The Baltics are busy. Earlier in the week, Estonian broadcaster ERR revealed that they’d received 242 entries for Eesti Laul. And now neighbouring Latvia is almost as busy, having received 168 songs and applications from 89 performers vying for a spot in Supernova 2017.
As with the previous two years, broadcaster LTV has accepted entries from both songwriters and performers. The totals for Supernova 2017 were up on previous years, with 98 songs and 123 performers entered in 2015, and 120 songs and 88 performers in 2016.
The broadcaster is now reviewing the applications to ensure they meet the contest regulations. They will then invite a long list of 40 to 50Â acts along to an audition round in later this month.
Helping assess the songs is an international jury, made up of music professionals Petri Mannonen (Universal Music), Matthias Müller (BMG Rights Management/Crazy Planet Records), Fruzsina Szép (Lollapalooza Berlin) and Joy Deb (co-writer of ESC 2015 winner “Heroes”).
From there the competing entries for Supernova will be selected. The exact number has not been confirmed, but the previous two years had 20 entries.
Last month it was revealed that Supernova will use streaming data as part of the voting system for Supernova. In partnership with Spotify, Supernova will be the first Eurovision national final to draw upon streaming data to help make its selection.
For Supernova 2016, Latvia included an online vote, open to fans from outside the country as well as Latvians. It ensured that the metal band Catalepsia — whose song “Damnation” won the televote — did not win the overall competition, with the online vote ensuring that Justs and his song “Heartbeat” won the competition.
The Supernova national final show launched in 2014. In 2015, after six years of non-qualification, Latvia qualified for the national final, with Aminata Savadogo’s “Love Injected” placing sixth. In 2016, Justs’ song “Heartbeat” — also written by Aminata — placed 15th. Aminata is currently competing on The Voice of Russia.
The Supernova shows are due to begin in January, with the grand final scheduled for 26 February.
That monstrosity looks like a cross between the gopher from Caddyshack and Benny Beaver.
I want to take a baseball bat to it so badly.
The otter happened. It was very puzzling to someone. It understanding the language.
When did this giant otter thing happen?
Good luck! 🙂
Aminata was just brilliant! <3<3<3<3<3