The new favorite emerging from Sweden hasn't fazed Cash. "Sweden was already at the top of the odds before that song even came out. What really works in their favor is that they released it weeks later than we did. In Estonia, you have to put your song out months in advance. That freshness matters. But I talked to those guys — they're really nice, and I like having someone to compete with. Sweden is the Eurovision country; they're very strong," Cash said.

The Swedes didn't lighten the burden of being the favorite, though. "I didn't feel any pressure before either — I'm just focused on what we're doing and how we can put on the best performance. I want us to have the best show," said Cash. "I'd love to get the most public votes, since we're in the same semifinal."

Currently, Cash is ranked seventh in the betting odds. "I've never really followed them. I know Joost was around fifth or sixth too, but still considered a big favorite. What matters most is being in the top ten, and the live performance is what ultimately decides things. Based on our numbers online and elsewhere, it's a different story. We're really popular. The odds are one thing; the real world is another," Cash noted.

He added that slipping in the odds just adds fuel to the fire. "I'm not disappointed. I look more at the overall numbers — how many views our videos are getting, how much we're being streamed. In all those areas, we're in the top five. Everyone's talking about us, everyone knows about us. In that sense, Estonia is absolutely present," he said, adding that he hasn't felt the need to market himself alongside other Eurovision performers. "But there's still time, and I hope we get to do something with someone."

Cash hopes Eurovision will help him discover the best version of himself as an artist. "When you've been doing this for so long, you don't have a boss. I don't have a record label — no one's telling me which direction to go, what to do. No one's telling me to go to fashion week or to do a certain collaboration. I've also never danced while singing on stage before, so I hope this marks the arrival of a new Tommy. I want to be my best on stage, and that's my biggest goal," he explained.

Cash acknowledged that the chaos surrounding Eurovision can be overwhelming. "There have been days where we've done 50 interviews in a row. That's what I hate the most right now — doing interviews," he laughed. "There are so many media outlets, from so many different countries, that we've tried to curate things a bit — it's just too much."

He spent a week on a promotional tour in Italy. "I did a million interviews. It's a fact — if you go to Italy, just say mi amore and they know exactly what kind of coffee you want. That's a fact," Cash joked.

One day in Italy, Cash spent four to five hours on a couch while dozens of Italian journalists took turns interviewing him.

"The day started with these older, right-leaning men asking me the most brutal questions. They asked about other countries too, including the drama around San Marino's performer. One guy started a question by saying, 'Hey, some people are saying San Marino is going to eat you alive.' I didn't get it. I told him Gabriel from San Marino is a great guy and has it even tougher — he's a DJ competing in a song contest. But that part got picked out and spun into a headline like 'Tommy Cash says all other contestants are weak.' Please don't use that," Cash asked Estonian journalists.

He added that, overall, the interviewers have been very nice. Still, he pointed out that a new rule has been added to Eurovision press guidelines: journalists aren't allowed to ask about politics. "They don't touch the topic at all. I even asked ERR to give me some media training, because people keep trying to throw Trump, Ukraine, Russia — all of it — at me. I'm basically ready for it, but it hasn't happened yet. The sharks are coming to Basel. I hope it at least gets interesting — more drama," Cash said.

Cash also gave ERR journalist Anett Peel an exclusive preview of his Eurovision stage setup. "It's different from what we saw at the Eesti Laul final and is definitely going to resonate with people, since it's tied to something that's currently really popular," Peel described before Cash stopped the video.

The first Eurovision semifinal in Basel takes place on Tuesday, May 13, with Estonia performing fourth. The second semifinal will be held on Thursday, May 15. From each semifinal, ten countries will qualify for the grand final on Saturday, May 17, based on the public vote.

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