How do you feel about the free language rule? Does it promote a song as many more people can possibly understand it, or do you think each country should stick to its roots?
Our friends in Estonia have a language that isn’t spoken much outside its shores. And unless your Finnish, it might sound very different to what you’re used to. So that’s why they’ve often used English. However, in 2018 they sent today’s birthday girl Elina Nechayeva/Netšajeva, who wowed us all by singing in Italian. As it was (p)operatic, then Italian made sense. Anyway, in Eesti Laul she beat such luminaries as Stig Rästa and Gerli Padar, so all looked good. And ERR wasn’t disappointed. She sailed through her semi-final in Lisbon and achieved an eighth place in the Grand Final. Ironically, the other Italian song beat her, but maybe it goes to show that if you opt for a free language, English isn’t always the way to go.
Elina is 29 today.
Palju õnne sünnipäevaks, Elina!