#Ivo Linna

[smileymoth]

Obscure music poll!

[eurovision-revisited]

Eurovision 1996: The actual result

Even the scoreboard changed in 1996 - it went all virtual, lowered into place by virtual cranes on virtual chains. Poor Ingvild Bryn was sealed into a Chroma keyed room and told she wasn't going to be let out until all the scores were delivered and verified.

Here's the result and your spoiler warning for the result of the 1996 Eurovision song contest...

Yes they did it again. Ireland won for the fourth time in five years. Somehow this statistic often gets left out in the rush to say they won three times in a row, but four in five is even better. They did it by repeating their trick. Having seen Norway steal their clothes in 1995, RTÉ and the jury of Eurosong 1996 (the Irish one) weren't going to let that pass. They sent a very mystical, even more Celtic paean to peace and momentous times in history.

The host performed well in second with Sweden continuing to challenge in third. Croatia (4th), Estonia (5th) and Portugal (6th) got their best results in Eurovision, but really Ireland and Eimear Quinn ran away with this one. It wasn't even close.

Here's the result in full.

Ireland - Eimear Quinn - "The Voice"

Norway - Elisabeth Andreassen - "I evighet"

Sweden - One More Time - "Den vilda"

Croatia - Maja Blagdan - "Sveta ljubav"

Estonia - Maarja-Liis Ilus and Ivo Linna - "Kaelakee hääl"

Portugal - Lúcia Moniz - "O meu coração não tem cor"

Netherlands - Maxine and Franklin Brown - "De eerste keer"

United Kingdom - Gina G - "Ooh Aah... Just a Little Bit"

Cyprus - Constantinos - "Mono gia mas"

Malta - Miriam Christine - "In a Woman's Heart"

Austria - George Nussbaumer - "Weil's dr guat got"

Turkey - Şebnem Paker - "Beşinci Mevsim"

Iceland - Anna Mjöll - "Sjúbídú"

Greece - Marianna Efstratiou - "Emis forame to himona anixiatika"

Poland - Kasia Kowalska - "Chcę znać swój grzech..."

Switzerland - Kathy Leander - "Mon cœur l'aime"

Belgium - Lisa del Bo - "Liefde is een kaartspel"

Slovakia - Marcel Palonder - "Kým nás máš"

France - Dan Ar Braz and l'Héritage des Celtes - "Diwanit bugale"

Spain - Antonio Carbonell - "��Ay, qué deseo!"

Slovenia - Regina - "Dan najlepših sanj"

Bosnia & Herzegovina - Amila Glamočak - "Za našu ljubav"

Finland - Jasmine - "Niin kaunis on taivas"

[newestmusic]

Boogie Company & Ivo Linna "Pennies From Heaven"

[surnumanaja]

See mind väga isegi ei hämmasta. Palju nõukogudeaegsest eesti levimuusikast oli eestindus mõnest lääne raadiost (mida öösiti kuulati ja salvestati) kuuldud loost. Nõnda on meil Jaak Joala esituses "Öö Chicagos" (Paper Lace - The Night Chicago Died), Ivo Linna "Julge laul" (Jefferson - Baby Take Me In Your Arms), Els Himma "Veerev päev" (Earth, Wind & Fire - September) või ka Kuldse Trio "Mina olen Robert" (Kraftwerk - The Robots)

ma olin täna aastat vana kui ma sain teada, et "kelgusõit" on ukraina rahvalaulu viisil :o

[mirai-desu]

A monument to all the time we spent: An Ode to the Amazing Songs We Lost the Eurovision National Final Season 2021

YouTube Playlist Here

National final season always means that we lose some fantastic songs that won't ever get to grace to the big ESC stage, but I can memorialize all the other tracks I love here. I went with studio cuts to be consistent (+ two live bonus tracks!). This playlist is in no way meant to put down the actual winners.

[missing from this playlist is Go_A’s other final songs which haven’t been released in full 🇺🇦  ] 

Playlists for past years: 2019 ; 2020

Tracklist below:

KEiiNO – “Monument” (Melodi Grand Prix - Norway 🇳🇴 )

Koit Toome – “We Could Have Been Beautiful” (Eesti Laul - Estonia 🇪🇪 )

Dotter – “Little Tot” (Melodifestivalen - Sweden 🇸🇪 )

Ermal Meta – “Un milione di cose da dirti” (Festival di Sanremo - Italy 🇮🇹 )  

VICTORIA – “imaginary friend” (Victoria's Internal Selection - Bulgaria 🇧🇬 ) 

The Mamas – “The Middle” (Melodifestivalen - Sweden 🇸🇪 )

Marianne Pentha & Mikkel Gaup – “Pages” (Melodi Grand Prix - Norway 🇳🇴 )

Mirud – “Nëse vdes” (Festivali i Këngës 59 - Albania 🇦🇱 )

Gebrasy – “Where'd You Wanna Go?” (Pabandom iš naujo! - Lithuania 🇱🇹 )

Aksel – “Hurt” (UMK: Uuden Musiikin Kilpailuun - Finland 🇫🇮 )

Gram-Of-Fun – “Lost In A Dance” (Eesti Laul - Estonia 🇪🇪 )

Enxhi Nasufi – “Njësoj” (Festivali i Këngës 59 - Albania 🇦🇱 )

Danny Saucedo – “Dandi dansa” (Melodifestivalen - Sweden 🇸🇪 )

Dinaye – “Own Yourself” (Melodi Grand Prix - Norway 🇳🇴 )

Mia Negovetić – “She's Like A Dream” (Dora - Croatia 🇭🇷 )

Eden Alene – “Ue La La” (HaShir Shelanu L’Eurovizion 2021 - Israel 🇮🇱 )

Philippine – “Bah non.” (Eurovision France: C’est vous qui décidez !  🇫🇷 )

Era Rusi – “Zjarri im” (Festivali i Këngës 59 - Albania 🇦🇱 )

Raylee – “Hero” (Melodi Grand Prix - Norway 🇳🇴 )

Orgesa Zaimi – “Valixhja e kujtimeve” (Festivali i Këngës 59 - Albania 🇦🇱 )

Annalisa – “Dieci” (Festival di Sanremo - Italy 🇮🇹 ) 

Inis Neziri – “Pendesë” (Festivali i Këngës 59 - Albania 🇦🇱 )

Stina Talling – “Elevate“ (Melodi Grand Prix - Norway 🇳🇴 )

Ilta – “Kelle mä soitan” (UMK: Uuden Musiikin Kilpailuun - Finland 🇫🇮 )

Klint Çollaku – “Do t'ia dal” (Festivali i Këngës 59 - Albania 🇦🇱 )

Jorn – “Faith Bloody Faith” (Melodi Grand Prix - Norway 🇳🇴 )

Ivo Linna, Robert Linna, Supernova – "Ma olen siin" (Eesti Laul - Estonia 🇪🇪 )

Colapesce, Dimartino – “Musica leggerissima” (Festival di Sanremo - Italy 🇮🇹 ) 

Suured tüdrukud – "Heaven's Not That Far Tonight" (Eesti Laul - Estonia 🇪🇪 )

Rein Alexander – “Eyes Wide Open” (Melodi Grand Prix - Norway 🇳🇴 )

Kadiatou – “One Touch”  (Melodifestivalen - Sweden 🇸🇪 )

Atle Pettersen – “World On Fire” (Melodi Grand Prix - Norway 🇳🇴 )

Pony X - “Amour fou” (Eurovision France: C’est vous qui décidez !  🇫🇷 )

Teflon Brothers x Pandora – “I Love You” (UMK: Uuden Musiikin Kilpailuun - Finland 🇫🇮 )

Blåsemafian – “Let Loose” (Melodi Grand Prix - Norway 🇳🇴 )

Stefan Marena – “Meteor” (Festivali i Këngës 59 - Albania 🇦🇱 )

Terence James – “Je t'emmènerai danser” (Eurovision France: C’est vous qui décidez !  🇫🇷 )

Ole Hartz – “Vi er Norge” (Melodi Grand Prix - Norway 🇳🇴 )

CASANOVA – “Tutti” (Eurovision France: C’est vous qui décidez !  🇫🇷 )

Rosela Gjylbegu – “Vashëzo” (Festivali i Këngës 59 - Albania 🇦🇱 )

Karetus & Romeu Bairos – “Saudade” (Festival da Canção - Portugal 🇵🇹 )

AMUI & Ken Carlter feat. Eva Ariitai, Vaheana – “Maeva” (Eurovision France: C’est vous qui décidez !  🇫🇷 )

Fatos Shabani – “Ty” (Festivali i Këngës 59 - Albania 🇦🇱 )

Gabrielius Vagelis – “My Guy” (Pabandom iš naujo! - Lithuania 🇱🇹 )

Andriamad – “Alléluia” (Eurovision France: C’est vous qui décidez !  🇫🇷 )

Big Daddy Karsten – “Smile” (Melodi Grand Prix - Norway 🇳🇴 )

Céphaz – “On a mangé le soleil” (Eurovision France: C’est vous qui décidez !  🇫🇷 )

ToMa – “Ocean of Love” (Dora - Croatia 🇭🇷 )

Jessica Andersson – “Horizon” (Melodifestivalen - Sweden 🇸🇪 )

Tanja – “Best Night Ever" (Eesti Laul - Estonia 🇪🇪 )

Franc Koruni – “E morën botën” (Festivali i Këngës 59 - Albania 🇦🇱 )

Voldemars Petersons – “Never Fall For You Again” (Pabandom iš naujo! - Lithuania 🇱🇹 )

Landeveiens Helter – “Alt det der” (Melodi Grand Prix - Norway 🇳🇴 )

Cambi – “Zaljubljen” (Dora - Croatia 🇭🇷 )

Ana Tereza – “Com um Abraço” (Festival da Canção - Portugal 🇵🇹 )

Emma Nicoline – “Står Lige Her” (Dansk Melodi Grand Prix - Demark 🇩🇰 )

Jüri Pootsmann – “Magus melanhoolia" (Eesti Laul - Estonia 🇪🇪 )

Evi Reçi – “Tjerr” (Festivali i Këngës 59 - Albania 🇦🇱 )

Ella Oresković – “Come This Way” (Dora - Croatia 🇭🇷 )

Tuuli Rand – "Üks öö" (Eesti Laul - Estonia 🇪🇪 )

Laura – “Play” (UMK: Uuden Musiikin Kilpailuun - Finland 🇫🇮 )

River – “Coming Home” (Melodi Grand Prix - Norway 🇳🇴 )

Uku Haasma – "Kaos" (Eesti Laul - Estonia 🇪🇪 )

Wendi Mancaku – “Vesi i shpirti tim” (Festivali i Këngës 59 - Albania 🇦🇱 )

Heleza – "6" (Eesti Laul - Estonia 🇪🇪 )

mema. – “Claro Como Água” (Festival da Canção - Portugal 🇵🇹 )

Nina Kraljić (Alkonost of Balkan) – “Rijeka” (Dora - Croatia 🇭🇷 )

Miguel Marôco – “Girassol” (Festival da Canção - Portugal 🇵🇹 )

Blas Cantó - "Memoria" (Destino Eurovisión - Spain 🇪🇸 )

Stavangerkameratene – “Barndomsgater” (Melodi Grand Prix - Norway 🇳🇴 )

Florent Abrashi – “Vajzë” (Festivali i Këngës 59 - Albania 🇦🇱 )

KiiM – “My Lonely Voice” (Melodi Grand Prix - Norway 🇳🇴 )

Nadine – “Cheguei Aqui” (Festival da Canção - Portugal 🇵🇹 )

Juliette Moraine – “Pourvu qu’on m’aime” (Eurovision France: C’est vous qui décidez !  🇫🇷 )

Elisa Lindström – “Den du är” (Melodifestivalen - Sweden 🇸🇪 )

Joana Alegre – “Joana do Mar” (Festival da Canção - Portugal 🇵🇹 )

Karl Killing – “Kiss Me” (Eesti Laul - Estonia 🇪🇪 )

Arisa – “Potevi fare di più” (Festival di Sanremo - Italy 🇮🇹 ) 

Ariana – “Mundo Melhor” (Festival da Canção - Portugal 🇵🇹 )

Sissi – “Time” (Eesti Laul - Estonia 🇪🇪 )

Graciela – “A Vida Sem Acontecer” (Festival da Canção - Portugal 🇵🇹 )

Gaia – “Cuore amaro” (Festival di Sanremo - Italy 🇮🇹 ) 

Nanna Olivia – “Hvileløse Hjerter” (Dansk Melodi Grand Prix - Demark 🇩🇰 )

La Rappresentante de Lista – “Amare” (Festival di Sanremo - Italy 🇮🇹 ) 

Alvaro Estrella – “Bailá Bailá” (Melodifestivalen - Sweden 🇸🇪 )

Pedro Gonçalves – “Não Vou Ficar” (Festival da Canção - Portugal 🇵🇹 )

The Cosmic Twins – “Silver Bullet” (Dansk Melodi Grand Prix - Demark 🇩🇰 )

Max Gazzè – “Il farmacista” (Festival di Sanremo - Italy 🇮🇹 ) 

Hans Nayna – “One By One” (Eesti Laul - Estonia 🇪🇪 )

Clara Klingenström – “Behöver inte dig idag” (Melodifestivalen - Sweden 🇸🇪 )

Mike Tramp – “Everything Is Alright” (Dansk Melodi Grand Prix - Demark 🇩🇰 )

Egert Miller – “Free Again” (Eesti Laul - Estonia 🇪🇪 )

Malika Ayane – “Ti piaci così” (Festival di Sanremo - Italy 🇮🇹 ) 

Paul Rey – “The Missing Piece” (Melodifestivalen - Sweden 🇸🇪 )

VICTORIA – “dive into unknown” (Victoria's Internal Selection - Bulgaria 🇧🇬 ) 

Orietta Berti – “Quando ti sei innamorato” (Festival di Sanremo - Italy 🇮🇹 ) 

Valéria – “Na Mais Profunda Saudade” (Festival da Canção - Portugal 🇵🇹 )

Jean Michel – “Beautiful” (Dansk Melodi Grand Prix - Demark 🇩🇰 )

Klara Hammarström – “Beat of Broken Hearts” (Melodifestivalen - Sweden 🇸🇪 )

AIELLO – “Ora” (Festival di Sanremo - Italy 🇮🇹 ) 

#2Mashi – “Bitter Words” (Natsionalniy Otbor - Russia 🇷🇺 )

VICTORIA – “Ugly Cry” (Victoria's Internal Selection - Bulgaria 🇧🇬 ) 

Arvingarna – “Tänker inte alls gå hem” (Melodifestivalen - Sweden 🇸🇪 )

Bonus Tracks: Suured tüdrukud – "Heaven's Not That Far Tonight" feat. Koit Toome on backing vocals (Live @  Eesti Laul Final 🇪🇪 ) 

Eva Rydberg & Ewa Roos – “Rena rama ding dong” (Live @ Melodifestivalen - Semi Final 2  🇸🇪 )

[guysofeurovision]

Eesti Laul ‘21

Given today’s holiday -at least here in Italy- I’ve spent some time in the morning listening to next year’s Eesti laul songs. What can I say? This is a typical example of when you’re trying to bring variety to the show and end up collecting a lot of forgettable crappy songs. That’s what it is, plain and simple.

There’s just one act that I’d like to go back and listen to again, maybe two or three if I make an effort. This is enough to get my general disappointment, isn’t it?

Let’s see what we can find in this miscellanea of songs (click on the names if you dare hearing the tunes): we’ve got jazzy vibes (Kristin Kalnapenk), introspective love instants (Karl Killing), a touch of gospel sensation (Sissi), cheesy New Year’s Eve dance -possible guilty pleasure, Serhat style- (Suured Tudrukud), modern contaminations with a touch of French (Heleza), a powerful country tune (Wiiralt), a treat for millennials (Zevakin & Pluuto), a terribly boring piano&voice song (Kadri Voorand), George Ezra’s clone (Egert Midler), the inevitable electronic-rock band which-doesn’t-stand-a-chance on the Eurovision stage (Alabama Watchdog) and two very disappointing comebacks, one urban -WTF?!- (Juri Pootsmann) and another already heard and so so sad (Tanja).  Then there’s a special mention for Redel duo: perfect soundtrack for when you’ve taken acid (I’m a trash lover but this goes even beyond ahah).

So, what do I save from all of this? Not much:

- an average and not particularly original dancepop attempt: Kea

- another so-and-so song by Uku Suviste (it could be strong on stage, live)

- the only hint of slutty pop in the contest: Nika Marula

- surprisingly, an honest traditional pop song with a retro aftertaste: Ivo & Robert Linna  (my personal runner-up, trust me and give it a full listen)

- the best one: Koit Toome’s We could have been beautiful (it must win and rock Rotterdam stage!).

Now I have to go for a ride on my car and start screamin.. ehm, singing this song from an open window, with the wind in my hair... That it’s too laaaaaaaate

[unofficial-estonia]

Ivo Linna and Måns Zelmerlöw singing “Heroes”.

[cardimona]

what’s the march mood?

[salvadorsobral]

*blows a kiss to Estonia* (for Ivo Linna)

[anotherescsite]

100 days of Eurovision

Maarja-Liis Ilus & Ivo Linna - Kaelakee hääl

Estonia

Estonia appeared for the first time at Eurovision in 1994, after failing in the pre-selection of 1993. The 1994 effort did not do so well, coming second to last with two points. With 1995 as a rest year, Estonia came back with a pleasant song that made the audience sit up. It is a very gentle entry which grows and grows as it continues. 

To say that the artists are the beauty and the beast are an understatement. But the gentle young voice of Maarja co-ordinated very nicely with the older gruff voice of Ivo. Could two people who were aged closer have done a better job? Possibly, but it is what it is. 

[smileymoth]

12 for the ask game<3

HIIIIIIII EVAN <33333

favorite tv commercial? MY FAVOURITE COMMERCIAL, OKAY SO this i didnt see on tv, bc i dont watch tv, but i really fucked with this 1 ad i got on youtube. it was THIS: took me a minute to search it from my likes its nr 758 jesus christ 😭

BASIC RUNDOWN WHY I LIKE THIS: this is Ivo Linna, one of our most loved musicians. he starts this video off with saying "if you don't watch this video till the end, they will ban me from performing our cultural songs." which is such a WILD fucking thing to say right. and he continues guilttripping you for another few sentences. then it glitches out and he tells you he was actually manipulating you! he was looking for someone who was guilty. Then explains why it's manipulation, and brings an example: "so when people want to skip ads, they don't blame the bad ad designer, but the person watching it"

i cant be bothered to translate the whole thing but you get the gyst. it was some campaign to raise awareness for widespread manipulation tactics. idk who ran this. but i love this ad!!! its so clever!!! in my opinion. visually not very pretty, but it worked on me. LOL

[newestmusic]

Boogie Company & Ivo Linna "Teesklus"

[eurosong]

Undo my ESC '21 (semi-final two)

Good afternoon folks, and welcome to the second part of Undo my ESC – my annual quest to make the year’s Eurovision better (at least, for me xD) by making a feasible change in each country – it could be something as small as altering a lyric or a staging detail, or as big as a different artist entirely winning the NF. Semi-final one was here so let's jump straight into SF2!

🇸🇲 San Marino: We're thrown into the deep end here with a fan fav that doesn't do at all for me. I'm one of maybe 5 people on the planet who prefers Freaky by far, I guess? I'm happy for Senhit to be getting so much love and for the diminutive serene republic to finally have a shot at a good result - but I'm not so keen on the way it's been done. There's a bit of cognitive dissonance for me because my favourite thing about Adrenalina is Flo Rida's rap, but I don't like the idea of bringing in famed American artists like "ringers" to elevate a song above one with "only" local talent. I would be so tempted to give the rap part to local artist IROL instead to spit some hot bars in Italian.

🇪🇪 Estonia: I had hope this year, I really did, for my era of absolutely adoring Estonia at ESC to be revived after 4 painful years. There were so many good songs at this year's Eesti Laul, like those of Ivo Linna, Egert, Gram of fun, Heleza - but ultimately, my huge favourite was, as expected, Jüri Pootsmann. Anyone who followed this blog back in 2016 knows how much I adore Jüri and was desperate to see him get a redemption arc at ESC itself. Magus melanhoolia was one of the best songs of the season for me and one of the best stagings. As much as I prefer '20 artists to get their shot in '21, problematic Uku with his toxic ex vibes song will have to step aside and let the Jüri renaissance happen here.

🇨🇿 Czechia: I really dig Benny Cristo - he has personality, presence and his own enjoyable style. At first I was kinda disappointed with Omaga because I was expecting something more in the vein of Kemama, with more pronounced Afrobeat influences. But it has grown on me a lot too. My change? Add more Czech than just one blink-and-you-miss-it line, mate! (Article continues below)

🇬🇷 Greece: I see this being talked up as potential televote top 3 and I just don't get it. Maybe it's the way the chorus rhymes dance with itself three times (and uses the term rockin' romance unironically); maybe it's the way that there are better 80s-inspired songs both in ESC and many fallen tributes in the NF season... it just leaves me cold. I actually preferred Supergirl and my change would be for Stefania to bring something with some actual Greek flair.

🇦🇹 Austria: I’ll echo what I said last year about Österreich – how did they go from Conchita to a guy who wished he wouldn’t have gay kids like this? I find both of this guy's songs insipid in different ways and I would invite Pænda back instead to avenge her getting robbed with the beautiful Limits. Or give a second shot at glory to the incredible Cesár!

🇵🇱 Poland: Unpopular opinion, but I absolutely love The Ride, and I feel bad for Alicja, but I much prefer it to Empires. What started as an ironic fondness for Rafał's cringy uncle vibes ended up being genuine appreciation - it's one of the few 80s-inspired songs that sound like they actually could have come out of that decade rather than like modern pastiches. And Raf actually does have an awkward charisma. My change - insert some Polish! Poland does so well with natural sounding bilingual efforts in JESC, they should bring it to the main contest too!

🇲🇩 Moldova: I was lowkey prepared to be disappointed by Moldova - I actually enjoyed Prison a lot and the news that they were going in a completely different direction didn't sit so well with me. And yet, I also love Sugar. Natalia's power! My changes: get rid of that weird scene with literally egg on her face - too on the nose for me. And incorporate a bit of the stellar Russian translation, Tuz bubi, because I'm always going to be advocating for more linguistic diversity xD

🇮🇸 Iceland: Daði Freyr can literally do no wrong with me. Whilst it doesn't have the same intense extra-fandom hype that Think about things did, I think I like Ten years even more. Nothing to change here.

🇷🇸 Serbia: It's no secret that Hurricane were far from my favourites at Beovizija 20, and that I find this a downgrade for Sanja compared to her powerful '16 song. And yet... Hasta la vista grew on me a lot, and so has Loco loco. It's something that is definitely scratching an itch at this year's ESC and the burst of anarchic energy it'll provide will be amazing. I am seriously tempted to change to the acoustic version, though, which has all the attitude of the original but is more beautiful for me and lets the girls' voices shine more.

🇬🇪 Georgia: Georgia keeps serving acquired tastes, and as a patron saint of marginal genres and I love them for that. This year, they've gone for something that even many fans of Tornike find hard to swallow - gone is the roaring rock of last year, replaced with a much more contemplative, soft effort that reminds me a little of Lou Reed. I enjoy both songs, but I can't deny preferring 2020. At the same time, I admire the chutzpah required to send something so different. I just wish there could be a moment to properly showcase T's powerhouse vocals.

🇦🇱 Albania: It was an odd Festival i këngës this year, outdoors in the freezing cold and without the orchestra that makes the songs soar so much more for me. Karma is a perfectly respectable winner, albeit one that lacks the immediacy and rawness of Shaj, Ktheju tokës and Mall. In my ideal alternate reälity, Arilena Ara would have been invited back. She'd bring a song as beautiful as Shaj - and not do a revamp into English that removes its edge this time.

🇵🇹 Portugal: 2015-2020 was a full on Portugal stan era for me. I want to believe that this year is an aberration and that in 2022, our lusitanian neighbours will produce the goods once again. Because ending a colossal streak of not sending songs that don't include Portuguese for this? I am baffled. I wanted the anthemic Joana do mar, produced beautifully by Luísa Sobral, or the timeless Contramão, which sounds like it escaped a Nouvelle Vague soundtrack. Saudade, Por um triz or a number of others would have been grand too.

🇧🇬 Bulgaria: I wasn't expecting much from Bulgaria - I really didn't and don't like TGS and the majority of songs in Victoria's NF-but-not-really aren't my cup of tea. I was happy she got her second chance, but resigned to not liking the song much that would get picked. And then, my fav, which was last in many community ratings, ended up being her pick. I adore GUIGO and believe it has the possibility to do very, very well at Rotterdam and be one of the 'moments' of the evening.

🇫🇮 Finland: CRIMINAL how YLE treated Aksel - it felt like he wasn't the defending champion, and that Erika Vikman had won the previous year. They also - I believe, deliberately - split his vote by making his just one of a number of ballads, so of course what stood out most were the two decidedly non-ballady songs. Finland only two years ago had a single-artist UMK. They could and should have brought it back for Aksel. I'd hope Hurt would win it, because that song is stunning.

🇱🇻 Latvia: I was, and am, delighted that Latvia stuck with Samanta Tina. The lady lives and breathes ESC, even wrote a university thesis about it, and if she tried so many times, finally won and then DIDN'T get to go to ESC, I would have gone to LTV headquarters personally to remonstrate. I really like both her songs. The moon is rising is poised, powerful and like nothing else this year. The only thing I'd change is adding some Latvian because it's a gorgeous language and we've been waiting for ages to hear it again.

🇨🇭 Switzerland: Gjon's song is once again not really my cup of tea, or tears - but I enjoy it better than last year's and I'm glad he's back. Highkey wish it did include Albanian or Romansch like confused commenters last year thought it did.

🇩🇰 Denmark: There is literally no excuse for Denmark's treatment of Ben & Tan. I'm not even a big fan of their music at all, out to not even allow them to compete in DMGP to defend their win with Iron heart? Even though there are songs that competed in DMGP that I prefer a lot, most notably Står lige her, I would probably have let them have a proper second chance.

And the automatic qualifiers voting in this semi -

🇫🇷 France: For me, France had an absolutely enthralling, sincere, perfectly Gallic entry that hit me so hard in the feels. And whilst I respect Voilà, no, that wasn't it. It was Pourvu qu'on m'aime, easily one of the best songs I heard all year inside NFs or out. I find Voilà a little too mannered and affected, whilst PQM is a shot straight from Juliette's heart into mine. In my dream, it'd have won CVQD and be receiving the same love that Voilà is right now.

🇪🇸 Spain: Whilst it is getting next to no love in the fandom and seems quite forgotten, I find Voy a quedarme one of the best songs sent from this country in several years - and I say that having preferred Memoria. I am proud of Blas and love that he had a hand in writing this song. My change? He said recently that the staging in Rotterdam won't be inspired by the poignant music video despite wanting it to be - I would incorporate elements from it in the live.

🇬🇧 United Kingdom: Frankly, I think almost all the Big 5+1 brought it this year, with the notable exception of Germany. Embers is the banger that I never thought was coming from James Newman, and it's been one of the biggest earworms of the season. I wouldn't change anything about it - I'd just ensure that the staging replicated the energy of the video as much as possible!

[scarlettlillies]

I’m doing a somewhat live commentary on my Twitter for Eesti Laul but I wanted to post some brief thoughts here:

- Everyone sounded way better tonight than they did in the semis. - The disco queens are everywhere and I love them. They better end up in the top 5. - Tartu is truly an experience no matter how many times I listen to it. It’s an ear-worm that won’t go away. - Uku’s staging was a lot better tonight than in the semi and I’m glad they got rid of the cheap lightning effects. - Sissi’s song has been a really big grower on me. I wouldn’t be mad if she won. - I need to add that What Love Is cover on my Spotify playlist IMMEDIATELY. - Jüri is my favourite to win but I wouldn’t be mad if either Uku, Sissi, or Suured tüdrukud won because I love those songs. I love Ivo and Robert Linna’s song as well but I know it won’t win. :c

[eurovision-del]

Estonia are going to pick their entry this weekend when Eesti Laul wraps up, so here’s my ranking of the final:

REDEL – Tartu

Jüri Pootsmann – Magus melanhoolia

Kadri Voorand – Energy

Suured tüdrukud – Heaven’s Not That Far Tonight

Uku Suviste – The Lucky One

Ivo Linna, Robert Linna, Supernova – Ma olen siin

Andrei Zevakin & Pluuto – Wingman

Koit Toome – We Could Have Been Beautiful

Sissi – Time

Hans Nayna – One By One

Egert Milder – Free Again

Karl Killing – Kiss Me

Overall, I’m pretty happy with the songs that qualified. I do miss Wiiralt, and like most people I wanted Gram-Of-Fun and Heleza to go through based on studio cuts, but seeing the live of both I fully understand why they didn’t.

When I did the initial rankings back in December I had a clear top two, and that hasn’t changed. I enjoyed Jüri’s performance (even if I’m not so keen on the visual effects where they put more than one of him on the screen), and I was really impressed by that final chorus, all my worries about his live falsetto were proven completely wrong, it was brilliant! However, REDEL just managed to steal my number one position from him with their live of Tartu. I was all in on the studio track, but wondered how they’d stage it, but they more than lived up to my expectations. I loved the chaos, and I’m legit impressed with how they keep up the vocals throughout, keeping your voice that high-pitched while rapping must be hard. If anything, I could have done with it being slightly more obnoxious, for example the blast of sound at the start could have been louder, like the studio cut. It’s a novelty act, sure, and it would tank in the semis if by some miracle it got to Eurovision, but it’s still so great.

I found a lot of the songs grew on me in the months since i first heard them - I like Ma olen siin equally to how I liked it when I first heard it, but it’s dropped from my third place to my sixth just because of how my opinion’s on other songs have changed. I really overlooked Energy the first time around, but I’ve fallen in love with it. It’s a stripped back piano ballad, but it’s one done right. I love how it builds and then plays with dymanics, especially on the repeating ‘and we ran’ moment, and Kadri pulled it off really well live, bringing the emotion it needed. I considered Heaven’s Not That Far tonight a guilty pleasure back in December, but there’s no guilt here now, it’s just a full on pleasure, we need songs that bring the joy and fun like this.

As for Uku, The Lucky One has also grown on me, even if the ranking hasn’t changed. It’s a basic pop song, sure, but it’s one I enjoy, and I was actually into the performance, I like bad melodrama, and the lightning and the chains sure was that - not sure if that was the intention, but it worked for me. I think he’s the most likely to win, and I’ll honestly be happy if he does.

Despite some changes in my ranking with several songs growing on me, my conclusion is the same - I really want Jüri to win, but I’ll be happy for Uku if he does. I also still think there’s no guaranteed qualifiers in this entire selection, but I also wouldn’t be surprised to see either Jüri or Uku reach the final comfortably. I can’t see a winner here, but even if another song does get picked (I could see Koit winning, and I’d be overjoyed if Kadri managed to snatch the victory), Estonia should have a good chance of getting a good result.