Longing for a place that does not exist: the importance of kitsch for the Estonian Singing Revolution

ABSTRACT This article proposes that popular forms of art and affect-driven culture initiate historical, cultural, and social change. The Estonian Singing Revolution between 1987 and 1991 offers an example of cliché-driven sentimentalism that contributes to political change. Although the concept of kitsch tends to have a negative connotation, in this article, we reconsider it as a politically productive concept, by contemplating its affective powers in creating a sense of nationhood. We do so by providing an example of how some musical aspects of the Singing Revolution became important elements of affective nation-building to gain independence from the Soviet Union.