Lina Kuduzović has long been a fan favorite among the Eurovision community. With an impressive record that includes a third-place finish at the Junior Eurovision Song Contest in 2015 and a second-place showing at Slovenia’s national selection EMA in 2020, many still consider her one of the country’s strongest potential representatives for the main Eurovision stage.

In both 2015 and 2020, Kuduzović was widely seen as the frontrunner. In 2020 especially, she came heartbreakingly close to victory – missing the top spot by just 666 votes. Yet despite continued support and high hopes from fans, the singer has now made it clear: a return to Eurovision is unlikely in the near future.

Responding to a fan question on Instagram, Kuduzović stated she would only consider participating in Eurovision again if she were selected through direct internal selection. She emphasized that she no longer wishes to take part in competitive selection processes:

“I’m no longer willing to take part in competitions, but I’d be more than happy to represent Slovenia at Eurovision”.

This stance may not come as a surprise to those familiar with her career. Kuduzović has a long history with talent competitions. She won Slovenija ima talent (Slovenia’s Got Talent) in 2010 at just seven years old, reached the finals of The Voice Kids Germany in 2017, and represented Slovenia at the International Festival of Language and Culture (IFLC) in 2016.

But beyond her reservations about the competitive nature of Eurovision, Kuduzović also expressed a clear political position: she does not intend to take part in the contest while Israel remains in the lineup.

“More importantly, though, the contest urgently needs to ban a certain country… or I’ll do my own protest – in my own way.”

Her statement reflects a growing conversation among artists and fans alike, who in recent years have called for Israel’s exclusion from the contest due to ongoing international political tensions.

Despite her current stance, Kuduzović’s past contributions to Eurovision remain memorable. Her Junior Eurovision entry “Prva ljubezen” (First Love) earned her third place in 2015, while “Man Like U”, her EMA 2020 entry, fell just short of victory – both showcasing her talents as a performer and a songwriter.

Would you like to see Lina Kuduzović represent Slovenia at Eurovision in the future?

Stay tuned to Eurovisionfun for all the latest updates on Europe’s biggest music competition!