Lea Sirk wins EMA 2018, will represent Slovenia in Lisbon

Slovenian broadcaster RTVSLO opened their submission period for artists and songwriters interested in representing Slovenia in Lisbon in September 2017. An expert committee then selected sixteen artists and songs for the competition.

The line up of EMA 2018 included a number of familiar faces including Tanja Ribič who represented Slovenia in the 1997 Eurovision Song Contest as well as ManuElla who participated in the Eurovision Song Contest in 2016. After a semi-final on 17th February, eight artists were selected to proceed to the final:

• Lea Sirk
• Indigo 
• Ina Shai
• BQL
• Marina Martensson 
• Lara Kadis
• Proper
• Nuška Drašcek

Tonight's final, hosted by Raiven and Vid Valič, with Nejc Šmit reporting from backstage, saw these artists give it all they had up on stage. In the green room, Vid Valič was sure to check in with each artist along the way. During the vote, the audience was able to enjoy 2011 EMA winner Amaya’s new single Concrete, a medley of songs by host Raiven, and 2017 Eurovision delegate Omar Naber's new single I still believe in you.

In the end, Lea Sirk was declared the winner with 116 points, just ahead of BQL with 106 points and Nuška Drašček in third place with 88 points.

Lyrics & music for Hvala, ne! were written by Lea Sirk and Tomy DeClerque. 

Slovenia in the Eurovision Song Contest

Slovenia made its debut at the Eurovision Song Contest in 1993. The country's best placing in the competition was seventh, in 1995 and 2001. Whilst Slovenia has not won the Eurovision Song Contest it did win Eurovision Choir of the Year in 2017. Omar Naber represented Slovenia for the second time in 2017 with the song On My Way.

Slovenia will perform in the second half of the second Semi-Final in Lisbon, Portugal.