The tenth entry on the evening of the second semi-final is actually more of a taste of what was to be expected following the opening of Serbia because it seems that most of the Balkan countries kept to the style and touch and one is somewhat sure that they will most likely all turn out to be successful especially those which have been put in different and opposing sides of the draw. The nation in this case though is Slovenia, a nation that is yet to reach a top five placing at the event but ultimately one which has mediocre results throughout the years. This year they will be represented by the young and charismatic Eva Boto with the song Verjamem composed by Vladimir Graić and Hari Mata Hari with the lyrics penned by Igor Pirkovič.

Eva Boto was born on December 1st, 1995. She lives in the small town of Šentjanž pri Dravogradu which lies in the North Eastern part of Slovenia, 120 kilometres from the capital Ljubljana. She is now a second-year student attending the Ravne na Koroškem High School, but she is already thinking about continuing her studies in Graz, Austria, or London where she would like to study soloist singing. She has been singing since a very early age and practices daily in her specially designed music room at her home. At 10 years of age, Eva entered an international singing competition in Austria and won. Later, she performed several times at the FENS Youth Musical Festival, where she won twice.

Eva Boto was only 15, when she applied to audition for the Mission Eurovision contest. The national broadcaster RTVSLO produced this series of programmes, which started on October 2nd, 2011 and ended this February, with only one goal in mind, to choose the singer who would represent Slovenia at the Eurovision Song Contest. Convincing renditions of songs from Mariah Carey, Shaina Twain, Irene Cara, Leona Lewis and Darja Švajger made a huge impression on the members of the jury and audiences alike.

In the end, Eva Boto won a landslide number of votes with the song Verjamem (I Believe), one of the three she sang on the final night of Mission EMA 2012. Eva's favourite singer is Beyonce, but she likes 1980s and 1990s music as well. In her spare time, Eva plays guitar, plays with her dog and cat and, as every teenager loves to hang out with her friends. She's no stranger to computers and make-up, either. Eva enjoys cooking, especially baking. She is very emotional and sometimes shy. Her biggest bad habit is laziness. Eva's best friends and supporters in life and in her music career are her mother, father and elder sister Sanja. Eva describes her participation in Baku as her greatest life experience and challenge so far.

The Critics Voice Their Opinion

Magnus Kaxe

• Good-looking, vocally decent singer in a nice song with a powerful chorus that gets stuck in my head. The verse melody goes too low in key for the singer to be able to sing it properly and the song loses a bit there. But still one of my favorite ballads this evening! But please let go of the ugly hat on the backing singers! They deserve a six (6) points for that entry.

Marion Welter

• This is a completely different track than the one before it but I am not too fond of these kind of ballads even though, I have to compliment her on a beautiful set of vocals. She has a good range and will most likely impress. Unfortunately one (1) point from my end. 

Tobias Larsson

• Like Serbia but weaker - another Balkan ballad that wants to be overwhelming but that doesn't quite nail it. The singer has an excellent voice, but the chorus just isn't convincing enough. Hmm, like my colleague, I agree on six (6) points.

Entry Background

Performer: Eva Boto

Composers: Vladimir Graić and Hari Mata Hari

Author: Igor Pirkovič

Song: Verjamem

Language: Slovene

Broadcaster: RTVSLO

History of the Nation

The eighteenth entry from Slovenia and hopefully continuing a trend that was built last year when they managed to overcome a number of disappointing years to reach the finals and also reach a decent position. This year, they have decided to take up a brand new route by looking for the performer first and foremost, a system that was used well by Germany to find both Lena and Roman actually. In the final, the finalists performed three songs and ultimately this was chosen. The best results that the country have achieved amount to a seventh place in 1995 when Darja Svajger took to the stage for the first time with Prisluhni Mi and then also a couple of years later in 2001 with Nusa Derenda and her entry Energy. Since the introduction of the semi-final system, Slovenia has only been in the final twice, missing out very closely on two other occasions. Eva Boto will be hoping to be the third woman to take the country to the final.

Source: Eurovision.tv for the Biographical Information and all respective media