Skip to main content

Musiqq (Latvia) 1st press conference

04 May 2011 at 22:23 CEST

“The first time I went on stage I couldn't move a leg. I knew that I needed to do something, but I tried to move my leg and just couldn't do it, so I just stood there. This time I'll do better.” The group affirms that a certain amount of adrenaline is good for their performance.

Marats and lead vocalist Emils Balceris came to the Contest after beginning their collaboration in 2009, when Marats heard Emils sing on LTV's music program 'Sems'. Their smash hit 'Abrakadabra' received a nomination for the 'Latvian Music Records Award'.

For the Eurovision Song Contest, 'Musiqq' will be performing the funky pop/rap ballad Angel in Disguise. Marats is secretive and evasive about the inspiration for the song, but confesses that it does refer to a special someone. More broadly speaking: “Maybe that person you're living with is your best friend, a romantic friend. Maybe people don't appreciate what they have.” We should therefore be on the lookout for people all around us who may be even more special than they initially appear.

The group rehearsed on stage today. The men were dressed in black and white dinner jackets with red bow-ties and the woman wore long flowing dresses. Even the guitar matched their colour-scheme. Marat explains: “ We decided to go black and white so that there's less chance that we could mess up something. Black and white are always good!”

The group have enjoyed their collaboration and plan to continue working together after the Contest. Since their last album was in Latvian, the group speculates that their next album might be in English for a change. Right now, the band doesn't feel too much pressure from their countrymen to do well. Says Emil: “It's more like pressure on ourselves to do our best. If we do our best, there's no pressure. We just want to get to the final. We want to do our best and the rest is not up to us. We just hope the voters and the jury like the same music we like.” They'll find out next week.