Sandra Nurmsalu – Kui tuuled pöörduvad. Photo : menu.err.ee

Estonia will decide who will represent them at Eurovision 2014 tonight. The final of Eesti Laul begins at 20:35 CET. You can Watch it live HERE and just refresh this page for our LIVE ROLLING BLOG.

Running Order

1. Brigita Murutar – Laule täis taevakaar
2. Traffic – Für Elise
3. Norman Salumäe – Search
4. Wilhelm – Resignal
5. Lenna – Supernoova
6. Super Hot Cosmos Blues Band – Maybe-Maybe
7. Maiken – Siin või sealpool maad
8. Kõrsikud – Tule ja jää
9. Tanja – Amazing
10. Sandra Nurmsalu – Kui tuuled pöörduvad

LIVE BLOG

And we start Estonia’s national final with Birgit Õigemeel singing ‘Et uus saks alguse’. She looks a lot more svelte than in 2013. She’s joined by Ott Lepland who sings his latest song, which Birgit duets with him on. It’s a very nice way to open the show.

We then get introduced to the performers of tonight’s competing songs. And after a brief chat by hosts Marko Reikop and Henrik Kelmet, it’s straight into song 1

Brigita immediately has the audience clapping along to her jaunty little song. She has her band with her, but the ukelele plays a prominent role in the song. She’s got a look that the camera seems to love too. During the instrumental break she moves down the catwalk with some of her band members. It’s altogether very nice and a darn good opener.

Our first band of the night give us some slightly folksy music. Echoing a theme around Europe this year methinks. It gets going really quickly and they look the part. It bounces along nicely and the crowd also gets into this song. If it wins, it maybe a little too like Switzerland and Malta, but you never know.

The lights all go out for Norman before he’s lit simply by a single smokey spotlight. He also gives us a song in English. As the cameras pan back you can see his minders/backing singers. They don’t need a huge stage for this one. I’m not sure whether it would do well if it got through tonight. It’s a tad downbeat and maybe a little pained in places. We see some of the crowd making notes at the end, and it still gets a big cheer.

before the next song, we go quickly to the Green Room with Henrik, and chat to some of the acts. There’s a generally upbeat feel there.

Wilhelm is a band, not a singer, just so you know. This is a very subtle song and has an interesting key. It’s an ensemble effort, with a nominal lead singer. There’s heavy emphasis on an acoustic guitar. It’s very late night bar, the sort of thing that goes down well in a small venue. Having said that, it would be different enough to get noticed amongst a host of other songs. Possibly the only point against it is the abrupt ending.

This was arguably the best song from the first semi-final, and she has her fans in the audience before the song starts. This is very effectively staged and has Lenna on the stage’s catwalk with her band a modest distance behind her. Lenna ably holds the high notes which could be very challenging in lesser hands. I think that could well be in the two-song super-final later on tonight.

Before song 6, Marko introduces us to the expert jury that will provide 50% of the final mark. Amongst them are Maarja-Liis Ilus, Tõnia Mägi, Siiri Sisask and Ott Lepland.

Our music style changes again with a song with bluesy overtones. It’s another builder of a song and has the three attractive backing singers adding well to the song. This is the sort of genre that former winner Tanel Padar prefers, so maybe the band have modelled themselves on him. It’s a good song in its own right, but maybe not the thing that will win tonight.

Our first full-blown ballad of the night is immediatelt effectively staged. Maikan wears a simple purple dress and is surrounded by lots of dry ice. She’s also on stage alone. I think it’s a homage to Birgit’s song last year, although the dry ice creates some very interestign effects as she moves around. She also gets a very audible round of applause mid song, which is probably the first we’ve heard like that tonight.

We have a band of more mature singers in hats and waistcoats. It’s quirky in a good way and seems to be a very Baltic sort of thing. It’s inoffensive and they harmonise together very well. The Estonians have gone for a very good mix of styles this year. They’re all good in their own way and this will definitely have its appeal if it wins tonight.

Contrasting with the last song, Tanja is going for something that could almost be similar to ‘Euphoria’. It has her, a dancer (who throws her around a lot), lots of beat and a very catchy hook. It may well be in the super final, and it’s a great song in its own right. But it might be too like Euphoria to do well in May.

Finally, front-woman of Urban Symphony is back and looking as good as ever. Coincidence that this is on last? It’s another one that grabs you straight away and has the right ingredients of the right song to send to Copenhagen. I think that the way it was staged will be enough to see it sail through to the super-final.

The phone lines are now thrown open for 15 minutes, so we see a band of children who entertain us with a very nice song.

The various jurors then give us their votes in the following order: Maarja-Liis Ilus, Erkki Pärnoja, Rolf Roosalu, Getter Jaani, Siim Nestor, Ott Lepland, Koit Raudsepp, Els Himma, Leslie Da Bass, Siiri Sisask, Tõnis Mägi,

With the televoting constituting the other 50% of the mark, the top two are the Super Hot Cosmos Blues Band and Tanja. We see brief extracts of their songs.

While the phone lines are thrown open again, we see Gustav Adolfi Muusikakooli poisid perform ‘Seitsme tuule poole’. They are the band of children again.

we get another brief reprise of the two super final songs and then speak to both acts. They seem slightly bewildered and don’t give much away as to how they feel.

Another band of children. This time VHK Bänd sing ‘Rhythm of adventure’ in English.

Phone lines have closed now.

And the winner is Tanja!!!

Thanks for tuning in. It wasn’t the winner I was expecting, but it might have its merits in Copenhagen. tell us what you think. But for now, goodnight from me.

JOHN’S PREDICTIONS

RESULTS

Author : John Stanton

Source : Eurovision Ireland