Life after Helsinki 2007 Eurovision

Estonia's Eesti laul 2020 seems to be suffering the Melodifestivalen syndrome: bigger you get less interesting and original you become. Eesti laul used to be wild and exciting, now it's just kinda meh collection of radio friendly middle of the road pop songs and many of them wannabe sad boys with acoustic feel. Who should I go for? Stefan maybe, or Uku whose song is almost there but doesn't really fly after all? Egert who maybe is the most original of these boys.... I have a soft spot for Synne and can't forget my ever favorite Laura but like Uku her song doesn't really get going ever. And only makes me think of another Janne Hyöty's song, the Finnish runner up in 2004 A little crazy by Anna Stenlund... There will be two rounds of voting, first with 50-50 televote-jury, and Top-3 gets to the second round with televoting only.  Below are their semi-final performances and the music videos are a click away under the title. Inger - Only dream ** R...

  Estonia has revealed today half of the Eesti laul 2020 participants and among them we find this blogger's soft spot Laura with STEFAN, Uku Suviste, Traffic and Rasmus among others and also the writers include several very familiar names from Uku and Sarag Vaugh, Tanja Mihhailova-Saar, Victor Crone with Stig Rästa. Not forgetting Finnish Janne Hyöty who has co-written Laura's song. He holds the record number of Euroviisut entries written - shared  with Lasse Mårtensson - (14) in the Finnish national final between 2004-2012. These days he writes songs mainly for the Asian market through his Sugar House Publishing having several Japan #1s under his belt with various groups.  Beautiful Lie - Jaagup Tuisk  (Jaagup Tuisk) Break Me - Laura  (Janne Hyöty, Jessica Hyöty, Laura Põldvere) By My Side - STEFAN  (Karl-Ander Reismann, Stefan Airapetjan) Lean On Me - Ziggy Wild  (Laura Prits, Valdur Viiklepp, Sander Nõmmistu, Henri-Hann...

Today of all days it is a good reason to remember this pearl from the national finals, one of the best ever. If only Laura went solo to Eurovision with this runner up rather than shouting along with other Suntribe girls Estonia would have most likely moonwalked to the final and who knows how high in there...  That's one small step for [a] man, one giant leap for mankind

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Koit Toome and laura have been busy delivering new versions of their entry Verona in true Eurovision style. First of all there's a 80's mix that sounds more Modern Talking than Modern Talking itself ever did. But the rea curiosity is the Italian version. It must have seemed like a wonderful idea on paper, and indeed many fans have welcomed it with pleasure. Italians and those who know Italian like this blogger have been more confused and perplexed.... some might even call it a parody but then again.... One gets used to everything, even to this. Let's just be happy it's been recorded, ok? The Italian version is included on Laura's worthcoming Greatest Hits album, and the other remixes of the song in the vinyl EP that you can order here . 

Pictured is cornflower, Estonia's national flower  A recordbreaking 242 songs were submitted to the annual Eesti laul, 20 were selected for the semifinals, including a string of previous Eurovision veterans (Ivo Linna, Elina Born, Lenna Kuurmaa, Laura, Koit Toome). Ten songs made it to the grand final in sold out Saku Suurhall. In the end veterans Koit & Laura won, after a rocky road: in the semifinal the jury placed them only 5th, televoters 2nd. In the final's first round the jury kept pushing them down, now only 5th but they won the televote getting double the votes of runner up Kerli. Three songs made it to the superfinal where only televote ruled and they took a convincing victory (55%)  and slapped the jury's face with Verona , written by another veteran, Sven Lõhmus. Koit Toome (38) started his career in a hit duo Code One  before going solo with Eurovison 1998 and Mere lapsed placing 12th. Since then he has released albums and singles, won Danc...

Laura finally made it back to Eurovision, with a help of another veteran Koit Toome and this little drama Verona that was this blogger's favorite by far. I'm so pleased that overrated nonsense - just like Loreen btw - by Kerli didn't win but the first round :-). Koit & Laura really beat her in the superfinal. They easily won the televote even in the first round by far anyways.... First round: 1. Kerli - Spirit animal (jury 12+televote 10=22, 14.497 televotes) 2. Koit Toome & Laura - Verona (5+12=17, 27.759) 3. Rasmus Rändvee - This love ((10+6=16, 8.617) 4. Whogaux & Karl-Kristjan feat. Maian - Have you now (8+5=13, 8.362) 5. Ivo Linna - Suurloterii (4+8=12, 14.002) 6. Ariadne - Feel me now (3+7=10, 12.325) 7. Liis Lemsalu - Keep running (6+4=10, 4.880) 8. Lenna Kuurmaa - Slingshot (7+2=9, 3.422) 9. Daniel Levi - All I need (2+3=5, 3.657) 10. Elina Born - In or out (1+1=2, 3.57) Superfinal: 1. Koit Toome & Laura - Verona...

Laura Põldvere returns to Eesti Laul! I looooved her entries in Eesti Laul 2005 ( Moonwalk ), 2007 ( Sunflowers ) and 2009 ( Destiny ). But she did also win in 2005 as a member of Suntribe with less wonderful Let's get loud . She has always finished in top-3, it's time for her to win! Her 2007 album Muusa is fabulously wonderful!  Other familiar names are Greta Paia and  Põhja-Tallin   but as usual the Estonian national selection is filled with weirdly named bands. Stig Rästa has written Pootsmann's song.  Here they are: First semifinal (13th of February 2016) Põhja-Tallin – Ei ole mul olla Indrek Ventmann – Hispaania tudruk Zebra Island – How many times Würffel – I’m facing north Cartoon & Kristel Aaslaid – Immortality Kati Laev – Kaugel sinust Kéa – Lonely Boy The Jingles – Love a little bit Púr Múdd – Meet halfway Gertu Pabbo – Miljon korda Second semifinal (20th of February 2016) Meisterjaan – Parmupillihullus I Wear*...

Urban Symphony has been busy recording their debut album and the second single Päikese poole is out and sounding mighty fabulous. In August they will be on the road with my favorite Estonian singer Laura Põldvere and other folks (see the poster). I think I'm gonna check my possibilities to go and see them.... http:// www.youtube.com/watch?v=djeWw4WKNYI http:// www.youtube.com/watch?v=AdxhMALAUb8

This Saturday also Estonia finally selects the song for Moscow 2009. The process has been quite different from previous years and in all the ten songs are pretty mixed group of songs to different tastes. And I am sure the ranking will look very different from what we would have had if the songs were presented just like a week ago instead of this lenghty presentation period this time. Here are my thoughts about them based on the presentation videos you can watch here: http://etv.err.ee/index.php?0551251 Lowry opens the show. He has the looks and great voice but the song just may not be strong enough even if I like it. Janna Saar follows with her 60's pop tune and rather special dress that takes your attention from rather weak vocals by her. In all the performance feels very cold. And the male backing singer is stealing the show, despite the dress. StereoChemistry offers then some poprock in Estonian and it doesn't sound nice even to a Finn's ear... Urban Symphony next. Th...

Estonia has puts its songs online, too. Quite a modern group of songs it is, maybe even too much so. My favourites are in no particluar order Laura, Rolf Junior, Lawry and Traffic. Hear the songs here http://etv.err.ee/index.php?0551251 by clicking "kuula laule!"

Estonia has announced the finalists in the revamped Eurolaul, I mean Eesti laul 2009. Laura (of Suntribe 2005 fame, and fantastic solos Moonwalk and Sunflowers ) and Rolf Junior ( One on one in Eurolaul 2008) welcome make a return. 1. Laura - Destiny 2. Rolf Junior - Freedom http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Qr2J7Y6dNk 3. Chalice - Nelikümmend http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BAB7UTcwGrE 4. Ithaka-Maria - One Last Dance 5. Sandra Nurmsalu - Rändajad 6. Traffic - See Päev 7. Janne Saar - Too Good For You http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EbPi82iDmjw&feature=related 8. StereoChemistry - Öösiti kõndides http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GkEHToTAC_0&feature=related 9. Köök - Üürnik 10. Lowry - You ain't what I need

When I was in Tallinn last month I bought the debut album of Laura and it's fantastic! I loved her Eurolaul entries Moonwalk (2nd in 2005) and Sunflowers (3rd in 2007) (and hated the Suntribe song, the winner in 2005 she sung in, btw) and the album includes both with other great songs. I like each and every track on the album which is very rare these days. She seems to have a thing for the moon but it doesn't matter as I'm a bit lunatic, too. She's studying in Boston these days but I hope she will be back in Eurolaul 2009 and save Estonia! See & hear some of her here: http://youtube.com/watch?v=uvkDOJaAvc4&feature=related http://youtube.com/watch?v=quiU8sEjq8M&feature=related http://youtube.com/watch?v=CzncSXPrMKc http://youtube.com/watch?v=BupifNwdETk&feature=related