Latvia: 'Supernova' victory for Sudden Lights with 'Aijā'

Supernova 2023 took place over 2 nights. On Saturday 4 February, the semi-final was held, which saw 14 competing songs reduced to a neat 10, after a jury vote and a public vote gave their scores. On Saturday 11 February, these 10 songs were performed once more in the Supernova grand final, with both the public and a jury voting for a winner.

On the night, it was the song 'Aijā' that emerged triumphant in the scores, performed by the group Sudden Lights. This will be Latvia's entry to the 67th Eurovision Song Contest, in the year in which we mark the 20th anniversary of when the Baltic country hosted the Contest for the very first time in Riga in 2003. 

On the night of the Supernova final, we also got to hear from an extra-special guest performer: 2019 Eurovision Song Contest winner Duncan Laurence landed in Riga to perform his song Electric Life.

Latvia will perform in the First Semi-Final of the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest. 

Latvia at the Eurovision Song Contest

Latvia made its debut in the Eurovision Song Contest in Stockholm in 2000. Brainstorm's 'My Star' finished third in a field of 24, one of the strongest showings for a country's first participation in the competition. The country won the Eurovision Song Contest in 2002 and hosted the competition the following year in the capital Riga.

After Latvia's strong debut in the Eurovision Song Contest, the country went on to achieve its third Top 5 placing in 2005. Before that, however, the home team placed 24th in Riga in 2003 despite being tipped as one of the ones to watch for the night.