So straight after the first Scandinavian country, we now have the first Baltic country. Former winners Latvia mark their 20th appearance in the contest this year, though have had a patchy recent history, with just two qualifications for the grand final since 2009. An uphill struggle for Carousel then – can they make the semi-final “that night” Latvia qualify again?

Carousel are a duo (though not a duet) that caused a bit of a surprise by winning Supernova 2019, the Latvian national final. They saw off other early favourites, including perennial contestant Markus Riva (who I really thought would win this year!). It’s a dreamy sort of song, with a distinct country vibe. It’s relaxing and reflective I’d say, although not an awful lot happens or changes during the three minutes.

I have to say, I don’t see this improving Latvia’s qualification record much – it’s got a relatively early slot in the running order (not a benefit) and plenty of songs that are almost certain to qualify or are strong contenders to qualify. It’s not a song that I dislike, but one has to be honest about their chances!

(One curious fact – Latvia were #31 in my countdown last year as well!)

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National final performance:

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My preview video:

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Latvia in the Eurovision Song Contest