ESC 2015: MEET ELINA BORN & STIG RÄSTA (ESTONIA)

Estonia is one of the big favorites this year and for a reason. They topped the odds even before the Estonian final was held thanks to this song, Goodbye to yesterday. When Elina & Stig won the final with 79% of the votes there was no doubt we have having something special here. A nice cocktail of experience and inexperience, old and young (well, sort of, Stig is 35, Elina 20 but then this is not the first time Estonia sends a duet of this kind...), two different ways of singing, a story to tell.... Everything falls in right place from melody to the vocals, the retro arrangement. All we need is a good staging and camerawork and we might be off to Tallinn next year. Maybe.

Stig and Elina are different in many ways; Elina would like to go to Africa, Stig to Antarctic. She was born in a little town and now enjoys city life while Stig was born in a city and now longs for quiet countryside life. The same tension keeps the song going and makes it special.

Stig Rästa is no stranger to Eurovision. He has been in the Estonian national final at least seven times before in various combinations, twice even the runner up and five times with a song he has written. Being one of the most sought Estonian song writers and producers he rarely sings himself but after he found Elina on Youtube he dusted of this several years old song and made it work as a duet. (Funny note: The other big favorite, Italy, is also a song written years ago that was waiting for the right performer and occasion). Stig plays and writes for several bands, like Outlouds, Traffic and Slobodan River. All of them have taken part in Eesti laul in the past: Surrouded (3rd in 2004), See päev (2nd in 2009), I wanna meet Bob Dylan (2nd in 2011), Für Elise (3rd in 2014). His production house is also in charge for the Idol Estonia songs and singers and they also produced most of the major hits in Estonia last year.

As said before Stig found Elina on Youtube and contacted her. But after that Elina also had her first Eesti laul experience, two years ago with Enough finishing 8th. This year it all came together right. She's also a rapper, a side we haven't seen of her. Yet.

Now we only have to see how they deliver this little jewel on stage. Not everyone was impressed by their Eesti laul staging, but I think it was fine. Bigger stage in Vienna needs of course sharper camera angles and all that but I'm sure they will handle it. This is in my Top-5 and I also predict them a top-5 placing. Nothing less than that would be outtrage.

I woke up at 6 a.m.

my eyes were closed but my mind was awake

pretended I was breathing in a deep sleep pace

got dressed so quietly

I was frozen by the jingle of my keys at the door

as I got outside I smiled to the dog

Comments

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Life after Helsinki 2007 Eurovision

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