Estonia first entered the Eurovision Song Contest in 1994 when the late Silvi Vrait took to the stage in Dublin with Nagu Merelaine. The early years of Estonia's participation in the competition were particularly successful. Between 1996 and 2002 the country finished in the top ten in six out of seven contests including fourth in 2000, winning in 2001 and finishing third in 2002. Estonia's win in 2001 was the first time since 1989 that a country had won for the first time.

After Estonia failed to qualify for five consecutive contests between 2004 and 2008, the Estonians overhauled their national selection in 2009 and Eesti Laul was born. The competition saw a reversal in Estonia's fortunes and the country went on to achieve its first top ten placing in the Grand Final for seven years. Perhaps more importantly for Estonian musicians, Eesti Laul has also become a launch pad for new talent in the country.