Life after Helsinki 2007 Eurovision

Now as Slovenia has withdrawn from Eurovision song contest at least in 2026, let's have a look of some Slovenian favorites of mine over the year. I have always had a soft spot for their debut entry in 1993.  Enjoy! 2011 Maja Keuc - No one (13th) 1997 Tanja Ribič - Zbudi se (10th) 2001 Nuša Derenda - Energy (7th) 2006 Anžej Dežan - Mr Nobody (sf 16th) 2015 Maraaya - Here for you (14th) 1993 IX Band - Tih deževen dan (22nd) 2008 Rebeka Dremelj - Vrag naz vzame (sf 11th) 2019 Zalagasper - Sebi (15th) 2012 Eva Boto - Verjamem (sf 17th) There would have been quite a few to pick up as well but these sounded the ones at this time and space.  Special mentions go to: 1996 Regina - Dan najlepših sanj (21st) 2002 Sestre - Samo ljubezen (13th) 2023 Joker Out - Carpe diem (21st) 2018 Lea Sirk - Hvala, ne! (22nd) 2025 Klemen - How much time do we have left (sf 13)

LATVIA - LAURA RIZZOTTO - FUNNY GIRL What was I thinking? I’m just the funny girl to you Vocals **** Staging *** Song ** Overall *** Non qualifier SWEDEN - BENJAMIN INGROSSO - DANCE YOU OFF Just wanna da da dance you off So, don’t you da da dare wait up Vocals *** Staging **** Song *** Overall *** Qualifier MONTENEGRO - VANJA RADOVANOVIC - INJE Me and life - like dog and cat The heart the most treasured pet Vocals *** Staging ** Song ** Overall ** Non qualifier SLOVENIA - LEA SIRK - HVALA, NE! Hvala, ne, ne! Hvala, ne Hvala, ne, ne Hvala, hvala, ne Vocals **** Staging **** Song *** Overall *** Borderline qualifier UKRAINE - MÉLOVIN - UNDER THE LADDER (Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh, yeah) (Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh, yeah) Vocals **** Staging **** Song **** Overall **** Qualifier

Montenegro - Vanja Radovanović - Inje Questionable fashion sense for Vanja in his strangely cut blue jacket, while his four backings and one in piano are in white performing a Balcan ballad by the book. Add some choreography that seems out of place. =r very 2004. Maybe a hit at home but has European viewers already moved on if even this blogger, lover of big Balcan ballads, can't connect to this one? It seems this passed rather unnoticed in the press center, except for his trousers? Actually all attention turned into his unfortunate ill fitting outfit rather than the song or staging.... "Dated", "Emotional", "Styling and song don't meet", "Sounds perfct", "Time stood still", "Lacks charisma", "Simplicity and charm" Slovenia - Lea Sirk - Hvala, ne! Slovenia seems to be trying the already old trick by faking a backing track break down and asks where's the music and asking people to sing...

  Estonia - Elina Nechayeva - La forza Elina (26) was hosting Eesti laul semifinal last year and returned this year as a singer and won. This classically trained soprano has been to several talent shows before but only now finally won something. She sings La forza in Italian as opera singers do. The problem is the lyrics don't make any sense, they are mainly just phrases stolen from various operas glued together. If they had thrown in words like pizza, spaghetti and pasta no one hardly would notice nor would it make any difference to the sense of it all. This is this year's fan wank and I find it just rather annoying. Any interest I had vanished in 2-3 listenings. But then again most televoters will hear this for the first time and be fooled. This should be this year's shock non qualifier.... When people are more interested in the dress than the rest, we have a problem. The song actually works better as dance mix , because it gives you an illusion there might have...

  Lea Sirk wins Slovenian Eurovision national final with Hvala, ne! BQL won the televote the second year in a row but the jury stopped their way to Eurovision (again). Actually the televoting winner hasn't ever won in Slovenia, has it? Lea Sirk - Hvala, ne! (jury 68 + televote 48) 116 BQL - Promise (34 + 72) 106 Nuska Drascek - Ne zapusti me zdaj  (28 + 60) 88 Lara Kadis - Zdaj sem tu (38 + 36) 74 Proper - Ukraden cvet (30 + 24) 54 Ina Shai - Glow (26 + 12) 38 Indigo - Vesna (18 + 0) 18 Marina Martensson - Blizu (10 + 0) 10

Slovenia had last week its semifinal where half the entries, including Eurovision veterans ManuElla and Tanja Ribič had say sadly goodbye to their comeback to the contest. Apparently some of the songs will be performed in English in the final, BQL and Ina Shai at least....  I'm a bit confused about some of the final choices as all my three faves are out, and I don't really care for any of the finalists even if some are ok. Will this be the usual case when last year's moral winner comes back and wins with an inferior song to make up? BQL- Ptica Ina Shai - V nebo Indigo - Vesna Lara Kadis - Zdaj sem tu Lea Sirk - Ne, hvala! Marina Martensson - Blizu Nuška Drašček - Ne zapusti me zdaj Proper - Ukraden cvet

      Slovenia has its semifinal tonight. The only one instead of the usual two aka the Maltese way. Eight songs will qualify for the final; four my a jury made of OGAE Slovenia members, international juries, people from radio and music business, and another four my the televoters. Hard to judge from the snippets yet properly but it seems there's no outstanding favorite - at least not for me. I'm most curious to hear in full BQL, Manuella, Mila, Nika and Tanja though.  Anabel – Pozitiva BQL – Ptica Gregor Ravnik – Zda j je cas INA SHAI – V nebo Indigo – Vesna KiNG FOO – Zive sanje Lara Kadis – Zdaj sem tu Lea Sirk – Hvala, ne! ManuElla – Glas Marina Martensson – Blizu MILA – Svoboda Nika Zorjan – Uspavanka Nuska Drasck – Ne zapusti me zdaj ORTER – Tisoc let Proper – Ukraden cvet Tanja Ribic – Ljudje

  Slovenia has published snippets of  the competing song in EMA 2018. All the song will be featured in the semifinal on February 17 where eight songs will be selected for the final. There's a jury including fans, music industry people and international panel that will pick up four, while the other four will be televoter's job. All songs will be in Slovenian but the finalist may change the languagee for the final. In final there will be 50-50 televote-expert jury.  No further comment until I hear full songs (and Sanremo is over....) Anabel - Pozitiva Nino Ošlak, Marko Golubović BQL - Ptica Maraaya, Rok Lunaček, Tina Piš Gregor Ravnik - Zdaj je čas Marko Hrvatin, Gregor Ravnik, Steffy Ina Shai - V nebo Martina Šraj, Hans Kristjan Aljas Indigo - Vesna Anja Pavlin, Anže Čuček, Maj Valerij KiNG FOO - Žive sanje Rok Golob Lara Kadis - Zdaj sem tu Lara Kadis Lea Sirk - Ne, hvala! Lea Sirk, Tomy DeClerque ManuElla - Glas Mike Eriksson...

Today's Slovenia's turn to reveal their entries for Eurovision 2018. Their EMA will have a semifinal wherefrom half the songs will qualify for the final: four by a jury, four by televoters. 50-50 jury-televote will reign in the final, too. Two previous winners in the line up. ManuElla (failed to qualify in 2016) and one of this blogger's favorite Slovenian entries, as Tanja Ribič makes a comeback! (with Zubi se,  10th in 1997). Last year's runner up BQL tries again and other familiar names include King Foo, Lea Sirk, Nika Zorjan, Ina Shai and Nuška Drašček, who all took part also last year! The songs were chosen among the 108 submissions Anabel – Pozitiva  BQL – Ptica  Gregor Ravnik – Zdaj je čas  Ina Shai – V nebo  Indigo – Vesna  King Foo – Žive sanje  Lara Kadis – Zdaj sem tu  Lea Sirk – Cirque  ManuElla – Dan Potem  Marina Martensson – Blizu  Mila – Svoboda  Nika Zorjan – Uspavanka...

Slovenia starts its search for the Eurovision entry that would bring them the very first victory. Eight entries tonight. The televoters will send their two favorites to the final, the jury will choose additional two from the remaining ones.  Previous winner Omar Naber is once again trying to make a bis.  Raay or Maraaya have written four of the 16 semifinalist, three of them in this first semifinal, and one more in tomorrow's.... Watch here 20.00 1. KING FOO – “WILD RIDE” (Raay/Rok Lunacek, Tina Pirš) 2. NIKA ZORJAN – “FSE” (Maraaya/Nika Zorjan) 3. TOSCA BEAT – “FREE WORLD” (Andraž Kržic,Tosca Beat/Andraž Kržic, Peter Penko) 4. LEA SIRK – “FREEDOM” (Lea Sirk, Gaber Radojevic/Lea Sirk) 5. SELL OUT – “NI PANIKE” (Miha Gorše, Uroš Obranovic/Tina Muc) 6. ZALA – “LALALATINO” (Zala) 7. ALYA – “HALO” (Raay/Rok Lunacek and Tina Pirš) 8. OMAR NABER – “ON MY WAY” (Omar Naber) U pdate: I'm glad I didn't even try to predict ...