Victor Crone will represent Estonia at Eurovision 2019 with his song “Storm”. It’s an uplifting folk-pop number, that reassures the listener that despite all the ups and downs of life, “we’re still safe and sound”.
Victor earned the ticket to Tel Aviv by winning Estonia’s national final Eesti Laul 2019. But it wasn’t his first national final experience. Come and discover a bit about Victor and learn about the man behind the “Storm”. Here are 10 facts about Estonia’s Victor Crone. Let’s do this!
1. He’s Swedish
This isn’t the first time Estonia has looked across the Baltic for its Eurovision representative. In 2002, Swedish songstress Sahlene represented Estonia as they hosted Eurovision — and picked up third place. The formula was less successful in 2006 when Sandra Oxenryd failed to reach the final. But Victor isn’t a ring-in. He co-wrote “Storm” in Tallinn with Estonian songwriters. While Victor is based in Sweden, he still spends a lot of time in Estonia. He is learning one Estonian word a day.
2. He’s a Melodifestivalen veteran
Back in 2015, Victor Crone teamed up with Swedish rapper Behrang Miri at Melfest. The pair performed the song “Det rår vi inte för” (We can’t help it). It made it as far as the andra chansen round, where Samir & Viktor won the duel. “Det rår vi inte för” was co-written by fellow Mello 2015 act Måns Zelmerlöw, who of course went on to win the whole thing with his own entry.
3. He learned with the best in the United States
At the age of 18, Victor had the opportunity to travel to the United States. He spent time in Los Angeles, New York and the country music capital Nashville. While there, he wrote with legendary songwriters Desmond Child, Eric Bazilian and Diane Warren (the co-writer of the UK’s 2009 entry “It’s My Time”).
4. He used to perform as Vic Heart
In 2014, Victor released the single “Jimmy Dean” as his alter ego Vic Heart. The super catchy song blended pop, rock and even some country sounds. Vic sang about someone who was “like a female version of Jimmy Dean”.
5. He’s got Stig on his side
One of the men behind “Storm” is Stig Rästa. The Estonian singer-songwriter is best known to Eurovision fans as being part of Estonia’s smouldering duet “Goodbye to Yesterday” with Elina Born in 2015, and as the co-writer of Jüri Pootsmann’s “Play”. But Stig is also an experienced musician, both as part of the indie group Traffic and with his solo efforts. Stig placed second in Eesti Laul 2018 with “Home”, but this year he took the top prize as a co-writer.
6. He’s a gamer…
Victor’s official profile at Eurovision.tv mentions that in his spare time, he enjoys playing the classic video game Counter-Strike. It’s a multiplayer first-person shooter, in which two teams play, one plotting a terrorist attack, the other working to counter the attack. Good for sharpening reflexes and thinking strategically.
7. …but he also meditates
It’s about balance, y’all. Victor’s profile also mentions that he always takes the time to meditate twice a day. With the hectic pace leading up to Eurovision — not to mention the relentlessness of Eurovision fortnight itself, taking time out for meditation sounds like a smart move.
8. He’s down for a collaboration
In 2017, Victor co-wrote and sang “Coming Up”, produced by the successful Norwegian-Swedish production duo Tungevaag & Raaban. The song reached No.2 on Sweden’s Sverigetopplistan Heatseekers chart.
9. He plays ice hockey
Like any good Swede (or Estonian), Victor has been known to pull on the padding and hit the ice for a game of hockey. He shared this moment earlier in the year when an Estonian television show convinced him to take to the ice with members of the Estonian national ice hockey team.
10. “Storm” isn’t the first weather-themed song he’s written
Back in 2017, Victor released the single “Sunshine and Rain”. Like “Storm”, it use weather as a metaphor, this time talking about the ups and downs of a relationship — and somehow how it’s not always about those highs and lows.
What do you think of Estonia’s act for Eurovision 2019? Can Victor whip up a “Storm” in Tel Aviv? Tell us your thoughts in the comments section below!
11. He has the most beautiful smile of all this year’s men.
To be honest, I would already give him Eurovision Next Top Male Model only for this.
Very simples then. 🙂
Cool guy!
The most unoriginal song of this year. SuRie’s version of “Storm” was better (yes, I said it)
The most unoriginal song this year is Cyprus by a clear mile. Moldova would be a distant second.
How is Moldova unoriginal?
11. he’s this years weakest singer
That’d be Finland’s singer
No, the problem was the finnish national final. Hes great.
Storms don’t last forever, forever, remember.
Avicii copycat and is Swedish? lol what a coincidence
I really hope he qualifies, but I can’t see him in top 10 in the final. Somewhere between 11 and 15 is the best case scenario I think…
11. My baby daddy
the definition of a generic fastfood song. this wasn’t good enough for melodifestivalen so he tried in estonia and won
Estonians and hockey? Nah
Yeah, their neighbour countries, Finland, Latvia amd Russia are much better in hockey.