In just three days time, Slovenia will decide their representative for Eurovision 2018 in Lisbon. Broadcaster RTV Slovenija has today announced the running order for the grand final of their national selection show, EMA 2018.

Just like Iceland’s national selection show Söngvakeppnin, it’s a free choice for the finalists as all eights acts will perform their songs in the language of their choice. However, only Ina Shai and BQL have chosen to sing in English, while the others are sticking with Slovenian. You can listen to snippets of their final versions below.

EMA 2018 – Grand final running order

  1. Lea Sirk – “Hvala, ne!”
  2. Indigo – “Vesna”
  3. Ina Shai – “Glow”
  4. BQL – “Promise”
  5. Marina Martensson – “Blizu”
  6. Lara Kadis – “Zdaj sem tu”
  7. Proper – “Ukraden cvet”
  8. Nuška Drašcek – “Ne zapusti me zdaj”

Having previously competed in the last two editions of EMA, Raiven will co-host the final. She’ll also perform both her previous EMA entries “Crno bel” and “Zažarim” during the show. She described her excitement for the show:

“EMA 2018 is the biggest challenge for me so far, because this will be a new role for me. I am really looking forward to it and I am honoured to have been given this opportunity. There is no event in Slovenia I would rather host than EMA.”

And she gets the seal of approval from host Vid Valic.

“I am so looking forward to the final. It is definitely a notch I would like to have on my belt. I will do my best to make everything run smoothly. And Raiven is certainly fearless enough to take on the job.”

Two former EMA winners will also return as guest performers. Last year’s representative Omar Naber will perform alongside 2011 winner Maja Keuc — now known as Amaya. This year’s winner will be decided by a 50/50 combination of televoting and professional juries.

You can still vote in our poll, but y’all will have to make do with their semi-final performances.

Who are you rooting for in the final? Have the snippets changed your mind? Share your thoughts in the comments box below!

Follow all of our Slovenia Eurovision news

Photo: Jani Ugrin/RTV Slovenija

36 Comments
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Krys Ka
Krys Ka
6 years ago

I have ‘Ne zapusti me zdaj’ stuck in my head. Should I be worried?

frenchbaguette
frenchbaguette
6 years ago

VESNA BY INDIGO BY FAAAAR ! hope it will win !

Eve
Eve
6 years ago

Still rooting for ”Vesna”, but I think she has no chance 😛

James
James
6 years ago

An Anglicized song is automatically a non-favorite. Such a shame that BQL decided to go all English with their entry.

Purple Mask
Purple Mask
6 years ago
Reply to  James

James: Can you please explain why or how this is the case?

Joe
Joe
6 years ago

Why is nobody talking about Hvala me!? It’s the clear winner for me

EscAU
EscAU
6 years ago

my girl raiven coming back to host 🙂 let’s hope SLO doesn’t pull an omar again :S

Isa
Isa
6 years ago

BQL’s song is bland.

Eshan
Eshan
6 years ago

Lara should win 🙂

AngieP
AngieP
6 years ago

About BQL: I’m not sure if the now it’s better than before. On the one hand, Pitca was more interesting being in Slovenian and I feel now it loses its interest. However, you make it more accessible this way. Personally, I like the Slovenian version more.

AngieP
AngieP
6 years ago
Reply to  AngieP

Instead, I think “Glow” sounds better now than in the first version.

GayLand***
GayLand***
6 years ago

Bad NF. Loved Heart of gold. Still Promise is the only reasonable choice if Slovenia wants to qualify. I love Lea’s performance and I can’t say that Lara’s song is bad but if Slovenia wants to get even close to the ESC final, it’s BQL with english version.

West
West
6 years ago

My new top 3:
1. Indigo
2. Proper
3. Lara Kadis

But will I be watching? Hvala, ne.

MrCansas
MrCansas
6 years ago

Promise sounds much much more promising than Ptica. It’s the safest choice for Slovenia among the finalists although my fav is still Nika Zorjan!!!!!!!!!!

Kris
Kris
6 years ago

I have seen many people say they like Zdaj sem tu but are getting turned off by that dress! Lara needs to say no, thanks to the dress and deliver on the promise that zdaj sem tu has and let the song glow on the stage.

beccaboo1212
6 years ago

Good luck to everyone at this year’s EMA final. 🙂

Ari
Ari
6 years ago

Could the moderator here explain to me why exactly my comment got deleted? I even changed the two words that I assumed might have caused the (in my opinion still completely unjustified) and my comment got deleted yet again. I take unacceptable language very seriously and don’t like to waste my time, so I DO take offense.

Kris
Kris
6 years ago
Reply to  Ari

I think they are pissed that Ari Ari got dumped in Armenia. Your name isn’t helping with the coping process.

Purple Mask
Purple Mask
6 years ago
Reply to  Kris

HAHA, funny!

Ari
Ari
6 years ago
Reply to  Ari

Thank you, Robyn. You’re such a sweetheart. 🙂

I know, my name is very unfortunate at this year’s Eurovision season. I was thinking more about the insufferable song the Icelandic Ari is singing, though. Let’s hope he does not win, as I want to be the first Ari to make it to Eurovision. No shade on the name itself though, it’s a great name. 😛

Polyna
Polyna
6 years ago
Reply to  Ari

> Normally when a comment gets held for moderation, it’s just due to profanity.

It’s nice that the comments have to obey Eurovision rules. I guess that’s also the reason why comments containing nothing but quotes are also censored, as all comments must be original and not be published before 1 September.

Isa
Isa
6 years ago
Reply to  Polyna

Thank you for making me laugh! 🙂

ImpressiveInstants
6 years ago

Slovenia should resign this year. There’s nothing interesting in this preselection.

Héctor
Héctor
6 years ago

BQL’s “Heart of Gold” was better than this year’s attempt, but “Promise” is still the best from this bunch.

Christian
Christian
6 years ago

It’s a good thing for BQL to sing in English I think but I have to say that I don’t like how they are overrated of the fans just because they didn’t win last year.

beccaboo1212
6 years ago
Reply to  Christian

BQL wanted to make “Promise” understandable for people who don’t know the Slovene language.

Jordan
Jordan
6 years ago

I really want BQL to win! Promise isn’t as good as Heart of Gold but it’s certainly the best of this bunch. I definitely think they could make the final if they went to Eurovision

Ari
Ari
6 years ago

Based on the snippets, I feel even worse about BQL’s song now. “Promise” does not sound promising at all. The Slovenian version sounded much more melodic to me and still was disappointing enough. Honestly, I think that the juries would actually do them a favor this time if the were to prevent them from winning again. This way, the might be able to do some thinking and come back with a good song. Having said that, I feel like RTVSLO does not want to win at all. Participate, yes, but heaven forbid that they won and would have to host… Read more »

Alison
Alison
6 years ago
Reply to  Ari

I think they’re a country for whom making the final is the key goal and placing high if they do but i agree they are prob less concerned about winning than some countries because they’ve never come close.

Polegend Godgarina
Polegend Godgarina
6 years ago

Good, only two of them switched to English–neither song which went for it sounds better than the original version, anyway.

Ari
Ari
6 years ago

My overall winner will probably remain to be Indigo.

Alison
Alison
6 years ago

I think being in English definitely lifts BQL’s song but there are still superior entries imo. I’m pleasantly surprised at how well Ina’s transition to English has worked – from this snippet anyway. The beautiful part where she sang nebo in the Slovene version still really works using the word glow. Glad that Lara is keeping hers in Slovene, for some reason I had a gut feeling that her pronunciation wouldn’t have have been that great in English – read that some Slovenians were struggling to understand her at times in Slovene! Really looking forward to the final. I hope… Read more »

Polyna
Polyna
6 years ago

> BQL have chosen to sing in English

And they’ll win because “OMG dey wuz robbed last year!!!”.

So Slovenija joins my list of countries that gave us false hope of sending song in a native language, along with Latvia and Romania.

Alison
Alison
6 years ago
Reply to  Polyna

Im really worried that that is what’s going to happen which is so stupid! Maybe the juries will drag them down again – for the better this time!

Polyna
Polyna
6 years ago
Reply to  Alison

Ah, OK, I forgot that there will still be jury this year. So I guess Slovenia will send again some terrible performer that for some reason is also a close acquaintance of the members of the jury…

Erasmus
Erasmus
6 years ago

I love BQL’s and Lara’s song they would both be in my top 3, if they would be picked right now. Lara needs to change that horrible dress, but I’m glad BQL changed the language, it’s way more catchy now, and I think that was missing in the song before. Can’t wait to see Amaya and Raiven perform!