The Latvian broadcaster has just announced the list of participants for the country's preselection for the 2009 Eurovision Song Contest. Twenty one acts will fight it out in three heats, aiming to qualify to the final on 28 February.
Twenty one songs were selected out of the 101 etries submitted to the Latvian broadcaster for Eirodziesma 2009. The songs will first compete in one of three heats in January and February, and three songs will qualify from each round to the final in Ventspils, on 28 February. A tenth song will be selected from a second chance round.
These are the semi finalists:
1 Edijs Šnipke- Make my day (Edijs Šnipke Edijs Šnipke)
2 Camillas –Time goes (Romāns Falkenšteins, Ņina Kovaiko)
3 Valters Fridenbergs- For a better tomorrow (Valters Fridenbergs)
4 Johnny Salamander –Party (Johnny Salamander, Meldra Gū�a )
5 Iveta Baumane- Tic Tac (Ingars Vilums)
6 Ketta –Without you (Pavel Murashov, Pavel Murashov )
7 Fidji –Don't want to say goodbye (Katrina Tene, Tarmo Keranens)
8 Aisha, Ella, Olga- In love we trust (Tomass Kleins, Guntars Račs)
9 Trianas parks – Call me any time you need a problem (Aivars Rakovskis, Agnese Rakovska)
10 GintaEke- Be yourself (Kristaps Krievkalns, Ginta Eke)
11 Madara Celma- Have to say goodbye (Madara Celma)
12 Kristīna Zaharova –Angel of mine (Martinš Freimanis)
13 Dace and Frīdis – Running around (Dace Planare, Aivars Freimanis)
14 Sabīne Berezina- Bye, bye (Markus Riva)
15 Kristīna Zaharova -I wish I could pretend (Lauris Reiniks, Gordon Pogoda)
16 Artists TBA –When the sun is going down (Arturs Palkevičs, Leonids Jevsejevs,
Sergejs Ivanovs)
17 Intars Busulis –Sastregumi (Kārlis Lācis, Jānis Elsbergs)
18 Miks Dukurs Aizejot (Edijs Dukurs, Miks Dukurs)
19 Girts Zebulinš – Place to be (Andris Barons, Brita Barone, Diana Dubrovska)
20 Aisha –Hey (Kjell Jennstig, Leif Golkuhl)
21 Artist TBA- Dynamite (Mikael Erlandsson)
The lineup sees the return of former Eurostars as performers and composers. Valters Frīdenbergs who participated for Latvia in 2005 as half of the duo Walters and Kahza, placing fifth, tries again this year performing a song of his own. The composer of the War is not over (Latvia 2005) and F.L.Y. member (Latvia 2003), Martins Freimanis also runs again with a song to be performed by Kristina Zaharova who also tried to represent Latvia in 2008. Kristina will be competing with two songs, the second one by the other male member of F.L.Y., Lauris Reiniks.
Most of the other finalists have tried their luck again in the past: Camilla tried again in 2008 , Johnny Salamander, the runner up at Eirodziesma 2004, also tried in 2007, Iveta Baumane participated in Eurodziesma 2007 and 2008, Ketta tried in Eurodziesma 2008 with lovely Dexter, Fidji participated in Eirodziesma 2006, Trianas parks in 2008, Madara Celma tried in 2003 and 2005, Sabīne Berezina tried for Junior Eurovision in 2005 and also Eirodziesma 2008, Intars Busulis competed in Eirodziesma 2007, Miks Dukurs tried for Junior Eurovision in 2004 and Eirodziesma 2008 and finally Aisha tried her luck again in 2007 and 2008 when she came second after the Pirates. Mikael Erlandsson has tried again for Latvia as a composer and for Poland in 2007 as a performer.
