Slovenia: Omar Naber qualifies for EMA final

Omar Naber has qualified for the final of EMA in Slovenia. With his song “On my way” he finished in the top 4 during tonight’s semi final. The show took place in Ljubljana Exhibition, Slovenia. 

Two qualifiers were picked by televoters and two by juries. Together, they came to the following conclusion:

  • Omar Naber “On My Way”
  • Sell Out “Ni panike”
  • Nika Zorjan “Fse”
  • King Foo “Wild Ride”

Liveblog

You can watch the show live at 20:00 CET  by clicking on THIS link and/ or follow our live commentary with latest updates appearing on top. UPDATE: The show is now over. Below you can read back our liveblog of the show, with live commentary by Ani Shahoyan.

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21:50 End of the live-blog

Thank you for following the show together with us. Tomorrow the second half of Slovenian finalists will be revealed, followed by the final in a week. Stay tuned to ESC Daily for all the  upcoming news  and live-blogs tomorrow.

21:48 Qualifiers to sing at final are:

Omar Naber “On My Way”

Sell Out “Ni panike”

Nika Zorjan “Fse”

King Foo “Wild Ride”

21:36 ManuElla returns to EMA

ManuElla returns but this time as a guest to fill an interval act. She performs her Eurovision entry  “Blue and red” with which she represented Slovenia last year in Stockholm. Tonight she wears black shorts and a white shirt (however, could be blue and red).  ManuElla did not make to final last year placing 14th the semifinal.

21:27 Interval act

Eva Boto who represented Slovenia in 2012 is a special guest to fill the interval act. In Eurovision Eva did not reach final finishing 17th in the semifinal. Right after her song we follow the second recap.

21:21 Voting rules

Mario Galunich takes the stage to explain the voting rules right after which we follow the first recap.

21:10 Omar Naber “On My Way” 

The last to sing is Omar the Eurovision star who represented Slovenia in 2005 in Kiev. However he did not succeed last time to qualify for the final and battles tonight to give it a try one more time and again in Kiev. Omar brings his ballad “On My Way” the author of which is Omar himself. He starts singing with black and white screen, however, later on screen becomes colorful again. Omar is alone on stage and demonstrates good vocals. Seems can have good results.

21:02 Alya “Halo”

Alya has taken part in EMA for six times finishing third in 2004. Her last attempt was in 2015. She has already released three albums in Slovenia and booked some big hits in the past. This year Alya is on EMA stage for the seventh time. Her ethnopop song “Halo” is very similar to Slovakia 2010 (Kristina). Her staging depends on her gold dress and she is having lots of camera shots from all the corners.

20:55 Zala Đurić Ribič “Lalalatino”

Zala Đurić Ribič brings Latino mood with her song “Lalalatino”. She has two cha-cha-cha dancers in her back as well as three backing vocalists. Zala herself comes in a gold coat which she removes from the half to demonstrate better her cha-cha moves, staying in a white outfit which seems just like Iveta Mukuchyan’s Eurovision outfit only sleeveless and without cape.

20:50 Green Room

The host is speaking to participants from the green room and even makes Tosca Beat demonstrate their vocal strengths.

20:44 Sell Out “Ni panike”

Sell Out brings very cheerful ska song. Saxophone is prevailing in the music. The five-member band brings lots of positive energy on stage while delivering their song “Ni panike”. Reminds the close listener of Athena (Turkey 2004).

20:40  Lea Sirk “Freedom”

Lea Sirk brings another sing about freedom. “Freedom” is electronic pop which she delivers along with three interpretive dancers. Her dancers tell a lot in her staging – they are the main point of it. Sometimes they “disappear” behind the singer and then spread out over the stage again. Dancers are dressed in black leotards and red with a mask of double faces.

20:35 Tosca Beat “Free World”

Tosca Beat comes with very original song “Free World”. The three leading singers are singing in opera voices singing on a marching rhythm. The song title itself tells everything about the song. Behind the lead singers there is a violin player as well as a man playing cello. Behind all the DJ in white is telling revolutionary things through speaker. Moreover, at the end she opens her anger wings probably as a symbol of victory and peace.

20:30 Interval act

A short interval act takes over the EMA stage with folk music. After which hosts introduce the third song of tonight.

20:20 Nika Zorjan “Fse”

Nika is not first time standing on EMA stage. This time she comes with her song “Fse”. It’s a pop song with some oriental influences. From the middle of the song there are also much electronic sounds. Nika is in black and the main visual focus is on her purple hair and gold belt.

20:15 KiNG FOO “Wild Ride”

KiNG FOO is the first to take EMA stage tonight. The song “Wild Ride”  is a pop song with lots of rock influences. Staging – behind the lead singer there are two electro-guitarists and one drummer. Lead singer is female while the other band members are male. Everyone is dressed in black .

20:08 The procedure for tonight

The finalists will be chosen as a result of two-round voting process: In the first round, public voting will determine the first two qualifying acts. Afterwards, in the second round, jury will chose another two artists from the remaining six entrants.

Tonight’s show will feature some familiar faces who have previously participated in EMA. Moreover, among the participants there is Eurovision artist Omar Naber competing,  who represented Slovenia with his song “Stop” in the 2005 Eurovision Song Contest in Kiev. Omar did not qualify for Grand Final in Kiev 2005, however tonight he has another chance to battle for another Kiev experience.

20: 00 The line-up for tonight’s show is as follows:

  1. KiNG FOO “Wild Ride”
  2. Nika Zorjan “Fse”
  3. Tosca Beat “Free World”
  4. Lea Sirk “Freedom”
  5. Sell Out “Ni panike”
  6. Zala Đurić Ribič “Lalalatino”
  7. Alya “Halo”
  8. Omar Naber “On My Way”