In cooperation with our partners songfestival.web-log.nl, we present to you a different 2006 Eurovision Song Contest participant each day. Now it's time for the fourth finalist: Latvia!
Final, spot 4 in the running order
Performer: Cosmos
Song: I hear your heart
Lyrics: Molly-Ann Leikin en Guntars Racs
Music: Reinis Sejans, Andris Sejans
Official website: www.vocalgroupcosmos.com
Best result: 1st in 2002
Broadcaster: LTV
Multimedia: video / audio
Latvia and the Eurovision Song Contest
Latvia enjoyed a highly successful debut at the 2000 contest in Stockholm, where the unforgettable group BrainStorm, already extremely popular at home, achieved a third place with an original and quirky performance of My star. Lead singer Renars Kaupers returned to Eurovision in 2003 as host and 2005 as the co-presenter of the Congratulations fifty years celebration programme.
It was to be only two years before Latvia won the contest with Marie N's Latin-style I wanna. Featuring several costume changes and a good deal of dancing, Latvia's performance surprised Europe by taking the crown ahead of Malta, making it (at the time) the fastest new country to progress from debut to win.
Despite failing to make it through the qualifier round in 2004, Latvia managed it in 2005 to end up a strong fifth in the international final with The war is not over.
Cosmos
Cosmos consists of Reinis Sejans, Juris Lisenko, Janis Strazdins, Janis Sipkevics, Janis Ozols and Andris Sejans, and together they were voted best Latvian group within a year of forming. The acapella boys' first album went platinum in Latvia, and was voted best pop album of 2003. Three albums followed, and Cosmos still ride high on that wave of popularity. One of the high points of their career so far was a performance of Don't worry be happy with original artist Bobby McFerrin at the Latvian National Opera in 2005. Additionally, they were winners of the New Wave 2004 festival, which airs to an estimated 200 million people worldwide.
I hear your heart
In a world that is beeping and blaring
Growing louder every day
I cover my ears
But none of the noise will go away
Sirens,
Barking dogs
Thank God for the one and only sound that turns it around and makes it right
I hear your heart
Whisprin’ to me
No matter where I may happen to be
Sending me love and shining it through
I hear your heart
Can you hear mine too?
Oh as sensitive people we’re trampled
Almost everywhere we go
There are days when we will die
If one more stranger tells us no
So I hope your shadows melt away
As you say they’ve done before
Just like the one and only sound that turns it around for me once more
I hear your heart
Whisprin’ to me
No matter where I may happen to be
Sending me love & shining it through
I hear your heart
Can you hear mine too?
A violin on a summer night
On a full moon mountaintop
Couldn’t sound as sweet as you do – don’t stop
I hear your heart
Whisprin’ to me
No matter where I may happen to be
Sending me love & shining it through
I hear your heart
Can you hear mine too?
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