SMS votes were counted automatically by software which did not allow interference. The Comtrade System Integration company, which set up the software to count the votes, said it was prepared to hand the votes to the authorities if requested to do so, adding that the same data is available from mobile phone operators. He also made comments about the winning performer Konstrakta, saying: "I could have gone on stage and washed my feet, but I chose instead to perform", also claiming she is working for opposition political parties. Konstrakta, laughing off his suggestion, jokingly offered "to wash his feet for him." After the controversy, RTS and KovaÃÂeviÃÂ announced they would sue Lukas.