Plan your takeout, grab your scorecard and take to Twitter arguing about which of your faves is going to slay the pack! On February 19, Estonian broadcaster ERR unveiled the Eesti Laul 2018 final running order, which will have a significant impact in deciding which of the 10 competing acts wins the opportunity to represent Estonia at the Eurovision Song Contest 2018 in Lisbon, Portugal. 

Fan favourite and Eesti Laul 2017 host Elina Nenchayeva looks to be in pole position in the running order. She sings seventh, sandwiched between upbeat track “Laura (Walk With Me” and Frankie Animal’s moody indie song “(Can’t Keep Calling) Misty”, both of which should provide suitable contrast to her operatic effort, “La forza”.

FULL EESTI LAUL 2018 FINAL RUNNING ORDER

  1. Karl-Kristjan & Karl Killing (ft. WATEVA) – “Young”
  2. Eliis Pärna ja Gerli Padar – “Sky”
  3. Nika – “Knock Knock”
  4. Sibyl Vane – “Thousand Words”
  5. Stig Rästa – “Home”
  6. Vajé – “Laura (Walk With Me)”
  7. Elina Nechayeva – “La forza”
  8. Frankie Animal – “(Can’t Keep Calling) Misty”
  9. Iiris & Agoh – “Drop That Boogie”
  10. Evestus – “Welcome to my world”

SPOTLIGHT ON EESTI LAUL 2018 FINAL RUNNING ORDER

The Eesti Laul producers have tried to make a running order that will create the best possible show and keep viewers glued to their screens at home.

Karl-Kristjan & Karl Killing (ft. WATEVA) open the show with their upbeat number “Young”, Nika and Vajé keep up the tempo through the middle of the show, and Evestus close things out with their glam-rock showpiece.

Elina Nechayeva’s nearest challenger for the crown appears to be Estonia’s Eurovision 2015 act Stig Rästa. His acoustic track “Home” should be able to shine in between Sibyl Vane and Vajé’s louder performances.

Of course, as much as producers can shape the running order, it isn’t everything. “Verona” managed to win Eesti Laul 2016 from the graveyard second slot in the running order.

WHERE CAN I WATCH THE EESTI LAUL 2018 FINAL?

You’ll be able to watch the Eesti Laul 2018 through ERR and the liveblog of our partners DELFI on March 3.

YOU CAN GET MORE ESTONIA NEWS HERE

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Tristram
Tristram
6 years ago

Elina is the only potential winner I’ve seen from this Eurovision season so far. It’s so beautiful. Staging, song, voice, her. It’s purrfect.

CLIFF
CLIFF
6 years ago
Reply to  Tristram

Yes I agree , it could win …..I recognised Portugal as a winner last year and this one strikes a chord too !…France could win too

Yulia ftw
Yulia ftw
6 years ago

as a russian I really want this to win.) Great song & voice + Tallin is a great cheap place to attend Euro near my hometown :))))
????? ????????!

Ely
Ely
6 years ago
Reply to  Yulia ftw

TALLINN not Tallin, do you know it?

Arizona
Arizona
6 years ago

I’m no hater, good for Elina is she wins, but I find opera at ESC so dated. Last different attemps didnt go well and this is kinda the same.

James
James
6 years ago
Reply to  Arizona

“Grande Amore” reached third in 2015. You can’t get any better than that.

Purple Mask
Purple Mask
6 years ago
Reply to  James

Haha. Well, there is 2nd and 1st!
Actually my favourite opera entry so far has to be Cézar with “It’s my life”!! 🙂

ESCKazakhstan
ESCKazakhstan
6 years ago
Reply to  Arizona

Completely agree. I don’t think there is place for true opera at ESC anymore

Briekimchi
Briekimchi
6 years ago

Eurovision is a contest and generally, people don’t like it when the winner of a contest is obvious (consider just about any sport). I feel people knock La Forza more because they are scared of it than that they dislike it. Not that it matters much anyway. Good spot for Elina and some decent songs in this final but there are also some terrible ones, quite unlike Eesti Laul for that to happen.

Kris
Kris
6 years ago

The stronger contenders are in odd positions and the fillers in even positions.

hogwarts
hogwarts
6 years ago

La forza is not bad, but it’s not good either. With 10/12 songs being ballad so far, I see this being a borderline qualifier or could pull a blackbird

Kris
Kris
6 years ago
Reply to  hogwarts

Which 10/12 songs bro? You are looking at songs from the wrong year it seems!
Only Spain, Belarus, Denmark(?) and Montenegro have come up with ballads!

Escphbelgium
Escphbelgium
6 years ago
Reply to  Kris

Higher Ground is folk pop.

NOT.A.BALLAD!!!

Héctor
Héctor
6 years ago

Elina is an opera singer, so of course her vocals are going to be impressed, I’m impressed. But the song itself is average. I prefer Stig or Sybil Vane.

Boy
Boy
6 years ago

Forza its a awful Song. They not gonna Win whit that Song. I hope ITs not going to the final.

blondboybc
blondboybc
6 years ago

Elina is the reason for Estonia’s top 3 in the odds. Period. 🙂

Alex_Lefteris
Alex_Lefteris
6 years ago

Go Elinaaaaaa ! By far the best in the estonian preselection ! And of course i will vote for her in May …
PS: in 2001 the best entry was the greek and undoubtedly it was robbed! 🙂

Joe
Joe
6 years ago
Reply to  Alex_Lefteris

Am I the only one who thought Estonia deserved to win that year?

Purple Mask
Purple Mask
6 years ago
Reply to  Joe

No. Estonia were my winners in 2001 as well.

Joe
Joe
6 years ago
Reply to  Purple Mask

Roll the carpet from the floor!

Polegend Godgarina
Polegend Godgarina
6 years ago
Reply to  Alex_Lefteris

2001’s best entries were Germany, Slovenia and France. Greece had a cute song but it was basic, My Number One was better.

Joe
Joe
6 years ago

Greece and Slovenia were overrated, Germany was good but pitchy, France was actually pretty great, so was Denmark. But I dunno, Estonia’s the song from that year I get stuck in my head the most.

Alex_Lefteris
Alex_Lefteris
6 years ago
Reply to  Joe

sorry guys but that’ s my opinion! Greece was the best along with France that year! But ERT (and Greece in general) wasn’t ready to organise the contest! Germany and Slovenia was good and the top10 result was fair! Estonia was fun but dull!

Polegend Godgarina
Polegend Godgarina
6 years ago
Reply to  Alex_Lefteris

Let’s not make it an ~EBU didn’t want Greece to win~ case, because it really wasn’t. The countries that used pure televote clearly showed that Estonia was THE public’s favorite.

Purple Mask
Purple Mask
6 years ago

Greece 2001 is the same chordal music as “Deeper Shade of Blue” by STEPS. Look it up. 🙂
Not plaigiarism, just coincidentally the same.

L'oiseau
L'oiseau
6 years ago
Reply to  Alex_Lefteris

I agree that Greece should have won 2001 or France

Zebb
Zebb
6 years ago

Precious EL is about to be taken by a mixture of safety and tailoring. Expectation vs. Reality :s

Can’t say my favourites did nice staging and fulfilled visual side well, both Frankie Wilde and Aden Ray weren’t that nice and emotive. Elina though – can’t even watch performance till the end. A rare boredom thing that gives me cold lifeless impression.

AngieP
AngieP
6 years ago

“Forsa” is the kind of song you either love it or hate it. I personally found nothing special except Elina’s beautiful voice. However, the live performance was stunning! I’d like to see her in Lisbon but I don’t know how many fans she’ll have. I think only Stig can challenge her.

Polegend Godgarina
Polegend Godgarina
6 years ago

Elina’s pressed haters can stay shook at her talent and quality song.

Pavel
Pavel
6 years ago

Elina’s talent is great, but the song itself is barely there, it’s more of a vocal exercise before the actual song starts.

Polegend Godgarina
Polegend Godgarina
6 years ago
Reply to  Pavel

Wut? It’s 3 minutes of EARGASM.

Marcelo
Marcelo
6 years ago

Meh… I get more feels listening to Jamala. But again an opinion is an opinion.

Pavel
Pavel
6 years ago

3 minutes of ”I can shout but nothing happens”. Cezar was entertaining and had harder notes to reach in ”It’s My Life”, the key change, the transition. Elina’s ”La Forza” is blaaaaand

Polyna
Polyna
6 years ago

Elina fans will be shook when Eurovision juries inevitably give Estonia low marks. Provided that the song actually wins Eesti Laul of course.

Azaad
Azaad
6 years ago
Reply to  Polyna

Il Volo came sixth with the juries though…We’re not saying Elina will win, but she’s the one most likely to get a top 5 result.

Polyna
Polyna
6 years ago
Reply to  Azaad

And sixth place, compared to their televote and overall score was relatively low.

Polegend Godgarina
Polegend Godgarina
6 years ago
Reply to  Polyna

Welp, I’m not expecting those tasteless juries to vote for someone who can sing those notes while looking snatched. They’ll just back whatever formulatic pop song with an eye-catching performance they like the most, while the public will stay choosing talent.

Craig
Craig
6 years ago

I’m laughing at all the Elina fan-boys here. She is a good singer but her song so overrated. I want to see her flop just so I can see everyone’s reaction here… 😛

Candy
Candy
6 years ago
Reply to  Craig

Agreed. The only special thing about her entry is that it’s of a genre that usually isn’t part of Eurovision. But tbh, it sounds like every second opera song. Also, it feels artificial.

Purple Mask
Purple Mask
6 years ago

Yey. It’s an excellent draw for Frankie Animal! Don’t count out “Misty” yet. 🙂

Polegend Godgarina
Polegend Godgarina
6 years ago
Reply to  Purple Mask

I count it out for the Eurovision final.

Roy Moreno
Roy Moreno
6 years ago

Just imagine going to Tallin next year ??
Elina is just perfect and she has to win!
If she wins Eesti Laul, she will climb up right to my #1 in my top
Good luck Estonia and please, don’t screw it ip

redfox
redfox
6 years ago
Reply to  Roy Moreno

Tallinn is written with two n

Kris
Kris
6 years ago
Reply to  Roy Moreno

Well they can use VPN if they screw the ip

C
C
6 years ago

Estonian here, For those who are afraid that the public won’t vote her, then don’t worry because people here absolutely LOVE HER. Literally everybody says she’s the right choice so for sure she’ll win the televote. The only obstacle is the jury. I personally don’t trust them, especially some of them who gave high points to the artists who they personally know. And also one admitted that judges by what she personally likes, not what is good for Eurovision (which is not the right way to judge IMO). So IF the jury will act like this next Saturday (I hope… Read more »

sudoku.fan
sudoku.fan
6 years ago
Reply to  C

Estonian judges are corrupt because they will never give high points to a Russian.

C
C
6 years ago
Reply to  sudoku.fan

Nah, nobody complains that she has a russian name. That doesn’t stop us from enjoying/loving her song. Music matters, not person’s national background.

Purple Mask
Purple Mask
6 years ago
Reply to  C

Well said. 🙂

redfox
redfox
6 years ago
Reply to  sudoku.fan

show proof. it is about songs, not nationality.

Kir
Kir
6 years ago
Reply to  redfox

Tanja from 2014 is russian too, didn’t seem to stop her.
Thanks for your perspective, C, it’s always difficult to tell the mood around other’s selections!

Pavel
Pavel
6 years ago
Reply to  Kir

Tanja from 2014 flopped so hard though

redfox
redfox
6 years ago
Reply to  Pavel

yeah, so I guess Russia hates russians, they didn´t give her a single point.

Gobio
Gobio
6 years ago
Reply to  C

Great to see your perspective, I am personally not too worried about the judges just because of the superfinal in which they don’t have any saying.

C
C
6 years ago
Reply to  Gobio

True, but first she has to qualify from the 1st round which is 50/50 combined with jury and televoting. That’s the only part that I worry. In any case, Elina has already won the hearts of people so it’s all good.

Ugnius
Ugnius
6 years ago
Reply to  Gobio

Didn’t they scrap the superfinal ? I believe that this was mentioned when they presented the rules of Eesti Laul 2018

C
C
6 years ago
Reply to  Ugnius

Really? I haven’t seen that mentioned at all. They didn’t announce the change of the finals’ voting system that much so I don’t know…

Polegend Godgarina
Polegend Godgarina
6 years ago
Reply to  C

Ahh I love myself a TASTEFUL country, first Verona now La forza. The next big music force, Sweden needs to start gluing its wig real tight.

Pavel
Pavel
6 years ago

Verona was crap and the juries knew that. Sven Lohmus got stuck in the Modern Talking discography.

Max
Max
6 years ago

By the way: Has anyone the fabulous light work in this year’s Eesti Laul studio stage setting? It blew me away, especially in Elina’s and Girls in Pearls’ performances. I hope they can reproduce that on bigger stages, in case Elina wins.

Max
Max
6 years ago
Reply to  Max

*noticed

Purple Mask
Purple Mask
6 years ago
Reply to  Max

Yep, I noticed. It’s pretty good this year compared to previous years.

L'oiseau
L'oiseau
6 years ago

It’s offical. For the best National Selection of Europe. Estonia must win Eurovision very soon, if not this year. Personally my favourite is not Elina, but rather Frankki or Nika.

L'oiseau
L'oiseau
6 years ago
Reply to  L'oiseau

*official

Purple Mask
Purple Mask
6 years ago
Reply to  L'oiseau

Estonia won before though, in 2001. Bulgaria, on the other hand has never won before. Neither has Malta, Cyprus, Georgia, Armenia, Belarus, Australia, Hungary…

Purple Mask
Purple Mask
6 years ago
Reply to  Purple Mask

…Lithuania, San Marino, Poland, Czech Republic, Moldova, Romania, Iceland, and do the Balkan countries count (cos, 1989)? And did I leave anyone out?

L'oiseau
L'oiseau
6 years ago
Reply to  Purple Mask

🙂 It might be controversial but I would count 1989 as for Croatia… 1990 was organised by HRT… So, I would all the other ex-Yugoslave country.

L'oiseau
L'oiseau
6 years ago
Reply to  Purple Mask

🙂 Well… Don’t get me started with the Estonian win of 2001… Let me just tell you that I practically didn’t follow the ESC until 2008 because of that win… I am all for winners that have not yet won. But Estonia does deserve it so much for bringing so much home-grown talent into the national selection, which is more than we can say for many of those other countries.

Marcelo
Marcelo
6 years ago
Reply to  L'oiseau

Bulgaria, Australia, Hungary and many others still bring good songs and talented artists… “La Forza” is a bit more than meh, I’m not even the slightliest interested in opera, however Elina’s vocals are something else, definitely. Still, I wouldn’t give that song my top spot, that’s “Mercy” and it looks that’ll stay there until the concert.

L'oiseau
L'oiseau
6 years ago
Reply to  Marcelo

I wouldn’t put Bulgaria in that group because their two good results were fabricated elsewhere, which is not the case for Estonia

Joe
Joe
6 years ago
Reply to  L'oiseau

Bulgaria is so interesting – they’ve only managed to make the final three times, and in all three cases they made the top 5. They’re very “all or nothing at all” aren’t they?

L'oiseau
L'oiseau
6 years ago
Reply to  Joe

OMG! I adore Elitsa’s Water. I still listen to it today. Yes I suppose you’re right – all or nothing

Marcelo
Marcelo
6 years ago
Reply to  L'oiseau

Would you say Poli Genova and Kristian Kostov are not talented performers? You don’t have to be a songwriter to be talented. Plus, both Poli and Kristian did more on a stage than what Elina has done so far (not vocally but like movement). Plus Bulgaria is one of the most underrated countries in ESC.

Greetings. 🙂

Kris
Kris
6 years ago
Reply to  Marcelo

Poli was good but Kristian wouldn’t have been that high in televote had Russia participated.

L'oiseau
L'oiseau
6 years ago
Reply to  Kris

Yes, I think so too.

L'oiseau
L'oiseau
6 years ago
Reply to  Marcelo

Yes I think Poli has talent and Kristian has potential. But what I am saying is that those entries were artificial, contrary to 2007 entry.

D
D
6 years ago

I’m praying to all the gods that Elina doesn’t win. I don’t know how people like that song.

Enchanted Lobster
Enchanted Lobster
6 years ago

Elina ftw! May La Forza be with her.

PP
PP
6 years ago

Elina good and best song in national final, but I think, she wili be flop in Eurovision, like France 2011.

DenizNL
DenizNL
6 years ago

I hope Elina doesn’t get “Tamar”ed.

Martin
Martin
6 years ago
Reply to  DenizNL

Elina can actually sing live tho…

Guru
Guru
6 years ago
Reply to  Martin

+1

Brooklyn
Brooklyn
6 years ago
Reply to  Martin

lol

Pavel
Pavel
6 years ago
Reply to  Martin

She can sing but what if she catches cold? The song is ruined then.
Evestus can rock even with the soarest throat.

Kris
Kris
6 years ago
Reply to  Martin

Tamar’s vocals were good. Just look at the backing track’s volume on her performance! It was way too low and she sounded weird due to that

Michael Adam
Michael Adam
6 years ago

It’s definitely not the strongest Eesti Laul final ever, which is a shame given the fact this year marks the ten year celebration of the show. This show generally is one of the most interesting preselections throughout Europe and that’s a remarkable thing to achieve for such a small country. Anyway, my thoughts about this year’s final: Awful: Eliis & Gerli, Evestus Meh: Karl Kristjan, Frankie Animal, Iiris & Agoh Good: Sibyl Vane, Vajé Great: Nika, Stig And the absolute winner is Elina. This is the only song this year that has given me Eurovision winner vibes. Sure, it will… Read more »

Pavel
Pavel
6 years ago
Reply to  Michael Adam

Elina only gives me that Amaury Vassili ”overrated dull song with some nice vocals to polish the turd” feeling
Good luck to Elina anyways!

CLIFF
CLIFF
6 years ago
Reply to  Michael Adam

I agree , this can win Eurovision , so can France ; it seems to me that every year there’s always about five that will be suitable winners , but then the one that actually wins does so because of its originality , something that fits the zeitgeist , better than others …this would be a classy winner , but I’m not sure if the voters are sufficiently highbrow to appreciate it ..France has a very politically relevant song , but I’m not sure if voters are tired of immigrants

eurovision6
eurovision6
6 years ago

I want Frankie Animal or “Drop that boogie”.. anything but Elina really, cant stand it..

Escphbelgium
Escphbelgium
6 years ago
Reply to  eurovision6

#metoo

Joe
Joe
6 years ago

Thinking about this selection gives me anxiety. Estonia could sweep Eurovision if they pick Elina. Please please PLEASE pick Elina.

CLIFF
CLIFF
6 years ago
Reply to  Joe

I agree , this can win Eurovision , so can France ; it seems to me that every year there’s always about five that will be suitable winners , but then the one that actually wins does so because of its originality , something that fits the zeitgeist , better than others …this would be a classy winner , but I’m not sure if the voters are sufficiently highbrow to appreciate it ..France has a very politically relevant song , but I’m not sure if voters are tired of immigrants

ImpressiveInstants
ImpressiveInstants
6 years ago

I wasn’t a fan of Elina’s song when I first heard it, but the live act is STUNNING. It’s Estonia’s ONLY choice.