Tommy Cash Phenomenon: "Espresso Macchiato" That Has Rocked The Contemporary Music Scene

Coffee and spaghetti, anyone? "Life is like spaghetti, it's hard until you make it/ No stresso no stresso/ It's gonna be espresso!" This is the song of the controversial 69th Eurovision Song Contest 2025 participant, rapper and performance artist TOMM¥ €A$H.

Born in 1991, this Estonian art-world trickster has always been setting off a media storm with his uncanny lyrics and scandalous fashion outfits. In 2024, he shocked his fans with a video for his "Untz Untz" song, parodying the Sex Olympics. His satirical and bold Eurovision entry made a stark contrast to other songs. Moreover, it was heavily criticized by Italians due to the way the song mocks certain Italian stereotypes. However, despite some concerns about "Espresso Macchiato", which was co-written with Finnish musician Johannes Naukkarinen, Tommy earned a third-place finish. This unconventional artist can make waves.

A Post-Soviet Kanye East, A Poet From Estonian Slums

Born Tomas Tammemets in 1991 in Tallinn, Tommy was raised in the Kopli subdistrict of Tallinn. He was born to post-Eastern Bloc residents, a Russian father and a Ukrainian mother. The “post-Soviet aesthetic” is something that clearly defines his music and artwork, as well as mixing together different memes and styles. Tommy also said that he grew up on American rap music. He even describes his alter ego as "Kanye East" of Estonia. In childhood, he had problems with the police and was later expelled from school. 

However, he soon found his early fans and gained fame as an underground dancer and graffiti painter with a sense of humor and gaze. In the school, he started going to a hip hop class and was enamored by dancing. VICE once described him as a highly unique and multi-talented young Eastern European conceptual artist. He has never focused on either making music, painting, or dancing, but has made hybrid art projects and interpreted popular gags and memes through his unique surreal lens. A soft-spoken jester, an "adrenaline junkie", an absurdist, deconstructing social constructs and parodying them. Tommy Cash is a true embodiment of creativity. He doesn't care if the people are disturbed - he rather enjoys it. 

Before his videos went viral in Europe and the US and he performed at Glastonbury and Eurovision, Tommy released many songs on his SoundCloud. His regional fan base started growing since the early 2010s, and his albums "Euroz Dollaz Yeniz" and "¥€$". For his second album, "¥€$," Tommy cooperated with Boys Noize, Danny L Harle, Rick Owens, and Charli XCX. He also released collaborations with IC3PEAK, Pimp Flaco, Little Big, Modeselektor, and Salvatore Ganacci. Tommy's video for the single "Surf" earned him the award for Music Video of the Year. 

In February 2025, Tommy Cash won Estonia's Eurovision pre-selection contest Eesti Laul. His controversial Evrovision entry made him stand out in the first place one more time - there were even calls to disqualify Cash from the Eurovision. Italian politician Marco Centinaio even described the song as the insult. But the performance of Cash placed third and traced across Europe. The rapper himself said: "That’s when people talk about it, when art works". And it works! And, well, it is clearly not only about luck, as if the person wins at TonyBet Canada, but about passion and punk energy. Cash once said he never cared what anyone thought about him and simply used that vibe. 

From Table To Bed: A Trap Artist & Eccentric Model

Since his work is the fusion of many elements, it is hard to separate the songs of Cash from his overall artistry. His uncanny and bizarre appearances at couture shows have been revolutionizing a runway, and Cash sees it as a form of performance art. At the Paris Fashion Week in 2023, Cash made an appearance in a flesh-colored eccentric tuxedo. He also appeared at the fashion shows as a person sleeping in a bed (Y/Project runway show) and cleaning lady (Diesel show). Once he was dressed as a dining table (Doublet fashion show). His collaboration with the fashion designer Rick Owens has evolved in a fashion project, and what came up next? 

In 2019, Tommy had his own exhibition at Kumu art museum. So, the ability of Cash to bring something original to the world of art and entertainment is fantastic. He is always remembered for his distinct style and love for performing. His visuals are disturbing yet gorgeous. And he uses his satirical entries and appearances to talk about sensitive topics like body positivity and inclusivity. You can't really say what you will encounter in his videos next, and that's why he fits perfectly in the modern art world and has already become hugely popular in and outside Europe.