Estonia in the Eurovision Song Contest

Estonia has participated in the Eurovision Song Contest 25 times since making its debut in 1994. Its first appearance would have taken place in 1993, however a qualification round was installed for seven former Eastern bloc countries hoping to make their debut in the contest, with Estonia failing to qualify. Estonia has won the contest once, in 2001.

Estonia
Member stationERR
National selection events
Participation summary
Appearances25 (16 finals)
First appearance1994
Best result1st: 2001
External links
ERR page
Estonia's page at Eurovision.tv
For the most recent participation see
Estonia in the Eurovision Song Contest 2020

Estonia's first participation in 1994 was unsuccessful, finishing 24th (out of 25). Estonia went on to finish in the top eight in six out of seven contests (1996–2002), with Maarja-Liis Ilus and Ivo Linna fifth (1996), Maarja-Liis Ilus returning to finish eighth (1997), Evelin Samuel and Camille sixth (1999) and Ines fourth (2000), before Tanel Padar, Dave Benton & 2XL gave Estonia its first victory in 2001. This made Estonia the first former Soviet country to win the contest and the second eastern European country to win, after Yugoslavia in 1989. Sahlene then finished third for the hosts in Tallinn in 2002.

Since the introduction of the semi-final round in 2004, Estonia has failed to reach the final on nine occasions and has reached the top ten four times, with Urban Symphony sixth (2009), Ott Lepland sixth (2012), Elina Born and Stig Rästa seventh (2015) and Elina Nechayeva eighth (2018). Estonia's total of ten top ten results, is more than any other Baltic country.

History

Estonia finished 24th (out of 25) on its debut in 1994 and was relegated from the following years contest.

Estonia's record at the contest was a successful one from 1996 to 2002, only failing once to make the top 10 (in 1998 when it ended up in 12th place). Maarja-Liis Ilus and Ivo Linna's fifth-place in 1996 was the first top five ranking for a former Soviet country. Ilus returned to finish eighth in 1997.

The country's first win came in 2001, when Tanel Padar and Dave Benton, along with 2XL, sang "Everybody" and received 198 points, therefore making Estonia the first former USSR country to win the Contest and the second country of eastern Europe after Yugoslavia. The 2002 contest was held in Estonia, in the capital city Tallinn, where Sahlene finished third for the hosts (tied with the UK).

From 2004 to 2008 Estonia failed to qualify to the finals, mostly receiving poor results – during that period its best entry was 11th place in the 2004 semi-final by Neiokõsõ with the "Tii" (The Way), sung in the Võro language, a southern-Estonian dialect.

Despite news that Estonia might withdraw from the 2009 contest, set to be held in Moscow, Russia, due to the war in South Ossetia, Eesti Rahvusringhääling (ERR) confirmed that, due to public demand, Estonia would send an entry to Moscow.[1][2] After a new national final, Eesti Laul, was introduced to select the Estonian entry, the winner was Urban Symphony with "Rändajad" (Nomads[3] or Travellers), which had beaten the televoting favourite, Laura, by the votes of a jury.[4][5]

At the second semi-final of the 2009 contest, Urban Symphony qualified Estonia to the final of the contest for the first time since 2003, receiving 115 points and placing 3rd. The group performed 15th in the final, where it received 129 points, placing 6th of 25 competing entries as well as being the highest placing non-English language song at the 2009 competition.

In 2010, Estonia failed to qualify to the final, with the song "Siren" by Malcolm Lincoln.

In 2011, Estonia was represented by Getter Jaani with the song "Rockefeller Street". She was the bookmakers' pre-contest favorite for victory along with France. She qualified to the final but eventually placed 24th of 25 entries- tying Silvi Vrait's 1994 result for Estonia's worst placing in the contest final.

Since 2012, Estonia has achieved three more top ten results. Ott Lepland qualified Estonia to the final of the 2012 contest, with his song "Kuula", ending up 4th in the second semi-final. In the final, he equalled Estonia's result of 1999 and 2009, placing 6th. Elina Born and Stig Rästa finished seventh in 2015 and Elina Nechayeva finished eighth in 2018.

Contestants
Table key
1
 Winner
3
 Third place
◁
 Last place
X
 Entry selected but did not compete
Year Artist Language Title Final Points Semi Points
1993
 Janika Sillamaa Estonian "Muretut meelt ja südametuld" Failed to qualify[lower-alpha 1] 5 47
1994
 Silvi Vrait Estonian "Nagu merelaine" 24 2 No semi-finals
1996
 Maarja-Liis Ilus & Ivo Linna Estonian "Kaelakee hääl" 5 94 5 106
1997
 Maarja-Liis Ilus Estonian "Keelatud maa" 8 82 No semi-finals
1998
 Koit Toome Estonian "Mere lapsed" 12 36
1999
 Evelin Samuel & Camille English "Diamond of Night" 6 90
2000
 Ines English "Once in a Lifetime" 4 98
2001
 Tanel Padar/Dave Benton/2XL English "Everybody" 1 198
2002
 Sahlene English "Runaway" 3 111
2003
 Ruffus English "Eighties Coming Back" 21 14
2004
 Neiokõsõ Võro "Tii" Failed to qualify 11 57
2005
 Suntribe English "Let's Get Loud" 20 31
2006
 Sandra Oxenryd English "Through My Window" 18 28
2007
 Gerli Padar English "Partners in Crime" 22 33
2008
 Kreisiraadio Serbian, German, Finnish "Leto svet" 18 8
2009
 Urban Symphony Estonian "Rändajad" 6 129 3 115
2010
 Malcolm Lincoln & Manpower 4 English "Siren" Failed to qualify 14 39
2011
 Getter Jaani English "Rockefeller Street" 24 44 9 60
2012
 Ott Lepland Estonian "Kuula" 6 120 4 100
2013
 Birgit Õigemeel Estonian "Et uus saaks alguse" 20 19 10 52
2014
 Tanja English "Amazing" Failed to qualify 12 36
2015
 Elina Born & Stig Rästa English "Goodbye to Yesterday" 7 106 3 105
2016
 Jüri Pootsmann English "Play" Failed to qualify 18 ◁ 24
2017
 Koit Toome & Laura English "Verona" 14 85
2018
 Elina Nechayeva Italian "La forza" 8 245 5 201
2019
 Victor Crone English "Storm" 20 76 4 198
2020
 Uku Suviste English "What Love Is" Contest cancelled[lower-alpha 2] X

Hostings
Year Location Venue Presenters
2002 Tallinn Saku Suurhall Annely Peebo and Marko Matvere

Heads of delegation
Year Head of delegation Ref.
1997–2008 Juhan Paadam
[6]
2009–2015 Heidy Purga
[7]
2015–2018 Mart Normet
[8]
2019– Tomi Rahula
[9]

Costume designers

Year Costume designers Ref.
2013 Karolin Kuusik
[10]

Commentators and spokespersons
Year Television commentator Radio commentator Russian commentator Spokesperson Ref.
1994 Vello RandMarko Reikop (Raadio 2)No broadcastUrve Tiidus
1995 Jüri PihelNo broadcastDid not participate
1996 Marko Reikop (Raadio 2)Annika Talvik
1997 Helene Tedre
1998 Reet LinnaUrve Tiidus
1999 Marko ReikopVello Rand (Raadio 2)Mart Sander
2000 Evelin Samuel
2001 Ilo-Mai Küttim (Elektra)
2002
2003 Ines
2004 Maarja-Liis Ilus
2005 Mart Juur (Raadio 2)
Andrus Kivirähk (Raadio 2)
2006 Evelin Samuel
2007 Laura Põldvere
2008 Sahlene
2009 Marko Reikop and Olav Osolin (final)Laura Põldvere
2010 Marko Reikop and Sven Lõhmus (final)Rolf Roosalu
2011 Marko ReikopPiret Järvis
2012 Ilja Ban, Dmitri Vinogradov and
Aleksandra Moorast (Raadio 4)		Getter Jaani
2013 No broadcastRolf Roosalu
2014 Lauri Pihlap
2015 Tanja
2016 Aleksandr HobotovDaniel Levi Viinalass
2017 Aleksandr Hobotov and Julia KalendaJüri Pootsmann
2018 Ott Evestus
2019 No broadcastKelly Sildaru

Photogallery

Notes
  1. Estonia unsuccessfully attempted to participate in 1993, when there was a pre-qualifying round for seven countries hoping to make their debut in the contest. The official Eurovision site does not count 1993 in Estonia's list of appearances.
  2. The 2020 contest was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

References
  1. Floras, Stella (2008-08-22). "Estonia: Minister discusses possible boycott of Eurovision in Moscow". ESCToday. Retrieved 2008-08-22.
  2. Floras, Stella (2008-09-17). "Estonia will participate in 2009". ESCToday. Retrieved 2008-09-17.
  3. "Estonia: Staging modern fairytale". 2009-04-26. Retrieved 2009-05-19.
  4. Calleja Bayliss, Marc (2009-03-07). "Urban Symphony to represent Estonia in Moscow". Oikotimes. Archived from the original on 2009-03-10. Retrieved 2009-03-07.
  5. Webb, Glen (2009-03-07). "Urban Symphony win Eesti Laul in Estonia". EBU. Retrieved 2009-03-07.
  6. "FOTOD: Legendaarne eurolaulu produtsent Juhan Paadam köitis oma mälestused üheks suureks raamatuks". kroonika.delfi.ee. 9 March 2017. Retrieved 29 January 2020.
  7. "FOTOD: Legendaarne eurolaulu produtsent Juhan Paadam köitis oma mälestused üheks suureks raamatuks". kroonika.delfi.ee. 9 March 2017. Retrieved 29 January 2020.
  8. Welsh, Eleanor (22 January 2018). "Estonia: Head of Delegation Mart Normet to step down after Lisbon 2018". esctoday.com. Retrieved 7 December 2019.
  9. Maddalozzo, Riccardo (23 June 2018). "Estonia: ERR appoints Tomi Rahula as new head of Eesti Laul". escxtra.com. Retrieved 29 January 2020.
  10. Eleanor Cooper (May 4, 2013). "Estonia: Birgit reveals her outfit for Malmö". esctoday.com.
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