Slovenia: Ana Soklič to perform "Amen" at Eurovision 2021

Slovenia: Ana Soklič to perform
Saturday, 27 February 2021

  • The Slovenian Eurovision 2021 hopeful, Ana Soklič, will be performing on Rotterdam Ahoy's stage the song "Amen" which was offcially presented tonight during the EMA 2021 show. 

    One more Eurovision 2021 entry determined, as Slovenia presented today during its tradional national final show, EMA 2021 , that internally selected Ana Soklič will sing "Amen" in Rotterdam next May. This evening's show was hosted by Lea Sirk (Slovenia Eurovision 2018) and Nejc Šmit.

    Instead of holding a song selection between three songs, the broadcaster decided with the covid-19 pandemic still on, to internally select the country's Eurovision 2021 entry, marking the first time since 2013 the Eurovision song to be determined without a national final. 

    The show was dedicated to Ana Soklič's preparations for Ema and the Eurovision Song Contest, and therefore commemorated the 60th anniversary of the former state's first appearance at the Eurovision Song Contest( as part of ex Yugoslavia), which was also Slovenian, as the author of the song Neke davne zvezde was the legendary leader of RTV Ljubljana Jože Privšek and of other Slovenian performances at this largest music competition in Europe.

     

    The song selection process

    Ana Soklič presented only one song today, titled "Amen" with which she will represent  Slovenia at this year's Eurovision Song Contest.  Note that this is the second competing song in this year's edition which will have the title 'Amen' , with the Austrian entry performed by Vincent Bueno being the other one.  

    The song was chosen from 191 entries who arrived at the public invitation and at the invitation of the authors by this year's Eurovision representative.

    All submitted songs were evaluated by two expert commissions. In the first round, the members of the commission were two-time Eurovision Song Contest participant, associate professor at the University of Ljubljana, Darja Švajger, author of the 2007 Eurovision Song Contest winner (Prayer) Vladimir Graić and this year's Eurovision representative Ana Soklič. . In the second round, a commission consisting of Darja Švajger, head of ZKP RTV Slovenia Mojca Menart and musician, author of music, lyricist and singer Matevž Šalehar Hamo decided between three songs sung by Ana Soklič.

     

    About 'Amen'

    The peopled behind the song's music are  Ana Soklič herself along with Žiga Pirnat and Bojan Simončič.  Ana Soklič and Žiga Pirnat (who also worked on  the arrangement) were joined by Charlie Mason, the American author of several hits, who co-wrote the lyrics. Mason has collaborated with many internationally acclaimed music stars,among which Miley Cyrus. He is also behind the  2014 Eurovision winning entry Rise Like a Phoenix performed by Conchite Wurst in Kopenhagen. 

     

    A few words for Ana 

    Ana Soklič  was born 10 April 1984) is a Slovenian singer. Ana Soklič started her music career early; as a young person, she studied with Alenka Dernač Bunta, a solo opera teacher, the acclaimed Slovenian musician Darja Švajger (two-time Slovenian representative at the Eurovision Song Contest) and singing coach Nataša Nahtigal.

    In 2018, Ana undertook further vocal training with Dileesa Archer (a professional in soul, gospel, R&B) in the United States. At 18, she set foot on her path as a songwriter as well.

    Ana competed twice at EMA, the Slovenian national selection for the Eurovision Song Contest, and 3 times at the Slovenian Song Festival, where, in 2019, she won 2 jury awards for best interpretation and best song overall. She often performs her songs with symphony orchestras at festivals and on television. In 2014, Ana performed a sold-out solo concert at the Veneto Jazz Festival in Venice, which also hosted names like Keith Jarrett, Cassandra Wilson and Chick Corea. In 2017, she sang in Dubai, Naples and Monaco, and performed with a symphony orchestra at the Lignano Sabbiadoro amphitheatre.

    She has performed with the RTV Slovenia Symphony Orchestra and often sings with smaller ensembles, as well. She covers songs by the great names of jazz, soul and blues. She has been active in the music market since 2013 with six singles on her record "If You" (2004), "Cosmo" (2004), "Oče (Father)" (2007), "Naj Muzika Igra" (2013), "Temni Svet" (2019) plus her two recent ESC entries in 2020 and 2021.

     

    Slovenia in Eurovision

    Slovenia participated at the Eurovision Song Contest in 1993 with 1X Band and hasn’t won yet the competition. The country’s best results in the contest is a 7th placing, achieved  in 1995 (Darja Svajger) and 2001 (Nusa Derenda).

    Slovenia has competed 24 times in the contest since their debut in 1993, and has only missed out the contests of 1994 and 2000 when it had to stay out of the event due to the rules of the competition at that time. In 2018 Slovenia opted to select its Eurovision act and entry via its traditional national selection EMA. Lea Sirk flew to Lisbon with her entry Hvala, ne!, placing 22nd in the Grand Final.

    In 2019 the country was represented in Tel Aviv by the duo, Zala Kralj and Gašper Šantl and their entry “Sebi” which finished in 15th place in the Grand final, marking Slovenia’s fourth semi final qualification the last six years of participation.

    Last year Ana Soklič  won the national final with her entry ‘Voda’, EMA 2020 and earned the right to represent Slovenia at the Eurovision Song Contest in Rotterdam . However the contest was cancelled and Ana never had the chance to perform in Rottedam Ahoy but will have the chance to complete her Eurovision journey this year with her song 'Amen'