The latest national final slate we have reviewed is Slovenia, as we get ready for EMA 2025, their competition for Eurovision.
Slovenia is one of the countries which has yet to win the Eurovision Song Contest, unless you count Yugoslavia’s in 1989 as one for all of the constituent countries (I do not). They have tried various genres, and even managed to get a song on the Euro Yard’s Top 100 list, but still no victories. Is that due to change in 2025?
Below is the list of EMA 2025 songs, and soon enough, our review.
So, When Is EMA 2025?
This national selection takes place on Saturday, 1 February, an otherwise busy day in Eurovision finals. A full listing of those selections can be found here.
It will take place on one night only, and will be structured final going from 12 to two, picked by the jury, and then a super-final based entirely on the public vote.
What Happened in Slovenia Last Year?
In 2024, Slovenia made an internal selection of Raiven. Her song “Veronika” qualified for the grand final, but finished 23rd.
EMA 2025 Entries
| Song | Performer(s) |
|---|---|
| “Čau” | Anna |
| “Divja” | Zven |
| “Frederick’s Dead” | Rai |
| “Grace” | Trine |
| “How Much Time Do We Have Left” | Klemen |
| “Kind” | Polarace |
| “New Religion” | July Jones |
| “Niti” | Eva Pavli |
| “O-Ou!” | Kiki |
| “Pusti Da Gori” | Žan Videc |
| “Touché” | Astrid & The Scandals |
| “Vse Ti Dam” | Jon Vitezič |
EMA 2025 Review and Rankings
Before we begin, as always: We’re being as respectful as possible in our review and not making it personal, so please do the same out there in internet land.
In general, and it pains me to say this, I do not think this was a great selection. Some songs stand out a little more than others, but I think it will be a struggle for Slovenia to qualify in 2025. Please note that if you disagree with the below rankings, I am not insulted, because I am not married to these, nor do I have any strong feelings.
12. “Kind” (Polarace)
It’s a sweet message, but very, very cheesy. Like, really cheesy.
11. “Touché” (Astrid & The Scandals)
The lyrics of this song were a wild ride. In fact, so was the whole song. Slovenia had a few songs in here that one might term as “strange,” and that was probably not an accident.
10. “Niti” (Eva Pavli)
This one was kind of slow and I am not sure the very high notes helped. Sometimes it does, and sometimes it does not.
9. “O-Ou!” (KiKi)
Another “strange” song, and I know there are people out there who liked it. On the other hand, it was another wild ride that I wasn’t sure where I was going, and I am not sure where I ended up when it was over.
8. “Divja” (Zven)
I have heard “witchy” applied to this song. It was not a terrible composition, but I feel like this particular niche is an acquired taste. When Bambie Thug did “witchy,” it was an over-the-top and in-your-face production that you could not miss. This is much more meek.
7. “Vse Ti Dam” (Jon Vitezič)
It’s not dull but I think it could do more to stand out. Vocally, it could have been better.
6. “Grace” (Trine)
She sang fine but the song itself is not particularly memorable.
5. “New Religion” (July Jones)
This is another one I’ve read people rave about on the internet, and it was decent. I think July could have taken this a lot further as the song had some basic potential, but never hit a second gear.
4. “How Much Time Do We Have Left” (Klemen)
This is the tear-jerker song in the lineup that will probably do well. The subject matter is heavy and the tempo is slow, but in terms of the rest of the presentation, he sang fine.
3. “Pusti Da Gori” (Žan Videc)
It stood out because of the vocals, but this was way too slow for its own good. A legitimate banger might have cleaned up at EMA this year because there are none of them. This started down a rock road but the music felt tentative.
2. “Čau” (Anna)
I kept thinking “this is the Slovenian SloMo” while I listened to it, but probably a little too sedate. The staging had better live up to the former, or else it will just be another somewhat catchy song that doesn’t go anywhere.
1. “Frederick’s Dead” (Rai)
Another strange and ridiculous song that knows exactly what it is doing, though it’s more along the lines of a “joke” entry. I got a few cheap laughs, and at the end of the day, isn’t that what it’s really all about? This is the most “Eurovision-y” song in the lineup, and even at that, without a really compelling performance in Basel, this could turn out like a “Leto svet” (Estonia 2008).
