Connections with Russia, scandals and explicit clips: what is known about the representative of Estonia who 'exploded' Eurovision.

Estonia has chosen its representative for Eurovision-2025. In Basel, the country will be represented by rapper Tommy Cash with the song Espresso Macchiato. However, his participation has sparked controversy, as the artist has performed in Russia, visited occupied Crimea, and collaborated with Russian artists.

According to Eurovision.tv, Tommy Cash's performance received the highest ratings from both the jury and the audience. As a result, he garnered 83% of the votes.

What is known about Tommy Cash?

Tommy Cash's real name is Thomas Tammet. He was born on November 18, 1991, in Tallinn. His mother is of Ukrainian descent, and his grandmother is from Russia. Since childhood, the artist has been fluent in both Russian and Estonian.

He began his music career in 2013. That same year, his track Guez Whoz Bak earned him the 'Demo of the Year' award from BBC Radio 2. After that, the performer actively toured Europe and released new albums.

Since childhood, Tommy Cash has been inspired by both Russian and American cultures. He recalls that at home, he constantly watched musical and comedic programs featuring Russian performers.

Tommy Cash's style is so-called Russian trash: a mix of carpets, Adidas tracksuits, and Orthodox icons. His music reflects nostalgia for his childhood in the 90s and post-Soviet aesthetics.

He shocked the audience with a provocative clip for the song Untz Untz. In this video, titled Sex Olympics, athletes compete in Olympic games where all sports are related to sex.

'I combined the two greatest passions of humanity – sex and sports. Finally, it's Time to revive a new sporting standard – without pants,' commented the performer.

In 2015, Tammet recorded a duet with the Russian band Little Big – Give Me Your Money. Later, he appeared in the comedic internet series American Russians, where he performed together with musician Ilya Prusikin. In 2018, Tommy Cash released the album ¥€$, with which he performed in Moscow, St. Petersburg, and Yekaterinburg.

Recently, representatives from Italy called on the European Broadcasting Union to prevent Estonia's representative from performing at Eurovision. The issue is that the winner of the Estonian selection track Espresso Macchiato stereotypically depicts Italy as 'a nation composed solely of mafia members who constantly drink coffee, smoke, and eat spaghetti'. This stereotypical portrayal is considered offensive in the Apennines.

'My money is numeroso, I work non-stop That's why I'm sweating like a mafioso Life is:

'We want peace, they want war. I want to fly to Kyiv and go to Moscow,' goes the song.

The song also features a line that refers to Eurovision: 'To hell with 'Eurovision', I don't want to go to court. The smaller get less, and the bigger get more.'

Italy demands the disqualification of Estonia's representative from Eurovision

In Italy, there are demands for the European Broadcasting Union to prevent Estonia's representative from performing at this year's Eurovision in Basel. Many political and public organizations consider the stereotypical portrayal of Italy in the song by the Estonian selection winner Tommy Cash – Espresso Macchiato – to be offensive. According to the lyrics, Italy is symbolized as 'a nation composed exclusively of mafia members who constantly drink coffee, smoke, and eat spaghetti'. Such representation is viewed as discriminatory in the Apennines.