| Neiokõsõ (The Lasses) and song “Tii” (The Way) were born thanks to a fortunate and well-timed idea by composers, Priit Pajusaar and Glen Pilvre.
The pair are no strangers to Eurovision, having already represented Estonia three times at the contest. At the 1996 Oslo contest their song came fifth; in Jerusalem in 1999 their entry came sixth.
Red-haired musician, Aapo Ilves who wrote the lyrics to this year’s Estonian entry, is himself from South-Estonia. And this year is the first time a song in the ancient and intriguing-sounding South-Estonian language will be performed at Eurovision. The Estonian entry also introduces the ancient Ugrian style of women’s singing.
Only 150,000 people speak South Estonian and a mere 70,000 of these speak the Võro dialect used in this song. But everybody speaks music…
Neiokõsõ are Anu Taul, Triinu Taul, Astrid Boning, Diana Pold, Kadri Uutma and Peeter Jogioja.
Astrid is a folk-instrument teacher and has to sail to get to her rehearsals or performances, despite the fact there is no sea in South-Estonia…
Diana is also a music teacher; she leads the Estonian National Theatre’s boys’ choir.
Triinu is descended from an old instrument-masters’ family and studies singing at the University of Tallinn. Her sister, Anu, teaches modern folk song.
Peeter Jõgioja -- an attractive man with smashing arms and horn-headed like Pan -- supports the girls playing Percussion.
To gather their power, Neiukõsõ like to wander and sing, sing and sing some more! The girls hope this folk song refers to them: “When I start singing then mountains turn into sea and sea turns into land. Then no reins can hold me, neither reins can hold me nor ropes bind me… When I sing the forest echoes, when I speak the forest rings out.”
Anu adds: “We all have a way to go and each of us goes in that different way. We go singing and take friends with us.” |
