Preparation for 2016 are in full swing in many of the participating country – and Estonia has just closed the submission for Eesti Laul 2016.
238 songs were submitted, 19 more than last year. Out of the 238 hopefuls, 11 music professionals will pick the 20 songs for the competition this Wednesday and Thursday. The final names for the competition will be revealed during “Ringvaade”, as done in recent years, on Thursday 5th November, at 18:00 CET.
Eesti Laul will be held in the Saku Suurhall, same venue of the 2002 Eurovision Song Contest, and its semifinals have been scheduled for the 13th and 20th of February, with the Grand Final to be held on the 5th of March 2016.
Commenting on the submission numbers, Mart Normet, producer of the national final, said: “Having 238 songs submitted is truly a sign of recognition for the work we have done in the past years. It’s also concrete evidence that we are growing. Without a doubt moving the contest from the Nordea Concert Hall to Saku Suurhall was the only right decision. Elina and Stig have raised the bar greatly in both a local and international level. We are hoping that this year we will also have strong and timeless songs in the selection.”
