Latvia in the Eurovision Song Contest 2009

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Eurovision Song Contest 2009
Country Latvia
National selection
Selection processEirodziesma 2009
Selection date(s)Semi-final
27 February 2009
Final
28 February 2009
Selected entrantIntars Busulis
Selected song"Probka"
Finals performance
Semi-final resultFailed to qualify (19th, 7 points)
Latvia in the Eurovision Song Contest
◄2008 • 2009 • 2010►

Latvia participated in the Eurovision Song Contest 2009, marking its tenth entrance to Eurovision. Originally, after budget cuts were made by the Latvian government on the Latvian broadcaster, Latvijas Televīzija (LTV), announced plans to withdraw from the Eurovision Song Contest 2009 in Russia, but on 12 January 2009 it was announced by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) that Latvia would participate.[1][2]

Eirodziesma 2009, the Latvian national final, was held on 27 and 28 February. The ultimate winner of the contest was Intars Busulis with "Sastrēgums" (Traffic jam).[3] The song was performed at Eurovision in Russian as "Probka".[4]

Possible boycott and withdrawal[]

Shortly after the 2008 South Ossetia war in Georgia, the Estonian Minister of Culture suggested a possible boycott of the Baltic states of Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania of the 2009 Eurovision Song Contest, held in Russia.[5] However, a different opinion arose in Latvia, with many calling for Latvia's continued participation in the contest including Latvian composer Raimonds Pauls.[6][7] Latvian broadcaster Latvijas Televīzija (LTV) eventually announced their participation in the contest.[8]

In December 2008 the Latvian government imposed budget cuts on LTV of over 2 million Lats (over €3 million). Because of this LTV were forced to cancel many planned shows for 2009, including Eirodziesma. On 17 December 2008, LTV confirmed that they had requested to the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), the organisers of Eurovision, their withdrawal from the 2009 Eurovision Song Contest, due solely to the budget cuts that hindered the Latvian broadcaster from paying the participation fee for Eurovision.[9] After their intent was given to the EBU, talks between the two parties began for a way that LTV could participate in the contest.[10][11] However, their withdrawal request occurred 3 days after the deadline for participation, and it was rumoured that LTV would still have to pay the participation because the deadline had passed.[12] On 20 December 2008, LTV confirmed their withdrawal from the contest, having no penalty for withdrawing past the deadline.[13][14] However, on 12 January 2009 the final participants list for the 2009 contest was released, that confirmed Latvia will participate.[1][2]

Before Eurovision[]

Eirodziesma 2009[]

Eirodziesma 2009 was the tenth edition of Eirodziesma, the music competition that selects Latvia's entries for the Eurovision Song Contest. The competition commenced on 27 February 2009 and concluded with a final on 28 February 2009.[citation needed]

Format[]

The initial format of the competition consisted of five shows: three semi-finals, a Second Chance round and a final. The three semi-finals were to feature nine competing entries each from which three were to be selected to advance to the final from each show. The Second Chance round, due to be held during the third semi-final, was to select a final qualifier. The final, due to be held on 28 February 2009, selected the final winner from the ten qualifiers from the semi-finals and the Second Chance round.[15][16] However, due to financial difficulties, the new format of the competition consisted of only two shows: a semi-final and a final. The two shows took place at the Olympic Center in Ventspils and were hosted by Uģis Joksts and Kristīne Virsnīte. The semi-final, held on 27 February 2009, featured twenty-one competing entries from which the top ten proceeded to the final. The final, held on 28 February 2009, selected the final winner from the remaining ten entries.[17]

Results during the semi-final were determined exclusively by a public vote. The winning song in the final was selected over two rounds of voting: the first round results selected the top three songs via the 50/50 combination of jury and public voting and the second round decided the winner from those three songs, public vote only.

Competing entries[]

Artists and songwriters were able to submit their entries to the broadcaster until 30 November 2008. Each songwriter were able to submit up to two entries, foreign collaborations were allowed as long as one-thirds of the songwriters were Latvians, and songs cannot be submitted for other countries' preselections. 108 songs were submitted at the conclusion of the submission period, of which 30 were by international songwriters.[18][19] A jury panel evaluated the submitted entries and selected 21 entries to compete in the national final. The jury panel consisted of Daina Markova, Raimonds Macats, Aivars Hermanis, Ance Krauze, Dace Pūce, Jegors Jerohomovičs, Edmunds Kaševskis and representatives of LTV: Iveta Lepeško, Zita Kaminska, Arvīds Babris, Baiba Saleniece and Uldis Salenieks. The twenty-one competing artists and songs were announced on 9 December 2008. After the list was released, Kristīna Zaharova withdrew one of her two songs "I Wish I Could Pretend" from the competition due to the song having been selected for the 2009 Irish national final.[20][21] Aisha, Ella, Olga were due to perform the song "In Love We Trust", but were later replaced by Policistas. Madara Celma was due to perform the song "Have To Say Goodbye", but was later replaced by Astra Dreimane. The running order for the semi-final was announced on 13 January 2009.[22]

Due to the cancellation of the three semi-finals, followed by its reinstatement, LTV asked all participants to confirm their intent to participate in the semi-final. All participants confirmed their intention to compete.[23]

Artist Song Songwriter(s)
Aisha feat. G-Point "Hey, Hey, Hey, Hey" Kjell Jennstig, Leif Golkuhl
Astra Dreimane "Have To Say Goodbye" Madara Celma
Camillas "Time Goes" Romāns Falkenšteins, Ņina Kovaiko
Dace & Frīdis "Running Around" Mārtiņš Freimanis
Edijs Šnipke "Make My Day" Edijs Šnipke
Fidji "Don't Want to Say Goodbye" Katrīna Tene, Tarmo Keränen
Ginta Ēķe "Be Yourself" Kristaps Krievkalns, Ginta Ēķe
Girts Zebuliņš "Place to Be" Andris Barons, Brita Barone, Diāna Dubrovska
Intars Busulis "Sastrēgums" Kārlis Lācis, Jānis Elsbergs
Iveta Baumane & Ivo Grīsniņš-Grīslis "Tic Tac" Ingars Viļums
Johnny Salamander "Party" Johnny Salamander (Jānis Gūža), Meldra Gūža
Ketta "Without You" Pavel Murashov
Kristīna Zaharova "I Wish I Could Pretend" Lauris Reiniks, Gordon Pogoda
Kristīna Zaharova & Annija Putniņa "Angel of Mine" Mārtiņš Freimanis
Miks Dukurs "Aizejot" Edijs Dukurs, Miks Dukurs
Natālija Tumševica "Dynamite"
Policistas "In Love We Trust" Tomass Kleins, Guntars Račs
Sabīne Berezina feat. PeR "Bye, Bye" Markus Riva
Simply 4 "When The Sun Is Going Down" Artūrs Palkevičs, Leonīds Jevsejevs, Sergejs Ivanovs
Triānas parks "Call Me Any Time You Need a Problem" Aivars Rakovskis, Agnese Rakovska
Valters Frīdenbergs "For a Better Tomorrow" Valters Frīdenbergs

Semi-final[]

The semi-final took place on 27 February 2009.[24] The ten song with the highest number of votes from the public qualified to the final.[25][26]

Semi-final – 27 February 2009
Draw Artist Song Televote Place
1 Camillas "Time Goes" 1,434 8
2 Dace & Frīdis "Running Around" 603 15
3 Girts Zebuliņš "Place to Be" 1,239 12
4 Johnny Salamander "Party" 399 19
5 Miks Dukurs "Aizejot" 533 16
6 Iveta Baumane & Ivo Grīsniņš-Grīslis "Tic Tac" 1,510 7
7 Ginta Ēķe "Be Yourself" 448 18
8 Natālija Tumševica "Dynamite" 1,601 5
9 Triānas parks "Call Me Any Time You Need a Problem" 1,427 9
10 Intars Busulis "Sastrēgums" 1,730 4
11 Kristīna Zaharova & Annija Putniņa "Angel of Mine" 2,935 1
12 Astra Dreimane "Have to Say Goodbye" 316 20
13 Edijs Šnipke "Make My Day" 719 14
14 Ketta "Without You" 1,415 10
15 Policistas "In Love We Trust" 1,401 11
16 Fidji "Don't Want to Say Goodbye" 517 17
17 Aisha feat. G-Point "Hey, Hey, Hey, Hey" 2,564 3
18 Simply 4 "When The Sun Is Going Down" 2,704 2
19 Sabīne Berezina feat. PeR "Bye, Bye" 1,559 6
20 Valters Frīdenbergs "For a Better Tomorrow" 856 13

Final[]

The final took place on 28 February 2009. The winner was selected over two rounds of voting. In the first round, a 50/50 combination of votes from a jury of music professionals and the Latvian public determined the top three entries to proceed to the superfinal: "Angel of Mine" performed by Kristīna Zaharova & Annija Putniņa, "Sastrēgums" performed by Intars Busulis and "Dynamite" performed by Natālija Tumševica. In the superfinal, the song with the highest number of votes from the public, "Sastrēgums" performed by Intars Busulis, was declared the winner.[3] The jury that voted in the first round of the final consisted of Daiga Mazvērsīte, Jānis Lūsēns, Aivars Hermanis, Jolanta Gulbe and Edmunds Kaševskis.

In addition to the performances of the competing entries, guest performers included 2008 Latvian Eurovision entrants Pirates of the Sea, Kristīna Zaharova with the runner-up song of the 2009 Irish national final "I Wish I Could Pretend", and 2009 Lithuanian and Polish Eurovision entrants Sasha Son and Lidia Kopania.[25][26]

Final – 28 February 2009
Draw Artist Song Jury Televote Total Place
1 Simply 4 "When The Sun Is Going Down" 47 9 5,351 2 11 7
2 Aisha feat. G-Point "Hey, Hey, Hey, Hey" 25 6 4,781 4 10 6
3 Kristīna Zaharova & Annija Putniņa "Angel of Mine" 33 7 6,127 1 8 2
4 Sabīne Berezina feat. PeR "Bye, Bye" 39 8 1,998 10 18 9
5 Iveta Baumane & Ivo Grīsniņš-Grīslis "Tic Tac" 48 10 3,310 8 18 10
6 Intars Busulis "Sastrēgums" 6 1 4,871 3 4 1
7 Natālija Tumševica "Dynamite" 14 2 3,376 7 9 3
8 Camillas "Time Goes" 19 3 2,431 9 12 8
9 Triānas parks "Call Me Any Time You Need a Problem" 20 4 3,846 6 10 4
10 Ketta "Without You" 24 5 4,160 5 10 5
Superfinal – 28 February 2009
Draw Artist Song Televote Place
1 Intars Busulis "Sastrēgums" 21,027 1
2 Natālija Tumševica "Dynamite" 5,662 3
3 Kristīna Zaharova & Annija Putniņa "Angel of Mine" 19,679 2

At Eurovision[]

Being neither part of the "Big Four" nor the host of the 2009 contest Latvia were obliged to compete in one of the two semi-final on 12 and 14 May. Latvia competed in the second semi-final on 14 May where Intars performed "Probka", the Russian version of "Sastrēgums". Since he failed to qualify to the final, Latvia missed the final for the first time since 2004.[27]

Voting[]

Points awarded to Latvia[]

Points awarded to Latvia (Semi-final 2)[28]
Score Country
12 points
10 points
8 points
7 points
6 points  Lithuania
5 points
4 points
3 points
2 points
1 point  Estonia

Points awarded by Latvia[]

Detailed voting results[]

Detailed voting results from Latvia (Final)[30][31] hide
Draw Country Results Points
Jury Televoting Combined
01  Lithuania 6 6 12 7
02  Israel
03  France 4 4 8 5
04  Sweden 2 2
05  Croatia 1 1
06  Portugal
07  Iceland 12 5 17 8
08  Greece
09  Armenia
10  Russia 8 8 6
11  Azerbaijan 7 7 4
12  Bosnia and Herzegovina
13  Moldova 2 2
14  Malta 5 5 1
15  Estonia 8 10 18 10
16  Denmark 7 7 3
17  Germany
18  Turkey
19  Albania
20  Norway 10 12 22 12
21  Ukraine 1 1
22  Romania
23  United Kingdom 3 3 6 2
24  Finland
25  Spain

References[]

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  10. ^ Viniker, Barry (18 December 2008). "Latvia confirms withdrawal request". ESCToday. Retrieved 18 December 2008.
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  12. ^ Viniker, Barry (17 December 2008). "Latvia: Eurovision participation likely". ESCToday. Retrieved 17 December 2008.
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  14. ^ Viniker, Barry (20 December 2008). "Latvia Eurovision withdrawal accepted". ESCToday. Retrieved 20 December 2008.
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  22. ^ Stella, Floras (13 February 2009). "Latvia: Songs online - Semi running order decided". ESCToday. Retrieved 13 February 2009.
  23. ^ Medinika, Aija (28 January 2009). "Latvia: 21 songs confirmed for Eurovision semifinal". ESCToday. Retrieved 28 January 2009.
  24. ^ Medinika, Aija (27 February 2009). "Semi final in Latvia". ESCToday. Retrieved 27 February 2009.
  25. ^ Jump up to: a b Calleja Bayliss, Marc (27 February 2009). "Latvia: Results from Eirodziesma 2009 Semifinal". Oikotimes. Archived from the original on 28 February 2009. Retrieved 27 February 2009.
  26. ^ Jump up to: a b Medinika, Aija (27 February 2009). "Latvia: Ten acts for Eurodziesma final". ESCToday. Retrieved 27 February 2009.
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  29. ^ "Results of the Grand Final of Moscow 2009". European Broadcasting Union. Archived from the original on 25 April 2021. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
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  31. ^ "Eurovision Song Contest 2009 - Full Results". European Broadcasting Union. Archived from the original (XLS) on 6 June 2011.
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