Estonia: 216 submissions received for Eesti Laul 2019, first semi-final date changed

by Roy Knoops 737 views

Estonia is gearing up for Eurovision 2019: broadcaster ERR has received 216 potential Eesti Laul entries, while the date for semi-final 1 of Eesti Laul has changed.

Estonian broadcaster ERR has confirmed that it received 216 entries for the country’s popular Eurovision selection Eesti Laul. New Eesti Laul producer Tomi Rahula is very pleased with the number and quality of the entries, although earlier he did not want to speculate on the exact number of submissions:

I can not publish the number of songs, but I am happy with the current result (…) I can express the exciting fact that the songs are presented in more than two different languages, and in general, the picture is very diverse – it’s delightful!

ERR issued a little contest for people to guess the right amount of submissions, with tickets for Eesti Laul 2019 as a prize. The number was less then last years’ 258 submissions. Tomi Rahula commented:

I wanted to select the songs that were prepared as best as possible and, as a result, I could not expect so many participants, and the level of songs is high.

After the number 0f 216 possible Eesti Laul entries was revealed, it was also made clear that 108 submissions are in English and 108 in Estonian or other languages, including German, Russian and Spanish. Estonia is clearly looking for fresh, vibrant entries regardless of the language and songs that represent the diverse Estonian musical culture.

All 216 submissions will now be evaluated by a professional jury. The song titles, composers, lyricists and performing artists that are eventually selected to partake in the Eesti Laul semi-finals will be presented in the TV-show Ringvaade and through the ERR Menu portal on 15 November 2018, while the songs themselves are expected to be released in early December 2018.

Eesti Laul 2019 semi-finals and Grand Final

The semi-finals of Eesti Laul 2019 will take place in the new sports hall of the University of Tartu, Estonia’s second largest city and birthplace of the Estonian Song Contest (Laulupidu), a grand choral event that’s an official UNESCO intangible heritage of humaniy.

Semi-final 1 is set for 31 January 2019, a new date as it was previously set for 26 January.

Semi-final 2 will be held on 2 February 2019, while Eesti Laul 2019’s Grand Final takes place on 16 February 2019, again in venue Saku Suurhall in Estonia’s capital Tallinn.

Tomi Rahula states:

I am convinced that the semi-finals in Tartu will give a great experience to the artists, audience and viewers. The events in Saku Suurhall have repeatedly proved themselves, and the order sets a good high standard.

Tickets for both semi’s and final go on sale today, Thursday 8 November 2018.

(Source: menu.err.ee)

Estonia at Eurovision 2018

At the 2018 Eurovision Song Contest in Lisbon, Portugal, Estonia was represented by soprano Elina Nechayeva (Tallinn, 1991) and her epic pop-opera song La forza (“The force”), an ode to the universal power of love. Delivering a spellbinding visual and vocal performance, Elina and La forza reached a respectable 8th place in the Grand Final, earning 245 points.