With the Eesti Laul 2017 final just hours away, we’re busy bitting our finely polished nails. Tonight ten acts will take the stage but only one will earn the right to represent Estonia at Eurovision 2017. The bookies have already named Kerli as their favourite to win. And it seems that our readers are buying into the hype too.
Shortly after Estonia’s ERR revealed the running order for the final, we asked you which of the ten finalists was your favourite to win. After counting 4,971 votes, we can now reveal that Kerli has come out on top with nearly 37% of the vote!
You can watch Kerli and all of the other acts compete from 18:30 CET via ERR’s live stream.
Kerli’s avant-garde song “Spirit Animal” went wild in our poll, earning a total of 1,837 votes — over a third of all those cast.
In a recent interview with wiwiblogger William, she described her staging as an artic shamanic journey. After spending nine months living an ascetic life, she’s determined to share another dimension of her craft. As she said: “My art lately has been getting really deep, and I wanted to showcase a more playful side.”
The Estonian star first battled to sing at Eurovision in 2003 at Melodifestivalen. Unfortunately, she and her singing partners The Locatelis — who she does not keep in touch with — failed to make it to the final. But her passion didn’t stop and she tried again at Eesti Laul 2004, losing out to Neikoso. But she’s still alive, stronger and ready to go.
Kerli’s also going wild with our Wiwi Jury, earning a very respectable score of 7.03. While reviewing “Spirit Animal”, wiwiblogger Jason found her song catchy and slick.
wiwiblogger Chris wrote:
Full disclosure here: I was underwhelmed when I first heard “Spirit Animal”. Looking back, that was probably because I was going in with such unrealistic expectations. Crucially, the average person tuning in to the Eurovision final won’t have them. Which leaves a very, very good song, with a great performer. We all know that we’re waiting for Kerli to perform this with full staging. With everything together, it could be something truly special. Is it a Eurovision winner? I’m not sure. Top 10? Definitely.
Finishing second in our poll, it’s Miss Elina Born with her song “In or Out”. She received 907 votes — or around 18% of all those cast. She already knows what Eurovision is about. After representing Estonia in 2015 — where she teamed with Stig Rasta on “Goodbye to Yesterday” — she’s now back on her own and brimming with attitude and experience. Can this queen snatch the crown she wore two years ago?
Third place goes to Eurovision veteran Koit Toome and Eesti Laul stalwart Laura with their Shakespeare-themed song “Verona”.
Together they managed to gather 834 votes, or around 17% of the total. As their semi-final performance showed, they’re not lost in Verona — they are slaying their way toward potential victory. With silhouettes and strong foreground effects, they’re hoping to prove their drama has a happy ending.
Poll results: who should represent Estonia at Eurovision 2017? (results)
- Kerli – “Spirit Animal” 36.95 % (1,837 votes)
- Elina Born – “In Or Out” 18.25% (907 votes)
- Koit Toome & Laura – “Verona” 16.78% (834 votes)
- Ariadne – “Feel Me Now” 7.48% (372 votes)
- Rasmus Rändve – “This Love” 4.71% (234 votes)
- Liis Lemsalu – “Keep Running” 4.26% (202 votes)
- Lenna Kuurma – “Slingshot” 4% (199 votes)
- Karl-Kristjan & Whogaux feat. Maian – “Have You Now” 3.22% (160 votes)
- Daniel Levi – “All I Need” 2.6% (129 votes)
- Ivo Linna – “Suur Loterii” 1.75% (87 votes)
Total cast votes: 4,971
Eesti Laul 2017 kicks off tonight at 18:30 CET and can be streamed live via ERR’s website. The winner will be selected over two rounds of voting. In the first round, a jury (50%) and a public vote (50%) will determine the top three songs to proceed to the super final. In the super final, the winner will be selected entirely by a public vote.
The results show will air from 20:35 CET live on ERR, following a news bulletin that runs from 20:00 – 20:35 CET.
Exciting Eurovision stars will also take the stage as interval acts. Both, Mans Zelmerlow (ESC 2015 – Sweden) and Poli Genova (ESC 2016 – Bulgaria) will visit Tallinn’s Saku Suurhall arena to bring the house down.
What do you think about the poll results? Is “Spirit Animal” the song to beat at Eesti Laul 2017? Let us know in the comment section below!
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In the name of love 😀 Bless them!
What a drama… Keep this mark EL and Estonia!
Or not?
Verona won.
And the winner is… Koit Toome & Laura!!!!
Damn how this section lacks edit button 🙂
Ah, poor Maian, she hardly handled tears. They started from sleepy flop and advanced to a very good bouncey chorus act. Btw, neither Mans nor Poli Genova had Verona duo amongst their top 3. I guess this is decided, gonna be Spirit, totem and rulers from EL with massive support from venue.
Impressive flop by Elina Born. She has to change one fellow songwriter if she want to take part in EL after this.
Estonia works 100% for me (!!?)
I might try Iceland later, for a laugh
I’m done with Iceland, too. Seriously, is the Swedish broadcaster really the ONLY one who can provide a live stream that won’t enrage one?
Really digging their top three, though. I find all of them awesome, their songs not so much, but kudos to Estonia for the variety.
Estonia is killing me with their live stream. Their results-segments are always so entertaining but the stream is not watchable. I don’t even care who wins, I just wanted to watch the shindig. 🙁
Superfinal top 3 after vote:
– Kerli
– Verona
– Rasmus
Juries top 5:
1. Kerli
2. Rasmus Randvee
3. Whogaux & Karl-Kristian feat. Maian
4. Koit Toome & Laura
5. Ivo Linna
Colin: Kerli is winning in Estonia. Big lead. But it’s not quite over yet.
Despite the bad stream, I wish all the best to beautiful Estonia and participants. I really hope names Kerli, Rasmus and either Elina or Laura/Koit appear as superfinalists as I load the page on Wiki. I hope HQ performances will be available online. Mello has a PERFECT stream, so I am there now, rooting for De Vet Du, Axel and Loreen!
Oh the choice between Estonia and Sweden tonight is… painful!
Hmm weird. Estonia’s stream was 100% here. ??
Sweden of course cannot be beaten on streaming quality. 🙂
Alternate link helped me a lot, thanks everyone for that. Unfortunately I was too late to come, saw only last 4 acts. I was surprised by how Kerli messed up a little bit – it wasn’t that much choreography from her to stop taking some of notes in last part. However, she’s going to superfinal with that burning perfomance. Not like I was impressed with superduo perfomances, but I still hope they’ll advance to superfinal too.
I literally couldn’t see any of the performances. Some I’ve seen for like 30 seconds or so (Liis, Rasmus, Ivo), and some not even that (Verona, Elina…). I still hope that the best song wins, but this is so frustrating and pointless. For the sake of my general state of positivity, I hope Melfest and Songvakeppnin don’t have similar difficulties.
The first 3, I can see having a good chance at scoring well at ESC; maybe Rasmus and Liis as dark horses. But Ariadne’s song is too quiet and no thunder (like Norma John), and will probably end up a non-qualifier if it gets sandwiched between 2 potential qualifiers.
Actually, it doesn’t crash for the majority of blabbering and commercials, but crashes like 20 times during one song. Songs are unwatchable.
@Purple Mask – I works for me too… for like 10 seconds or so and then it crashes and needs a reload. It is definitely the WORST STREAM of this year! I am so angry at Estonia right now!
@Colin: Oh no! Well the main ETV website link works perfectly for me. It must be a regional server issue with Southern Europe. So sorry!
is there an other link for me to watch the final ?
@Purple Mask – Thanks for the link, but it doesn’t work at all to me. I am sad, cause I was looking forward to this and for what little I have seen, most participants have up their game in the final. I am bummed.
@Colin: It should work now.
But if not, Anthony has sent this alternative link: http://www.streamytv.net/etv-estonia/
Just watched Kerli… Such a boring song…the same notes repeat constantly, so annoying seriously. All 3 minustes pretty much in the same tune. I think I prefer Verona
Stream doesn’t work! Is there another one.
Overall, I am #TeamKerli and #TeamRasmus, but Verona and In or Out are also quite good.
Jesc fanatic I think you need a help. You want in every national final only solo female. Its not normal…
Going to watch it tonight and cheer for every single song but Verona.. if that awful thing wins I just wont forgive Estonia.. based on live performances id say Kerli or Rasmus!
i’m quite afraid that ivo linna will win it all. he is just so popular in estonia and he has the only song in estonian.
She is good but my favourites are still Elina, Lenna and Ariadne.
Everyone saying her song is bland, but have you actually heard the other songs? They wouldn’t stand out against the already existing list of participants. Her song is Estonia’s best bet, for its originality.
@Polegend Godgarina: “Well, you clearly don’t know the good sis”
That’s kinda what I meant when I wrote “it’s the first time in my life I hear about that Kerli”. 🙂 Anyway, I’m just not a fan of that song and I think she does look uncomfortable with that imagery. But music tastes are by definition very subjective… May the best act win (the Estonian final and Eurovision).
Well not all parts of the ‘Hymn for the weekend’ were liked by the people. The Holi sequence was good though.
Rasmus
Kerli
Elina Born
I will be happy if any of them will Win.
But not Verona please! They are so overrated, that song is so boring and outdated.
@ Racal – well, you clearly don’t know the good sis. She just adores ancient cultures (from Asia to America) and has been inspired by them heavily throughout her career. I’ve been a fan since 2008, so I’m used to her strange imagery.
@Polegend Godgarina: I’m a UK-based Swiss and it’s the first time in my life I hear about that Kerli, so I wouldn’t call myself an “obsessed hater”. 🙂 I actually don’t hate her at all, I just think it’s a bit ridiculous to watch an obviously very Estonian girl trying to pull off these tribal dances and this Native American theme. Cultural appropriation might work sometimes (eg. Beyoncé and Coldplay did a pretty good job in the “Hymn for the Weekend” video), but that Kerli is obviously very uncomfortable with it, the whole thing looks forced and unnatural. Hence my… Read more »
Just came from main rehearsals and Kerli fans are in for a treat! She ends with the bang!
@ Racal – are you an American, or just an OKH (Obsessed Kerli Hater)? Because “cultural appropriation” in Europe is called cultural exchange 🙂
If Ariadne goes to the superfinal, I think she might win because her boyfriend is a famous YouTuber in Estonia, so we never know. I think the juries might sabotage her, but they tried iT with Laura last year and she still made it through, so…
Kerli = Weak vocals and cultural appropriation.
How about “no”? Hahah…
Oh, I would love to come back here and read all those bitchy gay-drama comments when this one doesn’t win tonight. LOL
#teamRasmus
#VERONA
i like Elina’s song but it won’t go high on Eurovision.
I bet Kerli will win this.
Estonia can win its second ESC with Kerli. It’s just brilliant!
I love Verona but the staging, I felt no connection with it. Also they weren’t as good live but I’m hoping that’s down to illness. I think Kerli has it and she could possibly bring Estonia a top five result at Eurovision if she nails it tonight.
My top three:
1. Spirit Animal
2. Verona
3. In Or Out
Estonia has four strong songs which would certainly be in my top 5 – Spirit Animal, This Love, Verona, In or Out! Please, Estonia, don’t mess up and choose one of these masterpieces!
“All I Need” is the strongest song in this selection, although it stands no chance of winning apparently. Hence, my picks would be “In or Out” or “Verona”.