Slovenia’s national selection for representation at Eurovision 2018 ends with singer and songwriter Lea Sirk’s win over a lineup of Slovenia’s best talent. Lea’s song, “Hvala, ne!”was chosen by a 50/50 split of jury and public votes.
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.
The final, hosted by Raiven and Vid Valič, with Nejc Šmit reporting from backstage, saw these artists perform, but in the end Sirk was declared the winner with 116 points, just ahead of BQL with 106 points and Nuška Drašček in third place with 88 points.
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. Even though 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.