Format

In July 2023, ERR announced their intention to apply changes to the production team of the selection, with Tomi Rahula stepping down from his position as chief producer after five editions, as well as to the format of the competition.^[2] Karmel Killandi was later revealed as his successor.^[5]

On 15 September 2023, ERR specified the details of the new format. This will include only one semi-final on 20 January 2024 and a final on 17 February 2024. 15 songs will compete in the semi-final and the top five will qualify for the final, joining five automatic qualifiers for a ten-song final. The results of the semi-final will be determined by the combination of votes from a 35 (or more)-member jury and public televoting for the first qualifiers, and a second round of public televoting for the remaining qualifiers. The winning song in the final will also be selected over two rounds of voting: the top songs selected via the combination of a 7 (or more)-member international expert jury and public voting will go through a second round of televoting to determine the winner.^[3][6]

Competing entries

A submission window for interested artists was open from 15 September until 23 October 2023, with each applicant able to submit a maximum of five entries. At least 50% of the artists and/or songwriters for a submission were required to be nationals or residents of Estonia, with a lower fee imposed on Estonian-language songs compared to songs in other languages; both of the fees were doubled for entries submitted in the last two days before the deadline.^[3][6] At the closing of the application period, 215 entries had been received – 88 in Estonian, 126 in English and one in Italian.^[7]

The 15 semi-finalist entries and 5 finalist entries (plus two backups) were selected by a 41-member jury composed both of professionals and non-specialist music listeners, who were not informed about the identity of the applicants until after the selection took place. The jury members, also revealed after the process, were Airi Liiva, Alice Aleksandrini, Andres Aljaste, Andres Oja, Andres Panksepp, Anett Kulbin, Anna-Aurelia Kangur, Bert Brikenfeldt, Danel Pandre, Elina Nechayeva, Evert Poom, Gerd Eston Sepp, Hanna-Liina Võsa, Heini Vaikmaa, Ivi Rausi, Juhan Paadam, Jüri Nael, Koit Raudsepp, Lauri Liiv, Magnus Müürsepp, Maian Kärmas, Margot Suur, Maria Listra, Martin Korjus, Martin Trudnikov, Ott Lepland, Owe Petersell, Pille Minev, Priit Pajusaar, Raivo Oja, Rauno Märks, Rein Fuks, Riivo Kallasmaa, Robert Kõrvits, Sten Heinoja, Sten Teppan, Tarmo Krimm, Ülar-Johannes Palm, Vaiko Eplik, Veronika Portsmuth and Yasmyn. Selected artists and entries were announced during the daily broadcasts of the ETV entertainment program Ringvaade on 6 and 7 November 2023.^{[6][8][9][10][11]}

Among the selected competing artists is Laura, who represented Estonia in 2005 as part of the group Suntribe and in 2017 alongside Koit Toome.

Shows