Elina Nechayeva

Elina Nechayeva performed the Italian-language song "La forza" to represent Estonia at the 2018 Eurovision Song Contest in Lisbon, securing an eighth-place finish in the Grand Final. This soprano, born in Tallinn in 1991, maintains a career that spans classical opera, television broadcasting, and contemporary musical performance within the Estonian entertainment landscape.

Early Education and Career Beginnings

Nechayeva attended the Tallinn French School, graduating in 2011. Her initial exposure to public performance occurred in 2009 during the third season of the television program Eesti otsib superstaari, though she exited the competition during the preliminary girls' round. She continued her development by participating in the Klassikatähed 2014 competition, where she advanced to the final trio. In 2016, she completed her formal vocal training by obtaining a master's degree in classical singing from the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre.

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Eurovision and Broadcast Work

Before her success as a contestant, Nechayeva served as a co-host for the semi-finals of Eesti Laul 2017 alongside Marko Reikop. In 2018, she won the Eesti Laul competition, which earned her the national slot for the Eurovision Song Contest. Following this entry, she appeared in the 2020 American film Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga. She later returned to the Eesti Laul stage in 2022 to perform "Remedy," a track composed by Sven Lõhmus, placing eighth in the final.

Theatrical and Operatic Repertoire

Her stage work encompasses a variety of operatic and musical theater roles. She has performed as Giannetta in Donizetti's "L’elisir d’amore," Juliette in Lehár's "The Count of Luxembourg," and Eurydike in Offenbach's "Orpheus in the Underworld." Her Ravel credits include multiple roles in "L’enfant et les sortilèges," specifically the Fire's Shadow, the Princess’ Shadow, and the Nightingale. Additionally, she has pursued drama, notably portraying Eliza Doolittle in Loewe's "My Fair Lady".

Personal Identity and Background

Born in 1991, the soprano is of mixed Estonian, Russian, and Chuvash heritage, holding the distinction of being the first Eurovision participant of Chuvash descent. In December 2017, she transitioned her stage name from the Estonian spelling Netšajeva to the anglicized Nechayeva to facilitate international recognition while maintaining the original pronunciation. Beyond traditional stage work, she competed as 'the Phoenix' on the second season of the Estonian version of The Masked Singer, where she finished in second place.