So this morning, Latvia announced its finalists for its Supernova programme and, like the title of Katrina Bindere’s song, it Will Break My Heart.
Because out of the 26 entries, Lativan jurors chose exactly TWO of the entries that I had on my shortlist – Samanta Tina’s Still Breathing and Annna’s Polyester. (Okay maybe Katrina Dimanta’s Heart Beats as well, given the presence of a member of the amazing Latvian sport-punk band Riga Steinis as one of her backing musicians, as well as that weird dancer in the background.)
But it was an absolute bloodbath otherwise. No Madara. No Aivo Oskis. No Maia. No Audiokvartas. Not even the syrupy ballad of Signe un Janis, which I thought was a sure lock to win. And I’ll be processing my feelings on all of these losses over the next few days on the blog.
So what have we learned from selections? Well, Latvian judges can’t seem to resist a highly talented but doomed-to-lose hootenanny, going from Last Night last year to the Bad Habit’s Sail With You this year. And they’ve also fallen prey to the Sadboi Virus, which is the only way I can explain the presence of soulfully constipated acoustic Boy with Emotions Miks Dukurs.
But, of course, the big news is the loss of the Susan Lucci of Supernova, Markus Riva, who failed to qualify for the first year since Latvia has entered Eurovision.*
Now, we all know that Markus entered this year with an Aminata co-penned song that seemed not so much like a song but as disparate concepts expressed in a 3 minute period.
And we also saw Markus’s audition tape, in which he grimaced and motioned and just seemed to be putting in a perfunctory performance. Even his clothes were beige!
I’m not denying that it’s not his best year (even if he did loosen up and start to give us some of that old Riva charm a minute in.)
But when looking at the similarly wooden performance of Edgars Krelis and his Unobtanium song…
…I have to ask – why not Markus? Why not give everyone’s favourite runner up a chance to run up once again?
Look, I know that it’s a bit silly, feeling bad for a guy who is a rich television host that gets to live in Latvia. He’s living the dream! But it’s my dream, not his dream, which is to be a Eurovision winner. So yes, I do feel bad for him. Lativian television, you have done him dirty.
*Calm down, chinbeards. I know Markus Riva hasn’t been entering Eurovision for more than 20 years. But it certainly feels like it! It’s called hyperbole, or exaggeration for effect.
dudepoints.fun 