Slovakia was represented at the Eurovision Song Contest 2010 with the song "Horehronie", written by Kamil Peteraj and Martin Kavulič, and performed by Kristina. The Slovak participating broadcaster, (STV), selected its entry for the contest through the national final Eurosong 2010. 60 entries competed in the national final which consisted of nine shows: six quarter-finals, two semi-finals and a final. In the quarter-finals, four entries were selected by a public vote to advance from each show. Twenty-four entries qualified to compete in the semi-finals where six entries were selected to advance from each show based on the combination of votes from a three-member jury panel and a public vote. Twelve entries ultimately qualified to compete in the final on 27 February 2010 where "Horehronie" performed by Kristina was selected as the winner after scoring the most points from the jury and public vote.
Slovakia was drawn to compete in the first semi-final of the Eurovision Song Contest which took place on 25 May 2010. Performing during the show in position 4, "Horehronie" was not announced among the top 10 entries of the second semi-final and therefore did not qualify to compete in the final. It was later revealed that Slovakia placed sixteenth out of the 17 participating countries in the semi-final with 24 points.
Background
Prior to the 2010 contest, (STV) had participated in the Eurovision Song Contest representing Slovakia four times since its first entry . Its best placing in the contest was eighteenth, achieved with the song "Kým nás máš" performed by Marcel Palonder. Following the introduction of semi-finals in 2004, Slovakia had yet to feature in a final. Slovakia achieved their least successful result , where they returned to the contest and failed to qualify to the final with the song "Leť tmou" performed by Kamil Mikulčík and Nela Pocisková.
As part of its duties as participating broadcaster, STV organises the selection of its entry in the Eurovision Song Contest and broadcasts the event in the country. The broadcaster had used both national finals and internal selections to select its Eurovision entries. STV confirmed its intentions to participate at the 2010 contest on 28 March 2009. In 2009, STV selected its entry via a national final, a procedure that was continued for its 2010 participation.
Before Eurovision Eurosong 2010
Eurosong 2010 was the national final format developed by STV in order to select its entry for the Eurovision Song Contest 2010. The competition consisted of nine shows which commenced on 22 January 2010 and concluded with a final on 27 February 2010. The nine shows took place at the STV studios in Bratislava and hosted by Martin Rausch with Martin Kontúr hosting segments from the green room. All shows in the competition were broadcast on Jednotka as well as online at the broadcaster's official website stv.sk. The final was also broadcast online at the official Eurovision Song Contest website eurovision.tv.
Format The format of the competition consisted of nine shows: six quarter-finals on 22 January 2010, 24 January 2010, 29 January 2010, 31 January 2010, 5 February 2010 and 7 February 2010, two semi-finals on 14 and 21 February 2010, and a final on 27 February 2010. The quarter-finals each featured ten competing entries from which a public televote exclusively determined the top four entries to qualify to the semi-finals. The two semi-finals each featured twelve entries from which the 50/50 combination of votes from a public televote and a jury panel determined the top six entries to qualify to the final. Both the public and the jury assigned scores ranging from 1 (lowest) to 12 (highest) and the six entries that had the highest number of points following the combination of these scores advanced to the final. The final featured the remaining twelve entries and the winner was determined by the 50/50 combination of votes from a public televote and a jury panel. Both the public and the jury assigned scores ranging from 1 to 12 and the entry that had the highest number of points following the combination of these scores was declared the winner. Viewers were able to vote via SMS and the proceeds from the public voting were donated towards those affected by the 2010 Haiti earthquake. In the event of a tie during the semi-finals and final, the tie was decided in favour of the entry that received the highest score from the public vote.
Competing entries Artists and composers were able to submit their entries between 14 July 2009 and 30 October 2009. Artists were required to hold Slovak citizenship. Songwriters were able to submit more than one song, however each artist could only perform one song in the competition. Songs were required to be performed in Slovak with an exception being made for the chorus which could be in English. The broadcaster received 239 submissions at the closing of the deadline and an expert committee selected sixty entries for the competition. The competing entries were announced on 15 December 2009 and among the artists was Marcel Palonder who represented Slovakia in 1996. On 26 January 2010, "Chýrna zem" performed by Gionno and Ján Mitaľ and "Sevilla" performed by Golden Storm were withdrawn from the competition and replaced with the songs "Príčina" performed by Guru Brothers and "Dolina, dolina" performed by Lekra. Artist Song Songwriter(s) Alek Malo and Dolly Booster "Zmysel života" Alek Malo Alone "Strašne mi chýbaš" Michal Cabala Andrea Súlovská "Život" Andrea Súlovská Arzén "Keď som išiel za ránky" Pavol Cabadaj, Jaroslav Gažo Aya "Do neba volám" Boris Lettrich Barbora Šulíková "Čelný náraz" Ada Žigová, Jaroslav Žigo Bystrík "Slnko nespáli" Bystrik Dáška Kostovčik and Peter Bič Project "Dážď" Peter Bič, Stanislav Lauro Dominika Mirgová "Cesta snov" Dominika Mirgová, Lukey Dreamtouch "Je to OK" Anna Bajcurová, M. Lukáč, L. Liba, Martin Hybben Družina "Koniec sveta" Izabela Bérešová, Martin Sabov, Juraj Haško Exponent "Zveste lásku z kríža" Tomáš Kmet Free Voices "Z osnov" Robert Bendik Funny Fellows "Obrázok" Zuzana Haasová, Roman Féder Get Explode "Blue Sun" Marián Čurko, Laco KováčGuru Brothers"Príčina"Pavel Botoš, Štefan Tomolya Happyband "Mafiánska" Vašo Michalčik Horská chata "Myslíš, že vieš kto som" Peter Cingel, Horská Chata Hrdza "Taká sa mi páči" Slavomir Gibarti Hudba z Marsu "Final Song" Michal Štofej Ivana Poláčková "So mnou všetko smieš" Jimi Cimbala, Zoltán Tóth Kristina "Horehronie" Kamil Peteraj, Martin KavuličLekra"Dolina, dolina"Lekra Lucia Olešová "Rok a pol" Dušan Giertl, Tibor Laurinčik Marcel and Tomáš Palonder feat. Street Dance Academy "Slová slov" Václav Šuplata, Marcel Palonder Marcel Berky "Kým sa dá" Miroslav Jurika, Marián Brezáni, Jimi Cimbala, Zoltán Tóth Margot "Tak ma hrej" Andrea Zimániová, Daniel Urbán Marián Bango "Ty tu ticho spíš" Tibor Jediný Martin Konrád "Ja viem" Martin Konrád Martina Schindlerová "Môžeš ísť" Peter Lehotský, Juraj Zaujec Matej Koreň "Kocka pána Rubika" Matej Koreň Matka Guráž "Listobranie" Robert Ruman Mayo "Tón" Marián Varhaník Metalinda "Keď strácam dych" Peter Sámel Michaella "O nás" Silvia Kaščáková, Vladimir Gnepa Michal Chrenko "Kto vlastne som" Miroslav Jurika, Marián Brezáni, Michal Chrenko Miro Jaroš "Bez siedmeho neba" Miro Jaroš, Vladimir Gnepa Mista "Emotions" Soňa Šimorová Otto Weiter and Makar Čudra "Vrtká" Viktov Mikláš, Ivan Kutný Palo Drapák Band "Pocit vášne" Juraj Žák, Palo Drapák Pavol Kusý and No Frost "Slzy v daždi" Pavol Kusý Pavol Remenár, Klára and Liquid Error "Figaro" Pavol Jursa, Peter Farnbauer Peter Bažík "Paradise vs Babylon" Peter Bažik Petra Humeňanská "Rosa rosí" Jana Humeňanská Renáta Čonková and Martina Polievková "Dúha" Pavol Kubica, Emil Čonka Reverz Park "Po kvapkách" Peter Klema, Števo Faltin, Peter Fotta Richard Čanaky and FBI "Zlomené krídla" Richard Čanaky Róbert Mikla "Voda a oheň" Róbert Mikla, Milan Herstek, Robo Opatovský "Niečo máš" Peter Konečny, Robo Opatovský Robo Šimko and MassRiot "Podľa vlastnej hlavy" Marián Brezáni, Miroslav Jurika, MassRiot Save the Cookie "My World" Igor Baar, Save the Cookie Six and Kristy "Priestor pre dvoch" Mário Karas Smola a hrušky "Pridaj si ma" Jozef Kramár Soňa "Skús ma viesť" Peter Sámel Stereo "Niekde medzi tým" Andy Ďurica Stopa "Nightsong" Marcel Jurčensková, Stopa Sunlips "Správy v splne" Pavol Vozár Tomáš Bezdeda "Na strechách domov" Monika Hajšová, Tomáš Bezdeda Vierka Ayisi "Je čas zabávať sa" Vierka Ayisi, Jozef Šebo, Baddogzz Production Viki Matušovová "Uhol pohľadu" Miroslav Jurika, Marián Brezáni, Brunno Oravec
Shows
Quarter-finals The six quarter-finals took place between 22 January and 7 February 2010. Four entries as determined by a public televote qualified to the semi-final from each quarter-final. On 28 January 2010, "Taká sa mi páči" performed by Hrdza which qualified from the first quarter-final was disqualified from the competition due to the song having been performed before 1 October 2009; the song "Myslíš, že vieš kto som" performed by Horská chata which placed fifth was selected as a replacement qualifier.
+ Quarter-final 1 – 22 January 2010 Artist Song Televote Place 1 Tomáš Bezdeda "Na strechách domov" 16.9% 3 2 Dreamtouch "Je to OK" 3.1% 9 3 Horská chata "Myslíš, že vieš kto som" 8.7% 5 4 Michaella "O nás" 15.9% 4 5 Hrdza "Taká sa mi páči" 19.5% 1 6 Six and Kristy "Priestor pre dvoch" 5.9% 6 7 Richard Čanaky and FBI "Zlomené krídla" 18.5% 2 8 Margot "Tak ma hrej" 2.5% 10 9 Michal Chrenko "Kto vlastne som" 3.9% 8 10 Lucia Olešová "Rok a pol" 5.0% 7
+ Quarter-final 2 – 24 January 2010 Artist Song Televote Place 1 Matka Guráž "Listobranie" 10.11% 5 2 Dominika Mirgová "Cesta snov" 4.90% 9 3 Get Explode "Blue Sun" 12.70% 4 4 Mista "Emotions" 16.05% 1 5 Matej Koreň "Kocka pána Rubika" 6.57% 7 6 Pavol Remenár, Klára and Liquid Error "Figaro" 15.97% 2 7 Peter Bažík "Paradise vs Babylon" 15.09% 3 8 Viki Matušovová "Uhol pohľadu" 5.81% 8 9 Metalinda "Keď strácam dych" 9.85% 6 10 Funny Fellows "Obrázok" 2.94% 10
+ Quarter-final 3 – 29 January 2010 Artist Song Televote Place 1 Robo Šimko and MassRiot "Podľa vlastnej hlavy" 8.1% 7 2 Renáta Čonková and Martina Polievková "Dúha" 13.6% 3 3 Reverz Park "Po kvapkách" 11.9% 6 4 Andrea Súlovská "Život" 1.2% 10 5 Lekra "Dolina, dolina" 5.7% 8 6 Martin Konrád "Ja viem" 13.5% 4 7 Free Voices "Z osnov" 14.2% 2 8 Hudba z Marsu "Final Song" 12.0% 5 9 Robo Opatovský "Niečo máš" 15.9% 1 10 Guru Brothers "Príčina" 4.0% 9
+ Quarter-final 4 – 31 January 2010 Artist Song Televote Place 1 Mayo "Tón" 12.9% 2 2 Stereo "Niekde medzi tým" 7.9% 7 3 Barbora Šulíková "Čelný náraz" 9.9% 6 4 Alek Malo and Dolly Booster "Zmysel života" 4.6% 9 5 Save the Cookie "My World" 7.0% 8 6 Pavol Kusý and No Frost "Slzy v daždi" 10.2% 5 7 Petra Humeňanská "Rosa rosí" 11.6% 4 8 Palo Drapák Band "Pocit vášne" 3.9% 10 9 Alone "Strašne mi chýbaš" 12.0% 3 10 Martina Schindlerová "Môžeš ísť" 20.0% 1
+ Quarter-final 5 – 5 February 2010 Artist Song Televote Place 1 Smola a hrušky "Pridaj si ma" 12.1% 2 2 Vierka Ayisi "Je čas zabávať sa" 2.2% 9 3 Bystrík "Slnko nespáli" 2.7% 8 4 Arzén "Keď som išiel za ránky" 5.7% 6 5 Sunlips "Správy v splne" 11.5% 5 6 Marcel Berky "Kým sa dá" 1.1% 10 7 Dáška Kostovčik and Peter Bič Project "Dážď" 11.6% 4 8 Róbert Mikla "Voda a oheň" 12.0% 3 9 Kristina "Horehronie" 36.7% 1 10 Exponent "Zveste lásku z kríža" 4.5% 7
+ Quarter-final 6 – 7 February 2010 Artist Song Televote Place 1 Ivana Poláčková "So mnou všetko smieš" 3.7% 7 2 Marián Bango "Ty tu ticho spíš" 14.8% 4 3 Stopa "Nightsong" 8.5% 6 4 Družina "Koniec sveta" 14.7% 5 5 Soňa "Skús ma viesť" 17.7% 1 6 Marcel and Tomáš Palonder feat. Street Dance Academy "Slová slov" 3.4% 8 7 Otto Weiter and Makar Čudra "Vrtká" 2.3% 10 8 Miro Jaroš "Bez siedmeho neba" 16.3% 2 9 Happyband "Mafiánska" 2.9% 9 10 Aya "Do neba volám" 15.7% 3
Semi-finals