X Faktor (Slovenian TV series)

X Faktor
Genre	Reality competition
Based on	The X Factor
Developed by	Simon Cowell
Presented by	Peter Poles, Vid Valič
Judges	Damjan Damjanovič, Jadranka Juras, Aleš Uranjek
Country of origin	Slovenia
Original language	Slovenian
No. of seasons	1
No. of episodes	15
Production
Production locations	Kino Šiška, Ljubljana; Austria Trend Hotel, Ljubljana; Kristalna palača, Ljubljana; La Subide, Italy; Mokrice Castle; Hotel Palace, Portorož; PRO PLUS studio, Ljubljana
Production companies	FremantleMedia Australia, FremantleMedia, Syco
Original release
Network	POP TV
Release	18 March (2012-03-18) – 24 June 2012 (2012-06-24)
Related
The X Factor (British TV series), The X Factor (American TV series)

X Faktor was the Slovenian adaptation of the British television show The X Factor , a reality singing competition in which contestants performed songs to impress a panel of judges and viewers for a chance at stardom. It aired for one season ^[1] on the commercial channel POP TV, which also broadcast Slovenia's Got Talent .

Judges

• Damjan Damjanovič – director of the Slovenian Philharmonic Orchestra
• Jadranka Juras – Slovenian jazz singer
• Aleš Uranjek – member of the rock band Šank Rock

Winner

Demetra Malalan, mentored by Jadranka Juras, won the competition. ^[2]

Runner-up

Matija Jahn, mentored by Damjan Damjanovič, placed second in the competition.

The competition

Producer auditions

Producer auditions took place from 14 to 29 January 2012 in six major cities across Slovenia: Maribor, Portorož, Kranj, Celje, Novo Mesto, and Ljubljana. Producers selected acts to participate in the next stage of the competition—the Judges’ auditions. Individuals and groups aged 14 and above were eligible to participate.

City	Date(s)
Maribor	14 January 2012
Portorož	15 January 2012
Kranj	21 January 2012
Celje	22 January 2012
Novo Mesto	24 January 2012
Ljubljana	28–29 January 2012

Judges’ auditions

The Judges’ auditions were held at the Kino Šiška complex in Ljubljana before a live audience. Judges decided whether each act would continue in the competition by giving a “yes” or “no.” This portion of the show aired in four episodes released on 18 March, 25 March, 1 April, and 8 April 2012.

Bootcamp

Bootcamp lasted for four days and took place at the Austria Trend Hotel in Ljubljana. This portion of the show aired in two episodes, released on 15 and 22 April 2012.

On the first day, 87 contestants were split into groups. Each group selected a song from an assigned list and decided which part of the song each member would sing. The groups then performed in front of the judges, and half of the candidates were eliminated.

On the second day, contestants learned a dance routine and were asked to perform it. Since everyone completed the choreography correctly, no one was eliminated. Afterward, the judges hosted a celebration at the hotel for the remaining contestants. Participants could choose to attend the party or rest in their rooms; most chose the party, knowing it might affect their performance the next day.

Candidates chosen by the judges to continue the competition

Category: teens, mentored by Damjan Damjanovič

Contestant Name	Age	Home
Eva Marolt	20	Šmartno pri Litiji
Ajda Kovačič	16	Slovenj Gradec
Mitja Podlesnik	18	Maribor
Demetra Malalan	15	Trieste / Ljubljana
Žan Hauptman	18	Maribor
Alma Merklin	20	Murska Sobota

Category: adults, mentored by Jadranka Juras

Contestant Name	Age	Home
Andreas Videčnik	21	Switzerland
Tjaša Žalik	24	Prekmurje
Diana Filipovič	26	Ljubljana
Matija Jahn	28	Celje
Gašper Mihelič	21	Bela Krajina
Ana Soklič	27	Bohinj

Category: groups, mentored by Aleš Uranjek

Group	Members	Member Names
Vox Arsana	4	Unknown
2BYONE	3	Unknown
Duo Ninja	2	Unknown
IN&OUT	4	Unknown
S.W.A.G.	5	Unknown

• On the fourth day, candidates found out if they were chosen to go through to the next stage in the competition, the "Judge's Houses".

Judges' Houses

In the "Judges' Houses" portion of the show, each judge took their chosen candidates to secondary locations where the candidates would sing in front of that judge and a special guest. The judges then eliminated three of their six chosen candidates. The rest competed in the Live Shows. This portion of the show aired in two episodes released on April 29 and May 6, 2012.

Jandranka Juras took the over-21 group to Hotel Palace, Portorož in the city of Portorož, Slovenia. Jadranka's special guest was Nina Vodopivec, a former singer in the Slovenian band Tabu.

Aleš Urenjak took the multiple-member group to Mokrice Castle near the city of Jesenice, in Slovenia. Aleš's special guest was Nina Pušlar, a Slovenian pop singer.

Damjan Damjanovič took the 14–20 age group to the city of La Subide, in Italy. Damjan's special guest was his wife, Sabina Cvilak Damjanovič, a Slovenian opera singer.

Candidates who were chosen to compete in the Live Shows

Category	Mentor	Chosen candidates
Teens	Damjan Damjanovič	Ajda Kovačič Demetra Malalan Alma Merklin
Over 21s	Jadranka Juras	Matija Jahn Gašper Mihelič Ana Soklič
Groups	Aleš Uranjek	2BYONE IN&OUT S.W.A.G.

Live show results

Act	Week 1	Week 2	Week 3	Week 4	Week 5	Week 6	Week 7
Demetra Malalan	Safe	Safe	Safe	Safe	Safe	Safe	Winner
Matija Jahn	Safe	Safe	Safe	Safe	Safe	Safe	Runner-up
IN&OUT	Safe	Safe	Safe	Safe	Safe	Bottom two	Third Place
Alma Merklin	Bottom two	Safe	Bottom two	Safe	Bottom two	Bottom two	Eliminated (week 6)
Ana Soklič	Safe	Safe	Safe	Bottom two	Bottom two	Eliminated (week 5)
Ajda Kovačič	Safe	Safe	Safe	Bottom two	Eliminated (week 4)
S.W.A.G.	Safe	Bottom two	Bottom two	Eliminated (week 3)
Gašper Mihelič	Safe	Bottom two	Eliminated (week 2)
2BYONE	Bottom two	Eliminated (week 1)
Final showdown	2BYONE, Alma Merklin	Gašper Mihelič, S.W.A.G.	Alma Merklin, S.W.A.G.	Ajda Kovačič, Ana Soklič	Alma Merklin, Ana Soklič	Alma Merklin, IN&OUT	No final showdown or judges' vote: results are based on public votes alone
Juras's vote to eliminate	2BYONE	S.W.A.G.	S.W.A.G.	Ajda Kovačič	lma Merklin	Alma Merklin
Uranjek's vote to eliminate	Alma Merklin	Gašper Mihelič	Alma Merklin	Ajda Kovačič	Ana Soklič	Alma Merklin
Damjanovič's vote to eliminate	2BYONE	Gašper Mihelič	S.W.A.G.	Ana Soklič	Ana Soklič	IN&OUT
Eliminated	2BYONE 2 of 3 votes Majority	Gašper Mihelič 2 of 3 votes Majority	S.W.A.G. 2 of 3 votes Majority	Ajda Kovačič 2 of 3 votes Majority	Ana Soklič 2 of 3 votes Majority	Alma Merklin 2 of 3 votes Majority	IN&OUT Third Place
							Matija Jahn Runner-up

References

1. "X Faktor (TV series 2012)". IMDb. Retrieved 13 September 2025.
2. "Demetra Malalan je zmagovalka X Factorja". Slovenske Novice (in Slovenian). Retrieved 17 September 2025.