Eesti Laul returns to our screens this week, with two semi-finals kicking off the 2023 selection. Of the 20 competing acts, ten will make it through to February’s grand final and be one step closer to representing Estonia at Eurovision 2023.
In two separate polls, we asked our readers to vote for who they wanted to qualify from each semi-final.
After counting all the votes, we now have the results.
OLLIE is a favourite in Eesti Laul 2023 semi-final one
When it comes to semi-final one, y’all are tipping OLLIE as the one to beat. He sings of the “Venom” in his veins and it seems that he’s also intoxicated many listeners as well. The Estonian singer picked up a fifth of the vote, earning 20.94% of the 3,639 votes cast (that’s 762 specifically if you don’t have a calculator to hand).
Two other participants managed to score over 500 votes — Janek and Bedwetters took the remaining podium spots.
With five qualification spots up for grabs, the other acts you would put through based on the studio cuts are: Andrea, and kaw.
Full results: Semi-final one poll
- OLLIE – “Venom” – 762 votes (20.94%)
- Janek – “House of Glass” – 609 votes (16.74%)
- Bedwetters – “Monsters” – 556 votes (15.28%)
- Andreas – “Why Do You Love Me” – 10.25% (373 votes)
- kaw – “Valik” – 345 votes (9.48%)
- Neon Letters & Maiko – “Tokimeki” – 318 votes (8.74%)
- Anett x Fredi – “You Need To Move On” – 218 votes (5.99%)
- Ellip – “Pretty Girl” – 191 votes (5.25%)
- Mia – “Üks Samm Korraga” – 137 votes (3.76%)
- Merlyn – “Unicorn Vibes” – 130 votes (3.57%)
Total Votes: 3,639
@wiwibloggs_official Full results at wiwibloggs.com 🇪🇪 #EestiLaul #EestiLaul2023 #Eurovision #ESC2023 #Estonia ♬ original sound – Meehall
ALIKA is a favourite in Eesti Laul 2023 semi-final two
Over in semi-final two, there was another strong favourite with our readers. ALIKA took the number one spot with her piano and orchestral ballad “Bridges”. Building a bridge into your hearts, she picked up 658 votes — 22.99% of the 2,862 votes cast in total.
Second and third place went to a couple of Eesti Laul returnees. Sissi and ELYSA are both back for another go and y’all seem to think they have a good chance of making it back to the grand final.
According to the poll results, the final two qualification places would go to: m els and Inger.
Full results: Semi-final two poll
- ALIKA – “Bridges” – 658 votes (22.99%)
- Sissi – “Lighthouse” – 475 votes (16.6%)
- ELYSA – “Bad Philosophy” – 396 votes (13.84%)
- m els – “So Good At What You Do” – 376 votes (13.14%)
- Inger – “Awaiting You” – 350 votes (12.23%)
- Carlos Ukareda – “Whisky Won’t Forget” – 243 votes (8.49%)
- Meelik – “Tuju” – 204 votes (7.13%)
- Robin Juhkental – “Kurbuse Matused” – 74 votes (2.59%)
- Wiiralt – “Salalik” – 58 votes (2.03%)
- Linalakk & Bonzo – “Aeg” – 28 votes (0.96%)
Total Votes: 2,862
@wiwibloggs_official Full results at wiwibloggs.com 🇪🇪 #EestiLaul #EestiLaul2023 #Eurovision #ESC2023 #Estonia ♬ original sound – Meehall
Show details
Eesti Laul 2023 begins with two semi-finals on 12 and 14 January, held at Viimsi Artium. Voting will be done over two rounds. The first set of qualifiers will be determined by a 50:50 split of jury and public voting. An additional qualifier will then be chosen by a second round of purely public voting.
The ten acts that advance will then compete at the grand final on 11 February in Tondiraba Ice Hall. Again, two rounds of voting will be used. Three superfinalists will initially be selected by 50% jury and 50% televoting. In this superfinal, Estonia’s Eurovision 2023 representative will be chosen through 100% public vote.
Each of the shows will be hosted by Tõnis Niinemets and Grete Kuld.
Do you agree with the poll results? Are OLLIE and ALIKA your top picks to qualify to the grand final of Eesti Laul 2023? Let us know in the comments below.
I really love Sissi’s song so much, and I think it has the potential to be staged amazingly at eurovision. Admittedly I havnt really given the rest of the songs much of a listen so looking forward to the semi finals. Have listened to ALIKA a few times, the song is good, not sure why it’s such a strong favourite in the odds though, much prefer Lighthouse.
I wish everyone could Performing in semifinal one good luck tomorrow night. May the best artists progress.
I do have a question though. Why is the Eesti Laul grand final held a month later and not next Saturday? Is there a scheduling conflict? I like somebody from Estonia to answer my question please. I just don’t get it.
No idea why the grand final is almost a month later (and in a new place). I’ve been keeping an eye on the interviews and no one has asked/explained this yet.
Today an answer was given. The semifinals were/are held in a small venue, but the final is held at a much larger one so they need time to move everything there. Also seeing as there were no LED screens during the semi, but assuming they will be there for the final, it gives time for the contestants to decide/create a LED show as well and to fit their staging to a much larger stage.
Sissi song is so good for me. Wish her good luck. I hope her staging is strong and complementing the song.Im really excited for most of the songs and to see how they will be presented and sound live.
I would miss both Ellip and Meelik in the final.
Personally, I’m hoping Neon Letters & Maiko to win, but Ill be okay with Ollie or the Bedwetters.
1. Alika
2. Ollie
3. m els
4. Inger
5. Neon letters & Maiko
6. Bedwetters
I can’t believe semi finals are on this week. The semifinal one is tomorrow night. This is truly a busy week for the eurovision season.
In other words, if Ollie doesn’t represent Estonia at Eurovision 2023, I’ll be pissed! I’m ready to vote for him in Eurovision.. good luck Estonia!
I can even imagine this as the soundtrack to a movie about a “bully” guy who is cruel to a “nerd” guy because he’s actually in love with him and he can’t admit it so he wants to hurt the “nerd” just so others won’t find out.. oh that’s great!
I must point out that I really like that “Venom” is not a song of a guy to a girl, it’s a song that can also be a song of a guy to another guy.. It’s great mainly because it allows everyone to connect to the song… The lyrics of the song are pretty unisex.. I love it!
Wow I never really noticed that!
I don’t know why but Ollie turns me on, his whole vibe does it for me, his voice, the song, the music video.. I have to admit.. he’s pretty hot.. wish him goodluck!
Admit it… You’re obsessed with him.
Even if Ollie is my big favourite, you still have to admit that Alika has a crazy voice! And I can tell you that if Ollie is really average live because the studio version sold dreams and the live does not follow (hello Stig Rasta last year) unfortunately for me and for many people it will be a big disappointment…I’m crossing my fingers that it’s epic! For Alika, I’m sorry but she has a crazy, unique voice, a very pretty and touching ballad which is quite powerful (it’s not at all boring) and I think the juries will really appreciate… Read more »
Venom is just the typical tired 2000’s style pop trying to sound like rock and Alika’s singing really sounds over-the-top and exaggerated at times. Sorry for being so blunt…
Yeah, I have resigned myself to the fact that Estonia is almost always a country that just favors generic/unremarkable stuff in English over other much more interesting options they usually have, entries that are generally a bit more left-field too. Plenty of those are also actually in Estonian so it’s even more sad to see them dismiss their language/culture so easily.
To me, Venom sounds like early 2000s hard rock – Nickleback, Hoobastank – a little bland, maybe a little annoying but ultimately harmless while Monsters sounds more like early 2000s emo – Panic and the Disco and such. The latter is more interesting to me than the former.
I have high hopes for Ollie. If he doesn’t fail the vocals, he can get all the nostalgia points from us millennial eurofans. And this nostalgia has been proven very effective: it helped seal the well deserved success of Blind Channel and promote the meh entry of The Rasmus to the final.
As of now I think Eesti Laul is a close two horse race between Ollie and Alika. And as Ollie is my personal winner, I really want him to win.
Eh. Ollie is nostalgic, yes, but for early 2000s Nickleback and what not. Venom isn’t bad, just a little bland. The Bedwetters have a far more positive and memorable nostalgia for me – early 2000s emo.
Alika, Sissi and Janek are OVERRATED. Bedwetters, Elysa and Inger deserve a shot at Eurovision!
I think I’m one of few people not particularly into the Eesti Laul songs and it’s been like that for several years. I do think Alika would make the most fitting winner, and a first chance since 2018 for Estonia to reach the top 10 with the right approach