On the first day of the year, musician and songwriter Markus Riva surprised his audience by releasing a new song and music video in English titled "Lose Control." The single was created in collaboration with partners from Ukraine and invites listeners to lose themselves completely in the dance.
This sentiment reflects Markus's wish for his audience this year - to embrace life as a dance, savouring every moment without concern for how it appears to others.
"Lose Control" was crafted in collaboration with Ukrainian producer Roman Nepomaščij, with whom Markus Riva has released several songs in Ukrainian and English. The song falls within the dance music genre. The new song follows the November release of the single "One Night," a collaboration with renowned Polish DJ and producer MYSZKOVSKI that has already captured airwaves and dance floors in Poland, Ukraine, and Latvia.
"Claiming the first song of the year in Latvia," Markus Riva laughs. “However, on a serious note, the beginning of the year traditionally marks a time for setting various goals and making resolutions, and I decided that actions speak louder than resolutions! So, I finished the recording of the song and rushed to organize the filming of the music video to kickstart the year with musical novelties."
The music video director is Pāvels Trebukhins, and it was shot at the Kalnu Cultural Center in Nīgrande, Latvia. Markus himself serves as the video producer and, as usual, fearlessly presents a narrative about breaking free from societal stereotypes and norms, celebrating personal freedom, and dedicating the song to all those who feel misunderstood, restricted, or oppressed. "The video plays with various symbols that everyone can interpret in their own way," Markus explains.
Markus Riva, known for his musical endeavors also beyond Latvia's borders, openly shares that this year will be no exception. He hopes for the song's success outside Latvia, which is why he chose to release it in English. This, however, is just a small part of his plans for the year. Markus is also working on his first album in Ukrainian, as well as material in Latvian, and believes that "musical horizons can never be too broad." Thus, 2024 promises to be a particularly productive year for his creative endeavours.
Markus has been drawn to music since the age of three, and has a classical music background as a boy in the choir of Riga Dom Cathedral, quiet, humble, and sometimes shy, but with a nice positive attitude. Markus is pursuing his dreams of playing, performing, and writing songs. His surroundings and friends, as well as mental pain and heartbreak are a source of inspiration.
As a solo artist Markus has released 5 solo albums and many radio singles that have been #1 songs on the charts of iTunes and radio stations in Latvia, Ukraine etc. His talent has led him to share stages with icons like Mariah Carey and Rita Ora. Beyond music, Markus has showcased his skills in television series and made his mark in the Ukrainian film industry with his debut in "The Producer" in 2019. Adding to his versatile talents, he's also well-known as the charismatic host of “X-Factor Latvia”.
