She’s the shining Slovenian soprano who enchanted audiences at Eurovision 2007. And now, 13 years after “Cvet Z Juga”, Alenka Gotar is keen to make a song contest comeback. But a spanner was thrown in the works in 2020.
Speaking on the Schlagervännerna: Eurovision Legends podcast, Alenka suggests that a fellow local star is to blame — Raiven.
Alenka Gotar on her failed EMA 2020 bid
Alenka excitedly introduces her failed submission — “Love Can Win”, a duet with Anže Šuštar. “It’s in the style of big “Barcelona” [the iconic Freddie Mercury and Montserrat Caballé 1987 number]”. She goes on to say that it’s become a big hit locally, explaining that her motivation was “to spread love, break all the barriers, dare to love, dare to dream”.
“Everybody must love like he wants or she wants”, Alenka stresses. “Be what you are”.
However, despite her best efforts, Alenka wasn’t able to take this to the national final stage in Slovenia.
“Love Can Win” was among the 74 entries sent into the EMA 2020 process. These were then whittled down by an expert jury consisting of Raiven, Mojca Menart and Jernej Vene.
The duet didn’t make the cut and Alenka points the finger at three-time EMA star Raiven. “I wanted this year but I was not chosen”, says Gotar. “Raiven didn’t allow us, she was in the jury. I wanted to go back because I love it”.
Alas, Alenka doesn’t elaborate any further on her theory. “I don’t know why”, she concedes.
We don’t learn why she thinks that, out of the three-person panel, Raiven was the one responsible for blocking her EMA comeback. Whether this is mere speculation on the soprano’s part or inside knowledge, we don’t find out.
Alenka Gotar after Eurovision
Alenka is one of Slovenia’s most iconic Eurovision representatives. Her crossover classical number “Cvet Z Juga” finished 15th in 2007. Gotar’s right hand memorably emitted a bright light during the performance.
Since then, she’s gone on to become a somewhat divisive figure. Her marriage to a much younger man caused somewhat of a scandal in 2015.
In 2018, she unsuccessfully ran as a candidate for the Slovenian Democratic Party (SDS). The right-wing populist party holds some controversial policies, most notably its anti-immigration stance.
The party is currently the main party in Slovenia’s current coalition government, meaning its leader is the prime minister. Alenka proudly reveals that her party colleague is a fan of “Love Can Win”.
“Even the prime minister, he tweeted our song… this would win, even the Eurosong”.
Find the full Eurovision Legends podcast online, on Spotify and on Facebook.
What do you think of “Love Can Win”? Would it have been a good addition to EMA 2020? Could it have beaten “Voda”? Let us know in the comments.
well… i love the good sis alenka but it’s for her good that song didn’t make the cut. it sounds omar naber levels of cheesy and trite.
This is the kind of cheesy opera-cross-over-song that are always borderline qualifiers. I like them, but winning? Hardly!
“Everybody must love like he wants or she wants…Be what you are”. – said the anti-LGBT anti-migrant person
since when is anti-migrant also anti-LGBT? SDS is a right wing party, that is true, but that doesn’t mean that she is anti- LGBT. + wanting a regulated migrant policy doesn’t make you anti-migrant. 🙂
Plus, she wants everyone to be who they are. So if that’s who she is, why shouldn’t it count for her, too? 😉
Anyone getting Aly Ryan vibes? No… just me?
also just btw, if any of y’all are French and want to enter into the 2021 selection submissions are now open and will be until 30 September 🙂
Cheesy, extremely classy (to the point of sound dated) and boring. If Raiven ranked this low I can understand why. I hate when artists are unable to see that their song sucks.
Honestly, this sounds like a song Will Ferrell will put in his Eurovision Song Contest movie, and not for the good reasons.
They sing well, but the song is so cheesy! Slovenia would be right there with Estonia and France in terms of Wiwibloggs receptions had they picked this. However, this is hardly the worst one in the EMA selection, so the question is why wasn’t it picked. I really loved Alenka’s 2007 song.
Since the hilarious podcast mentions it: Special shout-out to ‘Mandoline’, which could have become Slovenia’s first ever top five song. Hope the Slovenian juries are proud of themselves.
This podcast is so good. Listen to it, people!
Paul Oscar, Edyta Gorniak, Izhar Cohen, Keiino, Petra Frey, Charlotte Perrelli, Amina, Fazla…an hour of Ralph Siegel…what more could you ask for? Latest episode : CatCat!
I recommend Páll Óskar and Fazla. Two of the most iconic participants who left more significant marks than many winners.
A little correction to the article: she finished 7th only in the semi final. In the final, she was like 15th, I think. She SHOULD have been in the top five, obviously.
Well… This is not good at all. So it would have fit right in EMA 2020. I’m also surprised it didn’t make the cut because Alenka is a known name, a Eurovision participant and would have at least been more interesting than most other participants. She’s not all sunshine and roses, either, though. In this article, it reads like she loves Eurovision. Must be a recent development because when I met her in Ljubljana, she detested it. I like her candid personality, though. I also don’t mind her political ambitions which some find unforgivable. What I do mind is the… Read more »
Imo the song is not good, they can’t even harmonize in studio version imagine live. Also the lyrics are so generic and not in a good way but like in a super tacky way. Idk if it was Raiven who eliminated them but, if she was, good for her.
is it just me or does raiven seem kind of rude. like her expression when sebi won and not kaos was honestly terrifying
She honestly isn’t – telling it as a Slovene. Zalagasper are actually friends with her,it was just that everyone (tbh including Raiven) lowkey expected “Kaos” to win. She is super nice actually, hope she represents us some day.
and also Alenka’s song is horrible… 🙁 She is quite out of touch with today’s music..
ok cool. I mean I expected sebi to win the whole time but I get it.
Probably the same as a lot of people’s expressions when they saw Sebi being performed by that gruesome twosome
Jofty, you don’t have to be so unpleasant all the time. Smile a little. Have a laugh once in a while. You sound like you need it
the best part is that Alenka Gotar was a mentor to Raiven in her youth
I’m very sad, but this song is horrible