Estonia has struggled throughout most of the last decade, but in the last six years, the country has at least managed to qualify for the final more often than not. Two top ten finishes within the last ten years isn’t a great record, but many countries still dream of being that successful.

Their final, Eesti Laul, still seems somewhat odd. Every now and then we witness some artsy/awkward performances (there’s a fine line!), and the voting system is no guarantee that the most promising entry will be chosen. So it’s always a bit “hit or miss” for the Baltic nation. They clearly missed it last year. So what about 2015, how will it go for Stig Rästa & Elina Born?

Goodbye To Yesterday is playing with the same stylistic building blocks as a whole row of other songs in popular music (think of artists like Lana del Rey, Shivaree, Nick Cave, just to name a few), weaving a somewhat morbid/nostalgic aura around the song. However, this piece here is not songwriting by numbers. On the contrary, it’s one of the few songs this year that feel seamless and distinctive. It’s packed with emotions, unlike so many other soulless entries this year.

Many see a similarity with Netherlands 2014. I do, too: It’s a woman and a man singing a ballad. Nothing more. If anything, I get a bit reminded of Summer Wine, originally sung by Suzi Jane Hokom and Lee Hazlewood, recently better known in the version of Ville Valo & Natalia Avelon. That’s another good example of the style described in the paragraph above. However, the similarities that I see are just of a stylistic nature, and many Eurovision fans still need to learn that stylistic similarities aren’t plagiarism.

My verdict for Estonia 2015 is clear: It’s got a very charming melody and is instantly accessible, unlike many other compositions this year. The only problem that I can see for Estonia is the on-stage chemistry between Stig and Elina, something that can be fixed by May. I know that my preferences in the time towards the grand final are mostly subject to change, but at the moment – and it has been like that for some weeks now – Estonia is clearly my favourite song in the whole line-up, and I’m not the only fan with this song on #1.

For Vienna, I’m not convinced of a top ten placement yet, but ask me again once the rehearsals have started. I hope I’m being too cautious here, as I would very much like to go to Eurovision in Tallinn next year. Having said that, qualification shouldn’t be a problem at all.

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