She won Romania’s Eurovision 2019 selection, earning top marks from four of the six international jurors.
And since then Ester Peony has been busy revamping her song “On a Sunday” and filming a thoroughly haunting and atmospheric music video.
Today — appropriately enough on a Sunday — she has revealed the video in all its glory, showcasing an artistic vision that should give Romanian Eurovision fans all the feels going into Tel Aviv.
The video sees Ester entering a haunted house, which seems to have endured some pretty tough times of late. The derelict walls and eerie destruction inside smacks of the Netflix series The Haunting of Hill House.
Speaking exclusively to wiwibloggs, Ester unpacked the visual feast.
“The video reflects a toxic relationship with the main character being trapped in a parallel universe — haunted by her own ghost.”
“Igor, the dog, is the house guardian. As I become part of the house, Igor becomes my guardian too.”
The video is intoxicating with marine life floating in the sky and mirrors reflecting all manner of madness. We see Ester multiplying as she copes with different visions and version of herself, many of which disappear in a burst of flames. It’s bold and just a little brash — the type of daring we love seeing from Romania.
It’s also a nice reflection of the magic that audience members — and the international jury — saw at Selectia Nationala. There, Ester sat on a chair at centre stage and that chair became part of the haunted house changing behind her. The angles on TV deleted all that magic. But with this video it’s now restored for a bigger audience to see. Hopefully they’ll keep this story alive through the camera cuts as they move to Tel Aviv.
The song has also been revamped.
“The new version of the song comes with a slightly different, more dynamic feel,” Ester says. “But at the same time it’s keeping that dark mood.”
Are you loving the “On a Sunday” revamp? Do you think the Eurovision staging should reflect the visuals of the video? Let us know down below.
As politely as possible, unfortunately this entry is not to my taste. But I wish Ester all the best.
Will wiw will get some royalties for this clip ?
I want to say that the building in videoclip is Casa Monteoru from Bucharest.
Dracula’s Castle (Bran Castle) is very simple, so simple that many tourists were disappointed, because, you know, Dracula was not into glamorous things.
Idk if revamp was necessary but would be good for them to layer Ester vocals with backings somewhere. And despite of dated effects, sets in video are enjoyable.
Nice video, bad song, Croatia 2018
La voz de Ester es tan particular, la canción tan triste y envolvente que no puedes sacartela de la cabeza, arte en toda su regla. Increíble Rumanía este año. ???
Estoy muy de acuerdo contigo.
Week after week passing and nobody knows what the juries have seen in this. The hope is that her fans will be all in juries but by the look of it they are not nearly enough to fill those ranks. The video complements the song well. It is robotic, repetitive, boring, coming from and going nowhere. Such a complex explanation of a story that practically nobody gives a damn and even those that are squeezing a damn are borderline ‘but that killed it for me’ fans.
Romania qualifies when it gains the points from the public, it was always like that. We were never and will never be such a jury darling that we could get a good enough result from juries. That makes all you have written supporting that we are sending the wrong entry. On a Sunday is the worst entry for the public appeal that Romania has ever sent in its history, the few of its supporters are in majority pity fans or Laura haters and it is cringy that even with these her room is empty. “Would have Laura made better”? Romania… Read more »
Now, I don’t know if what Eurovision juries are saying is quality it’s necessarily quality. Some of the Eurovision’s jurors are very controversials and pretty amateurs. Let’s see year 2015: Italy loses because of the juries. Now I don’t think that anybody could say it lost because of lower quality. ‘On a Sunday’ will have some juries’ support, but it won’t be terrible, don’t expect to get some top placings. I think this year will be the most balanced for Romania in terms of Jury/Televote position, which will most probably put it somewhere in the middle. You say about the… Read more »
The most coherent comment I’ve seen so far
The revamp is smart. It didn’t change the song or the spirit of it, but just srengthened everything. This is such a strong entry
I don’t think it required a revamp, but it was a subtle one and I still like it a lot, as I liked it since I’ve listened to it for the very first time. The funny thing is that the video finally explained what the hell they were trying to do with the staging in the national final. It’s actually not a bad idea to give it a spooky background and playing the Dracula castle card, but they still have to refine the visual elements.
The music video was shot in the same house as the one from Timebelle’s Apollo (Switzerland 2017). Seems to be a popular spot.
Taxidermist husky? (Too much?)
Not too much for them as they truly embrace kitsch.. I even think it’s they’re religion, but my comment would be erased because of this. Let’s see.
Like Laura elevated Funny girl in Lisbon this entry isn’t about the song.
It is about Ester’s performance, you feed of gripping visuals and her haunting performance. It is whole package and it can slay even more than we think.
I am definitely team Romania.
Well, those visuals are… something… but I guess it adds to surrealness of the video, with chances that it was intended. The revamp was great, making it more variative ans unpredictable, good for live staging.
Winning material, ticks all the boxes.
if only emmelie de forgotten didn’t sabotage bella….. romania articles give me ptsd
I am expecting a fourth concept for the stage performance in TA. I really enjoyed one concept in her semi-final, another one in the final, then the video.
Currently my #1!
I love this song! Romania, be proud of this masterpiece! Best decision! My current #4 and only Israel left until now, so it will be my #4 or #5 in the end 😀
Update: After all 41 songs are out, Romania is my 4th place! Love it! 😀
This is my favorite song this year even before thy selected her. I love listening to Esters voice. Im so grateful the revamp didnt ruin the song. I love both versions. Good luck Romania from BG. Im rooting for you this year! I Hope the staging elevate the song even more.
I mean, wolf holograms ala Belarus 2016 might still be an option.
I love the song and it was actually my favorite from selectia nationala. They should take Sacha Jean Baptiste to do the staging tho, cu I fear it will end up looking like a scene from the Dracula musical.
I enjoy the song, I did even before the revamp, but oh my I never want to see these visuals ever again. Not even the husky.
Great music video, the live version is stunning and I love the spooky theme!
…So can we go on ahead and call this the Eurovision music video contest now?
Sorry Romania you are ateo lost, cane nack to the times when lumínica or playing with fire surprise us , sorry for copy the SOLDI APLAUSE
The evil stephmother of Snow and White has come alive!! Another great vid with only a lackluster song!! I miss the red apple and the 7 dwarfs tho!!
A mediocre voice, a copied song , a cheap confused video, what’s not to like if you despise Romania and whant to push it under the tram? Right now it’s 30th in odds and rightfully so. Proud much?!
A confused fan, too, I guess.
The horror movie theme can work well for Romania. Semi 2 has A LOT of solo female singers, which means many of them will be eliminated from the contest. Romania is in that bunch, so you better work girl!!
Wiwibloggs, can you please do something about trolls who are mass downvoting any remotely positive comment about any song and leaving insults about performers (see Sweden as well). Moderators should help!
I second that.
Off topic but Israel’s r in the top 10 with the betting! Their songs pretty beautiful ….
What time is the official release?
It’s very interesting and dark. There is something unsettling here and I’m very intrigued by it. Might end-up in my top 10. The fact that it was my 5th in Selectia nationala speeks volumes of the contest.
I meant that SN had at least five songs that were top 10 worthy and that it’s a huge thing for a single NF. Romanians did a great job in selecting their line-up.
Good luck Romania! this song is absolutely fantastic!! in my top 3 for sure!
Shalom ve todah raba.
I can’t to hear the Israeli entry.
i will vote for Romania in the final, for sure!
Very nice to hear that! The artist and the team will be very happy about that, and fans like myself as well! And thanks!
I just listened to Home, what a great song, I loved it from the first notes! I think it should do very well with the juries and the televote!
With the revamped version, Romania instantly became one of my favorite entries this year along with Azerbaijan, Cyprus, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal and Switzerland.
This could sneak through the final with great performance and staging.
Revamp has put it back to my number 1 spot
I love her. From what I’ve seen she exudes art through her voice, movements, facial expression, eyes, outfits, it’s fantastic. I find her shy in interviews yet totally transformed when she performs, she is so confident. I love the revamp too. I wouldn’t have understood the video without some sort of a presentation. But it’s not a bad at all.
First of all, this is extremely similar to J. Cash – Wayfaring Stranger. But I’ve liked it all the way, and was pleased when it won. But…this revamp killed it for me. I loved the construction of the original version, the dark mood and the simple indie feeling. The song felt real and authentic, but now with the new video I feel it became more fake and have become just another pop song. So my 5th place is not my 5th place anymore, to say it that way.
It is similar to Wayfaring Stranger now that I think of it. And I remember singing it for Choir. I actually do not mind because the song is really good and adds it’s own twist
oml Malta’s snippet leaked
https://eurovisiontime.com/maltadan-ilk-teaser-sizdi/
That was Poli Genova’s entry for Bulgaria 2018, wtf?!?
I know right
How do you know it was hers?
Soundes Ok.
omg, that’s horrible
A BNT reject? Done.
Love this
The song is good, but honey nooooo, what are these special effects? Yikes.
Wow it’s much better. Great job Ester!
I like it very much so dark and gothic.
I feel like I’m the only one who likes this 🙁 Good luck Romania
Not alone! One of my favorites.
I love this it is my fave rn
Not, you’re not, she is my #2
I Loved the song even before it get selected. I was jumping around when she won. I coudnt believe it.
You are in the team of the happy few. Enjoy it now, cause the end is near. Just don’t forget that corruption and prejudice brought it to Eurovision, and now you approuve with it. Everyone has it’s standards.