Again the only Slovene on the international stage

Alya Elouissi, a Slovenian singer and cantor, made her second appearance as the sole representative of Slovenia at the International Evening of the 33rd edition of the Ohrid Fest, Ohridski Trubaduri festival on August 27, 2026. The event took place in Ohrid, Macedonia, at the historic venue Dolni Saraj along Lake Ohrid. She performed her newly composed Slovenian original song “Midva sva,” which she wrote both lyrics and music for. The production was handled by renowned British producer Ian Barter, who has worked with numerous internationally recognized artists. At the end of the festival, Elouissi received the award for best audio production. This marks the second time Elouissi has represented Slovenia as its sole performer at an international festival. In 2025, she participated in the Biser Jadrana festival in Tivat, Croatia, where she performed her original composition “V srcu Jadrana” during the Regional Evening as a finalist. She expressed her joy and pride in being able to represent Slovenia with an original song in the Slovenian language. Despite living and creating within multiple cultures and languages, she emphasized the importance of the Slovenian language as an author. As an artist, she feels like an ambassador for the Slovenian language, particularly through music, making it a special honor to carry it to international stages. The 33rd edition of Ohrid Fest, Ohridski Trubaduri took place on August 26 and 27, continuing its tradition of connecting Macedonian and broader Balkan musical scenes. The festival brought together performers from various countries, offering a platform for diverse artistic expressions. The event’s location, Dolni Saraj, added to its cultural significance, drawing visitors and participants from across the region. “Midva sva” holds a special story for Elouissi. An English version of the song was created nearly four years ago but remained unpublished until now. She explained that the right moment had yet to arrive. This year, she decided to release a Slovenian version of the song, which she composed in June and submitted for performance at Ohrid Fest 2026. The song tells a light-hearted, energetic, and romantic tale of two people meeting in a special moment, surrendering to dance and feeling as though they have escaped daily worries for a while. The lyrics weave together themes of night, dancing, sun, memories, and the unexpected arrival of a love story, something that “fell from the sky.” Elouissi described the song as highly danceable, energetic, and romantic, yet it carries a warm nostalgia. It is also deeply authentic. Her participation at Ohrid was especially meaningful due to the festival's wide media reach. The Macedonian Radio-TV (MRT) broadcast both evenings of the festival live, and the event was also aired through regional television partners, including Hype TV in Serbia, Television of Montenegro, Hayat TV in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and CMC TV in Croatia. This extensive coverage ensured that her performance reached audiences far beyond the immediate vicinity of Ohrid.