Marta Lotta (Marta Lotta Kuuk) said she really wanted to become the 16th finalist of this year's Eesti Laul, the competition to determine who will represent Estonia at the 2025 Eurovision Song Contest.

"I hoped for the best, but I was prepared for the worst. On Monday morning, I packed my bag just the way I was usually do, to go to work after training, but when I was called to (ERR's) radio house, it was already getting a bit suspicious," she said.

On Raadio 2's morning show, the results of the public vote were announced, and Marta Lotta Kukk was confirmed as the 16th and last finalist in this year's Eesti Laul.

"When I stepped out of the radio station, I didn't know what to do. Everyone was at work and I had no one to hug and no one to scream to that I had made it to the final of Eesti Laul. I wandered around the city for about half an hour, looking for a place. In the end, I went to a café, had a coffee and congratulated myself," said Kukk.

Kukk ran one of the most extensive promotional campaigns in order to make it through to the final. She went dancing in Tallinn's Old Town, at the Baltic Station (Baltijaam) and on one of the city's trams. She also had ads with a political flavor, and shared anecdotes. Kukk admitted that she was not always comfortable doing so much self-promotion.

Kukk, who was a contestant on talent show "Eesti otsib superstaari" ("Estonia is Looking for a Superstar") in 2023, has also previously taken part in the show "Laulukarussell."

After leaving school, she studied singing and took time to discover the kind of music she wanted to write.

"I thought about what kind of artist I wanted to be and so the superstar show was a good platform. So now it's Eesti Laul. In 2023, I showed myself to be a good singer of other songs, but now I want to show people that I am Marta Lotta and I make this kind of music," she said.

Because of the nature of Estonians, young artists have to be very tough to get their foot in the door, according to Kukk.

"It's kind of a skin-crawling thing. But let's see what else the joy of the Eesti Laul can do to me. I feel some kind of good momentum coming from here," she said.

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