Record set at Estonian Eurovision rush

Photo: Erik Prozes

Feels like the last-split-second torrent of songs to run for Eurovision is getting mightier, media-wise, each year that goes by. Primarily, it's the newsworthy dropping of the envelope or CD in a collection box. Also, the lion's share of songwriters being the Bohemian type creatures, details will be polished till deadliest of deadlines.

This year, the set time was a month sooner than before. Therefore, «Song of Estonia» producer Mart Normet was in deep doubt whether the record set last year – 219 songs presented – would be beaten. Meanwhile, judging by the boxes filled by yesterday, at least 150 must have been in the computer.

For at least 30 minutes till 3 pm, it got totally noisy around the plastic boxes at TV house and the bringers of songs were ever so pleased to pour comments on reporters from web, TV and whatnot.

One by one, prime ministerial singing girlfriend Luisa Värk, Justament’s other front man Jaan Elgula, Lea Dali Lion from Blacky, Boogie Company soloist Andrus Kasesalu, Super Hot Cosmos Blues Band’s Janno Reim, «Pillow Club» star and singer Kristel Aaslaid and all sorts of other entertainers stepped to the microphones. Music manager Peeter Kaljuste dropped three songs (some dropped more) in differing genres – not as performer, but as author. He was among the last minute improvers of the creation.

The frenzy was on and photographers all sweat.  

Maria Merisalu, singing with the trip-rock and psychedelic soul group The Brackets, came complete with a dog and all melted in a puddle. Too bad they don’t allow pets at the contest...

With 15 short minutes to go, Mr Normet was still grieving over the non-record. One thing he was sure of, though: this year, the Russian speaking artists were way more involved and active. If also Russian singing, is yet to be found out.

Mr Normet said a jury of 11 will pre-pick twenty songs. «If the best ones amount to thirty, I believe they will go by genres,» he assumed. «When dance music really abounds, you know, among these the competition will be tougher. At times people have wondered why these funny or strange songs get included, but these deserve their chance having their own audience....»

«Heavy!» muttered Mr Normet, picking up the three boxes at 5 minutes past 3 pm. Lo and behold: we will be selecting from all-time-greatest heap of 238 songs.