Poll results: Elina Nechayeva and Stig Rästa are among your Eesti Laul 2022 semi-final one qualifiers

The first semi-final of Eesti Laul 2022 is soon to take place. Ten acts will perform for one of the five qualification spots to the grand final. They’ll then get the chance to compete for the right to represent Estonia in the Eurovision Song Contest this May in Turin.

Some time ago, we asked you the readers to vote for the semi-final one acts you want to qualify to the Eesti Laul 2022 grand final.

A total of 2,828 votes were cast. And we now have the results!

Elina Nechayeva and Stig Rästa are favourites to win Eesti Laul 2022 semi-final one

With 483 votes (17.12% of the total), Elina Nechayeva and her ethereal “Remedy” has emerged as your favourite in this semi-final.

The soprano is not a new face in the competition, having smashed the 2018 edition. She went on to bring Estonia their most recent top-ten placement at Eurovision, taking the Italian-language popera blast that was “La Forza” to a respectable eighth. She’s back for her second attempt, with Sven Lõhmus as a composer once again.

We can find another familiar face in second place. Earning 477 votes (16.91%) is Stig Rästa with “Interstellar”.

He placed seventh at Eurovision in 2015 alongside Elina Born and has written many Eesti Laul entries seince then. For 2022, Stig is taking a more uptempo-pop route. “Interstellar” was composed in part by Victor Crone, Estonia’s Eurovision 2019 representative who sang the Stig-penned “Storm”.

In third place we find Elysa. She’s bringing one of the most up-tempo offerings in the mix, the shake-it “Fire”. The song is penned by notable Melodifestivalen names such as Andreas Stone, Linnea Deb and Ellen Benediktson. Elysa picked up 382 votes in the poll, which is 13.54% of the total number cast.

Completing your top five are Merilin Mälk, with 364 votes (12.90%), and Eurovision 2012 representative Ott Lepland, with 333 votes (11.80%).

Poll results: Who should qualify from semi-final one of Eesti Laul 2022?

1. Elina Nechayeva – “Remedy” – 483 votes – 17.12%
2. Stig Rästa – “Interstellar” – 477 votes – 16.91%
3. Elysa – “Fire” – 382 votes – 13.54%
4. Merilin Mälk – “Little Girl” – 364 votes – 12.90%
5. Ott Lepland – “Aovalguses” – 333 votes – 11.80%
6. Andrei Zevakin feat. Grete Paia – “Miis Nüüd Saab” – 309 votes – 10.95%
7. Frants Tikerpuu & Triin Niitoja – “Laululind” – 171 votes – 6.06%
8. Kaia-Liisa Kesler – “Vaikus” – 119 votes – 4.22%
9. Helen – “Vaata minu poole” – 95 votes – 3.37%
10. Alabama Watchdog – “Move On” – 88 votes- 3.12%

Eesti Laul 2022: Semi-final voting rules

As detailed in section 7 of ERR’s Eesti Laul 2022 rules, voting will work slightly differently in the semis compared to the quarter-finals.

Five acts will advance from each semi-final. The first three will be determined using a 50-50 combination of jury and public voting, while the remaining two qualifiers will come from a second round of public televoting from the acts that remain.

Unlike in previous years, there will not be a one-week gap between the semi-finals and grand final. Estonia will crown its Eurovision 2022 singer on Saturday 12 February.

What do you think? Do you feel the winner of Eesti Laul 2022 is in this semi-final? Let us know in the comments below!