Estonian rapper and performance artist Tommy Cash (legal name Tomas Tammemets) is known for his bold, provocative music and eccentric performances that blur the line between satire and shock art. Active in the music scene for years, he has gained popularity both in Estonia and internationally. This year, he won Eesti Laul — Estonia’s national Eurovision qualifier competition — and is set to represent the country in Basel, Switzerland this summer.
Tommy Cash at Eesti Laul
Cash performed his single “Espresso Macchiato”. Rather than relying on elaborate stage effects or flashy theatrics, Cash’s performance featured only a couple of supporting dancers and subtle, non-intrusive visuals. His movements were deliberately minimalistic, designed to keep the focus on him as the central performer: “It goes back to the days of James Brown, the Jackson 5, Michael [Jackson] and all the great artists that came before us. They just had vocals, their movement and charisma. That’s what we wanted to show with this performance. We wanted to show Tommy,” he said on ETV’s show Ringvaade.
Cash also revealed on the show that his preparations for the performance were highly thorough and meticulous, saying “…If you were to ask me, how many times we talked about what I wrote on that small piece of yellow note paper, the hours we spent deciding on how big or small it would be… All the details – how long my tie is, what shade of blue my costume is… I don't have a bag of tricks behind my back that I'm going to show up with and everything is in there,” he said.
In the end, Cash’s performance won him first place in the competition. “The first round of voting featured all sixteen artists and was voted on by the jury and public televote. Each artist received a score based on their position in the jury and public vote, with 16 points for first place and one point for last. The top three then advanced to the superfinal,” according to Eurovoix News.
The decision for who wins the superfinal — and ultimately who will go on to represent the country at Eurovision — lies in the hands of Estonian viewers. In a whopping majority win, Cash won 83% of the vote. “Ma ei tea sind” (“I Don’t Know You”) by Andrei Zevakin feat. Karita placed second, and “Külm” (“Cold”) by An-Marlen came in third.
“I want first place. I’m going after it. But there are still three months to go, and we will start working on it…”
(Tommy Cash)
Cash is still keen on improving his performance where he can. “I want first place. I’m going after it. But there are still three months to go, and we will start working on it… There are already planned changes that we want to make for the show…” the artist said in an article by ERR.
But some Estonians are still hesitant about seeing Cash as a representation of their country. Sometimes referred to as “Kanye East,” Cash has built part of his popstar persona around post-Soviet aesthetics. “I think it is a shame that one of the biggest Estonian artists has this ambiguous Slavic identity, that has no other connection to Estonian culture apart from that we were occupied by Russia. He often puts on a fake Russian accent, but then claims to be Estonian. It is a shame that he is unconsciously spreading the idea that we speak Russian or claim that identity which is untrue,” said one anonymous Estonian.
However the public may feel about him, he is set to represent Estonia this May in Basel. If he does win, it will be the country’s second win since Tanel Padar, Dave Benton & 2XL’s performance in 2001.
How do you feel about Tommy Cash? Is he a bold choice, representing the country with his distinctive style and international acclaim, or a controversial pick, who seems to claim his Estonian culture when it's convenient for him? Let us know!
[This article was written by Natalie Jenkins as part of the Local Journalism Initiative.]
