Supernova 2025: ESC United Reviews Latvia’s Semi-Final – Part 1

All opinions expressed in this article are those of the person quoted and do not necessarily represent the opinions of the other team members or ESC United as a whole.

You get the feeling that Latvia’s Eurovision is entering a new era. The post-Dons era – i.e. when Dons’s “Hollow” qualified Latvia for the Grand Final at Eurovision 2024 for the first time in 8 years – begins tonight, with Latvia’s national selection, Supernova, hosting a Semi-Final where 19 hopefuls duke it out for 10 spaces in next week’s final.

Whether the 10th edition of Supernova can ramp up to meet the standards set by Dons remains to be seen, but five people cocky enough to try answer that question have assembled at ESC United to lend their thoughts to Latvia’s 19 semi-finalists.

The ragtag group of misfits reviewing Supernova 2025 from ESC United are:

Boris Meersman: The troll under the bridge at the gas station between France and Holland that is called Belgium.
David Popescu: The Romanian Eurovision computer that continually says “No.”
James Maude: As well as Eurovision, can bore you to death with details about Leeds United, the works of J.M. Coetzee, Star Trek, and Los Angeles fine dining.
Jasmin Prišć: Fast becoming our Voice of Reason from Croatia, mostly because no-one else here can get their act together.
Rebecca Green: Our newest correspondent from Perth, Australia. That makes her our most isolated writer, though she can still lob grenades from that distance.

And with introductions out of the way, here is Part 1 of our Supernova 2025 review.

(Note: These artists are being reviewed in order of their draw at the Supernova 2025 Semi-Final.)

Marta – “Lovable”

Boris – 6.5 – “Silly filler song is very silly and very fillery. I’d give this more points if I had any faith in Marta Grigale’s ability to bring “Loveable’s frivolity live, but then I remember her Põldveresque pronounciation of the “Always” in “There’s Always A Choice”, so…”

David – 3 – “It’s one of the cutesy and innocent songs that are just there and manages to at most put a small smile on the face, for while it lasts. It’s overall a lot of nothing, and the beat and the lyrics being both very repeatable, does not do the song any favors. The song just offers nothing interesting, so there’s not much to care for.”

James – 5 – “Considering this is being played first on the night of the Semi-Final, many may confuse “Lovable” as a warm-up act. I was forgetting about this song while it was still playing.”

Jasmin – 6 – “While the chorus is repetitive, it works for a song of this style. The production feels a bit “too heavy” for my taste. It’s a decent pop song that probably won’t win, but will find its way to someone’s playlist for sure, it’s pleasant.”

Rebecca – 7 – “This is just the cutest thing in the whole world. “How dare you be so lovable” is also just a really great hook line, and you can sing along with the chorus almost instantly. My biggest complaint is the lack to variation through the whole song, but even then I feel it’s a weak complaint because I had such a lovely time listening to this.”

Total: 27.5 points (Average = 5.5)

Tepat – “Sadzejot”

Boris – 9 – “Legends are born when ordinary people accomplish extraordinary things. Enter Tepat, arguably six of the most normal looking humans in the history of Madara Earth, poppin off hard with their jazzy / rocky song. There’s something so authentic about just… normies bringing a good song with no embellishments, presenting it “Hey, this is us, I hope you like it” and no Tepat, I don’t like it. I LOVE it.”

David – 3 – I absolutely dislike that it took so much of the song, before it started to kick in, but when we get to that point, it’s a very promising song. The beat gets promising and vocally pleasing, before it then gets at bit too much and completely goes off track. It’s not bad, but not good either.”

James – 10 – “Starts off slowly with some acoustic guitar and pianos, before the vocalist switches up the cadence of her singing, brings the electric guitar in and kicks off this wild ride, ending with an exquisite saxophone solo. Prog rock is usually not well represented at Eurovision, but this track could end that trend. Granted, I am predisposed to liking this genre, but I am confident normies will be lulled in by the soft opening and find themselves rocking out once the chorus hits.”

Jasmin – 7.5 – “Authentic right from the gate. Am I a target audience? Not really, but I appreciate it for what it is. I didn’t expect such a change mid-song. Hmmm, I’d describe this as “delicate”. It has a dose of uniqueness, as well as general appeal in the rock elements. It is one of those that hit you if you are in a specific mood, otherwise it might leave you cold or bored.”

Rebecca – 7 – “I’m a sucker for a good indie band so I fell for this one by about 40 seconds in. The lead singer has an amazing voice and the whole band just has that “came from a garage and worked their way up to the big stage” vibe that I love. The lyrics are also very beautiful (they speak right to my little creative writing heart). Justice for Sudden Lights—this could avenge you!”

Total: 36.5 points (Average = 7.3)

Justs – “Fit Right”

Boris – 5.5 – “This Justs song has me cracking up a bit. It sounds as if whoever composed this coked his way through After Hours and tried to recreate it when still on the high. The awkward lyrics, the synth farts. It is deeply unserious. I enjoy it, but mostly at Justs’s expense.”

David – 3 – “Alright, that beat is on here, and I was quite digging it as well, but then it’s completely taken away as we get to the chorus, which I hoped would’ve been more energetic, than the rest of the melody. Lyrically not exactly a masterpiece either, but the music losing tempo, is probably what bothers me the most.”

James – 4 – “Appropriate Eurovision is held in Switzerland this year, because the cheesy synths on “Fit Right” sure belong there. This sounds like a more indie twist on Poland’s “The Ride,” but sloppier.”

Jasmin – 4 – “By now you probably already know I am very picky about electro songs. While this sounds current and fresh, I expected more than the repetitive tune, which is catchy to be fair, but it doesn’t sit right with me. Also, I miss his rough and raspy vocal as well.”

Rebecca – 6 – “Okay so, I was a huge, huge fan of “Heartbeat” back in 2016. Justs has a remarkable voice that I instantly fell in love with. This song, however, doesn’t really show it off at all. It’s not a bad in the slightest but it has a very lacklustre final minute. The only thing I can think of here is that perhaps Justs and his team are playing their cards close to their chest and will be surprising us with the live vocals. If that’s the case it will be moving up in my rankings by a whole lot, but for now I am sadly underwhelmed.”

Total: 22.5 points (Average = 4.5)

KoBra – “Zelts”

Boris – 9 – “A magical wonderland effort by KoBra, who provide a straight upgrade to their spiritual predecessors “Vestules”. “Zelts“ is less intimate than “Kur?”, but compensates for it with richer instrumentation and excellent vocal synergy. This is the type of song I’d happily experience live at a concert at the Botanique in Brussels, if they were to come. And if you anything of how much of a horror the catering at Botanique is, you’ll know that is not a comment I’d make lightly.”

David – 4 – “First of all, well done on making the Latvian language shine through, that is always something admirable to be able to do, especially towards an audience is unfamiliar with the language. The song and the duet have its charm, but it runs a bit too far, causing the interest in the song to drop significantly by the time it ends.”

James – 9 – “What a rich, lush duet this is. Latvia has a knack for charming numbers like this – their vastly underrated Supernova winner “Carousel,” for instance – and this low key song reminiscent of trippier duets from the ‘60s and ‘70s is another one. I guess the rule of a white guy breaking out an acoustic guitar as a horror does not apply if you’re Latvian.”

Jasmin – 9 – “This is taking me on a journey and that is what I want to hear. So simple yet delicate until it reaches the chorus when their vocals come together really nicely. I felt something while listening to this, can’t explain it to be honest. This is just beautiful. The last time I had a similar experience was 2022 with Inspo and their song Happy Place. The click is here, now I just want them to have good live and I’m buying it!”

Rebecca – 5.5 – “It’s giving me Angus & Julia Stone. They have lovely harmonies and the instrumental is really good too, but I think it needs to go a little harder towards the climax. Other than that, pretty solid!”

Total: 36.5 points (Average = 7.3)

Adelina – “Electric Love”

Boris – 7 – “A late “After Hours” tribute by Adelina. “Electric love” is hardly original, but it enjoy its groove. The depth of her voice goes well with the melody. It’s a vibe, but not an unwelcome one”

David – 2 – “This is all about the music, and it’s the music that takes the lead completely. Here’s the thing, vocally, I’m not intrigued at all, very simply performed and no stand out moment, while lyrically, there’s also nothing that affects me, very uninteresting. I’m just left bored, despite the song invites for so much more.”

James – 8 – “A groovy disco throwback to drink your Cosmopolitan to while scoping out the dance floor.”

Jasmin – 7 – “The chorus is such a throwback but I can’t put my finger on it. Sounds retro but it’s also clear this is new. The vocal sounds rich and seasoned which makes me happy but also I hear a lot of production here which always worries me for the lives. Even though this is electropop, it actually works for me and I can stand behind it.”

Rebecca – 8 – “This is so funky and I think we’ve established that I love a good funky beat. It’s got an electronic twist on funk—electrofunk? Is that a thing? If it’s not it should be because I would eat that shit up. The vocals are good despite some questionable English pronunciation, and the climax is a bit underwhelming, but that might change with the live vocals. All in all a very enjoyable, funky three minutes.”

Total: 32 points (Average = 6.4)

Citi Zēni – “Ramtai”

Boris – 7 – “Once again, what Citi Zeni give us is a complete fanwank. “Ramtai” gets carried hard by its meme factor, hoping to entrap gullible and easily impressed hetero’s (m/f/x) with its nonsense. (going into this not knowing how the others voted but like… I totally expect high scores from David, Emilija, Sam, Roy, etc if they’re rating). HOWEVER, despite the heterosexually-tinged meme-cringe going on in “Ramtai”, it is a solid composition overall for what it is? The lighter, higher-pitched moments are musically appealing, the beat is a catchy one, and there are fewer “point-and-laugh” moments going on than there were in “Eat Your Salad”. It’s an attempt you can actually take seriously as a Eurovision song, and I wouldn’t be surprised (disappointed, but not surprised) if we see Citi Zeni return for redemption in Basel.”

David – 2 – “The veggie boys are back, and they are back with a big-time club banger. Interesting with going almost all out on Latvian, and with a more mature sound. However, there’s just nothing really new here. The beat goes over and over, literally like most music does, that are made for clubs, and there’s nothing that directly catchy. I’m actually bored.”

James – 1 – “Insert barf emoji here.”

Jasmin – 7.5 – “Supernova in their electropop era… the beat is cool but that alone can’t carry a song for this format and competition in my opinion. Their performance will be crazy and definitely I expect a lot of things happening visually. The rap part by the end of the song slaps and I am asking you all: Why isn’t the whole song like that? That would have been an experience that I needed. After listening to the song a few times, I admit that the drop is hella good and I’m warming up to it slowly but surely. This one is a grower but will people have time to indulge it multiple times at Eurovision? No.”

Rebecca – 8 – “I was Eat Your Salad’s biggest fan in 2022, and I was rightfully outraged when it didn’t qualify. So yeah, I’m biased, but these guys are just so great. They have so much charisma and they always bring us a banger. It’s so different from Eat Your Salad, which I think is a really smart move, but it also still fits with their style. It’s in Latvian, which is amazing. It also strikes me as something that could have a really memorable little dance move like Rim Tim Tagi Dim had last year. Yeah, this is my winner. Give these guys a second chance, Eurovision!”

Total: 25.5 points (Average = 5.1)

Emilija – “Heartbeat”

Boris – 5 – “Emilija must’ve gotten off the wrong ferry. Denmark is on the western side of the Baltic Sea.”

David – 3 – “Okay, it’s very innocent and quite charming. I can respect it for what it’s going for, but it’s also very vanilla flavored. Can I chill and just enjoy the song, oh yea, but will I listen to it again and again because I’m hooked, sadly no. It’s there, and that’s very much it.”

James – 3 – “Sounds like something a Swedish Voice / Idol winner got lumped with for a national selection. This is thoroughly unremarkable, especially put in a selection with more memorable and quirkier entries. The “hah-art-beeeeeee-eee-eeet” vocal is grating, and the brief pause to play a heartbeat is corny and dialed in. Its being bereft of imagination leads me to think this is a Melfest reject that packed its bags and headed East (where Malta would have no doubt picked it up in the event of a Latvian rejection).”

Jasmin – 5 – “No shade here but this sounds like a Melfest reject from the first second. It’s just another pop song but I appreciate the acoustic guitar moment we had in the bridge. Otherwise, this doesn’t tickle my imagination or interest.”

Rebecca – 3.5 – “I believe I heard someone refer to this as “generic ScandiPop” and, well, yeah that’s pretty much what’s going on here. I don’t hate it, but… Meh.”

Total: 19.5 points (Average = 3.9)

Bel Tempo and Legzdina – “The Water”

Boris – 8 – “A wonderful indiecore number for the introverts, or those that enjoy a good LoFi tune. Not a contender, but it doesn’t have to be. It’s one of those dreamy tunes that make me feel my oats during a dark, solitary night, like a snuggy or a cup of cocoa. It’s always indicative of a good selection that the indie anthems are included in the line-up for promotion purposes. It shows confidence in the actual contenders, and rightfully so.”

David – 1 – “There is no much going on here, it’s very much just music in the background. It’s not exactly the water you see by the ocean or sea, but more like by a puddle. Drip, drip, drip, drip, drip, just like the beat of the song. We’re not getting anywhere.”

James – 7 – “A chill, retro indie throwback to the ‘90s. Personally, I could do without the male vocals that come in as the female rockers make it a bit more mesmeric.”

Jasmin – 8 – “This is such a moooooood. I am into the gloomy vibes I’m getting from this song while at the same time, it feels rather warm and sweet, truly melancholic. I’m afraid it is not impactful enough to be the front runner but I’m glad something like this exists in the national final.”

Rebecca – 6 – “This is so Not Eurovision. That’s not a bad thing per se, because I do really like this one, but I genuinely can’t picture what this might look like on the stage. It has a great indie vibe, and the vocals are very nice, but I don’t think this would be a good choice for Latvia at Eurovision.”

Total: 30 points (Average = 6.0)

Palú – “Delusional”

Boris – 7 – “Listening to this the second time I had a blast imagining David’s very confused and *very* angry scowl at this song having multiple phases and tones. Almost as if… there is a narrative and a plot to songs?! Groundbreaking. And granted, the shifts in tempo and vibe don’t make a lick of musical sense in “Delusional”, but I find them entertaining. She’s deluded, it’s all part of her ~Character Arc~ it’s fine.”

David – 1 – “There is a lot going on here, to the point that it is just too much. I don’t even know how to describe this genre or what I’m even listening to. There are some good parts in the song, but those parts get absolutely ruined by how random this song comes out. Respect for the creativity, but this is overall just a huge mess.”

James – 8 – “A wacky chick rock number that starts off like a wounded girl dirge and then morphs into something strange. It hits hard in the chorus and there’s also whimsy in the outro, perfect for a song called “Delusional.””

Jasmin – 4 – “I was partly invested until the chorus arrived which lost me completely. The rhythm is off-putting and the production sounds too robotic, which is not what I’m seeking. With a strong live this could potentially grow on me if the vocal is cleaner but I’m not a fan.”

Rebecca – 2.5 – “This one is quite odd, but unfortunately not in a good way. It doesn’t seem to be mixed very well—the vocals are very overpowering compared to the instrumentals, especially in the chorus. The cuckoo right before the second chorus is a nice touch, and the final chorus is actually a lot more engaging than the others. This definitely needs to be workshopped a bit before it would be “Eurovision ready.””

Total: 22.5 points (Average = 4.5)

The Ludvig – “Līgo”

Boris – 9 – “Can we get a little bit louder? A little bit louder? I like the noise, what’s the matter?” When in doubt, add a camp woman ♥. It’s so weird to think that I disliked TheLudvig on his first attempt many moons ago and he is arguably my favourite in this lot – “Ligo” is a Eurovision song, a delightful Ukrainian-style hodgepodge of modern EDM influences and authentic Latvian folk. It works really well in studio. I have my doubts whether Ludwig can pull this off live however: his bits are probably the worst part of the song (up down left right, is he playing Tetris?) and drag down the campness a bit. Additionally, “Ligo” really needs both strong live vocals AND an energetic dance act in order to live up to the studio cut, and that is a logistical nightmare with a maximum of 6 performers. High Risk, but High Reward.”

David – 8 – “There is A LOT of potential right here! The moment the song starts, the song drags me along on a fantasy full journey. The creativity it creates, the mix of cultural and up-tempo as well as Latvian and English, it perfectly opens up for anyone to join the fun. It’s not completely perfectly executed, I would’ve loved the lead vocal to more in front, since it seems a bit too dependent on the backing.”

James – 5 – “I like elements of this song, but I don’t like the combined whole. I like the Baltic folk chanting (reminiscent of Ukraine), I like the summer dance vibes and the bass, but jam them all together and it’s a bit of a jerky mess, like an auto-stop-start function of a bad modern car. And Ludvig… sorry, THE Ludvig… doesn’t sound like that strong a singer, so I hope he has stage charisma and some dance moves to elevate this song.”

Jasmin – 9 – “Oh wow, Latvia is that you? I hardly recognize you… this slaps from start to finish. It is not my favourite of the NF but it is not too far. The production here is insanely good and the mash-up of genres is delightfully blended into something original and authentic which will draw in many people. I will be brave here and say this can upset the top 10 at Eurovision if executed right. Latvia, be smart and think really hard on this one because you’re sitting on a gold mine.”

Rebecca – 6.5 – “A very crowd-pleasing club banger. Love the heavy bass, and there’s a cool blend of electronic and more folk-y sounds. My biggest concern with this one is the same concern I had with Halo (Austria 2022) and Look Away (2019): songs that are optimised for clubs and DJ events don’t seem to work very well on the Eurovision stage. The vocals have a synthetic quality to them that don’t lend themselves well to live vocals, and the stage show can be a little odd when the music is not being mixed directly by the DJ on the stage. So I’ll hold onto my reservations until I see what the live performance looks like.”

Total: 37.5 points (Average = 7.5)

Heading into the back half of the Semi-Final, we can see The Ludvig, Tepat and KoBra and Terat sitting pretty as princes of the backstage: