He’s a regular face at Latvia’s national final Supernova. Now Markus Riva has released new album I Can. The 11-track recording looks back at his previous Supernova efforts and has plenty of new tracks.
I Can takes its name from Markus’s Supernova 2016 entry, but it could also sum up his attitude towards Eurovision. The Latvian singer-songwriter’s determination to win the national final has never faded.
The album happily includes four of his five Supernova entries. For any Riva completionists, the missing track is his Supernova 2017 entry “Dynamite” — a good song, but his only Supernova entry to get knocked out in the heats.
I Can opens with one of his most recent Supernova entries, “I’ll Never Let You Go”. The edgy electronic track didn’t qualify for the Supernova heats, but has enjoyed a life of its own after Supernova. The single has also been released with Russian and Ukranian versions, and has a sophisticated music video shot in Switzerland.
The album also features his Supernova 2018 entry “This Time” and the 2016 entry “I Can”. The inclusion of these previous national final entries could be seen as the wrapping up of his Supernova attempts — or it could be a reminder that he still very much has his eye on the prize.
The closing track is an acoustic version of Riva’s most successful Supernova entry. “Take Me Down” was the runner-up of Supernova 2015, beaten only by Aminata Savadogo and her unstoppable “Love Injection”. The new version of “Take Me Down” strips the song back to its essentials and proves that Riva is skilled as both a songwriter as well as a singer.
I Can also features Markus’ recent release “Please Don’t Give Up”. The song was written in London last year and produced by the “This Time” hitmaker Kaspars Ansons.
The album also includes six other new tracks, which continue in the electro-pop style in which Markus has made his mark.
I Can serves as a good collection of Markus Riva’s biggest moments from the past and shows the potential of his current work. And it’s ample proof that he should be part of the Supernova 2019 lineup.
So sorry for his eternal struggle of relevance.
I have the bad feeling that he’ll try to go to Eurovision once again… Send help.
I hope he gets the opportunity, so this will finally be over lol.
He won’t, Latvians mostly hate him.
It’s not true. All artists have their fans and non-supporters. I say, that mostly love him.
Oh, whatever.
As hot as he looks, as weak he is as a singer. All his previous Eurovision efforts in Supernova were crap. However, he may represent Latvia someday, only if he’s submitting a really good song, otherwise…
See, when I think of the name I Can all I can think of is Blue.
Is he a big star in latvia?
Yes, but for the wrong reasons.
What are those?
I disagree .That’s just his opinion.
His terrible singing mostly.
I CAN(‘t win Supernova). 😛
Ouch xD
True