Features🇸🇮 Slovenia

🇸🇮 Xtra Insider 2020: We Review Slovenia!

Welcome to Xtra Insider, our new series which will give you an insight into how well each country was statistically likely to do this year, as well as what the team at ESCXTRA think of your favourite entries into (what would have been) this year’s contest! Today, we analyse and review Slovenia.

Yes, this year’s contest has been cancelled…but that doesn’t mean we can’t love the songs! In this series, we’ll review each and every entry that would have taken part in this year’s Eurovision. On top of this, we’re introducing a new analysis section in which we take a look into each country’s history and how likely they would have been to do well this year. Our honest and brutal reviews and analysis will keep you entertained throughout what would’ve been the Eurovision season! We will also each give points using the usual Eurovision points system (12, 10, then 8 down to 1), and create an ESCXTRA leaderboard of the entries!

Today, we’ll be giving analysis and reviews of the Slovenian entry, ‘Voda’ by Ana Soklič, from Luke, Matt, Rigmo, Rodrigo, Sean and Tom O. Let’s get started!

Slovenia’s history at Eurovision

Out of 25 appearances in the contest, Slovenia has qualified to the final 15 times. However, they have never won the contest and their best result came over 20 years ago. Over the recent years, Slovenia has qualified to the final few times. Last year Slovenia’s representatives Zala Kralj & Gašper Šantl also qualified to the final and did well by placing 15th. Slovenia hasn’t reached the top ten since 2001 and they also finished last in the semifinals in 2013.

This year’s entry

This year the Slovenian public chose Ana Soklič to represent the country in Rotterdam. At the national selection EMA 2020, their Junior Eurovision 2015 star Lina Kuduzović finished second with less than 700 votes behind. The winning song is written by Ana herself together with Bojan Simončič. Like the past two Slovenian entries, the song was supposed to be sung in Slovenian.

How does this kind of song tend to do in the contest?

There usually are some Balkan ballads that do well in the contest, but of course few are always left to the semifinals. In fact, Slovenia has never qualified to the final with this kind of traditional Balkan ballad. Ana’s strong vocals would probably have impressed the juries, but it’s unlikely that the countries outside the Balkan region would have awarded the song high points. The first semifinal, in which Slovenia was set to compete, had Balkan countries North Macedonia and Croatia voting. Croatia usually awards Slovenia some televote points, but with so many big favourites in the first semifinal, it’s easy to predict that Slovenia didn’t have a chance to qualify to the final.

The Reviews

Luke

I’ve heard this about 3 or 4 times now and can’t remember it. I’ll need to listen again, give me a second. Nope, still can’t remember it. This will be a problem for Slovenia.

Matt

This begins so well with its atmospheric piano and synths but is let down by a melody that I would describe as ‘meandering’. Ana is selling it as much as she can though. It’s just that type of song that you feel you’ve heard a thousand times before

Rigmo

Can someone please get this lady a glass of water already? Not since Rona have I seen someone this thirsty on stage. The song itself is like the dripping water sound effect in the background – irritating at first, but easy to ignore after a while.

Rodrigo

I genuinely struggle to remember the song and had to go back for another listen to do this review. Which probably says all you need to know (if anything!) about this song. Just no.

Sean

Slovenia is one of just two countries that had a good revamp this season [the other of which being Armenia (no, the Romanian revamp was not good)]. Too bad that it wasn’t released until after the cancellation of ESC this year because it never seemed to get its time in the spotlight. Even so, the original version was stilla good listen. And boy, can Ana sing.

Tom O

One of those songs you have to play again before reviewing. Ana sings strong but without translation there’s little to hang on music wise. Slovenia brought us some great songs in the last decade but I’m not feeling anything from this one. Sorry to say no love for Slovenia from me this year.

Scores

Costa5Nick1Tim4
Dominik5Riccardo1Tom O5
Isaac1Rigmo4Tom R1
Lisa2Rodrigo1Vincent8
Luke1Sami1Wiv1
Matt3Sean7
Nathan P1Simon1

Therefore, Slovenia receives 53 points in total!

Leaderboard

Unfortunately, Slovenia becomes our new last place with a score of 53.

  1. Bulgaria – 163
  2. Russia – 156
  3. Israel – 148
  4. Serbia – 139
  5. Ukraine – 135
  6. Romania – 121
  7. Australia – 117
  8. Austria – 111
  9. Belgium – 109
  10. Czech Republic – 104
  11. Cyprus – 97
  12. San Marino – 97
  13. Albania – 97
  14. Moldova – 82
  15. Poland – 76
  16. Georgia – 72
  17. Slovenia – 53

Tomorrow, it will be the turn of Norway to be reviewed. For now, take another listen to Slovenia’s entry below!

Do you agree with our reviews of Slovenia? What are your thoughts on Voda?

Let us know in the comments below and on social media @ESCXTRA

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