Latvia's Eurovision 2026 Hopefuls: The Supernova Finalists

Latvia's National Selection for Eurovision 2026

According to Главком: Latvia will choose its act for Eurovision 2026 on February 14th in the final of its national selection show, Supernova. Ten performers will compete for the honor, with the winner determined by a combination of jury voting and public televoting, each accounting for 50% of the final score. The Eurovision Song Contest 2026 itself will be held in Vienna on May 12th, 14th, and 16th.

Latvia made its Eurovision debut in 2000 and won the contest just a year later in 2001 with Marie N's performance of 'I Wanna'. The country then faced a six-year streak of failing to reach the top ten in the semi-finals, a run that was finally broken by singer Dons with his song 'Hollow'. In 2023, the group Tautumeitas won the national selection and placed 13th at Eurovision with the first-ever Latvian-language song in the contest's history.

The History of Supernova

The Latvian national selection has been known as Supernova since its launch in 2015, when Aminata won with 'Love Injected'. Prior to that, the selection was called Eirodziesma and Dziesma. The Supernova 2026 final is scheduled to begin at 21:10 local time.

For Eurovision 2026, Ireland, Spain, and the Netherlands have announced they will boycott the event. The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) did not hold a vote regarding Israel's participation. Participating broadcasters have decided to introduce new rules to prevent disproportionate promotion of songs by governments or third parties. As a result of these boycotts, the number of countries competing in Eurovision 2026 could be the lowest in two decades.

The running order for the Supernova finalists is as follows:

• 1. De Mantra – 'Let Them'
• 2. Elpo – 'Blakus'
• 3. Krisy – 'Take It'
• 4. Kautkaili – 'Te un tagad'
• 5. Legzdina – 'Ribbon'
• 6. Emilija – 'All We Ever Had'
• 7. Atvara – 'Ēnā'
• 8. Robert Ox – 'Ravin' At The Taj Mahal'
• 9. Tikasha Sakama – '#010126 Coda'
• 10. Miks Galvanovskis – 'Cruel Angel'

Supernova is a crucial platform for Latvian artists, determining who will represent the nation on the prestigious Eurovision stage. The potential for a smaller field of competitors in 2026 due to boycotts could create a unique opportunity for the eventual Latvian entry to make a significant impact. Latvia aims to improve its standing in the contest, drawing on its mixed history of past victories and recent struggles to secure a strong result.