Estonia's record at the Eurovision Song Contest
is one of rapid success, followed by equally fast decline. The
Baltic republic took the first available opportunity to join the
Eurovision Song Contest, making its debut in Dublin in 1994,
however a disappointing result and relegation followed.
Returning in 1996, five of its next six entries
made the Top 10 in the contest, before Estonia caused one of the
biggest upsets in Eurovision history by winning the competition in 2001
with Tanel Padar & Dave Bention singing "Everybody".
The following year, Estonia hosted thee contest, and finished 3rd,
but in 2003 there was another relegation and Estonia hasn't
qualified for the Eurovision final in the last three years.
This
year Estonian broadcaster ETV decided not to have an open
submission for entries. Instead ten songs were commissioned for the
Eurovision selection from different teams of Estonian songwriters.
This year only the Estonian citizens or Estonian residents could participate
as songwriters and performers. Another rule change meant that it
was the public alone that would choose the Estonian entry for
Helsinki.
On Saturday, January 27th, a special
programme introduced the songs to the TV audience for the first
time. A week later the songs were performed again in the final of
the Eurolaul and the public picked their favourite, over two rounds
of voting. The clear winner in both rounds of voting was Gerli
Padar and her pop/rock song "Partners In Crime".
Gerli
is the sister of 2001 Eurovision winner Tanel Padar. She started to sing in early
childhood gaining victories in the song contests of the Estonian Television, "Laulukarussell ‘94" ("The Roundabout of Song ‘94") and "Kaks takti ette ‘97" ("Two Times Forward ‘97"), brought along recognition. Gerli has
also studied in Jazz Gymnasium in Sweden.
Geri
has successfully worked as a jazz singer, working with Urmas
Lattikas, and covering several jazz standards like "Love For
Sale" and "Autumn Leaves". Gerli has also
played the leading roles in the musicals “Cabaret” and
“Chess” and she has participated in many gala performances:
including most memorably in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s gala,
“Memory”, performing with the Estonian National Symphony
Orchestra. She has hosted many TV shows and danced to the final of
the popular TV show, “Dancing with the Stars”. Away from the
spotlights she is bringing up her two year-old daughter, Amanda
Rebeca.
Recently Gerli has added more rock
elements to her repetoire and her look and musical style now shows
strong similarities to that of American superstar Pink. She was the
clear favourite to win the Estonian selection, despite the fact
that she had wwice previously missed out in the Eurolaul; finishing
last in 1999 and third in 2002.
The
songwriters behind this year's Estonian entry and both newcomers to
the Eurovision Song Contest. Composer Hendrik Sal-Saller is one of
the most successful Estonian songwriters of the past decade. He
formed his first rock band at the age of 15 and has been involved
in music and composing ever since. By now, over 200 songs are
credited to the man, most of which have been big time hits on
national radio stations. Hendrik's most recent and also the most
wanted Estonian band are, The Smilers formed in 1993 and have
released ten albums and they have won countless awards Artist
of the Year, the Best Radio Hit, Author of the Year, and several
gold discs for sales. In addition to that, Hendrik has composed
music for and been a producer of many other Estonian pop and rock
stars and, from time to time, he has been seen singing in the
company of Estonian Dream Big Band and The 21st Century Orchestra.
Lyricist
Berit Veiber has been engaged in sport for half of her life. Berit,
with her economic education, is a newcomer to the Estonian music
business. Her entry to the local music market has been a success;
lyrics by her, in both Estonian and English, have been sung by many
local pop stars. The lyrics of this year's Estonian Eurovision
song, "Partners In Crime", have caused certain excitement
in the audience as to what the story is about: forbidden love, a
one-night stand, or rather something criminal? However the author
of the lyrics lets the listener decide.
Estonia's
entry was one of the first to be chosen for this year's contest,
but unlike many other singers in the contest, Gerli has not engaged
in a high profile publicity campaign for her entry. Few dispute
that this is one of the better contemporary pop/rock songs in the
competition, but it has failed to register stronger in ewither
internet polls or in the betting. However a good draw late in the
semi-final, has probably helped Estonia's chances of qualifying
from the Eurovision semi-final for the first time.
Gerli
will be accompanied by two male dancers on stage in Helsinki and
Estonia is promising some memorable choreography to help the song
register in the minds of Eurovision televoters.
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ESTONIA @ EUROVISION