Latvia in the Eurovision Song Contest 2009
participated in the Eurovision Song Contest 2009, marking its tenth entrance to Eurovision. Originally, after budget cuts were made by the Latvian government on the Latvian broadcaster, Latvijas Televīzija, announced plans to withdraw from the Eurovision Song Contest 2009 in Russia, but on 12 January 2009 it was announced by the European Broadcasting Union that Latvia would participate.
Eirodziesma 2009, the Latvian national final, was held on 27 and 28 February. The ultimate winner of the contest was Intars Busulis with "Sastrēgums". The song was performed at Eurovision in Russian as "Probka".
Possible boycott and withdrawal
Shortly after the 2008 South Ossetia war in Georgia, the Estonian Minister of Culture suggested a possible boycott of the Baltic states of Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania of the 2009 Eurovision Song Contest, held in Russia. However, a different opinion arose in Latvia, with many calling for Latvia's continued participation in the contest including Latvian composer Raimonds Pauls. Latvian broadcaster Latvijas Televīzija eventually announced their participation in the contest.In December 2008 the Latvian government imposed budget cuts on LTV of over 2 million Lats. Because of this LTV were forced to cancel many planned shows for 2009, including Eirodziesma. On 17 December 2008, LTV confirmed that they had requested to the European Broadcasting Union, the organisers of Eurovision, their withdrawal from the 2009 Eurovision Song Contest, due solely to the budget cuts that hindered the Latvian broadcaster from paying the participation fee for Eurovision. After their intent was given to the EBU, talks between the two parties began for a way that LTV could participate in the contest. However, their withdrawal request occurred 3 days after the deadline for participation, and it was rumoured that LTV would still have to pay the participation because the deadline had passed. On 20 December 2008, LTV confirmed their withdrawal from the contest, having no penalty for withdrawing past the deadline. However, on 12 January 2009 the final participants list for the 2009 contest was released, that confirmed Latvia will participate.
Before Eurovision
Eirodziesma 2009
Eirodziesma 2009 was the tenth edition of Eirodziesma, the music competition that selects Latvia's entries for the Eurovision Song Contest. The competition commenced on 27 February 2009 and concluded with a final on 28 February 2009.Format
The initial format of the competition consisted of five shows: three semi-finals, a Second Chance round and a final. The three semi-finals were to feature nine competing entries each from which three were to be selected to advance to the final from each show. The Second Chance round, due to be held during the third semi-final, was to select a final qualifier. The final, due to be held on 28 February 2009, selected the final winner from the ten qualifiers from the semi-finals and the Second Chance round. However, due to financial difficulties, the new format of the competition consisted of only two shows: a semi-final and a final. The two shows took place at the Olympic Center in Ventspils and were hosted by Uģis Joksts and Kristīne Virsnīte. The semi-final, held on 27 February 2009, featured twenty-one competing entries from which the top ten proceeded to the final. The final, held on 28 February 2009, selected the final winner from the remaining ten entries.Results during the semi-final were determined exclusively by a public vote. The winning song in the final was selected over two rounds of voting: the first round results selected the top three songs via the 50/50 combination of jury and public voting and the second round decided the winner from those three songs, public vote only.
Competing entries
Artists and songwriters were able to submit their entries to the broadcaster until 30 November 2008. Each songwriter were able to submit up to two entries, foreign collaborations were allowed as long as one-thirds of the songwriters were Latvians, and songs cannot be submitted for other countries' preselections. 108 songs were submitted at the conclusion of the submission period, of which 30 were by international songwriters. A jury panel evaluated the submitted entries and selected 21 entries to compete in the national final. The jury panel consisted of Daina Markova, Raimonds Macats, Aivars Hermanis, Ance Krauze, Dace Pūce, Jegors Jerohomovičs, Edmunds Kaševskis and representatives of LTV: Iveta Lepeško, Zita Kaminska, Arvīds Babris, Baiba Saleniece and Uldis Salenieks. The twenty-one competing artists and songs were announced on 9 December 2008. After the list was released, Kristīna Zaharova withdrew one of her two songs "I Wish I Could Pretend" from the competition due to the song having been selected for the 2009 Irish national final. Aisha, Ella, Olga were due to perform the song "In Love We Trust", but were later replaced by Policistas. Madara Celma was due to perform the song "Have To Say Goodbye", but was later replaced by Astra Dreimane. The running order for the semi-final was announced on 13 January 2009.Due to the cancellation of the three semi-finals, followed by its reinstatement, LTV asked all participants to confirm their intent to participate in the semi-final. All participants confirmed their intention to compete.
Semi-final
The semi-final took place on 27 February 2009. The ten song with the highest number of votes from the public qualified to the final.Final
The final took place on 28 February 2009. The winner was selected over two rounds of voting. In the first round, a 50/50 combination of votes from a jury of music professionals and the Latvian public determined the top three entries to proceed to the superfinal: "Angel of Mine" performed by Kristīna Zaharova & Annija Putniņa, "Sastrēgums" performed by Intars Busulis and "Dynamite" performed by Natālija Tumševica. In the superfinal, the song with the highest number of votes from the public, "Sastrēgums" performed by Intars Busulis, was declared the winner. The jury that voted in the first round of the final consisted of Daiga Mazvērsīte, Jānis Lūsēns, Aivars Hermanis, Jolanta Gulbe and Edmunds Kaševskis.In addition to the performances of the competing entries, guest performers included 2008 Latvian Eurovision entrants Pirates of the Sea, Kristīna Zaharova with the runner-up song of the 2009 Irish national final "I Wish I Could Pretend", and 2009 Lithuanian and Polish Eurovision entrants Sasha Son and Lidia Kopania.
At Eurovision
Being neither part of the "Big Four" nor the host of the 2009 contest Latvia were obliged to compete in one of the two semi-final on 12 and 14 May. Latvia competed in the second semi-final on 14 May where Intars performed "Probka", the Russian version of "Sastrēgums". He failed to qualify to the final, relegating Latvia for the first time since 2004.The postcard for Latvia contained the word "Borsch" at the end. However, another version, with the word "Ura!", can be found on the Internet.