After a relatively successful 2019 with Zala & Gašper and Sebi being 5th in their semifinal and 15th in general classification, Slovenia prepared a renewed national final for this Eurovision 2020. Thus, to its traditional EMA they added the EMA FREŠ, a previous qualification round in which 18 songs by young artists were selected online, of which 2 were chosen in a televised final on January 18th. These two songs - Šaska with Še kar lovim tvoj nasmeh (I'm still chasing your smile) and Parvani Violet with Cupid were then added to the 10 finalists already chosen by a panel of experts (singer and former EMA host and participant Raiven; Mojca Menart and Jernej Vene) among the 74 songs presented to the RTVSLO to complete a total of 12 songs that would compete to win the final and achieve the right to represent Slovenia in Rotterdam.
The final of the 24th edition of the EMA - Evrovizijska Melodija took place on February 22 in Ljubljana. Klemen Slakonja, actor, comedian, singer and TV host was chosen to drive the EMA again. He had already done it brilliantly another 3 times before.
Among the 12 proposals that participated in the Slovenian final there were some familiar faces for the Eurofans, including Tinkara Kovač (Slovenia 2014) and Lina Kuduzović (JESC 2015)
The Winner would result from a mix between the votes of a jury (Maja Keuc, Darja Švajger and Nuša Derenda) that would choose 2 superfinalists and a second round of voting in which only the public through the televote would have the last word.
The show, of remarkable technical quality, began with Klemen singing "Arcade", the winning song of the last Eurovision. His piano version, copying Duncan Laurence's staging ended dramatically, with an "accident" that caused the host to follow the show with his "injured" face.
The 12 candidates who competed in the EMA were, in the following running order
Simon Vadnjal, Nisi Sam (You are not alone)
Šaska, Še kar lovim tvoj nasmeh (I´m still chasing your smile)
Gaja Prestor, Verjamen Vase (Believe in yourself)
Ana Soklič, Voda (Water)
INMATE, The Salt
Manca Berlec, Večnost (Eternity)
Tinkara Kovač, Forever
Božidar Wolfand Wolf, Maybe Someday
Parvani Violet, Kupid
Klara Jazbec, Stop the World
Imset, Femme Fatale
Lina Kuduzović, Man Like U
After the 12 performances the panel of experts decided that the 2 songs that would pass to the Superfinal were Voda by Ana Soklič and Man Like U by Lina Kuduzović.
The two artists sang their songs again and finally the public decided through televoting, with 54.5% of the votes that Voda would be the song that would represent Slovenia in Rotterdam.
ANA SOKLIČ – VODA (BOJAN SIMONČIČ, ANA SOKLIČ/ ANA SOKLIČ/ ŽIGA PIRNAT) https://www.instagram.com/EMAEvrovizija/...
In "Voda" (written by Ana herself, Bojan Simončič and Žiga Pirnat ) Ana begins by saying "Greva naprej v novi čas. Zbeživa od tu daleč stran", let's both flee to a new time that begins, let's get out of here, let's go away.
This is pure beauty. In Slovenian (and fortunately it will stay that way), she is trying to tell her story, maybe about love, but the background causes her to be singing on the water. In her words she sends us a message of liberation in the face of the limitations we have today but with the hope of a new dawn. "Voda. Med nevihto obležim v tebi do konca", water, during the storm I stay with you until the end. "Voda drvi", the water burns, or also the water falls. The beautiful instrumental introduction supports this fact as well. When Ana enters the atmosphere with her unique and low voice, she feels magical. Some say it takes too long to go somewhere, but I totally disagree with that opinion. Because as soon as she enters the chorus that magic begins to bloom. Her voice is outstanding and pure, her connection with the public is total. The chorus is simply magnificent and her voice really moves. I think that the song is a work of art and that unfortunately it is very little valued. In an interview at the end of the EMA she said that the message of her song is that sometimes it is necessary to withdraw from excessive thinking and let things happen naturally.
What to say about the other songs?
Unlike the previous year there were few really interesting options that were presented this year in the EMA.
Lina´s Man Like U was undoubtedly much more "friendly" to the Eurofan ear and for many it would have been a more appropriate choice for a festival like Eurovision. In it she sings to a finished love, to a love she misses and wants to recover."Because of u i can't sleep at nightYou're constantly on my mindI wish that u were holding me tightAnd I've been looking for something newBut I'll never find a man like u" she sings and cries ...
EMA 2020: LINA KUDUZOVIĆ – MAN LIKE U
LINA KUDUZOVIĆ – MAN LIKE U (LINA KUDUZOVIĆ/ LINA KUDUZOVIĆ/ FLORIAN KRAHE) http://www.instagram.com/EMAEvrovizi...
In addition to the 2 superfinalists, which were really the 2 best songs of the night, I would highlight the proposals of Gaja Prestor, modern and very interesting and that of Manca Berlec,a beautiful love song that sings to her ... girlfriend? (When I breathe with you, time stops. Every minute is lost quickly). Really enjoyable.
EMA 2020: GAJA PRESTOR - VERJAMEM VASE
EMA: GAJA PRESTOR – VERJAMEM VASE GAJA PRESTOR – VERJAMEM VASE (ŽAN SERČIČ/ ŽAN SERČIČ, GAJA PRESTOR/ ŽAN SERČIČ...
EMA 2020: MANCA BERLEC – VEČNOST
MANCA BERLEC – VEČNOST (MANCA BERLEC, PATRIK ŠIMENC/ MANCA BERLEC/ MANCA BERLEC, PATRIK ŠIMENC) http://www.insta...
Before closing the telephone lines, Zala & Gašper who represented the country last year (now Zalagasper) sang their latest single Me & My Boi, very much like Sebi.
EMA 2020: ZALAGASPER - ME & MY BOI
ZALAGASPER - ME & MY BOI (LIVE AT EMA 2020) (Zala Kralj, Gašper Šantl) http://www.instagram.com/EMAEvrovizija ht...
And before announcing the winner of the night, the host Klemen Slakonja recreates all of Slovenia’s entries in the Eurovision Song contest from 1993 to 2019 in less than 6 minutes. Wonderful moment, perhaps the most commented of the night.
Klemen Slakonja recreates Slovenia’s 25 years in the Eurovision Song Contest (Ema 2020 Interval Act)
#eurovison #slovenia The host Klemen Slakonja recreates all of Slovenia’s entries in the Eurovision Song contest...
Hvala lepa Slovenija!!!
Thank you very much Slovenia!
P.D.
I invite you to enjoy these other two beautiful songs by Ana Soklič.
Oče (Father) was the song she presented at the EMA 2007 as part of the Diona Dimm group. Her powerful voice was already remarkable. The song is wonderful, far from what you can expect from Eurovision and unfortunately it did not happen to the final.
The other is her song by Popevka 2019, Temni svet (Dark World). The interpretation of her in this song is simply amazing.