From 127 entries, broadcaster RTV SLO has picked the 16 acts that will complete in Slovenia’s national final EMA 2022. Among the names are returning acts and new faces. As well, two-time runners up BQL will make their third attempt at representing Slovenia at Eurovision.
The 16 finalists were selected by an expert jury. They will be joined by the four qualifiers from EMA FREŠ, the competition for newcomers.
One of the biggest names on the EMA 2022 list is the brotherly duo BQL (pronounced “be cool”), made up of Anej and Rok Piletič. The popular pair previously placed second at EMA 2017 with “Heart of Gold”. They returned the following year and again placed second, this time with their song “Promise”.
In both years, BQL won the televote, showing the huge local support for the brothers in Slovenia. This time BQL will sing “Maj”, cowritten with Slovenia’s Eurovision 2015 act Maraaya.
Another returning artist is Klara Jazbec who previously competed at EMA 2020. Then, Klara finished seventh-equal with her “Stop the World”. This time she will sing “Chasing Dreams”, written with her regular songwriting team.
The list also includes the legendary artist Gušti, the Slovene-British singer (and co-writer of Raiven’s “Kaos”) July Jones, Slovenia’s Got Talent finalist Zala Smolnikar, German Idol top-ten act Mia Guček and EMA 2018 act Anabel among others.
EMA 2022 – Competing acts
- Anabel – “Tendency” (Songwriter: Ana Teržan – Anabel)
- Batista Cadillac – “Mim Pravil” (Songwriters: Urban Lutman, Matija Koritnik, Martin Štibernik, Tadej Košir, Benjamin Krnetič)
- Bowrain & Brina – “Čas Je” (Songwriters: Tine Grgurevič, Gregor Kosi)
- BQL – “Maj” (Songwriters: Anej Piletič, Raay, Marjetka Vovk)
- David Amaro – “Še Vedno So Lepa” (Songwriters: Goran Šarac, Rok Lunaček)
- Eva Moškon – “Kliki” (Songwriters: Nermin Puškar, Srečko Meolic)
- Gušti feat. Leyre – “Nova Romantika” (Songwriter: Miha Guštin – Gušti)
- Hauptman – “Sledim” (Songwriters: Žan Hauptman, Vid Turica)
- Jonatan Haller – “Ozborje” (Songwriters: Jonatan Haller, Satja Medvešek, Jernej Drnovšek, Miha Rednak)
- July Jones – “Girls Can Do Anything” (Songwriter: July Jones)
- Klara Jazbec – “Chasing Dreams” (Songwriters: Ed Fisher, Klara Jazbec, Ani Cordero)
- Le Serpentine – “Tud Teb Se Lahk Zgodi” (Songwriter: Žiga Jokić)
- Manouche – “Si Sama?” (Songwriter: Robert Pikl)
- Mia Guček – “Independiente” (Songwriters: Mia Guček, Octavian Rasinariu, Patrick Jamnik)
- Vedran Ljubenko – “H₂O Dieta” (Songwriters: Vedran Ljubenko, Jakov Zadro)
- Zala Smolnikar – “V Ogledalu” (Songwriter: Zala Smolnikar)
The final shows of EMA FREŚ will be held from 20 to 24 December. The dates of EMA 2022 has not yet confirmed, however the semi-finals and grand final are expected to be held some time in February 2022.
What do you think of the EMA 2022 lineup? Who do you think should represent Slovenia in neighbouring Italy? Tell us your thoughts below!
It’s cool to see them coming back. Third time lucky I hope.
Raven is another act that deserves to step on the Eurovision stage someday.
Excited about Anabel, I loved her song in 2018.
I guess this is a decent selection, but not really that full of stars…
BQL are the only obvious headline act here, but the song could be questionable.
There are some foreign singers, which I’m not super keen on.
And there’s stars way past their prime…
I hope their song are good, I really want something to cheer for.
‘The final shows of EMA FRE? will be held from 20 to 24 December’
WRONG 😛
The top 4 of EMA Fres are gonna join these 16 in the semis.
if i cant have raiven- i want july jones!!!
BQL’s recent songs were just bad – check them out on youtube… David Amaro is another singer, who’s just cringy and lowkey not talented.
As a Slovene I’m keeping my eyes on July – she’s amazing and would probably get us a top 10, Klara, Anabel and Hauptman.
Juries won’t go for BQL and will probably place them even lower than usual since we have manyyy jury pleasers this year:)
I’m happy to see BQL is back, but I’m worrying for them. RTV SLO’s selection method varies sometimes. Sometimes they use a jury, sometimes they don’t. Both in 2017 and 2018, when BQL participated, they used a jury. Both in 2017 and 2018 BQL were the public’s winner, but the jury didn’t give them enough votes, so they lost two times. In 2019 and 2020 they didn’t use a jury, the winner was determined by 100% televote. And now in 2022, when BQL is returning, they’re going to use a jury again… I really do hope this doesn’t once again… Read more »
They did use a jury in 2019 and 2020 to select the top 2 acts. In both the years that BQL participated , they weren’t in the Jury Top 2 I think.
Wow, just found out July Jones is signed to the same management as Louis Tomlinson, HURTS etc.
I expect a lot from her, July’s last single Air is so cool 😀
Please BQL. Loved their entries and I hope for a reunion of William and Ray & Marjetka #mygirlMarteyka
Please let BQL have a song like from 2017 and leave it in Slovenian, and please don’t let this be the song they’ve been playing lately because I think I’m going to die. The question is. whether, this time juri will knock them out, will there be any changes and the viewers will support and vote. And when it comes to Dawid Amaro, the boy has potential and mega modern songs, and not so long ago he revealed himself as a person from the lgbt community with the current government in Slovenia, which goes towards Poland, it’s a real challenge.
Neither BQL nor David are good artists tho. Don’t want any of them to win.
ema is lowkey such a good underrated selection, its just they never started reliably picking the best song until 2018 (and voda was questionable but still good overall). never forget the way Raiven’s ?rno bel was robbed in 2016 for a mediocre Taylor Swift reject
kinda like finland, they always have something strong in their selection that most of the time ends up winning the televote but finishing 2nd behind the weak jury winner
I’m really interested in the song of Vedran Ljubenko. He was a finalist in The Voice of Croatia a couple of years ago, and he has such a cool and unique voice.
Wooow this sounds very promising. Bringing back BQL and Klara could elevate the quality of this NF along with July as she is a very out-of-the-box artist.
Fingers crossed!
I can’t wait for the wiwi reaction to EMA 2022, the slovenian videos always make me laugh r t v s l o mygirlmarjetka <3