Latvia’s search for its next Eurovision act officially got underway tonight, as Supernova returned for its third year.

Tonight’s first heat saw eleven acts competing for just four slots in the semi final. For the first time, Spotify streams have been counted alongside the public vote as well — even if that has caused some concern in the last 24 hours.

Differing from previous years, the jury and public qualifiers were not separately revealed. Lauris Valters, Linda Leen, Franco Franco and Miks Dukurs qualified to the semi final. The remaining seven acts — including our poll winner Katrina Cirule — were sent home.

The Riga Beaver was also on hand during the commercial breaks to keep us entertained. This week, the Beaver gave us more of his talents, including some painting and rapping!

Supernova 2017 — Qualifiers

Lauris Valters — “Magic Years”

Linda Leen — “Who Is In Charge”

Franco Franco — “Up”

Miks Dukurs — “Spiritual Priest”

Supernova 2017 — Eliminated Acts

Supernova continues next week with the remaining 11 acts taking part. Amongst them are former finalists, Markus Riva and My Radiant You. Make sure to check back throughout the week for further polls and the Wiwi Jury’s take on all the songs!

Are you happy with tonight’s qualifiers? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below!

Follow all of our Latvia Eurovision news here

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brunowskii
brunowskii
7 years ago

There’s only one name for Latvia to Kyiv 2017: Markus Riva!!

voxtaylor
voxtaylor
7 years ago

Yay Lauris Vaulters! I liked the song from the first listen, it plods on (kinda like “If I Were Sorry) in a very pleasant way. Only second to the HiQ for me!

AngieP
AngieP
7 years ago

Happy “Spiritulal priest” went through! Love the song! Crime Sea seems strange for Eurovision. I believe most people wouldn’t like it. I wasn’t a fan. “Magic Years” was a performance I actually liked when I saw it. “Up” and “Who’s in charge”: I don’t know what happened. Personally, I wouldn’t pick them for the final, though I liked “Who’s in charge” but live it seemed a mess. Generally, it was so much fun watching Supernova. The staging was also interesting. I saw Linda Leen and her vocalists dressed like ancient greek, the singer of “Naked” singing while his face was… Read more »

Rich
Rich
7 years ago

Happy to see Miks and Lauris through, sad about Crime Sea and Katrina.

eurovision6
eurovision6
7 years ago

Franco Franco surprised me.. wasnt in my top 10 but a really good performance! Although its obvious that the winner is in heat 2..

Whobo
Whobo
7 years ago

@blondboybc Your comment is so wrong. Lithuania have not sent song in their native language to the eurovision, its just how their national selection works – having a song sung in their native tongue.
Latvia have sent a song in Latvian, but it didn’t even qualify for the final, so whats the point? Lesson learned.
While Estonian just sounds great and it doesnt matter if they send a song in Estonian. It just seems to work.

Purple Mask
Purple Mask
7 years ago

That comment below from Robyn is the funniest comment I have read so far this year! 😀
Here it is again:

[Robyn Gallagher:] “Who is in charge” sounds like the sort of thing your mum would say to the checkout operator at the supermarket, after the beans scanned at the wrong price.

Jonathan UK
Jonathan UK
7 years ago

Katr?na was incredible! Also interesting to note that under Supernova’s stupid Spotify voting system, Katr?na was massively out at a disadvantage because her song was NEVER put on Spotify along with the others!

blondboybc
blondboybc
7 years ago

Why are 99% of Latvia’s songs in English?? Guess they’re not proud of their language or something. At least Lithuania and Estonia have more in their native tongue, even if they’re not great.

Rathus
Rathus
7 years ago

Good job Latvia! Good songs have been selected for the semifinal.

VeryPissedLatvian
VeryPissedLatvian
7 years ago

This heat was underwhelming. Only 4 songs in this heat were listenable for my taste. Crime Sea, Blood runs quicker, Edgars Kreilis, FrancoFranco. Rest of the songs I would not even listen til the end. Other heat however have 9 songs that I actually quite enjoy. This doesn’t make sense why would the broadcasters would put these shockingly awful acts in this heat and all the best in the other one. Makes me pissed because there is a chance my favorite Triana Parks will not advance. Half of the songs in the 2nd heat would have won this heat easily… Read more »

bulgariastan
bulgariastan
7 years ago

@Polegend Godgarina- Mine are Chris and Laura (good all around), Markus Riva (experience, nice voice) and Santa. I’m honestly not sure why I like Your Breath so much, but I think because it’s got a light, almost stripped back Drum n’ Bass sound, and an almost gospel like quality. The rock part almost ruins it but it kind of fits.

Polegend Godgarina
Polegend Godgarina
7 years ago

@ bulgariastan – my qualifiers are Triana Park (quality electronic music), Laura & Chris (flawless production), Markus Riva (performance skills) and My Radiant You (quality guitar-driven song). Santa is too unexperienced, and you can tell by the fact that she tried to put everything in her song, resulting in a bit of a mess.

bulgariastan
bulgariastan
7 years ago

@Polegend Godgarina – From my quick glances, Katrine had less streams from Boardman and the other one than Miks and Ludvig. She also has a much better song. Even if those three don’t qualify, they need to change the system, it’s too easy to be rigged. I hope Santa qualifies, Markus too. I actually wouldn’t mind Katrine. I just have a very bad feeling Miks and The Ludvig will qualify because of Spotify, and one of them
will win for the same reason.

Polegend Godgarina
Polegend Godgarina
7 years ago

@ bulgariastan – I know right lmao mysteries of our times. I love Lauris’ song, though, but I never thought he had a chance at not coming last, let alone at qualifying from TELEVOTE. Either way if next week Katrine, the Ludvig or Miks qualify (the three hunties who bought fake streams), then Latvia needs to reconsider their selection process.

bulgariastan
bulgariastan
7 years ago

@Polegend Godgarina – Now that I know that, I’m less surprised. Still though, Lauris Valters???? Why would Latvia pick him, over Katrina, Edgar, and Anna?

Polegend Godgarina
Polegend Godgarina
7 years ago

@ bulgariastan – Linda’s Spotify plays aren’t inflated, she’s truly an estabilished popstar in Latvia with certified releases since 2000. Latvia is choosing based on the most successful acts, just like last year. Nothing new here.

Colin
Colin
7 years ago

I think that Katrina and Crime Sea were robbed! But that said, I think Linda was really in charge. The song is good and actually has a structured lyrics (question – arguments – answer). Magic Years is a likable song, but definitely misses a wow factor or any kind of punch. Spiritual Priest has good verses and a nice beat to it, but I just cannot overlook how silly the title sounds (ALL priests are spiritual by default, there is no sense in the title). Up is a relaxing melody with really good drum usage, but I really do thing… Read more »

Polegend Godgarina
Polegend Godgarina
7 years ago

@ Robyn Gallagher – Linda is truly singing in that angry “may I speak to the manager” tone.

kachijs
kachijs
7 years ago

My favorite before the live show was Katrina Cirule but her live performance was dull and absolutely not memorable. She was so stiff when this song cries for passion. I voted for Linda Leen for her live performance was the best. And also for Franco Franco, they performance was colorful and interesting to watch and listen. Miks Dukurs has a great voice, but song is a little boring. Lauris Valters… I dont’t like this song but I can understand why this won. Magic Years sounds happy and sunny. And we miss sun here so much that we are even happy… Read more »

LV
LV
7 years ago

My absolute favourite was Crime Sea… Now eurovision doesn’t matter 😀

Frifri
Frifri
7 years ago

I doesn’t matter who qualified or not, it’s obvious that someone from semi-2 will win supernova this year. Katrina’s live perform. wasn’t that good, Crime Sea should have qualified insead of Miks Dukurs, but like i said it doesn’t matter. All the better songs are in semi-2 so one of them will be the winner this year.

zoolander
zoolander
7 years ago

Very happy about Lauris. He was one of my guilty pleasures because of that Mika vibe. Live performances differed quite a lot from studio versions. And these 4 were the best vocally. For example Pikaso and Linda sounded better live. But Katrina Cirule and Crime Sea were worse live.

Tomas Patrick Davitt
Tomas Patrick Davitt
7 years ago

what a complete disaster – first the vote rigging and now 2 of the favourites not going through.

Katrina sounded absolutely fine to me – it wasnt like she choked like Emma or Margaret

LV
LV
7 years ago

Dumbest voting system ever

LV
LV
7 years ago

Kas tas par s?du? Where is crime sea? What is this ”’man” who ”won” ?

Latvian
Latvian
7 years ago

I really want to see, after the final, how they implemented the spotify results. If it really is 1 listen = 1 vote, then thats ducked up.
Then other sources of voting deasnt even matter, as I alone have given over 100 votes to a single song. And its so easy to rigg those results…
We ducked up this year, folks. Lets see what semifinal 2 has to offer.

#Naked
#Naked
7 years ago

Note to editors: One thing that was certain was Lauris Valters being announced as the winner of the night (so, it would mean, he won the public vote).

Purple Mask
Purple Mask
7 years ago

Supernova: Probably the most unpredictable competition in the whole of the ESC bubble right now.

Martin-Brennan
Martin-Brennan
7 years ago

Very disappointed Crime Sea aren’t through… only exciting artist and song in this heat for me.
As @mocosuburbian said, why can’t eurovision be current?!?!

Toms
Toms
7 years ago

Appologies from Latvia.

Yes, I thought “Blood Runs Quicker” will be the favourite, but, tbh, on live it was dreadful. The rest of the acts weren’t any different, except they weren’t the first ones performing and some of them were Latvian celebrities (Miks Dukurs, Linda Leen). Shame on jury, for taking into account anything but the song itself.

Hopefully, SF2 will have better outcome, because, unlike this one, it actually has some Eurovision-worthy songs.

(J)ESC Fanatic
(J)ESC Fanatic
7 years ago

I’m glad about Miks but the other three are so bad. The winner won’t be from this heat anyway.

bulgariastan
bulgariastan
7 years ago

With the rate they’re going now, Ludvig and Miks will go through with inflated Spotify, and Markus, Santa, and Katrine will go home. Looks like you’re stuck in the semifinal this year. Looks like my favorite Baltic will be Lithuania.

Paul D.
Paul D.
7 years ago

Wow this semifinal was dreadful, good thing for Latvia that next week the songs are much better

Kimmm
Kimmm
7 years ago

Oh no Crime Sea :((( But Franco Franco are great too! Hope they will win. Send some original band please!

Em?ls
Em?ls
7 years ago

I am from Latvia and I am so disappointed with the result. I don’t even remember Lauris Valters song, Linda Leen sounded like a cat being tortured, Franco Franco was average. From these 4 only Miks Dukurs deserved to qualify, seriously wtf… I really hope 2nd heat won’t be so disappointing.

Daniel_2017
Daniel_2017
7 years ago

Weird!!!

Toni Esc
Toni Esc
7 years ago

Wow they just sent home all the good songs.
Franco Franco is the best from these who went to final, but Miks Dukurs or Lauris Valters… What were people thinking!?

bulgariastan
bulgariastan
7 years ago

I’m nearly dead. Latvia, go home, your drunk. My top 2 are gone. I had concerns about Anna, but Katrina?? Wow. I have a bad feeling Linda Leen’s Spotify was inflated and that’s how she got through. All except Franco Franco were in my bottom. Possibly the only song worse than the qualifiers was Pikaso. I am shocked that the same Latvia that picked Aminata and Justs just sent Miks, and Linda, who I saw coming, and even Lauris, the second worst song in that heat, through to the final. Please, let Santa Danelevica through the next heat, I beg… Read more »

Polegend Godgarina
Polegend Godgarina
7 years ago

Next week the 3 horrible acts who bought fake Spotify streams are going to compete, let’s see if they procede or not.

Andreas Casablancas
Andreas Casablancas
7 years ago

katrina isn’t current, it’s good but not modern

I’m happy about Franco Franco 🙂

D
D
7 years ago

I expected Linda to make it through because she’s really famous in Latvia, but the others are shocks for me. Crime Sea deserved a spot in the next round.

Polegend Godgarina
Polegend Godgarina
7 years ago

Who is in charge for this mess, indeed. Katrina Cirule was the only decent act, and they didn’t even select her… Latvia isn’t taking this seriously.

mocosuburbian
mocosuburbian
7 years ago

katrina & crime sea 🙁
why can’t eurovision be current