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Estonia picks top names for Eesti Laul

11 January 2010 at 19:35 CET

This year, Eesti Laul, the Estonian national selection, started with good news. Namely, a record amount - 155 - entries were received. Today a jury, which consisted of music professionals, chose the finalists for this year's contest. 

Just minutes ago, the Executive Producer, Heidy Purga, announced the finalists in the live-show Ringvaade, hosted by the longtime Estonian commentator for  the Eurovision Song Contest, Marko Reikop. 

"There are good songs and one of the 10 songs got a vote from all the members of the jury," Purga said but didn't reveal which entry it is. "We had many strong artists wanting to take part and songs sent in this year." 


The following are the lucky ten:

  • Iiris Vesik - Astronaut  - Written by Iiris Vesik, Ago Teppand
  • Disko 4000 - Ei Usu -  Piret Järvis, Sander Loite, Paul Oja, Kallervo Karu 
  • Violina feat Rolf Junior - Maagiline Päev - Mihkel Mattisen, Timo Vendt, Rolf Roosalu, Liis Lass
  • Nikita Bogdanov - Made Me Cry - Nikita Bogdanov
  • Mimicry - New - Timmo Linnas, Kaspar Ehlvest, Ivar Kaine, Kene Vernik, Paul Lepasson
  • Marten Kuningas - Oota Mind Veel - Marten Kuningas - Heini Vaikmaa, Oskar Ove
  • 3 Pead - Poolel Teel - Janek Murd, Erkki Tero
  • Lenna Kuurmaa - Rapunzel - Vaiko Eplik
  • Groundhog Day - Teiste Seest Kõigile - Tõnn Tobreluts, Tauno Tamm, Keio Münti, Indrek Mällo
  • Tiiu Kiik - The One And Only Love - Tiiu Kiik

Lots of big names!

Piret Järvis and Lenna Kuurmaa are members of the band Vanilla Ninja, which represented Switzerland in 2005 with Cool Vibes and finished 8th. Another former Eurovision Song Contest participant is Vaiko Eplik, who represented the country in 2003 with his band Ruffus and the song Eighties Coming Back, finishing 21st. Iiris Vesik finished second in the Estonian selection in 2008 when she performed Ice Cold Story, together with Dave Benton, the winner of the 2001 Eurovision Song Contest.  

Rolf Roosalu has taken part in the Estonian selection already twice in 2008 and 2009, with One On One and Fre:dom.  Marten Kuningas finished third this year in the Estonian Pop Idol and his song for Eesti Laul is written by one of the most acclaimed Estonian composers, Heini Vaikmaa, lead man of the successful band Mahavok. 

The final of the Estonian selection will be held on the 12th of March in Nokia Concert Hall in Tallinn as a public concert. The tickets for that went on sale today.

Estonia finished 6th last year with Urban Symphony's Rändajad at Europe's favourite TV-show. It was the first time the tiny country qualified since the introduction of the Semi-Finals.