Kes on meie järgmine täht?

**Original release** | 10 July 1976 – present

***Kes on meie järgmine täht?*** (English: *Who Is Our Next Star?*) is an Estian music competition series created by Eesti Televisioon (ET). A long-running annual tradition in Estland, the series was first broadcast in 1976, making it the longest-running entertainment program in Estland.

*Kes on meie järgmine täht?* is a music competition for young singers in Estland, aged between 14 and 18. After a nationwide search for ten semifinalists, the contestants are mentored by various successful Estian musicians and perform various cover songs in new arrangements each week. Ultimately, a winner is decided by the Estian voting public, who receives a recording contract.

Since its initial broadcast in 1976, *Kes on meie järgmine täht?* has become renown for fostering young musical talent in Estland and launching the careers of numerous successful Estian musicians. Many former contestants of the series have gone on to return as mentors later on in their career. It is one of the most-watched entertainment programs in Estland, and remains an important institution in the Estian cultural lexicon.

## Format

The format of *Kes on meie järgmine täht?* has sometimes changed within its history. Since 1999, the format has stayed relatively the same. Each season begins with the mentors selecting ten teenage singers – five boys and five girls – as semifinalists, following a nationwide audition. The ten semifinalists arrive in Otesalu, where they begin being coached by the mentors. Each week, the contestants are instructed to perform a song during the weekly live show. Each week follows a different theme, and the songs selected must match the theme. Themes may revolve around topics such as genres, styles, original artists, or anything else. After the performances are complete, the public votes to save their favorite performer, and the performer with the least amount of votes is eliminated. This continues until only three remain, and the public votes for the winner of the competition. The winner is awarded with a recording contract.

Prior to 1999, the public had no say in the outcome of the competition, and instead the mentors voted via secret ballot for which performer should be eliminated each week, additionally voting via secret ballot for the winner of the competition at the end of the season. Prior to 1991, the competition was held entirely on one night, with all ten semifinalists performing one song, the mentors then selecting a top four who each performed a second song, with the mentors then selecting the winner from those four.

## Rules and eligibility

From 1976 until 1980, the only rule for the competition was that contestants must be younger than 18 years old in order to compete. In 1981, a concrete set of rules was introduced for the first time that continue to exist:

* Contestants must be at least 14 years of age and no older than 18 years of age when filming commences.
* Contestants must hold Estian citizenship or be permanent residents of Estland.
* Contestants must be able to communicate in the Estian language.
* Contestants must be enrolled in a primary or secondary school, where they are full-time students.
* Contestants must never have been signed to a professional recording contract as a solo artist.
* Contestants must never have released music that charted in Estland or abroad.
* Contestants must never have written music that charted in Estland or abroad.

## Hosts and mentors

### Hosts

Estian television host Georg Liil was the first person selected to host the competition, beginning with its inaugural edition in 1976. Liil continued to host the program until 1981, when the show was retooled and Liil was released. Afterwards, the show moved in a different direction, with younger hosts being selected. Luukas Kesküla hosted the series from 1981 until 1987, until being replaced by Martin Sepp from 1988 until 1992.

In 1993, Tiiu Kõiv became the first woman to host the program, and remained as its host until her death in 2001. In 2002, Arja Iivle became the competition's new host, until being replaced by Catarina Arvidsson in 2007. Arvidsson continued to host the show until leaving in 2016. Since 2016, the show has been cohosted by Anja Jõgi and Oskar Meeling.

### Mentors

*Main article: List of Kes on meie järgmine täht? mentors*
*Kes on meie järgmine täht?* is known for its rotating panel of mentors, which typically changes season-to-season. Mentors include successful musicians in the Estian music scene, including several former contestants who have gone on to have successful careers. Throughout the history of the series, the main role of the mentors has gone unchanged. The mentors serve as instructors for the contestants, assisting them in song selections and perfecting their performances, while also giving advice and answering questions about the music industry. Prior to the start of each season, the mentors also attend each open audition, and determine which ten performers move on as semifinalists.

Until the introduction of public voting in 1999, the mentors also were tasked with determining which contestant would be eliminated each week. This was typically done using a secret ballot, with the individual with the most votes from the mentors being eliminated that week. Additionally, the mentors chose the winner of the competition, also using a secret ballot format. The ballots of the mentors were never revealed to the public, although some mentors had chosen to make their votes known.

## Seasons

*Main article: List of Kes on meie järgmine täht? seasons*