Source: RTVSLO
The final of EMA Freš 2022 will go to air on RTVSLO (the national broadcaster of Slovenia) on Friday January 28 2022.
EMA Freš is the first stage in Slovenia’s national final process, where 24 fresh young artists compete for a slot in EMA 2022 – the national final itself.
Throughout December, a series of four online semi-finals were held (including a second chance round) to whittle the competition down to 14 finalists. At this stage, contestants were required to present a one-minute clip of them singing their song live from home – with the video and audio quality understandably varying wildly between songs!
The full list of songs which have made it to the final round of EMA Freš 2022 are:
Anja Vodošek - ‘Maniac’
De Liri - ‘Obstajam’
Emma - ‘Moja sreča’
Ina - ‘Moj dopamine’
Jaka Hliš - ‘Svoje sreče krojač’
Jon Vitezič – ‘Jesus Style’
Katja Kos – ‘Deadly Flower’
Leya Leanne - ‘Naked’
LPS - ‘Disko’
LUMA - ‘All In’
Marijan Novak & Špela Velikanje – ‘I Am So in Love’
Mia Vučković - ‘Telenovela’
Nika S. - ‘Počakaj me’
Stela Sofia – ‘Tu in zdaj’
Initially, it was announced by RTVSLO that successful contestants would progress to two televised finals, with as many as four songs ultimately winning a ticket to EMA in February. It now appears that this has been condensed to a single final on 28 January.
Some of the most notable acts through to the televised round include:
Anja Vodošek - ‘Maniac’ (watch the clip here)
Anja is best-known in Slovenia after competing in 'Slovenia’s Got Talent 2021', where she reached the semi-finals. She is currently a student at Ljubljana’s Academy of Music majoring in piano, and has achieved success in music competitions in Slovenia, North Macedonia, Malta and beyond.
De Liri - ‘Obstajam’ (watch the clip here)
De Liri is a duo consisting of childhood friends Zala Kores and Julija Bratec Veleski, who teamed up three years ago to begin producing their own music. Julija is a talented harpist, who shows off her performance abilities in this beautiful, restrained ballad. Hopefully the harp will make it on TV for the final!
Ina – ‘Moj dopamine’ (watch the clip here)
Ina is a talented vocalist with a passion for pop music, rock music and poetry, which she aims to incorporate into her work. She has recently succeeded in vocal competitions, having won second place in 'Slovenska nota 2021' and finished in third place in 'Malta Golden Voices 2021'. The composers of Ina’s song also wrote one of the winning songs for EMA Freš 2020, 'Še kar lovim tvoj nasmeh' performed by Saska.
Jon Vitezič – ‘Jesus Style’ (watch the clip here)
At just 18 years old, Jon is already a consummate professional, having written 30 songs in Slovene and English, produced an album and several singles, and having signed a record deal with Slovenian label Nika Records. He is known for using a looper pedal in his live performances, although we unfortunately don’t get to see that in this track. EMA Freš 2022 is the start of a big year for Jon, who is planning to release a number of new songs throughout the year.
Leya Leanne – ‘Naked’ (watch the clip here)
'Naked' is the first song from Leya, an up-and-coming singer-songwriter. Leya wrote her first song in 2016, and has gradually been releasing music (including several collaborations with other Slovenian artists) since then. Her first EP is expected to be released in 2022.
LPS - ‘Disko’ (watch the clip here)
LPS (or 'Last Pizza Slice') is a band consisting of Filip Vidušin (vocals), Gašper Hlupič (drums), Mark Semeja (electric guitar), Zala Velenšek (bass guitar, tenor and alt saxophone) and Žiga Žvižej (electronic keyboards), who formed the band at school. They have had considerable success in local student competitions, having reached the final of Ljubljana Competition Špil liga and the top three of Žali stage. Their music is a fun and colourful mix of soul-pop, funk, blues, rock and jazz.
LUMA – ‘All In’ (watch the clip here)
LUMA is a new project formed by friends Lucija Harum and Martin Vogrin. These two explore a broad range of different sounds, ranging from classic sax and guitar through to lo-fi and synth-heavy beats. In their lyrics, the group seeks to explore deep emotion and interpersonal relationships, which is helped by Martin’s studies in psychology. Lucija’s soft vocals provide an unusual and eclectic cherry on the top of this mellow alternative song.
The final of EMA Freš 2022 will be broadcast on 28 January 2022, with both the jury and the public vote selecting a winner. EMA 2022 will follow hot on its heels in February, where Ana Soklič’s successor at Eurovision 2022 will finally be revealed.