The Eesti Laul semi-finals saw fifteen different artists showcase a different part of Estonia, of which five qualified and joined the autoqualifiers for the 17 February final. Together, the ten artists will sing it off for the chance to represent the country at Eurovision this May.
Brother Apollo: Switching their time between Finland and Estonia, Brother Apollo is beginning their recording career with their song, “Bad Boy”. Playing on that particular trope, they use nu-metal and electronic influences, hoping to lean towards the latter with their future works.
Daniel Levi: Not only the name of the artist, but also his four-man backing band, Daniel Levi brings a modern pop-rock edge to the Eesti Laul stage. with a tinge of the past. He was born in Columbus, Ohio to an Estonian father and an American mother, and attended school in Estonia, which allowed him to get a better grasp of his Estonian heritage. Along with fellow competitors Cartoon, he recorded “On and On” which is one of the most streamed Estonian songs on Spotify. His song, “Over the Moon“, showcases this simplicity, co-written by Victor Crone.
Nele-Liis Vaiksoo: Nele-Liis’ Eesti Laul entry, “Käte ümber jää”, showcases her clear vocals amongst a magical landscape. But one place where she sings frequently is on the stage, where she has been performing since 1999! She also has recorded two albums based on her musical theater career, and also voiced Rapunzel in the Estonian dub of “Tangled”.
Carlos Ukareda: At eighteen years old, Carlos Ukareda made the finals of Estonian Idol, which shows the promise of this singer-songwriter. Musical blood also runs through his family, as his father, Raul Ukareda is a guitarist–yet he proved his mettle when a duet video with Ed Sheeran went viral on TikTok! His self-penned entry, “Never Growing Up”, keeps the same acoustic influences as “Whiskey Won’t Forget”, his 2023 submission for Eesti Laul.
Uudo Sepp & Sarah Murray: What happens when you get an Estonian Idol winner and a singer-model joining forces? You get “Still Love”, a piece about the nostalgia a first love brings, along with the hurt. The acoustic elements continue Uudo’s steps from his 2020 Eesti Laul entry, “i’m sorry, i messed up“. Sarah Murray, who was originally from Norway, adds her clear vocals to the piece, which further plays on that dynamic.
Joining them from the semi-final are 5miinust and Puuluup, Anet Vaikmaa, Ewert and the Two Dragons, OLLIE, and Peter Põder. Who do you think is going to win?
The Eesti Laul final will take place on 17 February.