The final of EMA 2017 took place in front a sold-out crowd at the Ljubljana Exhibition and Convention Centre and was hosted by Mario Galunič, Tina Gorenjak, Maja Martina Merljak and Tanja Kocman.
The eight finalists qualified from last week's two semi-finals, from which each of the top two-ranked songs by viewer televote and the top two-ranked songs according to the jury went through in the hope of becoming Slovenia's Eurovision entry:
Sell Out (Ni panike); Nuška Drašček (Flower in the Snow); Tim Kores (Open Fire); Nika Zorjan (Fse); KiNG FOO (Wild Ride); Omar Naber (On My Way); BQL (Heart of Gold); and Raiven (Zažarim).
The winner of EMA 2017 was decided by viewer televote and by six regional expert juries, comprised of:
LJUBLJANA: Martin Štibernik, Alenka Godec, Aleš Klinar
MARIBOR: Eva Boto, Bilbi, Primož Štorman
CELJE: ManuElla, Matic Jere, Sanja Mlinar Marin
KRANJ: Manca Izmajlova, Darja Švajger, Tina Marinšek
KOPER: Anika Horvat, Andra F, Steffy
NOVO MESTO: Gašper Rifelj, Tomislav Jovanovič Tokac, Ivo Rimc
The audience was treated to performances from three well-known Eurovision stars: Jamala made an exclusive appearance at EMA 2017 performing the song that won her Eurovision last year in Stockholm – 1944; Toni Cetinski sang his 1994 Eurovision entry Nek' ti bude ljubav sva; and last year's Slovenian representative ManuElla premiered her new single Salvation.
The Eurovision Song Contest 2017
The 62nd Eurovision Song Contest will be held in the Ukrainian capital Kiev on the 9th, 11th and 13th May. Slovenia's entry will be performed in the second half of the first semi-final on 9th May. As in previous years, the organising body of the Contest will determine the running order of performers.
