The Eurovision Song Contest saw a significant surprise in 2000 with Latvia’s debut appearance. The ambitious indie-pop group Brainstorm brought a breath of fresh air to the competition, achieving a wonderful third place with their debut song “My Star”.

Unlike their Baltic neighbours Estonia and Lithuania, Lithuania has yet to secure a Eurovision victory. However, Latvia made a memorable entrance in 2000 with Brainstorm’s success. Two years later, Latvia achieved their first victory when Marie N. won the contest in Tallinn with her captivating performance of “I Wanna”. This unexpected win marked a proud moment for Latvia, becoming the first Baltic country to win and subsequently host the competition back.

The Eurovision Song Contest of 2003 was hosted in Riga, the picturesque capital of Latvia. Dubbed “the land that sings,” Latvia boasts a rich tradition of singing festivals held across the country, a tradition also observed by neighbouring nations Estonia and Lithuania. Despite their shared heritage, the three Baltic countries exhibit distinct differences in various aspects.

From 2009 to 2014, Latvia faced challenges in qualifying for the Grand Final of the Eurovision Song Contest, despite presenting contemporary songs. However, in 2015, Aminata captured everyone’s attention with her self-composed song “Love Injected,” propelling Latvia to a remarkable 6th place. The following year, Aminata continued her contribution to the Latvian entry “Heartbeat” as a composer, performed by Justs and placing 15th in Stockholm. Unfortunately, the streak of success came to an end as no Latvian entry advanced to the Grand Final in subsequent years. In 2023, Aijā failed to make an impression with her song “Sudden Lights.”