Estonia in the Eurovision Song Contest 2020
Estonia originally planned to participate in the Eurovision Song Contest 2020. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the contest was cancelled.
The Estonian broadcaster Eesti Rahvusringhääling organised the national final Eesti Laul 2020 in order to select the Estonian entry for the 2020 contest in Rotterdam, Netherlands. The competition was won by Uku Suviste with the song "What Love Is".
Background
Prior to the 2020 Contest, Estonia had participated in the Eurovision Song Contest twenty-five times since its first entry in, winning the contest on one occasion in 2001 with the song "Everybody" performed by Tanel Padar, Dave Benton and 2XL. Following the introduction of semi-finals for the 2004, Estonia has, to this point, managed to qualify to the final on seven occasions. In 2019, "Storm" performed by Victor Crone allowed Estonia to qualify to the Grand Final once again, in which the song placed twentieth.The Estonian national broadcaster, Eesti Rahvusringhääling, broadcasts the event within Estonia and organises the selection process for the nation's entry. ERR confirmed Estonia's participation at the 2020 Eurovision Song Contest on 6 August 2019. Since their debut, the Estonian broadcaster has organised national finals that feature a competition among multiple artists and songs in order to select Estonia's entry for the Eurovision Song Contest. The Eesti Laul competition has been organised since 2009 in order to select Estonia's entry. Before that, the Eurolaul format had been used.
Before Eurovision
''Eesti Laul 2020''
Eesti Laul 2020 was the twelfth edition of the Estonian national selection Eesti Laul, which selected Estonia's entry for the Eurovision Song Contest 2020. The competition consisted of 24 entries competing in two semi-finals on 13 February and 15 February 2020, leading to a twelve-song final on 29 February 2020.Format
The format of the competition includes two semi-finals on 13 February and 15 February 2020 and a final on 29 February 2020. Twelve songs competed in each semi-final and the top six from each semi-final qualified, completing the twelve-song lineup in the final. The results of the semi-finals were determined by a 50/50 combination of votes from a professional jury and public televoting for the first five entries, then the final spot was decided in a second round of voting, televote only. The winning song in the final was selected over two rounds of voting: the first round results selected the top three songs via the 50/50 combination of jury and public voting and the second round decided the winner from those three songs, televote only.Competing entries
On 1 September 2019, ERR opened the submission period for artists and composers to submit their entries up until 6 November 2019 through an online upload platform. Foreign songwriters were also eligible to submit songs. A fee was imposed on songs being submitted to the contest, with 25 Euros for Estonian language songs and 50 Euros for songs in other languages. From all 178 songs submitted to ERR, a jury panel selected the 24 songs for the competition, with the selected entries being announced on 13 and 14 November 2019. The selection jury consisted of Andres Puusepp, Anu Varusk, Birgit Sarrap, Daniel Levi, Eda-Ines Etti, Hendrik Sal-Saller, Jüri Makarov, Kaupo Karelson, Lauri Hermann, Madis Aesma, Maiken, Owe Petersell, Sten Teppan and Vaido Pannel.| Artist | Song | Composer |
| Anett x Fredi | "Write About Me" | Frederik Küüts, Anett Kulbin |
| Egert Milder | "Georgia " | Kaspar Kalluste, Matteo Capreoli, Egert Milder |
| German & Violina | "Heart Winder" | , Ebbe Ravn, Carine-Jessica Kostla, Liis-Marii Vendt |
| INGA | "Right Time" | Peter Põder,, Raul Krebs, Inga Tislar |
| Inger | "Only Dream" | Inger Fridolin, Karl-Ander Reismann |
| Jaagup Tuisk | "Beautiful Lie" | Jaagup Tuisk |
| Janet | "Hingelind" | Marek Rosenberg, Lauri Lembinen, Kadri Lepik, Janet Vavilov |
| Jennifer Cohen | "Ping Pong" | Jennifer Cohen, Luisa Lõhmus |
| Kruuv | "Leelo" | Allan Kasuk |
| Laura | "Break Me" | Janne Hyöty, Jessica Hyöty, Laura Põldvere |
| Little Mess | "Without a Reason" | Ebbe Ravn, Timo Vendt,, Tanja Mihhailova-Saar |
| Mariliis Jõgeva | "Unistustes" | Mariliis Jõgeva, Oliver Mazurtšak |
| Merilin Mälk | "Miljon sammu" | Jonas Olsson, Neea Jokinen, Jana Hallas, Merilin Mälk |
| Rasmus Rändvee | "Young" | Karl-Ander Reismann, Rasmus Rändvee |
| Renate | "Videomäng" | Renate Saluste |
| Revals | "Kirjutan romaani" | Jaanus Saago |
| SHIRA | "Out in Space" | Marika Rodionova, Karl-Ander Reismann |
| Stefan | "By My Side" | Karl-Ander Reismann, Stefan Airapetjan |
| Synne Valtri feat. Väliharf | "Majakad" | Synne Valtri, Jaanus Viskar, Toomas Laur, Gert Gregor Källo, Aapo Ilves |
| Traffic | "Üks kord veel" | Victor Crone,, Vallo Kikas, Stig Rästa |
| Uku Suviste | "What Love Is" | Uku Suviste, Sharon Vaughn |
| Uudo Sepp | "I'm Sorry. I Messed Up" | Andrei Zevakin |
| Viinerid | "Kapa Kohi-LA" | Peter Põder, Hardo Hansar, Oliver Saare, Martti Kask |
| Ziggy Wild | "Lean on Me" | Laura Prits, Valdur Viiklepp, Sander Nõmmistu, Henri-Hannes Sell |
Shows
Semi-final 1
The first semi-final took place on 13 February 2020 in University of Tartu Sports Hall. Twelve songs competed for six spots in the final with the outcome decided upon by the combination of the votes from a jury panel and a public televote. Rasmus Rändvee, Stefan, Anett x Fredi, Laura, Egert Milder and Synne Valtri & Väliharf qualified to the final.Semi-final 2
The second semi-final took place on 15 February 2020 in University of Tartu Sports Hall. Twelve songs competed for six spots in the final with the outcome decided upon by the combination of the votes from a jury panel and a public televote. Uku Suviste, Inger, Jaagup Tuisk, Uudo Sepp, Traffic and SHIRA qualified to the final.Final
The final took place on 29 February 2020 at the Saku Suurhall in Tallinn. The six entries which qualified from each of the two preceding semi-finals, all together twelve songs, competed during the show. The winner was selected over two rounds of voting. In the first round, a jury and public televote determined the top three entries to proceed to the super final. In the super final, the winner was selected entirely by the televote.At Eurovision
According to Eurovision rules, all nations with the exceptions of the host country and the "Big 5" are required to qualify from one of two semi-finals in order to compete for the final; the top ten countries from each semi-final progress to the final. The European Broadcasting Union split up the competing countries into six different pots based on voting patterns from previous contests, with countries with favourable voting histories put into the same pot. On 28 January 2020, a special allocation draw was held which placed each country into one of the two semi-finals, as well as which half of the show they would perform in. Estonia was placed into the second semi-final, to be held on 14 May 2020, and was scheduled to perform in the first half of the show. However, due to 2019-20 pandemic of Coronavirus, the contest was cancelled. Suviste has been given a spot in the 2021 Eesti Laul semifinals by ERR, but will have to compete with a new song.In the Eurovision Song Celebration youtube broadcast in place of the heats, it was revealed that the song would have performed 2nd, between Greece and Austria