On Saturday he won Latvia’s Supernova 2024 and with it the ticket to the Eurovision Song Contest. And on Tuesday afternoon Dons made some time to give us his first English-language interview following his win.

The 39-year-old starts by describing the intense emotions he portrays in “Hollow.” “In our lives there are moments where you feel like a hostage to your own insecurities, demons, inner feelings, relationships, and views,” he says. “There’s so many truths and so many opinions about how you have to live your life instead of your own.” Will he include Latvian lyrics on stage at Eurovision? What stage concept will he pursue? And how did he learn to make such a delicious lasagne? Listen to find out. Our interview premieres tonight at 19:30 CET. See y’all there!

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Ria van de Velde
Ria van de Velde
9 months ago

I like this interview very much. Dons is very sympathetic. I love his song and I will vote for him in the 2th semifinal. I wish him good luck.

ThorBeta
ThorBeta
9 months ago

This is a top 5 with juries material, pretty much like Alika’s “Bridges” for Estonia last year. It hasn’t grown for me yet but it’s very solid and Dons is a very capable performer. It will be a shame if it doesn’t manage to make the final, first time for Latvia since 2016!

Jofty
Jofty
9 months ago
Reply to  ThorBeta

Of course he will make it!

Troy
Troy
9 months ago

I love his voice, I love his look, I love everything about him, He is cute!
And if we talking about hostages so… #BringBackTheIsraeliHostagesASAP!

Chris
Chris
9 months ago
Reply to  Troy

Stop il Genocidio!

Chris
Chris
9 months ago
Reply to  Troy

20.000 unarmed innocent dead Palestinian but I guess priorities, right?

Jofty
Jofty
9 months ago

This could be one to watch and it will be great to see Latvia and Ireland back in final. Probably my top for now (the song, not Dons)

The Voice of Reason
The Voice of Reason
9 months ago

It’s growing on me! I think it could end up in my top five by Malmo time! The lyrics are very though provoking and so is Dons, who is clearly very entrenched in his own thoughts as I am.

Oy oy
Oy oy
9 months ago

I think this could be very popular with the juries! The melody makes some interesting shifts which makes it stand out from just being «another ballad». Good luck!

Anonymous91
Anonymous91
9 months ago

Its a lovely ballad

Ari
Ari
9 months ago

What I find really strong about this is the beautiful piano intro. Aside from that, it’s a pretty regular ballad by numbers with shallow lyrics imo.

Eurovision fan
Eurovision fan
9 months ago

Potential winner 🙂

musimakeup
musimakeup
9 months ago

They did the best choice i love the song .. and i could remeber it quite some time after.that’s a good sign. The staging could give it a bigger impact though. I agree with william : it should focus on his expressions like in the music video, he’s charismatic.

Jonas
Jonas
9 months ago

I’m not sure I understand this song. “Everybody pretending they’re preachers” sounds like it could be about politics, not personal insecurities. “I’d rather them dig my grave shallow, instead of selling out for something so hollow” sounds like something Mitt Romney or Liz Cheney might say with regard to MAGA. To give an American example.

Jonas
Jonas
9 months ago
Reply to  Jonas

My conclusion : it’s about personal integrity.

Shush
Shush
9 months ago
Reply to  Jonas

How you gonna tell an artist what his own song is abt

The Voice of Reason
The Voice of Reason
9 months ago
Reply to  Jonas

As a follower of what is going on with MAGA, that’s quite interesting that you chose Romney and Cheney particularly since they aren’t populists and aren’t part of the MAGA vision….

Jonas
Jonas
9 months ago

That’s my point. They did not fall in line with the cult of Trump, they kept their integrity and paid the price for it.

Ari
Ari
9 months ago
Reply to  Jonas

You have got to be kidding. The monster daughter of a monster has integrity? That’s rich.

Jonas
Jonas
9 months ago
Reply to  Ari

She kept HER integrity, which I assure you is very different from MY integrity.

Ari
Ari
9 months ago
Reply to  Jonas

Her integrity as a monster? Sure lol

Jonas
Jonas
9 months ago
Reply to  Ari

Monsters can have integrity.

Ari
Ari
9 months ago
Reply to  Jonas

I suppose. I’m sure she’ll make whoever is digging her shallow grave very happy once it’s time.

Jonas
Jonas
9 months ago
Reply to  Ari

Margaret Thatcher was a monster with integrity. She stuck to her core beliefs, repellent as they were. She didn’t pander. She was consistently monstrous.

“The lady’s not for turning”

Jonas
Jonas
9 months ago
Reply to  Jonas

Whereas Boris Johnson has zero integrity, and just says whatever he thinks is useful to him. He would hop on any bus he thought would bring him to number 10.

Ari
Ari
9 months ago
Reply to  Jonas

There’s a good song in there somewhere. Titled either “zero integrity” or “number 10”.

Jonas
Jonas
9 months ago
Reply to  Ari

Kate Miller Heidke, with Sarah McTernan.

Ari
Ari
9 months ago
Reply to  Jonas

Get to work. Deadline is September 1st.

Jonas
Jonas
9 months ago
Reply to  Ari

On it.

Purple Mask
Purple Mask
9 months ago
Reply to  Jonas

OMG I’m writing this song and sending it to Kate, ahaha!

Fatima
Fatima
9 months ago

It does sound a bit like Take Me To Church. That’s not a bad thing.

ANDREW BROWN
ANDREW BROWN
9 months ago
Reply to  Fatima

Totally agree. But it is still original in itself