Immediately after the publication of the songs for this year's Dora, ZEVIN (Nives Cilenšek), a 22-year-old visual artist and musician, stood out as an absolute favorite. With the pop hit "My Mind", she highlighted the most serious candidacy for going to Eurovision 2026, and support does not stop coming from the entire region. Among the first to react were colleagues from Serbia - Konstruct, Zejna and Filarri, while influencers like Dunjevaca and Ančićka already shared the song with their followers. With a huge fan base from all over the region, the audience from Serbia has already stood out as the most numerous supporter of the young artist.
"My Mind" is a danceable, dynamic pop hit unlike any Dora has had before, and beneath layers of energetic production hides an intimate story about identity, belonging and the courage to stay true to yourself.
Zevin, photo: YT printscreen
ZEVIN is exactly what the regional scene needs - an author who dictates her own musical and visual aesthetics. The composition "My Mind" was created in collaboration with the Slovenian producer Jerry (Jernej Drnovšek) as a response to a personal dilemma - to go out into the world or try to change the sound, while the Serbian musician and composer Mihajlo Đorović, better known as Summer Deaths, one of the creators of Zicer Inc., also worked on the arrangement.
"The song is a moment of liberation. As a person of mixed Balkan descent, I often felt like I didn't quite belong anywhere. 'My Mind' celebrates embracing one's roots without having to adapt," ZEVIN stated.
The music video, directed by ZEVIN herself, explores the contrast between the Balkans as a place of tradition and the individual path of an individual who wants more. Filming was a real undertaking, because in just three weeks, the crew prepared and recorded material that would otherwise have required three months of work. "We had two sets, the team whitewashed the rooms until four in the morning, and at six we were already filming. It was a real creative marathon that perfectly reflects the intense experience of preparing for Dora," reveals ZEVIN about the background of the video.
Zevin, photo Marija Cerović Arsenijević
Basically, "My Mind" has the potential to become the song that will come to grips with the biggest question of the generation - leave or stay and try to make something of yourself here. Because at the end of the day, her audience, and those who will become one when they hear "My Mind," will decide how that story ends.
ZEVIN, born in 2003, is an independent musician, director and visual artist, often called the Balkan Bubblegum Princess, whose work is based on the intersection of music, film and performance. She attracted wider regional attention with the ironic pop composition "Yum Yum", in which she turned everyday topics into sharp social commentary with humor and exaggerated aesthetics. Her sound was heavily influenced by artists like Stromae, Michael Jackson and Little Big - performers who combine a strong rhythmic charge with a clear message.
Together with producer Jerry, ZEVIN forms one of the most outstanding creative tandems of Generation Z. In 2025, she co-founded the creative studio Control Freaks, for the development of contemporary visual stories, where the author's supervision over the entire process enables bold and unconventional production.
ZEVIN is known for doing almost everything herself - from directing videos to hand-crafting scenography. Her short film debut "Existence" (2024) and the hyperpop hit "Side Eye" put her on the map of avant-garde pop. She confirmed her regional credibility by collaborating with regional performers, including Jala Brat and Buba Corelli, as well as with a Czech hyperpop musician named Toyota Vangelis. Her live performances are not just concerts, but narrative shows that combine movement, choreography and acting. With the inclusion of Dora, ZEVIN brings to the stage a globally relevant new wave sound and an aesthetic that is still rare in the region.
