A jury has selected 15 artists to compete in the semi-finals of the Latvian Television Supernova song contest on February 3rd. The top 10 artists will advance to the final on February 10th, where the winner will be determined by a combination of jury voting and public voting. The winner of the contest will represent Latvia at the Eurovision Song Contest 2024.
Here are all the 15 semi-finalists:
Papīra lidmašīnas – "Mind Breaker"
The Latvian band Papīra Lidmašīnas has been performing for several years, but it was only in 2023 that the group turned its attention to creating its own original music. With a debut mini-album in the works for the first quarter of 2024, Papīra Lidmašīnas is on a mission to not only showcase their own talent but also to elevate the profile of Latvian music on both radio and streaming platforms. The group has already released two singles from their upcoming album, including "Dejot laiks," which garnered significant airtime on Latvian radio stations for several weeks, establishing the band as a rising force in the Latvian music scene.
Ecto - "Outsider"
As the young musician ECTO says himself, he is prone to melomania. He graduated from the piano department of LMMDV and has been engaged in music for most of his life. In his songs, he likes to experiment with sounds and noises, pushing the boundaries of musical genres. He wants to connect his life with the creation of music, because music is heard everywhere - "It's in me, and I'm in it!"
Katrīna Gupalo – "The Cat's Song"
Musician Katrīna Gupalo published her debut album "Gentle and Done" in 2018. With the song "Intoxicating Caramel", the artist entered the semi-finals of the competition Supernova 2018. The song "Resistance", created by the singer, dedicated to the support of Ukraine, was nominated for the Latvian public media annual award Kilograms kultūras in 2022 and won international recognition.
B/H – "Amsterdam"
Group B/H, consisting of Jānis Līde (electric guitar), Normans Bārbals (drums), Kristaps Grinbergs (bass, keyboards), Mārtiņš Balodis (vocals, acoustic guitar), in the competition "Supernova" (2020) with the song "Sail With You" took fifth place in the final. The band's debut album, as well as the singles "Skaļāk" and "Man dimantu nav" have also attracted the attention of listeners.
Sasha Sil – "Love is a Language"
Sasha Sil, known to a wider audience by the name Aleksandra Siliņa, is a Latvian singer and musician who began her musical career in Ireland. Recently, the artist decided to introduce herself to listeners in Latvia as well, releasing the single "Es nevaru bez tevis". During her musical career, the songwriter and performer has collaborated with artists from the Baltics, Ireland, and Canada.
Vēstulēs – "Kur?"
The duet Vēstulēs is the musical meeting of two high school friends, Braiens Martinsons and Marta Krampe. The musicians have been passionate about music since childhood, playing musical instruments and singing in choirs. The two classmates first performed together at an event dedicated to Teacher's Day, after which they continued to make music together. Recently, their first joint single "Kur?" was released.
Agnese Rakovska – "AI"
Agnese Rakovska is the soloist of the group Triānas Parks, which represented Latvia in Eurovision in 2017 with the song "Line." Agnese Rakovska is known as a songwriter and performer, as well as the creator and mentor of the music management and education platform Zvaigznājs. In December, the artist embarked on a Latvian concert tour in churches and concert halls, where she performed her original music with a choir.
AVÉI – "Mine"
The singer AVÉI introduced herself to the public as a musician during the 2023 song contest Supernova with the song "Let Me Go." The musician herself writes that music was "sung to her in the cradle by her mother and aunt," later encouraging the singer to pursue this calling professionally. In addition to the songs she wrote for the Supernova competition, the musician has also released the single "Tautiņās."
Dons – "Hollow"
The musician Dons is an experienced Latvian musician who has released nine albums. He has won the LR2 song poll Muzikālā banka several times, and has also won several Music Recording of the Year awards. In 2021, Dons began collaborating with the music publishing company "Universal Music Group". The musician is known for singles such as "Pēdējā vēstule", "Pāriet bailes", and "Salauzta sirds".
Alekss Silvers – "For the Show"
Alekss Silvers is a musician, producer, and vocal coach who has gained acclaim for his participation in musicals and television shows in Latvia and around the world. In the song competition "Supernova" (2019), the musician performed with the song "Fireworks", returning a year later with the song "Again". The musician is also known to the general public for his songs "Jau sen", "Tu dejo viena" and "Intriga".
Funkinbiz – "Na Chystu Vodu"
Funkinbiz is a Latvian/Ukrainian artist whose music is inspired by breakdance and hip-hop culture and combines various modern elements. In 2023, the musician's single "Tiнi" in Ukrainian topped the Latvian radio charts. The musician has also written other songs in Ukrainian, such as "Ніч яка місячна".
Jar of Kings – "Wildfire"
The original lineup of the band Jar Of Kings consists of two guitarists, Artis Apinis and Artūrs Patetko, who released their debut album "Momentum" in 2022. In the song contest "Supernova", the band's lineup will also include Jānis Drēģeris (vocals), Juris Šenbergs (drums), and Deniss Djakons (bass guitar). Currently, the band in its expanded lineup is working on recording a new album.
Patrīcija Spale – "Heaven’s Raining Down on Me"
The young singer Patrīcija Spale comes from Iecava and has been passionate about music since early childhood. She has proven her strength in various singing competitions in the Baltic States and elsewhere in the world. The artist creates music inspired by elements of R&B, soul music and country. In the summer of 2020, Patricia released her first original song "Do U Mind".
Edvards Strazdiņš – "Rock n’ Roll Supernova"
Singer and songwriter Edvards Strazdiņš started his solo career recently, but has already been able to appeal to the audience by performing his own country and pop music songs and collaborating with well-known musicians in Latvia. In 2023, the musician's debut album "Lauku dzīves miera osta" was released, which includes such singles as "Ezers kluss" and "Dziesma par Kurzemi".
St Levića – "Tick Tock"
St. Levića gained recognition in 2014, participating in the final of the Ukrainian "X-Factor" song contest. The musician also participated in the final of "Supernova" (2017) with the song "Your Breath". After a short break in the music industry, the musician has returned to the stage with her new image and since 2020 has released the singles "Blackout", "Tu Tik Tālu" and "Pieradini mani".
The Eurovision Song Contest 2024 will be the 68th edition of the annual Eurovision Song Contest. It will take place in Malmö, Sweden, following the country's victory at the 2023 contest with the song "Tattoo", performed by Loreen. It will be the seventh time Sweden hosts the contest, having previously done so in 1975, 1985, 1992, 2000, 2013, and 2016. The contest will consist of two semi-finals on Tuesday 7 and Thursday 9 May, and a grand final on Saturday 11 May.
