Samanta Tīna
Samanta Tīna has competed in the Latvian selection for the Eurovision Song Contest no less than 6 times, finishing second twice – in 2012 and more notably in 2013 with the fan-beloved song, I Need a Hero. Not one to give up, Samanta has also twice attempted to represent her second home, Lithuania, in 2015 and 2017.A strong competitor in singing competitions, Samanta won a local TV show that allowed her to attend a music school in London in 2010. In 2012, she was runner up in Slavianski Bazaar in Belarus, and in 2014, she finished in the top 8 of the Lithuanian series of The Voice. Most recently, in 2016, Samanta was among participants of the international contest of popular music New Wave.
Each time the singer has brought different songs to her competitions, but the one thing to remain consistent is her powerful vocal range. Samanta describes her voice as a god-given talent that needs to be heard on the big stage. Anyone lucky enough to witness her live performances would find it impossible to disagree.
Still Breathing offers a strong message of female empowerment and is an ode to women who are held to unrealistically high standards. They’re meant to be beautiful at all times, while also being perfect mothers and devoted wives – all the while working to chase their dreams. It’s about the relentlessness of the expectation to do it all and the ability still breathe despite the endless struggle. The song was co-produced by Samanta and seasoned Latvian musician, Arnis Račinskis. The lyrics were written by Eurovision 2015 finalist Aminata Savadogo, who represented Latvia with Love Injected.
Samanta wants to show Europe and the world that Latvia is not a small country to be underestimated. Her love of Eurovision runs deep: in 2019, the singer wrote her graduating paper based on an analysis of the national selections for the Eurovision Song Contest in Latvia and Lithuania.
