Snezana Djurisic: Only God Can Take Me From Grand

Snezana Djurisic addressed, for the first time in public, Ana Bekuta’s decision to leave the “Zvezde Granda” jury last night, September 12, at Dragan Kojic Keba’s concert at the Tasmajdan stadium, grand.rs and Telegraf report.

The singer arrived at the concert in good spirits, accompanied by her granddaughter Lana and her fiance, gynecologist Vanja Milosevic. According to Informer, she was visibly cheerful and in a good mood, and she first spoke to reporters about why she had come to Keba’s show at all.

“It’s both a return favor and collegiality. Keba has the career he deserves. He said he’d love for me to come, we promised him, and here we are,” Snezana Djurisic said, Telegraf reports.

Bekuta left the “Zvezde Granda” jury after 12 years. She cited burnout and a need for a break, along with plans for a new album and concerts, as her reasons, and Grand production stated that it respects her decision. Snezana, who is staying on the jury, says the news caught her off guard.

I was surprised when I heard the reason, it’s completely legitimate, I wouldn’t comment on it at all, she’s certainly a woman who knows what she wants. She’ll definitely be missed, twelve years is not a short time, you get used to someone.

The singer gave the statement at Keba’s concert on Tasmajdan, grand.rs reports. Asked whether she herself has considered leaving the show, Snezana was direct.

“Snezana isn’t leaving, only God can take me away from Grand,” Djurisic said, Telegraf reports.

She added that she doesn’t yet know whether Dragana Mirkovic will take Bekuta’s seat on the jury, something the media has been speculating about in recent days.

“I don’t know whether Dragana Mirkovic will join us, I’ll know everything by Monday,” Snezana Djurisic said, grand.rs reports.

Part of the conversation with reporters turned lighter when Snezana’s granddaughter joined in, saying with a smile that “grandma is strict.” The singer followed up by explaining how children today experience discipline.

“Children today think strictness is the emotion we show when we tell them what not to do and what isn’t good for them. So I’m strict, I’m not strict, they have their own ways of interpreting it. I’m happy with my grandchildren and grateful to God,” Djurisic said, grand.rs reports.

As a reminder, Ana Bekuta sat on the “Zvezde Granda” jury for a full 12 years, alongside Sasa Popovic and Snezana Djurisic, and was regarded throughout that period as one of the show’s steady, recognizable faces. Her departure was announced in recent days, and the show’s production has not yet said who will take her seat next season. Bekuta herself said a new album and a concert season are ahead of her, which is why she decided to take a break from the jury.

Snezana Djurisic is one of the longest serving members of the “Zvezde Granda” jury, and her ties to Keba, whose concert she attended last night, came through further in her comment about “a return favor and collegiality” on the domestic music scene. Whether the jury will indeed gain Dragana Mirkovic starting next season should, by Snezana’s own account, become clear as early as Monday.

Djurisic arrived at the concert accompanied by close family, which only underscored how much it mattered to her to be there for Keba tonight. Even questions about changes to the “Zvezde Granda” jury didn’t dampen her mood, and the singer maintained that she has no intention of judging Ana Bekuta’s decision, only wishing her the best in the period ahead, away from the cameras and the show.