With Slovenia’s entry for the 2017 Eurovision Song Contest being determined last Friday evening, the country’s national broadcaster RTVSLO has released the voting figures of the 3 EMA 2017 shows.

Last Friday saw Omar Naber winning the country’s national selection for the Eurovision Song Contest, EMA 2017, making it the singer’s second Eurovision participation for the nation having previously competed in 2005.

The winner of the selection was determined via a combined 50% jury vote and 50% televote; Naber initially won the jury vote of the selection and his win was later finalised after finishing second place in the televote, therefore earning the highest combined total.

EMA 2017 televoting numbers

Although winning the EMA 2017 final, Naber was not the first choice of the public as fan-favourite BQL receiving the highest number of votes from the public, but was the band’s televote win substantial?

Semi-final breakdown

In the semi-final stage of the competition, the 8 finalists were determined via a combined 50% televote and 50% jury vote; the top 2 of the televote in each semi-final qualified directly to the final, whilst the remaining 2 qualifiers were selected by the jury panel.

Semi-final 1 (Votes)

1. Omar Naber (2,506)
2. Sell Out (1,828)
3. Tosca Beat (1,270)
4. Nika Zorjan (1,185)
5. Lea Sirk (879)
6. Alya (864)
7. Zala (412)
8. KiNG FOO (407)

The first semi-final saw Naber together with ska band Sell Out winning the televoting stage of the competition, with operatic group Tosca Beat and Nika Zorjan placing in 3rd and 4th respectively.

However with Naber and Sell Out qualifying to the final, it was down to the jury to select a further 2 acts to compete in the final of EMA 2017.

Agreeing with the public initially, the jury decided to select Zorjan as one of their qualifiers of the selection. However in a surprising move, the jury also selected KiNG FOO as their qualifier of the evening, despite finishing last in the public vote.

KiNG FOO, the surprise qualifiers of the evening.

Semi-final 2 (Votes)

1. BQL (3,486)
2. Nuška Drašček (1,687)
3. Raiven (1,467)
4. Tim Kores (899)
5. Ina Shai (788)
6. Kataya & Duncan Kamakana (724)
7. United Pandaz & Arsello feat. Alex Volasko (370)
8. Clemens (253)

Winning the second semi-final televote were BQL together with Nuška Drašček who went on to become the first 2 qualifiers of the semi-final.

Raiven and Tim Kores placed in the 3rd and 4th positions of the semi-final televote in which the jury agreed, making them the final 2 finalists of EMA 2017.

Semi-final 2 televote winners BQL.

Final breakdown (Votes / Points)

1. BQL (13,134 / 72 points)
2. Omar Naber (5,165 / 60 points)
3. Raiven (3,292 / 48 points)
4. Nika Zorjan (2,419 / 36 points)
5. Sell Out (2,335 / 24 points)
6. Nuška Drašček (2,032 / 12 points)
7. Tim Kores (1,543 / 0 points)
8. KiNG FOO (918 / 0 points)

With Naber winning the jury vote of the final after receiving 64 points, it was down to the combination of the televoting results to determine the country’s representative.

Naber received over 5,000 votes in the final of the competition, placing the returning artist second in the public televote. However fan favourite BQL, who won the televote of the final, received nearly 8,000 more votes than the second-placed artist, making them the runaway winners of the final televote.

KiNG FOO, who finished in last position in the semi-final televote, once again placed at the bottom of the scoreboard having received less than 1,000 votes.

Despite such a big gap in the televoting results, the jury had already placed BQL 4th in their final vote in which the band received 42 points. Combined with the televoting points, it was not enough to take the group to the top of the scoreboard and therefore Naber was crowned the winner.

EMA 2017 winner and Slovenia’s Eurovision 2017 representative Omar Naber.

Naber will now compete in the second half of the first semi-final on the 9 May in the hope of taking Slovenia to the final of the Eurovision Song Contest on the 13 May with his entry On my way.