After the submission period for Eesti Laul 2023 closed on 20 September, broadcaster ERR has been busy selecting the 20 acts who will get a chance to compete in the semi-finals. And now we know the full line up.
The announcements took place on TV show Ringvaade. Monday evening’s show saw Sissi revealed as the first confirmed act for Estonia’s Eurovision 2023 national selection. Tuesday’s programme added another nine names to the list.
The final ten semi-finalists were announced on Wednesday evening, bringing the total to 20.
Eesti Laul 2023: Second set of semi-finalists
- Robin Juhkental – “Funeral of sorrow”
- Anett x Fredi – “You Need To Move On”
- Bedwetters – “Monsters”
- Mia – “One step at a time”
- Ollie – “Venom”
- M Els – “So Good At What You Do”
- Linalakk, Bonzo – “Time”
- Inger – “Awaiting You”
- Merlyn – “Unicorn Vibes”
- Neon Letters & Maiko – “Tokimek”
Eurovision fans will know Robin Juhkental from Estonia’s entry to the 2010 contest. He led the group Malcolm Lincoln with the song “Siren”, but failed to qualify from the semi-finals. Malcolm Lincoln returned to Eesti Laul in 2012, finishing seventh in semi-final two. Juhkental then appeared again at Eesti Laul in 2015, making the final alongside The Big Bangers.
Anett x Fredi previously competed at Eesti Laul 2020, where they made the superfinal and ultimatley finished third.
Meanwhile, Inger returns to the national final after short break. He reached the grand final of Eesti Laul in both 2019 and 2020.
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This final set of semi-finalists join the ten previously revealed.
- Carlos Ukareda – “Whiskey Won’t Forget”
- Janek – “House Of Glass”
- Alika – “Bridges”
- Ellip – “Pretty Girl”
- Andreas – “Why Do You Love Me”
- Kaw – “Valik”
- Wiiralt & Ultima Thule – “Secret”
- Elysa – “Bad Philosophy”
- Meelik – “Tuju”
- Sissi – “Lighthouse”
The premier of the songs selected for Eesti Laul 2023 will take place in a special programme on 2 December 2022.
Eesti Laul 2023: Show format
Last year’s contest turned into a lengthy affair with the introduction of four quarter-finals. However, these have been ditched for Eesti Laul 2023 and we return to a three-show contest. Two semi-finals will be held on 12 and 14 January, and the grand final is set to be broadcast on 11 February.
Voting in the semi finals and grand final of Eesti Laul 2023 will once again involve a combination of professional jury as well as public televotes. Then the superfinal will use viewer votes alone to decide the winner and Estonia’s representative for Eurovision 2023.
Are you excited by the line-up for Eesti Laul 2023? Whose song are you most intrigued to hear? Let us know in the comments below.
Write About Me was my Eesti Laul winner back in 2020, so I’m excited to see what Anett and Fredi come back with. I hope it can hold a candle to their previous entry
Robin this time with a song in Estonian. Great !
Funeral of sorrow sounds pretty dull, but somehow could be interesting! Whiskey won’t forget, sounds cool. 🙂
Watch out for Alika ?
She’s a powerful singer
And it looks like she’s already established and popular in Estonia, so she’s a contender already
Yes, indeed. Her song is made with the same man who’s behind “arcade” 🙂
A jury member who had the chance to listen to her song, got all teary eyed, because that song is just so beautiful and well-sung…
So, intresting-intresting.
There is a Youtube video of her singing “arcade” and it is really great.
She won Estonian version of “Superstar”. In the final “arcade” was one song she was performing. She also sang the “earth song” after what she got standing ovation in Saku Suurhall 🙂 So she’s very good.
If Anett and Fredi don’t end up being my top 25 NF songs of the season, I will be very surprised. Absolutely love her.
Eesti Laul without Stig Rasta or Andrei Zevakin – Wau
He’s there as a songwriter
Who now?
High expectations for Anett x Fredi, their 2020 entry was beautiful.
I actually loved Anett x Fredi back in 2020, hope their song is just as incredible as Write About Me!
Hopefully. But comebacks, usually, never come back with a better song. One will have to wait and see
There is one name, that instantly gathered my attention and that are Bedwetters. I saw them back in 2007 at the MTV EMA were they won the New Sounds of Europe category and performed their song „Dramatic Letter to Conscience“. I really enjoyed their song then and I‘m looking forward to hear their song.
I am always excited about Eesti laul. Sometimes they pick songs which end-up being my favorites at Eurovision. Even when they don’t end-up winning, there are almost always some gems at EL. This year, I am quite excited to hear what Robin Juhkental made. I am a fan of his entry in 2010 and I’m hoping for something interesting. While I found their previous EL entries just okay, I am keeping my eye on Sissi and Elysa too. I am sure they will be among fan-favorites. Looking forward to December 2nd.
I’m pleasantly surprised by Estonia this year! Despite being a small country, they managed to have a predominantly newcomer contest this time.
Now that we know all the acts that’ll take part of EL, I’ll be looking forward to listening to their songs in December.
Being in the minority of people liking Estonia 2010 for its uniqueness, depth and mysterious atmosphere (although disappointed by the staging) I am interested to see what a more mature Robin Juhkental can come up with.
I’m in a minority with you then. Estonia is my 11th in 2010. I’m still intrigued by it. I can’t wait to hear Robin’s new song.
I am really glad we agree. I believe that this song was severely underrated back then. It possessed a certain depth that captivated the viewer. Perhaps the staging wasn’t extremely on point but the song alone deserved better. I am surely interested to see Robin’s artistic development.
Agreed, one of the best of all time (at least in studio version).
And I also find the music video strangely appealing btw. With a better staging it might have done better in the contest.
It’s my favourite ESC song of all time!! And the video is amazing.
There wasn’t really any particular reason for it. It was just Halloween and Sissi got to ask if she would come to the news show Ringvaade and get her Halloween make up done there by professionals. I guess Eesti Laul head producer Tomi and Ringvaade producers decided if we are going to reveal all the artist in next few day’s anyway, let’s do this one with a suprise as it haven’t done that way. Also they got to ask Sissi about celebrating Halloween and has she done make up to others because she has finished the make up course herself.
At last! Can’t wait to hear the songs when they released in December, Now, among the 20 artists, who is a newcomer and who is a veteran? Well, according to another article on another of the new size, here are the hours who have participated at Eesti Laul before: Anett & Fredi Eesti Laul 2020: Write About Me Elysa Eesti Laul 2022: Fire Inger Eesti Laul 2019: Coming Home Eesti Laul 2020: Only Dream Robin Juhkental Eurovision 2010: Siren (as Malcolm Lincoln) Eesti Laul 2012: Bye (as Malcolm Lincoln) Eesti Laul 2015: Troubles (Robin Juhkental & The Big Bangers) Sissi… Read more »
Elysa also participated with “Superlove” at 2015
Meelik is the same as Tenfold Rabbit and they participated in 2012 and 2013. When they formed the band in high school they were called Meelik and later changed it to Tenfold Rabbit.
I loved their 2012 entry „Oblivion“, unfortunately „Balance of Water and Stone“ wasn‘t that good.
That Oblivion one is one of the greatest NF entries of all time, nice to see them back.