Estonia: Eesti Laul 2023 competing songs released

-
The Estonian broadcaster, ERR, has released the songs that will be competing in the national selection for Eurovision 2023, Eesti Laul 2023.
Estonia will be selecting their Eurovision 2023 hopeful through the format of Eesti Laul 2023 which will be hosted this yesr by Tõnis Niinemets and Grete Kuld.
Following the reveal of the competing acts of the first and second semi-final of Eesti Laul 2023, the broadcaster released Friday evening the songs that will be competing in the Estonian national selection.
Twenty songs will take part in the two semifinals of Eesti Laul 2023. Namely they are the following:
- Sissi – “Lighthouse”
- Wiiralt – “Salalik” (Secretive)
- Carlos Ukareda – “Whiskey Won’t Forget”
- Alika – “Bridges”
- JANEK – “House of Glass”
- Ellip – “Pretty Girl”
- Kaw – “Valik” (Choice)
- Andreas – “Why Do You Love Me”
- Meelik- “Tuju” (Mood)
- Elysa – “Bad Philosophy”
- m els – “So Good At What You Do”
- Robin Juhkental – “Kurbuse matused” (Funeral of sorrow)
- Neon Letters & Maiko – “Tokimeki” (Palpitation)
- Bedwetters – “Monsters”
- Anett x Fredi – “You Need to Move On”
- OLLIE – “Venom”
- Linalakk & Bonzo – “Aeg” (Time)
- MERLYN – “Unicorn Vibes”
- MIA – “Üks samm korraga” (One step at a time)
- Inger – “Awaiting You”
You can listen to all the songs here.
Eesti Laul 2023
The Estonian national selection will unfold over three nights with two semi-final heats and a grand final show. The shows will take place according to the following schedule:
- Frist Semi-Final – January 12
- Second Semi-Final – January 14
- Grand Final – February 11
The semi-finals of Eesti Laul on 12 and 14 January will take place in Viimsi Artium. The final on February 11 will be held at the Tondiraba Ice Rink. Tickets for the concerts go on sale on December 2.
Estonia in Eurovision
Estonia joined the Eurovision family in 1994 . On their debut participation they were represented by Silvi Vrait, who finished 2nd last with only 2 points. Seven years later the country was crowned winner of Eurovision Song Contest 2001 for the first and only time until today. Tanel Padar, Dave Benton & 2XL, performed the song Everybody and against all odds achieved to bring the trophy from Copenhagen in Estonia.
However this success didn’t continue as Estonia failed to qualify for the final from 2004-2008. In 2009 after successive bad results led to the establishment of Eesti Laul, as the show through which the country has been selecting its Eurovision entries the last ten years, having seven times qualified to the final.
Uku won the Estonian national final back in February 2020 with his entry “What Love Is” and along with it the right to reprsent Estonian at Eurovision 2020 in Rotterdam. Unfortunately the contest never took place cause of the coronavirus pandemic leaving Uku’s ESC journey incomplete.However, the Estonian act was given a pass to compete in Eesti Laul 2021 finals, which he eventually won again with his song 'The Lucky One' and went off to representing the country in Rotterdam. Uku competed in the second semi final and depsite his strong performance didn't make it to the Grand Final.
In 2022 STEFAN won the national final with the song 'Hope' and flew the flag in Turin where he finished 13th in the Grand final with 141 points.
News Source/image: ERR