Supernova Latvia 2026 Semi-Final 1: The Journey Begins

The first semi-final of Supernova 2026 marks the beginning of Latvia's quest to find its representative for the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 in Vienna, Austria. Taking place on January 31, 2026 at the Riga Film Studio, this opening semi-final features twelve talented artists competing for five coveted spots in the Grand Final.

Supernova returns with a three-show format for the first time since 2019, featuring two semi-finals and a grand final. This structure allows for a more comprehensive showcase of Latvian musical talent, with 24 artists competing across the two semi-finals. This format change demonstrates Latvia's commitment to providing a thorough and entertaining national selection process.

The Competing Artists

Antra Stafecka – "Divejāda"

Antra Stafecka opens the semi-final with "Divejāda," a Latvian-language entry that showcases cultural pride and linguistic authenticity. Performing in Latvian demonstrates confidence in the language's musical qualities and emotional resonance. Stafecka's artistic vision combines contemporary production with traditional Latvian sensibilities, creating an entry that honors heritage while embracing modernity.

Tikasha Sakama – "#010126 CODA"

Tikasha Sakama presents the intriguingly titled "#010126 CODA," with the hexadecimal color code in the title suggesting visual artistry and technical creativity. The word "CODA" (meaning a concluding passage) adds musical sophistication to the entry. Tikasha's innovative approach demonstrates Latvia's capacity for producing conceptually ambitious pop music.

ELPO – "Blakus"

ELPO delivers "Blakus" (Nearby/Beside), a Latvian-language entry exploring themes of proximity and connection. The song's intimate title suggests emotional closeness and relationship dynamics. ELPO's performance style emphasizes vulnerability and authenticity, creating a relatable entry that speaks to universal experiences of human connection.

Agnese – "Oh My My"

Agnese offers "Oh My My," an English-language entry with an exclamatory title that suggests surprise and emotional intensity. The song's contemporary pop production and Agnese's charismatic performance create an immediately engaging experience. The accessible English lyrics combined with strong melodic hooks make this entry internationally appealing.

Emilija – "All We Ever Had"

Emilija presents "All We Ever Had," a reflective ballad about memories and what remains after relationships change. The song's nostalgic quality and Emilija's emotive vocal delivery create a poignant performance. The universal theme of looking back on shared experiences resonates across cultures and languages.

Blurie – "Lovin' Always Gets Me Down"

Blurie delivers "Lovin' Always Gets Me Down," exploring the paradox of love's emotional complexity. The title's honest acknowledgment that love can be difficult creates immediate relatability. Blurie's contemporary production and authentic expression of romantic struggle make this entry both modern and timeless.

Aivo Oskis – "Walking Out"

Aivo Oskis offers "Walking Out," a song about leaving and moving forward. The title's decisive action suggests empowerment and self-determination. Oskis' performance combines vocal strength with emotional conviction, creating an entry that celebrates the courage to walk away from what no longer serves you.

DABA – "Panic Attack"

DABA presents "Panic Attack," a bold choice of title that addresses mental health with directness and honesty. The song's exploration of anxiety and overwhelming emotion demonstrates contemporary pop music's increasing willingness to address psychological struggles. DABA's authentic expression creates connection with audiences who've experienced similar challenges.

Kautkaili – "Te un Tagad"

Kautkaili delivers "Te un Tagad" (Here and Now), a Latvian-language entry emphasizing presence and mindfulness. The song's focus on the present moment resonates with contemporary cultural conversations about living in the now. Kautkaili's performance combines traditional Latvian musical elements with modern production, creating a distinctive sonic identity.

De Mantra – "Let Them"

De Mantra offers "Let Them," an empowering anthem about releasing control and allowing others to be themselves. The song's message of acceptance and letting go creates a liberating listening experience. De Mantra's confident performance and the song's universal wisdom make this entry both personally meaningful and broadly appealing.

Honey Blue – "Blue Disco"

Honey Blue presents "Blue Disco," combining color imagery with dance culture. The title suggests a melancholic yet celebratory atmosphere—dancing through sadness. The song's blend of emotional depth with danceable production creates an entry that works both on the dance floor and in intimate listening.

Ivo Grīsniņš Grīslis – "Home"

Ivo Grīsniņš Grīslis rounds out the semi-final with "Home," a universal theme that resonates across cultures. The concept of home—whether physical place, emotional state, or sense of belonging—creates immediate connection. Grīslis' interpretation of this timeless theme brings personal perspective to a shared human experience.

The Riga Film Studio

Semi-Final 1 takes place at the Riga Film Studio, a professional production facility that has become Supernova's home venue. The studio provides state-of-the-art equipment and experienced technical crews, ensuring optimal presentation quality for each performance.

The film studio environment offers creative staging possibilities, with professional lighting systems, LED screens, and advanced camera equipment that create television-ready production values. This technical excellence helps prepare artists for the Eurovision stage, where visual presentation is as crucial as musical performance.

Competition Format and Voting

Supernova 2026 employs a 50/50 voting system, combining professional jury assessment with public televoting. This balanced approach ensures entries are evaluated for both technical merit and audience appeal—crucial qualities for Eurovision success.

Qualification from Semi-Final 1:

Top 5: Advance directly to the Grand Final on February 14
Potential Wildcard: One non-qualifying entry may be selected by the jury as an 11th finalist
Remaining entries: Eliminated from the competition

The jury panel consists of music industry professionals who evaluate vocal performance, song composition, staging quality, and overall artistic merit. The public vote reflects audience preference and emotional connection, often favoring entries with immediate appeal and memorable moments.

The Hosting Team

The semi-finals are presented by Ketija Šēnberga, Lauris Reiniks, and Māra Sleja, a trio of experienced Latvian television personalities. Their professionalism and chemistry create an engaging viewing experience, guiding audiences through the competition while maintaining energy and entertainment value.

The hosts provide context about each performance, share artist backgrounds, and build suspense during voting, creating a complete entertainment package beyond just the musical performances.

Latvia's Eurovision History

Latvia has participated in the Eurovision Song Contest since 2000, achieving its best result in 2002 when Marie N won the contest with "I Wanna," bringing Eurovision to Riga in 2003. This victory remains a highlight of Latvian Eurovision history and demonstrated the country's capacity for producing internationally successful entries.

Recent Latvian entries have showcased diverse musical styles. In 2024, Dons represented Latvia with "Hollow," while 2025 saw Tautumeitas perform "Bur man laimi." Latvia consistently delivers high-quality national selections that attract international attention from Eurovision fans.

The Three-Show Format

Supernova 2026 marks a return to the three-show format (two semi-finals plus final) last used in 2019. This structure provides several advantages:

More comprehensive showcase: 24 artists compete instead of the smaller fields in recent years
Better pacing: Twelve entries per semi-final creates manageable show length
Increased excitement: Multiple shows build anticipation for the final
Fair competition: Artists compete against 11 others instead of larger fields

The format change demonstrates Latvia's commitment to providing a thorough and entertaining selection process that showcases the depth of Latvian musical talent.

The Wildcard Opportunity

An innovative aspect of Supernova 2026 is the potential for an 11th finalist to be selected by the jury from the non-qualifying entries across both semi-finals. This wildcard system ensures that strong performances aren't lost due to particularly competitive semi-finals.

The jury's ability to save one additional entry acknowledges that semi-final composition can significantly impact results—an artist who doesn't qualify from one semi-final might have succeeded in the other. This safety net ensures the Grand Final features the strongest possible lineup.

Linguistic Diversity

Semi-Final 1 showcases both Latvian and English-language entries, demonstrating Latvia's comfort with linguistic diversity. Recent Eurovision trends have shown that authenticity and cultural specificity often resonate more strongly than generic English-language pop, with many successful entries performed in native languages.

The Latvian-language entries in this semi-final demonstrate cultural pride and confidence in the language's musical qualities, while English-language entries offer international accessibility. This balance creates a diverse and engaging show.

The Road to Vienna

The winner of Supernova 2026 will represent Latvia at the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 in Vienna, Austria, taking place in May 2026. Vienna previously hosted Eurovision in 2015, delivering a professional and memorable contest in a city renowned for its musical heritage.

Latvia will compete in one of two semi-finals, needing to finish in the top 10 to qualify for the Grand Final. Success requires creating an entry that resonates with diverse European audiences while maintaining Latvian identity and artistic integrity.

How to Watch

Supernova 2026 Semi-Final 1 will be broadcast on LTV (Latvian Television) and streamed online, making it accessible to both domestic and international audiences. The show begins at 21:10 CET on January 31, 2026.

International viewers can follow the competition through online streaming, allowing Eurovision fans worldwide to discover potential Eurovision contenders and enjoy high-quality national final production.

What's at Stake

For the twelve competing artists, Semi-Final 1 represents an opportunity to advance in Latvia's most prestigious music competition and potentially represent their country at Eurovision. The exposure from Supernova can launch or advance careers, with many past participants achieving success in Latvia's music industry regardless of their final placement.

The competition also serves as a showcase for Latvian songwriting, production, and performance talent, demonstrating the country's musical diversity and creative vitality.

Join the Journey

Supernova 2026 Semi-Final 1 marks the beginning of Latvia's Eurovision journey, featuring twelve talented artists with diverse musical styles and artistic visions. Whether you're a dedicated Eurovision fan or discovering Latvian music for the first time, this semi-final promises entertainment, emotion, and exceptional performances.

Tune in on January 31 to witness the start of Latvia's path to Vienna!

Event Results

This event concluded on January 31, 2026. Below are the official results.

Qualifiers to the Grand Final

The following five acts qualified directly to the Grand Final on February 14, 2026:

Kautkaili – "Te un Tagad"
De Mantra – "Let Them"
Emilija – "All We Ever Had"
Tikasha Sakama – "#010126 CODA"
ELPO – "Blakus"

These five artists impressed both the professional jury and the Latvian public with their performances, earning their spots in the Grand Final through the 50/50 voting system.

Non-Qualifiers

The following seven acts did not qualify from Semi-Final 1:

Antra Stafecka – "Divejāda"
Agnese – "Oh My My"
Blurie – "Lovin' Always Gets Me Down"
Aivo Oskis – "Walking Out"
DABA – "Panic Attack"
Honey Blue – "Blue Disco"
Ivo Grīsniņš Grīslis – "Home"

These artists remain eligible for the jury wildcard selection, where one non-qualifying entry from either semi-final may be chosen as an 11th finalist.

What's Next?

The Supernova 2026 journey continues with Semi-Final 2 on February 7, where twelve new artists will compete for the final five Grand Final spots. Visit the Events Calendar to see all upcoming shows.

The Grand Final on February 14 (Valentine's Day) will bring together up to eleven finalists competing for the honor of representing Latvia at the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 in Vienna, Austria.