Koit Toome

Koit Toome
Koit Toome in 2017
Background information
Birth name Koit Toome
Born (1979-01-03) 3 January 1979
Tallinn, Estonia
Genres Pop
Occupation(s)
Instruments
Years active 1995—present
Associated acts

Koit Toome (born 3 January 1979, Tallinn),[1][2] is an Estonian singer and musical actor.

He has twice represented Estonia in the Eurovision Song Contest. In 1998 he finished 12th with the song "Mere lapsed". In 2017 he sang a duet with Laura Põldvere, entitled Verona.

Career

Koit Toome was discovered in the music school in 1994 by the music producer Mikk Targo who was initially planning to launch a solo career for Koit. It later turned out that Koit's schoolmate and initial bacing vocalist Sirli Hiius harmonized perfectly with Koit. Due to this, Koit's solo turned into a pop duo Code One which enjoyed a successful run of top hits that over the years have become evergreens. Toome and Hiius sometimes nevertheless perform together, despite having called the active years as a singing duo to an end years ago.

In 1998, Koit Toome represented Estonia at the Eurovision Song Contest, held in Birmingham. He finished 12th with 36 points with the song "Mere lapsed".[3] The same year he recorded his debut solo album of mostly self-penned material on it. Toome has released five albums all together, both as a solo artist, and with Code One. His latest studio album, "Kaugele siit" ("Far from here") was released in March 2010.[4][5]

In 2007, Koit Toome was declared as the winner of Tantsud tähtedega (Dancing with the Stars) with his partner on floor, Kertu Tänav.

Koit Toome has also embarked on a voice acting career, dubbing animated films. He provided the Estonian voice for Lightning McQueen in the Disney movie Cars among others.[6]

In 2017, Koit Toome and Laura Põldvere won Eesti Laul with the duet "Verona." They thereafter represented Estonia in the Eurovision Song Contest 2017 in Kiev, Ukraine.[7] The duo failed to advance to the Grand Final in 14th position - 6th from the Televoting & 17th from the Juries voting. Despite being a big fan favourite and seen as likely qualifiers beforehand being 5th[8] in 2nd Semi-Final by odds and 5th by OGAE voting overall. [9]

Musical theatre

Koit Toome is professionally active in musical theatre. As a leading actor, he has so far played the roles of the protagonists only with no exception in his native Estonia, and also with touring companies.

His debut, Alfred in Tanz der Vampire (Tallinn, 2000) was shortly followed by Marius of Les Misérables (Tallinn, 2001), Chris in Miss Saigon (Tallinn, 2002, reprised in Helsinki City Theatre) and Tony in West Side Story (Tartu, 2005). Leading roles in Chess, Rent and Hair were to follow in Estonia and Germany.

In Endla Theatre in Pärnu, he played the lead in Peter Quilter`s musical Boyband, depicting the life of a fictional boyband Freedom. The show would stay on stage for a successful run of 100 performances, and for 5 seasons.

Koit Toome was starring as Raoul in The Phantom of the Opera in theatre Vanemuine (2014–2016), but he took over the leading role of "Phantom" from its originator, the Norwegian tenor Stephen Hansen for the final run of performances in 2016/2017. Koit Toome continued at the Vanemuine theatre for the Estonian reprise of Les Misérables, now cast as Jean Valjean, premiered in November 2017.

Personal life

Koit's uncle Indrek Toome was the Prime Minister of Estonia from 1988 to 1990.

Discography

Singles

As lead artist

Title Year Peak chart positions Album
EST
"Valged ööd"
(with Getter Jaani)		 2011 1 Rockefeller Street
"Talveöö"
(with Getter Jaani and Karl Madis)		 — Jõuluvalgus
"Rannamaja"
(with Getter Jaani)		 2014 1 DNA
"Verona"
(with Laura)		 2017 2 Non-album single
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.
Title Year Album
"Pole Piiri"
(Metsakutsu featuring Koit Toome)		 2016 Kuhu Koer On Maetud
"Your Stories"
(Cartoon featuring Koit Toome)		 2017 NCS: Colors

Filmography

Dubbing

Year Film Role Notes
2006 Cars Lightning McQueen Estonian voice-dub

References

  1. ↑ "Koit Toome — Free listening, videos, concerts, stats and photos at Last.fm". www.last.fm.
  2. ↑ magnus@allstarz.ee. "Koit Toome".
  3. ↑ "Eurovision Song Contest Birmingham 1998".
  4. ↑ "Kaugele siit – Koit Toome — Listen and discover music at Last.fm". www.last.fm.
  5. ↑ "Koit Toome – Kaugele Siit". Discogs.
  6. ↑ "PIKNE McQUEEN alias Koit Toome: esimene sõit oli Moskvitši "pirukaga"" [LIGHTNING McQUEEN alias Koit Toome: The first ride was on a Moskvitch "pie" [a car-based panel van designed to deliver pies and bread or mail] (in Estonian). Õhtuleht. 2006-08-05. Retrieved 2015-05-29.
  7. ↑ Escudero, Victor M. (4 March 2017). "Koit Toome and Laura to bring Verona to Kyiv!". eurovision.tv. European Brooadcasting Union. Retrieved 4 March 2017.
  8. ↑ http://esctoday.com/147979/bookies-roundup-punters/
  9. ↑ /https://eurovisiontimes.wordpress.com/2017/04/30/ogae-2017-italy-is-the-fan-club-winner/
Awards and achievements
Preceded by
Maarja-Liis Ilus
with "Keelatud maa"		 Estonia in the Eurovision Song Contest
1998		 Succeeded by
Evelin Samuel & Camille
with "Diamond of Night"
Preceded by
Jüri Pootsmann
with "Play"		 Estonia in the Eurovision Song Contest (with Laura Põldvere)
2017		 Succeeded by
Elina Nechayeva
with "La forza"
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