Eesti Laul kicks off this week in Estonia in order to chose who will suceed Victor Crone as their representive for the upcoming Eurovision Song Contest this May in Rotterdam. We were lucky enough to catch up with performer Renate, who is taking part with her song “Videomäng”.

Hey Renate! First of all welcome to Eesti Laul, what made you want to enter the contest?

“Eesti Laul” is the biggest music platform in Estonia where you can introduce your music to the audience. It could be the perfect springboard to your future projects, so that’s the reason I entered this year. Of course, one day I hope to enter to the Eurovision too.

You are entering with “Videomäng”, can you tell us a bit about the song and the story behind it? The Estonian language is so beautiful!

Thank you! “Videomäng” is the story of my childhood, where me and my best friend spent all the school holidays together, rode with our bikes, hung around and had the best time of our lives. Now we are grown-ups and unfortunately don’t see each other very often anymore, but we still have those great memories.

We must mention the music video for “Videomäng”! It comes across as having a beautiful message of youth and happy memories, could you tell us a bit about the concept?

I tried to show in the music video the things we had in our childhood with my best friend – riding with bikes, buying ice-cream, climbing on the adventure trail, playing Monopoly and Uno cards and reading magazines. They are all our memories 🙂

Who are your biggest musical inspirations?

My biggest inspirations are mostly the songwriters because I write also my music by myself, so in Estonia they would be Sven Lõhmus and Stig Rästa.

And following on from that, if you could collaborate with any another
artist who would it be and why?

Oh, it’s difficult to say because as a songwriter I see that some of the songs can work with one artist but the other will not. Right now I don’t have any song to collaborate with somebody, but I hope that in the future I will do it 😛

If you could take just one item to a desert island what would it be and why?

I think it would be an axe 😀 I can probably hunt with it (oh, that sounds terrible!), build a house to myself and maybe do some magic by hitting the rock and have the flame to do a bonfire… or broke the axe by using it that way….!

What do you enjoy doing when not performing?

I like cooking, reading and spending time with my two little daughters and husband.

And finally….what is your favourite Eurovision song of all time?

I guess it’s Fuego! 😛

Thanks for chatting Renate and we wish you all the best of luck in Eesti Laul 2020!
Thank you so much and thanks for your support!

Check out the video for Renate’s “Videomäng” here:

Don’t forget to vote in our poll below of who you want to qualify from Semi-Final 1!