Slovenia’s EMA 2018 is almost upon us. And over the past week Slovenian radio station Val 202 revealed 90-second snippets of all 16 semi-finalists competing in Slovenia’s national selection for Eurovision.

The songs cross genres, ranging from ballads to pop to rock. If you’re ready to turn up the volume and take it all in, here’s what’s going down…

EMA 2018 semi-final running order

1. Anabel – “Pozitiva”

2. Tanja Ribic – “Ljudje”

3. KiNG FOO – “Žive sanje”

4. Ina Shai – “V nebo”

5. Indigo – “Vesna”

6. ManuElla – “Glas”

7. MILA – “Svoboda”

8. Orter – “Kraljica”

9. Lara Kadis – “Zdaj sem tu”

10. BQL – “Ptica”

11. Proper – “Ukraden cvet”

12. Nika Zorjan – “Uspavanka”

13. Marina Martensson – “Blizu”

14. Nuška Drašcek – “Ne zapusti me zdaj”

15. Gregor Ravnik – “Zdaj je cas”

16. Lea Sirk – “Ne, hvala!”

EMA 2018

Naturally, the snippets have left us wanting EMA 2018 to start right now. But we’ll have to wait until Friday next week for the one super-sized semi-final on February 17.

All 16 acts will perform their entries on the night entirely in Slovenian. A six-member jury panel will select their four qualifiers — consisting of members from the radio and television industry, singers, composers and OGAE Slovenia — whilst an international panel will form the sixth jury. Then the televoting public will decide the other four qualifiers.

Eight qualifiers advance to the February 24 final where they’ll have the option to perform in another language of their choice. The winner will be determined by a 50/50 combination of televoting and professional juries.

Both shows will be hosted by stand-up comedian Vid Valic. Whoever wins EMA 2018 will know that Slovenia has been allocated to perform somewhere in the second half of the Second Semi-Final.

What do you think of the snippets? Do you have any early favourites? Let us know in the comments box below.

Follow all of our Slovenia Eurovision 2018 news

Photo: Andres Putting

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Gary Baier
Gary Baier
6 years ago

Lara Kadis – is my favorite! can’t wait to hear you live.

Pe
Pe
6 years ago

BQL should try again next year, with a better, more original song. This is Nika’s year! Her song is great 🙂

Rich
Rich
6 years ago

A very good selection this year. The songs i currently like are

Lea SIRK – “Ne, Hvala!
MANUELLA – “Glas”
Lara KADIS – “Zdaj Sem Tu”
Ina SHAI – “V Nebo”
Mila-“Svoboda”
BOL- “Ptica”
Nika Zorjan-“Uspavanka”

Rich
Rich
6 years ago
Reply to  Rich

I like this one aswell
Proper-“Ukraden Cvet”

Victoria
Victoria
6 years ago

BQL My love ?

Kris
Kris
6 years ago

Lara kadis’ song sounds so good….but people say it will be disqualified? Is that so….I hear a 6 sec repeat in the chorus that’s highly inspired/copied…. But that shouldn’t be that huge a problem?

Eve
Eve
6 years ago

Nice songs from Slovenia, I think Nika Zorjan is good choice for ESC.
Manuela has great voice! I don’t get the hype about BQL..

Ari
Ari
6 years ago

This is rather frustrating. You can’t make up your mind on a song with These constant narrations over them. I was really hoping for something magical from the radiant Tanja Ribic. I love her Eurovision song Zbudi se, it truly is one-of-a-kind. Maybe I’ll be feeling the song once it’s properly released. I feel with these snippets it’s impossible to judge pretty much any of the entries. Very curious about Indigo, Ina, Nika and BQL. No Manuella, she already blew it once, that’s enough. As it stands, the Slovenian national final will actually be the first I’m going to watch… Read more »

Darius
Darius
6 years ago

BQL were robbed last year. They should be Slovenia’s representatives, their song is pretty nice!

Colin
Colin
6 years ago

Titles of the songs are, in order:

– Vesna is a female name. Most likely they are referring to Slavic goddess of spring.
– Stolen Flower
– Daydreaming
– Now is the time
– The Positive
– No, thank you
– Close
– Don’t Let Me Go Now
– The Voice
– Crazier
– I Am Here Now
– To The Sky
– Freedom
– The Queen
– The Bird
– Lullabye

I am 97% certain in the accuracy of translations. 🙂

Colin
Colin
6 years ago
Reply to  Colin

Ha ha… 3% strikes! 🙂 Tanja’s song actually translates to “People/Humans”. The title is very similar to Croatian word ‘lu?i’, which translates to “crazier”. It’s actually also similar to our word for humans, “ljudi”.

Eve
Eve
6 years ago
Reply to  Colin

Actualy, I like ”Vesna” song the most, very pleasent, like a lullaby. She says something like ”listen how grass is growing, spring is coming”, isnt’ it? 🙂

NickC
NickC
6 years ago

Nothing stands out for me. I guess I need to see them live.

Colin
Colin
6 years ago
Reply to  NickC

I just need to hear them without a voice narration over the half of it. It’s impossible to get a total grip of the song this way.

Sabrina
Sabrina
6 years ago

Another radio friendly and unpretentious selection. And I mean that as a compliment. Most songs are pretty enjoyable, but few really stand out. In a first listen, Nika, Lea Sirk and BQL are those who caught my attention. Ina Shai has a nice ballad, but after last year’s extra boring entry, I think Slovenia needs to go uptempo.

EscAU
EscAU
6 years ago

One of my fav esc countries, always sending something interesting and different! always underrated as well can’t wait 🙂

blondboybc
blondboybc
6 years ago

It’s Nika, Lea, or BQL for me. I fear the jury vote will push some lame, dated ballad as last year that keeps them out of final!

Alec
Alec
6 years ago

Let’s wait for Slovenia to pick out the worst song…like they done for the past 2 years!

EH
EH
6 years ago
Reply to  Alec

I hope not because Nika and BQL are the only ones that can get Slovenia the bed placing. But some of the other songs are quite average but okay aswell

EH
EH
6 years ago
Reply to  EH

Best placing

Esxologist
Esxologist
6 years ago

12 BQL (again well done)
10 Mila (very retro but in a good way)
8 Ina Shai (big surprise for me – if she sings better than last year, also potential winner)
7 Nika Zorjan (maybe even 8 points and wouldn’t mind seing her as winner as well)
6 Proper (very underrated song)

If Lara wasn’t a copycat and literally the cover of a Shawn Mendes’s Never be alone this would be for sure my top 5 pick as well.

E
E
6 years ago

Slovenia have a very good line up this year with some acts can deliever their best result since maja keuc, however Nika Zorjan song if she can sing live and everything is perfect Slovenia can definitely get in the top
10 possibly top 5. I like BQL aswell but Nika Zorjan will get so many points if she goes through.
I’ll definitely vote Slovenia if she gets picked

Belarossa
Belarossa
6 years ago

Ina Shai, Lara Kadis or maybe Nika Zorjan (i’m just worried because her song sounds very arabic, most of europe hate them)

Dmgp
Dmgp
6 years ago

Wow, Lara’s song is great 😀
I can finally see Slovenia in the grand final.

Sverige
Sverige
6 years ago

Lara Kadis is the only really outstanding one! Extremely surprised with their national final 🙂
As written, Lara’s song is amazing.

Flynn
Flynn
6 years ago

Slovenia is looking to have one of the strongest line-ups this year I’m liking at least half the songs The few that I’m not feeling are King Foo, Tanja, Martina, Indigo and Gregor. I’m not too keen on Proper but if feels like if their song was tweaked a bit it could work, I’m not a fan of BQL’s song but it should do well at Eurovision. If I had to pick a top 3 I’d go for Nika Zorjan, Lea Sirk and Lara Kadis but any of the other acts I didn’t mention would be fine too, I’m really… Read more »

irish esc
irish esc
6 years ago

it is a really strong national final again this year from slovenia my favs based om snippets are bql, nika, manuella, lea sirk and indigo
my winners are bql and my second winner would be nika : )

Ireland yall
Ireland yall
6 years ago

It absolutely has to be Lara or Ina, but I will be okay with Nika aswell and I even enjoy ManuElla this time. second time isn’t the charm for BQL, I dislike this dont more than I dislike heart of gold, but I wish everyone good luck

Josh Kennon
Josh Kennon
6 years ago

Proper, Grigor, Anabel, Marina, Lara, Ina, BQL, and Nika stand out to me from the group as a whole, but I don’t know of any ONE of them stands out from each OTHER — hopefully live the standout will really become apparent!

AngieP
AngieP
6 years ago

I am eager to watch Emanuella’s song performed live. Sounds good.
In general, there are not many songs I like here.

BQL didn’t disappoint. That’s a really good song. I don’t think they need to change the lyrics if they win. It’s already good in Slovenian. My favourite! It stands out!
Also, I really like Nika’s entry. Very radio friendly. Nice sound and beautiful voice. It’s probably the most modern production of the entire N.F.

My favourites are BQL of course, Nika. Hope one of them wins!!

ali
ali
6 years ago

I liked Nika, BQL, Manuella, Ina Shai.

brennan
brennan
6 years ago

Uspavanka is by far my favorite, sort of reminiscent of origo

James
James
6 years ago

I hope none of them switch to English.

Jakym96
Jakym96
6 years ago

Absolutely best are BQL and Nika Zorjan. It is a great NF. Also Lea Sirk stands out.

ImpressiveInstants
ImpressiveInstants
6 years ago

None. What’s going on with NFs this year?

Rory
Rory
6 years ago

That moment when even Slovenia has a better NF than all the Nordics. LOL

Vanessa
Vanessa
6 years ago

BQL FOR THE WIN!

EH UK
EH UK
6 years ago

Since i couldn’t be asked to listen to all the songs, honestly nothing got my attention apart from Nika Zorjan, uspavanka, the song was really catchy and fast tempo and really entertained me listening to it. All the other songs I heard were ok and good, but that’s the only song I’d vote for.
If Slovenia send Nika you’ve got a vote from the Uk

EH UK
EH UK
6 years ago
Reply to  EH UK

Hopefully please don’t let Slovenia send any songs in English and keep the songs in Slovenian, because that’s where you’ll definitely get the votes from. And im really intreged to hear more of Nikas song

Frisian esc
Frisian esc
6 years ago

Go manuellaaa

Jo
Jo
6 years ago

Nothing oustanding, but many decent efforts. In general, good selection.
I think INA SHAI – “V NEBO” is my favourite.
Sorry, but BQL’s song is boring, maybe it could work better in English.
Slovenia needs a super song, because SF2 is really hard.

Jo
Jo
6 years ago
Reply to  Jo

Also…
Manuella looks like blond Melania, and I don’t like Nika’s song (differently from many commenters here).

gdfg
gdfg
6 years ago

Nika the best choice this year!

frenchbaguette
frenchbaguette
6 years ago

zdaj je cas, that song omg gospel and groovy and powerfull it is so beautiful 😮
BQL is my 2nd choice !
otherwise slovenia has a really strong selection this year ! better than sweden so far XD

zheng
zheng
6 years ago

LARA KADIS & NIKA ZORJAN!!

Rick Narcoisian
6 years ago

dissapointed by BQL byt nika zoryan is great

Weißbrot
Weißbrot
6 years ago

I got to listen to the songs earlier today, so I already have opinions: as expected BQL is my favourite. Nika Zorjan sounds promising and Lara Kadis is also alright. The rest is really boring, sorry… They should either choose Nika or BQL otherwise I don’t see a chance for Slovenia.

Evridiki
Evridiki
6 years ago

The best by far – NIKA ZORJAN – “USPAVANKA”