Marie N, winner of the 2002 Eurovision Song Contest with I Wanna for Latvia, will perform in Latvian communities and at the American Latvian Youth Association's (ALYA) annual congress during a North American concert tour scheduled for late November and early December of this year.

Marija Naumova, more known to people as Marie N, an ethnic Russian who speaks five languages including Latvian, is expected to perform songs by the well-known composer Raimonds Pauls as well as her own material. Naumova has credited Pauls for kick-starting her singing career.

The concert tour is organised by ALYA/ALJA¹) and the New York-based cultural organization Tilts, informs Ðaina Svâbe, Public Relations Manager at Baltic Records Group, Marie N's record company.

The concerts are scheduled between 23rd November and 14th December, 2003 in Chicago, Kalamazoo (Michigan), Grand Rapids (Michigan), Minneapolis (Minnesota), Los Angeles)(California), Cleveland (Ohio), Toronto (Canada), Saint Petersburg (Florida), New York, and in the Latvian centre Priedaine near Freehold, New Jersey.

Other concerts, for example at the Hard Rock Café in Chicago, may also be scheduled, suggests Ðaina Svâbe. This is Marie N's second visit to North America. She appeared last year at a Baltic Celebration concert in Washington, D.C.

So far, Marie N has released seven albums, two of which offer similar material but in Latvian and English versions. Her most recent recording, the three-track I Feel Good, was released earlier this year in collaboration with Ojars Kalnins, former Latvian ambassador to the United States and current director of the Riga-based Latvian Institute.

¹) Amerikas Latviešu Jaunatnes Apvienība (American Latvian Youth Association)