ERR, the Estonian national broadcaster, has unveiled the format and rules for Eesti Laul 2025, the Estonian national selection.

For 2025 ERR has scaled down the competition to one show due to financial constraints, the Eesti Laul semi-finals have been scrapped for 2025. Hence the Estonian national broadcaster has slightly changed the format of the competition.

ERR has published the rules and regulations for Eesti Laul 2025.

Eesti Laul 2025 will consist of one televised show with a total of 16 acts battling for the golden ticket to Eurovision 2025 (15 selected by the jury+1 song selected by the public). The song submission window for the Estonian national selection is open until 21 October 2024.

The 15 finalists who will determined via a jury deliberation will be announced in November, the competing entries will be released in December.

The 2025 Estonian Eurovision entry and act will be determined via a 100% televoting deliberation during the Super-final after three superfinalists will be determined after a combined jury/public voting deliberation.

The Grand Final of Eesti Laul 2025 will be held on Saturday 15 February 2025.

Karmel Killandi (ERR Experience Editorial Dept Head) says:

Our biggest goal with Estonian Song has always been to support the creation of new music and to give artists and authors the opportunity to introduce their work to the whole of Europe in addition to Estonia. Since everyone is saving up this year, we will do the same and limit ourselves to the final concert. Unfortunately, the semi-finals will be canceled this year. However but we are giving more artists the opportunity to perform on the big final stage than before.

In 2025, we are faced with a difficult task, so that with limited resources there will be opportunities for pop music, classics, folk culture, large-scale portrait shows, memory games, festive large-scale broadcasts, as well as the biggest song and dance party of all time. The Estonian Song will come with one concert, but we can get more focus on organizing a very good competition and concert.

Rinn Vann (Eesti Laul Producer) says:

We see that Estonian authors are actively cooperating with musicians from other countries, and we have given Eesti Laul better opportunities for such joint projects as well. Involving authors from different countries provides an excellent opportunity to exchange experiences in productions and thereby develop and enrich the musical life here as well,

The official press release reads:

The deadline for submitting songs to the Estonian Song Contest is October 21 at 12 noon . Until October 18, the fee for participating in the competition is 50 euros for a song in Estonian and 100 euros for a song in a foreign or multilingual language. 19.-21. the participation fee for songs submitted until October is doubled and is 100 and 200 euros, respectively.

Authors and collectives of authors who are citizens of the Republic of Estonia, foreign residents of the Republic of Estonia within the meaning of the Income Tax Act or non-residents can participate in the Estonian Song Contest. According to the new regulations, the song must have at least one author who is a citizen or resident of the Republic of Estonia. The singer(s) may be citizens, residents or non-residents of the Republic of Estonia. The principle of up to five songs applies to both performers and authors.

Source: ERR
Photo credit: ERR