Estonia has opened its submissions process for Eesti Laul 2024 — and it’s also introduced some big changes to this year’s format.
First things first: The deadline to submit songs for their Eurovision 2024 national final is October 23 at 12:00 local time.
“We are waiting for songs for the competition that would represent Estonia in the best way in front of the whole of Europe,” Karmel Killandi, editor-in-chief of the program, says. “The culmination of Estonia’s biggest singing competition will come on February 17, when the final will take place in Tallinn.”
Eesti Laul 2024 drops second semi-final
In their announcement, the broadcaster revealed several changes for this year’s competition.
Unlike last year — when the country had two semi-finals — this year there will only be one. The preliminary event will take place on January 20 in the city of Tartu.
“Considering the changing world and the complex economic environment, we are also holding back, but we are bringing new Estonian music to the fore in the best possible way,” Karmel Killandi says. “And what better place to look for a song heading to Europe than Tartu, the European capital of culture in 2024.”
This preliminary round will include a “broad-based jury” that will choose 20 songs. Five of those songs will go directly to the final, while the other 15 will compete to advance from the semi.
There will be “several dozen members” on that jury, “representing musical knowledge and experience, but it also includes ordinary people for whom music is written.”
Ultimately ten songs will compete in the final. As we’ve seen in recent years, the winner will be determined in a superfinal that’s 100% televote.
Other Eesti Laul 2023 rules
We’re pasting these verbatim to avoid any confusion.
“Songs can be submitted for the Estonian Song 2024 competition until October 23, the deadline is 12 noon. Until October 21, the fee for participating in the competition is 50 euros for a song in Estonian and 100 euros for a song in a foreign or multilingual language. In the last days of the competition, the participation fees double and are 100 and 200 euros, respectively.”
“Authors and collectives of authors who are citizens of the Republic of Estonia, foreign residents of the Republic of Estonia within the meaning of the Income Tax Act or non-residents can participate in the Estonian Song Contest. The song may not have more non-resident authors than citizens and/or resident authors of the Republic of Estonia combined. The singer(s) can also be citizens, residents or non-residents of the Republic of Estonia. The principle of up to five songs applies to both performers and authors.”
“The winners of the preliminary round of Eesti Laul 2024 will be announced at the beginning of November, the first presentation of the songs will take place at the beginning of December. In order to give the best possible platform to the songs participating in the Estonian Song Contest, we cooperate with ERR channels. In order to support new music, this year Rádio 2 also wants to present songs that were left out of the final competition.”
“The song together with other material listed in the regulations must be uploaded to the ERR website eestilaul.ee.”
“The regulations of Eesti Laul 2024 and the necessary information for participation can also be found on the website of the Estonian National Broadcasting Company at www.eestilaul.ee.”
I honestly don’t mind Eesti Laul 2024 having only one semi. This is far more intuitive and simple than previous Eesti Lauls.
Looking forward for Karl-Erik Taukar to be in Eesti Laul 2024. He’s famous in Estonia so why not.
Why just not have a simple final then? Strange to have just one semi final. Rather have one big evening with 20 songs or so. And what makes 5 songs better than 15 others? Either everybody qualifies or no one does
I always find it odd to have that one and only semifinal before the final. The way I see it, quarterfinals, heats, and semi-finals are basically a tool to throw off those who have no chance at winning while still keeping the final much more intriguing. If you let all the finalists fight for the trophy in the same semifinal, what is the point of having a final when you already know the most favorably performed performance, as they did compete all together already? It seems to me that Eesti Laul is breaking what has been working.
Strage concept. The jury choose 5 songs that go to the final. When will public get to know the songs and the artists?
Then they have a show of 15 songs and 5 will go to the final. Double exposure y’all.
How are the 5 songs that go straight to the final any better than the 5 that make the semifinal? The performers? The teams behind them?
Let’s hope the music quality doesn’t suffer with the changes. It could be a budget thing.
If you’re confused by the sudden changes, it’s basically. Cause the director of Eesti Laul, who has been around for a long time, decided to step down. The one semi final is strange but I guess they need to save on money? I like how we’re having a broad jury decide the songs, to pay homage to how Estonia now needs to appeal to the people!
Estonia? Where is that??
Its in Russia
Be careful dear Bejba you might find yourself “in Russia”….. Take care!
Much Beter than Socialism Sweden
Oh, you mean Muscovy?
Hahahaha, man! You got the whole squad laughing
Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, making katsaps seethe in rage since 1991
What’s a kat sap?
Katsap is a Ukrainian slang word for russian
I see. We may be little, but you simply cannot live in calmness as long as we exist. It is such entertainment to trigger Muscovites, as they know the truth deep in your charred hearts: most XIV–XV century dukes of Muscovy had Lithuanian or Baltic roots. You just cannot let it go and live peacefully.
Muscovites hate the whole world (even Mexico, my country, they said a lot of sh*t about us during the H1N1 pandemic) but they play the victim and whine when someone turns their hate around
Honk-honk!! News from Estonia with their 12 jury points to Sweden making “SVeurovision” happen. E c s tatic y’all?
Ordinary people at least should know better than the “experts”.
Cheaper entrance fees for Estonian language entries is a really interesting idea, i personally really like it, especially from a country that hasn’t sent something in Estonian in a decade I don’t think.
last one was in 2013 by the lovely Birgit 🙂
2012 is one of my dad’s faves, he loves Kuula a lot
Yep, “Kuula” was emotional and well performed although I’m surprised it bypassed Turkey, Germany, Italy and Spain to place as high as sixth.
I’m not!
Both 2012 and 2013 are amazing entries. No pun intended on Tanja’s 2014 entry 😉
That certainly can motivate more artists to send something in their national language by baking, the entry fee cheaper, but in the end, you see more English language songs chosen to compete anyway.