The recorded history of music in Estonia dates as far back as the 12th century.
Vanilla Ninja is an Estonian all-female rock band which enjoyed chart success in a number of countries across Europe, especially in Estonia, Germany and Austria.
Lenna Kuurmaa is an Estonian singer-songwriter and actress. She is a member of the girl group Vanilla Ninja, but after the band's hiatus since 2009, continued to work as a solo-artist. She also formed a band with the name "Lenna" who released the debut album Lenna in June 2010.
Estonia participated in the Eurovision Song Contest 2003 with the song "Eighties Coming Back" written by Vaiko Eplik. The song was performed by the band Ruffus. The Estonian broadcaster Eesti Televisioon (ETV) organised the national final Eurolaul 2003 in order to select the Estonian entry for the 2003 contest in Riga, Latvia. Ten songs competed in the national final and "Eighties Coming Back" performed by Claire's Birthday was selected as the winner by an international jury panel. The band was later renamed as Ruffus for the Eurovision Song Contest.
Ruffus was an indie rock band from Estonia that was originally known as Claire's Birthday. They represented their country in the Eurovision Song Contest 2003.
Estonia participated in the Eurovision Song Contest 2010 with the song "Siren" written by Robin Juhkental. The song was performed by Malcolm Lincoln and Manpower 4. The Estonian broadcaster Eesti Rahvusringhääling (ERR) organised the national final Eesti Laul 2010 in order to select the Estonian entry for the 2010 contest in Oslo, Norway. Ten songs competed in the national final and the winner was selected over two rounds of voting. In the first round, a jury panel and a public vote selected the top two to qualify to the super final.In the super final, "Siren" performed by Malcolm Lincoln and Manpower 4 was selected as the winner entirely by a public vote.
The second season of Eesti otsib superstaari started on February 3, 2008 and lasted until June 2008. The hosts of first season were replaced by two male comedians/actors, Ott Sepp and Märt Avandi. Heidy Purga, Mihkel Raud and Rein Rannap continued as judges.
Ott Lepland is an Estonian singer. He first received national mainstream attention in 2009, after winning the third season of Eesti otsib superstaari. Lepland represented Estonia in the Eurovision Song Contest 2012 in Baku, Azerbaijan with the song "Kuula" placing 6th in the final.
Malcolm Lincoln was an Estonian band that formed in October 2009. The members are Robin Juhkental, Jakob Juhkam, Siim Raidma, Ott Adamson, Johan Alexander Petti and Hans Kurvits. The original lineup consisted of Robin Juhkental (vocals/electronics) and Madis Kubu (bass). Juhkental has described their style as "electronic pop with a slightly quirky undertone". The band's name originates from the game show Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?, where a woman incorrectly answered "Malcolm Lincoln" to a question involving the first name of Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States. Malcolm Lincoln, together with a group of backing vocalists called Manpower 4, won the competition Eesti Laul 2010 with the song "Siren" and represented Estonia in the Eurovision Song Contest 2010. The band released their debut album Loaded With Zoul in May 2010.
Estonia participated in the Eurovision Song Contest 2011 with the song "Rockefeller Street" written by Sven Lõhmus. The song was performed by Getter Jaani. The Estonian broadcaster Eesti Rahvusringhääling (ERR) organised the national final Eesti Laul 2011 in order to select the Estonian entry for the 2011 contest in Düsseldorf, Germany. The national final consisted of three shows: two semi-finals and a final. Ten songs competed in each semi-final and the top five from each semi-final as determined by a jury panel and public vote qualified to the final. In the final, the winner was selected over two rounds of voting. In the first round, a jury panel and a public vote selected the top two to qualify to the superfinal. In the superfinal, "Rockefeller Street" performed by Getter Jaani was selected as the winner entirely by a public vote.
The fourth season of Eesti otsib superstaari premiered on February 13, 2011, on TV3. The show was won by Liis Lemsalu.
Estonia participated in the Eurovision Song Contest 2012 with the song "Kuula" written by Ott Lepland and Aapo Ilves. The song was performed by Ott Lepland. The Estonian broadcaster Eesti Rahvusringhääling (ERR) organised the national final Eesti Laul 2012 in order to select the Estonian entry for the 2012 contest in Baku, Azerbaijan. The national final consisted of three shows: two semi-finals and a final. Ten songs competed in each semi-final and the top five from each semi-final as determined by a jury panel and public vote qualified to the final. In the final, the winner was selected over two rounds of voting. In the first round, a jury panel and a public vote selected the top two to qualify to the superfinal. In the superfinal, "Kuula" performed by Ott Lepland was selected as the winner entirely by a public vote.
Tatjana Mihhailova-Saar, better known as Tanja or Tanja Mihhailova is a Russian-Estonian pop singer and actress. She was born in Kaliningrad, Russia, and has lived in Estonia from a very young age. Tanja has been a member of several bands in her professional career and has performed in several stage musicals. She represented Estonia in the Eurovision Song Contest 2014 with the song "Amazing" and finished in 12th place in the semi-final, failing to qualify.
Traffic is an Estonian band from Tallinn, Estonia, most notable for being in Eurolaul 2008 and Eesti Laul 2009, 2012, 2014, 2020, 2022 and 2024. They also have several hits in Estonia like "Sekundiga", which reached more than 5 million views on Youtube, "Für Elise/Üks kord veel", both of which are "Eesti Laul" songs.
Uku Suviste is an Estonian singer-songwriter, pianist and music producer. He was scheduled to represent Estonia in the Eurovision Song Contest 2020 in Rotterdam, Netherlands, before cancellation of the competition that year. Instead, he represented Estonia in the Eurovision Song Contest 2021.
The Princes is an Estonian rock band. The band was formed in 2009 by Edward Krimm and Jaagup Tormis, the grandson of one of the greatest living choral composers Veljo Tormis. The current lineup consists of Edward Krimm, Jaagup Tormis, Kaur Garšnek (guitar) and Valdur Viiklepp. All the members have a musical background and have taken part in other musical groups as well. Most notably, Jaagup Tormis has played in Sinine and Pedigree, Kaur Garšnek has played in Kreatiivmootor. Past members of The Princes have included Taavi Paomets, Kostja Tsõbulevski and Madis Viksi.
Kreatiivmootor is an Estonian band, brought into existence in 2003 by an academic philosopher Roomet Jakapi, PhD, and a lawyer Allan Plekksepp, PhD, who had intended to make music without genre or scene constraints. Their alternative style has ranged from eccentric experimentalism to psychedelic pop. After expanding to become an octet in 2008, the band has used computer programmes, live electronics, guitars, bass, sax, percussion and drums in their live performances. Apart from releasing three albums and standing up at Tallinn Music Week, they have also performed at other festivals, such as Waves Vienna, Positivus in Latvia, Brainlove Festival of Brainlove Records in the UK and Sergey Kuryokhin International Festival in Russia.
Kärt Tomingas is an Estonian stage, television, voice and film actress, singer, lecturer and acting and theatre pedagogue. Tomingas' career began in the 1980s as a folk-pop, rock and jazz singer and soon after began a career as an actress. Since 2008, she has been an acting lecturer and has taught acting.
Tõnis Rätsep is an Estonian actor, musician, educator, poet, and playwright.
Uno Loop was an Estonian singer, musician, athlete, actor, and educator. Loop's career as a musician and singer began in the early 1950s. He performed with various ensembles and as a popular soloist beginning in the 1960s. In his youth, he trained as a boxer, and became the 1947–48 light-middleweight two-time Estonian Junior Champion. Later, he trained as a triathlete. Between the late 1950s and the early 1990s, he taught music, voice and guitar. Loop also worked as an actor, and appeared in several films beginning in the 1960s and in several roles in Estonian television series.
