LTV, the Latvian national broadcaster has informed Esctoday.com that artists and composers who wish to submit their applications in their quest to represent Latvia at the forthcoming Eurovision Song Contest in Sweden, can do so from today until 30 November. A special press conference is scheduled to be held in Riga to announce the lucky candidates on the 11 December. Esctoday.com revealed exclusively few days back that the Latvian national selection will consist of 2 semi-finals on 8 and 9 February and the grand final on 16 of February!
LTV Press Release:
Latvian Television calls for songs for the Latvian National Selection for Eurovision Song Contest 2013. The submission deadline is November 30, 2012. Like in previous years, LTV presents several novelties in national selection.
There is not a single doubt about the necessity of Eurovision as one of the most spectacular and the most viewed TV shows. The viewer ratings, the musicians’ involvement as well as the public interest in the show prove it. However the show has to advance not only on a professional level but also by becoming more attractive to the audiences and by changing the overall opinions and attitudes towards the contest, Edgars Kots, the board member of LTV, points out.
Zita Kaminska, known as experienced Head of the Latvian delegation, has been appointed as the producer of the event, In numerous countries the national selections have a set up where the singing and getting together in a way takes over the competition. Latvia has an incredible experience in singing festivals and events, and, to my mind, it is about the time to transfer this feeling of togetherness and enthusiasm to the popular music events as well. That is the main reason to change the format and even the name of the National Selection.
The songs can be submitted from 19 October to 30 November. No more than two songs are allowed to be handed in by a songwriter. The National Selection welcomes the songs penned by foreign authors although the performer must be from Latvia. The authors entering the Latvian National selection are not allowed to submit the very same song to the national selections in other countries.
The jury of experts designed by LTV will select 24 songs in the pre-selection round to compete in two semi-finals. Those songs will be announced at LTV press conference on December 11.
The semi-finals are scheduled on February 8 and February 9 as live shows with audience. Six songs from each semi-final will proceed to the final. Jury and the televote have equal power and right to decide. The final of the National Selection is taking place on February 16 in Ventspils theatre house “Juras Varti”. The jury and televote in a proportion 50:50 will select the winners through the final and grand finale.
The National Selection of Eurovision Song Contest is organised in a co-operation with Ventspils town and Ventspils Development Agency that have been generously supporting the event for thirteen years already.
Eurovision Song Contest 2013 is taking place in Malmö, Sweden. The semi-finals are on May 14 and 16, while the final is on May 18.
source: Esctoday.com, LTV
