Hvala, ne! / Lea Sirk / Slovenia | Review

Will Lea Sirk thank Europe in May?

Slovenia is one of those countries that you find yourself wanting to have better luck at Eurovision. Since the launch of the semi-finals fourteen years ago, their run of entries has performed pretty badly – with only four qualifications in fourteen efforts. 

They keep coming back though, and regardless of their miserable showing, plenty of their songs are popular with the Eurovision fraternity. Consequently, many feel their entries have been thoroughly deserving of a berth in the Grand Final, but a scarcity of friendly allies has relegated the country to also-rans.

Endeavouring to emulate or better the achievement of Maraaya's 2015 fourteenth place is Lea Sirk, a local singer and songwriter who has taken part in Slovenia's Evrovizijska Melodija finals on three previous occasions. Her entry for this year, Hvala, ne! is a dance RandB/pop number that, for the time being at least, is performed in the local language – making it one of several songs dispensing with the need to present its entry in English this year.

Although this may be a refreshing stab at linguistic variation, the track is neither overly original nor immensely catchy - save the repeated electronic effects within the short chorus. For that reason, while Hvala, ne! continues Slovenia's custom of presenting agreeably accomplished songs, it could struggle to impress many voters.

If Lea’s staging is exceptionally produced and she performs with conviction, her entry may stand out for the right reasons. However, with only Montenegro and Serbia close at hand to extend local goodwill and a record of voter neglect, the odds seem dismal for Slovenia.

SLOVENIA 

Artist: Lea Sirk

Song: Hvala, ne! 

Semi-Final 2 | Second Half