Life after Helsinki 2007 Eurovision

Estonian superstars, the hardest working and performing male artist Koit Toome and the most played singer on radios, Laura, fresh from Eurovision song contest 2017 in Kyiv are coming to Helsinki's Aleksanterinteatteri on October 23. Will they get lost?

Manel got a souvenir for life in Kyiv Lucie met a man of her dreams (it's Italian anyways) Slavko made it comfortable at the Embassy  Sunstroke Project had morning tv while OG3NE had morning coffee Claudia continued with autographs Dihaj managed to look fierce even in pyjamas Koit watching ... something? Ilinca doing some self promotion Måns giving tips to the trio at the Welcome Party I suppose  Lithuania went sightseeing and enjoyed the weather  ... and smelled the roses Joci's art in the in-ear room's wall :-)

Tonight I say goodnight with this little curiosity. Enjoy! Tomorrow the rehearsals contnue with the second ones for the first semifinal ones from Sweden to Cyprus. ee you then!

Koit and Laura. My two favorites. Laura is a stunner in her fantastic dress, handmade in Estonia, and they apparently bring on stage similar choreography they had in Eesti laul final. Or rather camera work. And it seems they are yet to find their positions and cameras on that stage but there's time for that. All is very black and white and close ups of their faces telling the story before they are eventually united on stage. Lack of chemistry between them, it is said. Well hello, if they lost the love how much chemistry there can be? This is no this is love! This is one of my top favorites and I can only say like Tim Gunn: Make it work!

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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...

Eurovision bubble is something many artists tend to return, or at least try. This year again in various national finals we have several previous participants trying again, including winners. But the sad fact is that usually the comebacks aren't so succesful. Previous winners in recent years from Dana International to Niamh Kavanagh and Charlotte Perrelli have tried and failed. But sometimes it works, like Poli Genova last year. In May we will know how it will go for these lucky ones who are back at it: Omar Naber from Slovenia returns to Eurovision, and even to Kyiv where he represented his country for the first time in 2005. Back then he failed to make the final placing 12th in the semifinal. Koit Toome and Laura from Estonia have both represented their country separately in the past. Koit placed 12th in 1998 and Laura as a member of Suntribe also did Kyiv 2005 but the girlband failed to make the final placing only 20th in the semifinal. Moldova's Sunstroke Pr...

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...

Estonia's Eesti laul 2017 will have it's glamourous final tonight in Saku Suurhall in Tallinn. Four previous winners and several veterans and runners ups are at it, and I feel a bit favorism from Estonian tv here as the running order has Koit & Laura placed  at number two while Kerli gets the last one. Hmmm... Despite all this I firmly stay in team #Verona . My other favorite Ariadne didn't quite deliver live and struggled to get even this far. Kerli may have the most outstanding performance but certainly not the best song so let's see if also the Estonians prefer show over song.... A sad remainer again Eurovision song contest is mistaken way too often as Eurovision show contest  (ghrm, Statements , grehm) Liis Lemsalu – Keep running Koit Toome & Laura – Verona  WINNER Karl-Kristjan & Whogaux feat. Maian – Have you now  (4TH) Lenna Kuurmaa – Slingshot Daniel Levi – All I need Elina Born – In or out Ivo Linna – Suur loterii Rasmus R...

Estonia's Eesti laul 2017 second semifinal takes place tonight. Again five songs will make the final after 50-50 televote-juryvote. This one includes among others fan favorites Koit & Laura and Kerli, something that wouldn't be out of place in Kuunkuiskaajat album(Antsud) and a hippie anti-war anthem (Alvistar) that namedrops every country possible and is so weird it's already quite fantastic! Watch here from 20.35 CET Rasmus Ränvee - This love Angeelia - We ride with our flow Daniel Levi - All I need Antsud - Vihm Koit Toome & Laura - Verona Kerli - Spirit animal Close to Infinity feat. Ian Karell - Sounds like home Liis Lemsalu - Keep running Alvistar Funk Association - Make love, not war Almost Natural - Electric

Estonia has had the most exciting and indipendent selections the past few years but this year it seems it has taken a step back going to the UMK direction (that is isnoired by Eesti laul anyways) and throws in some Melodfestivalen. Rather middle of the road entries (still way better than the most songs in MF anyways) and no real smash hit with the first hearing but I'm sure they can make ost of them work wonders on stage. The most alternative ones seems to be Kerli, Close to Infinity and Alvistar but they are smooth pop compared to Winny Puhh.... This blogger was left rather unmoved and a bit disappointed with the offering at first listening as the names promised so much. However, I did like Laura & Koit, Adriane and Almost Natural and many other songs are nice, just not strong enough I think. All the time I was expecting something wonderfully weird and crazy to come up and it didn't materialize but some Kuunkuiskaajat wannabes and something Toyah could have done in the ...

Oh my, Estonia Eesti laul 2017 line up is epic. This is going to be so good it seems! Lenna, Rasmus, Elina, Daniel, Laura, Koit, Ivo, Kerli, Liis... they are all in! How can one choose? Lenna Kuurmaa - "Slingshot" Lenna Kuurmaa, Nicolas Rebscher, Michelle Leonard Rasmus Rändvee - "This Love" Bert Prinkenfeld, Stewart James Brock, Ewert Sundja, Rasmus Rändvee Angeelia - "We Ride With Our Flow" Angeelia Maasik, Andres Kõpper Elina Born - "In or Out" Stig Rästa, Vallo Kikas, Fred Krieger Leemet Onno - "Hurricane" Leemet Onno, Ed Struijlaart Laura Prits - "Hey Kiddo" Tara Nabi, Laura Prits, Andres Kõpper Daniel Levi - "All I Need" Ago Teppand, Daniel Levi Viinalass Antsud - "Vihm" Aile Alveus-Krautmann Ariadne - "Feel Me Now" Margus Piik, Tomi Rahula, Anni Rahula Koit Toome ja Laura - "Verona" Sven Lõhmus Kerli - "Spirit Animal" Ker...

Koit Toome who sung for Estonia in 1998 Mere lapsed has released a new live album Sügav kummardus õpetajale and has also a new single out , Kaugele siit . He has also an acoustic version of it here . He has made a succesful career in Estonia both on stage and on record since and was dating another Eurovision artist Maarja-Liis Ilus for a long time. Musicals he has starred in Estonia, Finland and Germany include Chess, Rent, Hair, Les Miserables and Miss Saigon. From October 2009 to May 2010 he will be starring in Tarto's Vanemuine Theater in Ämbliknaise suudlus (Kiss of a spiderwoman)