Macedonian talents shine on Zvezde Granda: Petar Veljanoski praised by Ceca, Milica Rizo Trajkov wins all six votes

Young performers from North Macedonia once again stood out in the regional music competition Zvezde Granda, delivering emotional moments and strong reactions from the judging panel.

After his performance Petar Veljanoski admitted he had been nervous but pleased with how things turned out. "I'm very nervous, but I'm happy with the result!" he said, and later added: "Everything was great. I wasn't entirely sure the result would be like this, but it turned out well. I really do have stage fright; we'll see how I handle it in the next rounds."

The performance captured the attention of folk stars Ceca Raznatovic and Dara Bubamara, who praised his voice and interpretation. Ceca reportedly expressed a wish to see Petar in her team, but the production assigned him to work with the veteran mentor Snezana Gjurisic.

Petar commented on the mentor choice: "I'm satisfied with the choice of mentor; Snezana sings exactly in my vibe! Mili and Gjorge didn't give me a vote, but I may have expected that. We'll fix all the details together with my mentor." He also stressed that music has been his single focus throughout his life.

Milica Rizo Trajkov: cabaret flair and a unanimous pass

From Kavadarci, Milica Rizo Trajkov delivered an eye-catching cabaret-style performance and secured direct passage to the next round with all six "YES" votes. Judges Aleksandar Milic Mili and Keba singled out her cabaret approach and distinctive vocal color.

Producers paired Milica with mentor Gjorge David for the upcoming round. In addition to singing, Milica trains in contemporary ballet and continues to fine-tune her stage presentation, so viewers can expect even bolder choices from her in the following episodes.

Photo: press material from the event