LTV, the Latvian national broadcaster, has announced the hosts of Supernova 2018, as well as some changes to the format of the selection.
Justs and Dagmāra Legante will host all three semi-finals and the final of Supernova 2018. Justs won the second edition of Supernova in 2016 and represented Latvia in Stockholm with “Heartbeat”, finishing 15th in the final. Dagmāra Legante is a television personality and model. There will also be an accompanying livestream with social media input, hosted by Toms Grēviņš and Edgars Bāliņs.
Changes have also been announced to the format of the show. Each viewer will only be able to cast one vote by SMS or phone. As with last year, Spotify streams will also count towards the public vote. The jury, led by DJ Rudd, will also have a say in the result. Two songs from each semi-final will be chosen to advance to the final on February 24. The winner will represent Latvia in the Eurovision Song Contest 2018.
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Twenty-one artists will take part in Supernova this year. These are:
- Agnese Stengrevics – You Are My World
- Liene Greifane – Walk the Talk
- MIONIA – You
- Laura Rizzotto – Funny Girl
- MADARA – Esamiba
- Katrine Lukins – Running Red Lights
- Monta – 1000 Roses
- Jenny May – Soledad
- Markus Riva – This Time
- Edgars Kreilis – Younger Days
- Ritvars – Who’s Counting?
- Lauris Valters – Lovers Bliss
- Ed Rallidae – What I Had With You
- In My Head – Sunset
- DVINES – More Than Meets The Eye
- Hypnotic – Pray
- Sudden Lights – Just Fine
- Kris & Oz – Morning Flight
- Rahu the Fool – Oh, Longriver
- Riga Reggae – STOP THE WAR U2
- Katrina Gupalo & the Black Birds – Intoxicating Caramel
Supernova was first used to select the Latvian entry for the Eurovision Song Contest in 2015. It proved successful, as Aminata Savadogo finished 7th in the final with “Love Injected”, Latvia’s first appearance in the final since 2008 and first top 10 placing since 2005.
Source: LTV
Latvia in the Eurovision Song Contest
Latvia debuted in the Eurovision Song Contest in 2000, being the last of the Baltic nations to join the contest. On their debut, Brainstorm finished in 3rd place with the song “My Star”. Latvia won the contest for the first and only time in 2002, with Marie N’s “I Wanna”. Latvia only participated in 2002 thanks to the withdrawal of Portugal from the contest, as Latvia’s poor result in 2001 had relegated them from the 2002 contest. Latvia struggled in to the contest after 2002, failing to qualify for the final for six years between 2009 and 2014. In 2015 and 2016 Latvia has finished 6th and 15th in the final respectively.
