No synthesizers, no pedal boards augmenting the sounds of electric guitars, no backing tracks. Usually it comes down to vocals with limited effects, acoustic guitars and basses, a piano, as well as drums played with a lighter touch.
The result is often definitive. MTV’s Unplugged series, for instance, has become world famous, leading to popular live albums by the likes of Nirvana and Mariah Carey. In a sense, concerts at Tartu College in Toronto offer similar intimate musical encounters whenever artists come to town. Thus, despite the miserable, wet weather, it was a full house at Tartu College on the night of Wednesday April 3rd.
Audience members, including Eurovision fans and the local Estonian community, packed into the main hall, eager to see Estonian singer ALIKA (birth name Alika Milova) perform songs from her debut album, ALIKA, in an acoustic concert with guitarist Markus Nurmsaar. This show was one date out of a few in North America, as Milova and Nurmsaar also played a Sofar Sounds show in downtown Toronto and as part of the 2024 Estonian Cultural Days in New York City.
Special thanks go to the Estonian Cultural Days in NYC and Merike Barborak, the Integration Foundation (Estonia), the Estonian Students Fund (US), the Foundation for Estonian Arts and Letters (US), and Tartu College.
She notes that a love of rock music was something passed onto her from her father. By age seven she had performed Joan Jett & the Blackhearts’ “I Love Rock ’n’ Roll,” among many other concerts for thousands upon thousands of viewers live and on television.
Being Milova’s first ever time in North America, it was fitting that everyone was treated to a chat between her and Estonian Music Week Festival Director Piret Noorhani, to get to know the singer better and hear about key points in her life and music career.
Milova was born and grew up in the city of Narva, before moving to Tallinn at age 13. Music was a source of joy and comfort early on, with her father promoting her abilities, encouraging her to perform and take part in competitions. She notes that a love of rock music was something passed onto her from her father. By age seven she had performed Joan Jett & the Blackhearts’ “I Love Rock ’n’ Roll,” among many other concerts for thousands upon thousands of viewers live and on television.
In 2021, she won the eight season of the TV singing competition Eesti otsib superstaari, at which point her visibility increased. Before long, she won the 2023 edition of Eesti Laul, and was on her way to representing Estonia at the Eurovision Song Contest in Liverpool.
The thing is, the road to success as an artist is often plagued with doubt. Externally, as she prepared for the Eurovision grand final, bookmakers were making less optimistic predictions about how she would fare in the contest. Internally, during her time on Eesti otsib superstaari, Milova communicated doubts about her success because of her Russian-speaking background. However, three years on, she’s made it clear that she doesn’t feel the same way. She wants to not overthink it, to let the music and her actions speak for themselves. Milova is emphatic that “The most important part is to make music, to sing, and to work,” together with a team that she describes as having synergy.
(Keep your eyes here on eestielu.ca for an EstoCast interview with Milova that includes some of her music memories, personal reflections, and background on her participation in the Eurovision Song Contest.)
Indeed, it was time for the music to begin, and so ALIKA started with “Bon Appetit”, a fun jab at a former flame. If you hadn’t had the chance to hear her music before, already from the first pre-chorus, you would get a sense that her songwriting approach is packed with attitude and an alternative edge. She hits her notes percussively, with groove, and this was echoed by Nurmsaar’s expansive guitar playing.
These kinds of hooks, with a bounce in their step, are everywhere in the music of ALIKA. That’s something that really stands out. Before long, you have multiple songs floating in your head.
Often, you would hear the thud of his palm on his acoustic guitar, grounding us in the beat of the song, before rapidly hammering out counter-melodies. As with the second song, “Hoia”, quiet, staccato plucking walked side by side with Alika’s then delicate, rhythmic singing, while bright guitar fills and jazzier voicings fused into this song's well-crafted hook. These kinds of hooks, with a bounce in their step, are everywhere in the music of ALIKA. That’s something that really stands out. Before long, you have multiple songs floating in your head.
The highlights of the night were the songs “Õde ütles”, channelling advice from her older sister, and “C’est La Vie”, a tune she wrote in a songwriting camp, featuring a French chorus that she was both nervous and excited to share with a Canadian audience. Noticeable here was how the melodies moved around mysteriously, like ivy in a garden. With the audience demanding an encore at the end, ALIKA reprised this song. Throughout the show, Milova’s confidence and dexterity as a singer got everyone going.
The latter part of the concert exhibited a more sensitive sound. Listening to ALIKA’s cover of Sam Smith’s “I’m Not the Only One” was chilling, particularly if you listened closely to the way the lyrics were shifted. Initially, she sang “I know that I’m the only one”, before switching at the end, in pained tones, to “I know I’m not the only one,” showing the deception and heartbreak of being cheated on. And of course, the night couldn’t conclude with a performance of her song for Eurovision, “Bridges”, a piece that would fit well as a James Bond film theme song. Milova sat behind the grand piano and sang this story of forgiveness, redemption, and a new beginning.
This being her Canadian performance debut definitely left people excited to see what she does next, and we hope to see her here again soon.
Photos by Peeter Põldre, text by Vincent Teetsov
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