ManuElla, the stage name of 27-year-old Manuela Brečko, launched her career in 2005 on the Slovenian talent show Battle of Talents. Five years later, she made it among the top 100 in the German talent show Das Supertalent.

She went to music school and graduated in accordion but also plays bass guitar and the piano, according to her official biography.

ManuElla defeated another female lead, Raiven, in the final. The winner was determined in a televote after a jury picked two finalists among ten entrants.

The finalists had more than one thing in common: aside from being female solo acts, they both represent a new generation of singers attuned to the international pop mainstream.

They also both stripped midway through their act to reveal different coloured dresses beneath, no doubt a reference to the title of their songs, another similarity: ManuElla's Blue and Red versus Raiven's Black and White.

Slovenia appears to have a knack for lead ladies, as this is the 12th time in 22 years of Slovenia's Eurovision participation that the country's entrant will be a solo female act.

The two finalists were picked by a three-member jury comprising previous Eurovision contestants Marlena, a member of the 2002 winners Sestre, Darja Švajger (1995 and 1999) and Raay, the male half of last year's winners Maraaya.

The organisers, public broadcaster RTV Slovenija, decided to eschew the over-the-top trappings typically associated with Eurovision, opting instead for a more austere, minimalist event moderated by comedian Klemen Slakonja.