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Slovakia to pick representative for Moscow

08 March 2009 at 01:02 CET

For the first time since 1998, Slovakia will take part in the Eurovision Song Contest again this year. In order to find a singer and song worthy of representing the country in Moscow, musicians were asked to send in their songs. Although only entries in Slovak language were accepted, a great number of high quality songs were received. Therefore, 50 of them were selected to take part in five semi-finals, which were held in the past weeks in the studios of the public broadcaster STV in Bratislava. In each of them, two finalists were picked by televoting and another one by the decision of an expert jury. In the end, a sixteenth finalist received a wildcard by the jury: Samo Tomeček, singing To Čo Chceš. This is the list of tonight's participants (in order of appearance):

  • VIP - Hviezdy
  • Andrea Zimányiová - Prines Si Ten Kľúč
  • Robo Šimko & MassRiot - Môj Anjel Spí
  • Zachariáš Hubáček - Bolo Bolo
  • Martina Schindlerová - Krídla
  • Mukatado - Ja Sa Mám
  • Tomáš Bezdeda - Každý Z Nás
  • Robo Opatovský - Prší
  • Smola A Hrušky - Na Čom Záleží
  • Peter Bažík & Andrea Sulovská - Nebudem Stáť
  • Janais - Taram Ta Rej
  • Mária Čírová - Búrka
  • Kamil Mikulčík & Nela Pocisková - Leť Tmou
  • Michal Chrenko - Proti Prúdu
  • Komajota - 7 Nocí
  • Samo Tomeček - To Čo Chceš

Initially, Desmod & Lucia Nováková had also qualified for the final with their song Posledná Minúta, but they withdrew. The were replaced with the band Smola A Hrušky due to a decision of the expert jury. The winner of tonight's show will be chosen by a combination of televoting and the verdict of an expert jury, chaired by Laco Lučenič. Just like the five semi-finals, the national final will be presented by Martin "Pyco" Rausch (pictured), supported by Martin Kontúr, who will report from the green room. The show will be broadcast live on STV 1, and a webcast is available here.

Slovakia decided to take part in the Eurovision Song Contest for the first time in 1993 with the Band Elán and their song Amnestia Na Neveru, but, at that time, did not qualify in the Eastern European qualification round. Thus, the first "real" Slovak entry in the Eurovision Song Contest was Nekonečná Pieseň by Martin Ďurinda & Tublatanka, who reached the 19th place in 1994. Two years later, Marcel Palonder achieved the best Slovak placing in the Eurovision Song Contest to date - he came 18th with Kým Nás Máš. 1998 saw the last participation of Slovakia in the Eurovision Song Contest for more than ten years, when Katarína Hasprová came 21st with her song Modlitba. This year, Slovakia will be represented in the Second Semi-Final of the Eurovision Song Contest, to take place on May 14th in Moscow.