Latvia in the Eurovision Song Contest 2014

Dziesma 2014 was the second edition of Dziesma, the music competition that selects Latvia's entries for the Eurovision Song Contest. The competition commenced on 1 February 2014 and concluded with a final on 22 February 2014.[1] All shows in the competition were broadcast on LTV1 as well as online via the broadcaster's official website ltv.lsm.lv, while the final was also streamed online at the official Eurovision Song Contest website eurovision.tv.[2]

The format of the competition consisted of three shows: two semi-finals and a final. The semi-finals took place at Palladium Concert Hall in Riga and the final took place at the Jūras vārti Theatre in Ventspils. The three shows were hosted by Ēriks Loks and Nauris Brikmanis.[3] The two semi-finals, held on 1 and 2 February 2014, each featured twelve competing entries from which six advanced to the final from each show. The final, held on 22 February 2014, selected the Latvian entry for Copenhagen from the remaining twelve entries over two rounds of voting: the first round selected the top three entries and the second round selected the winner.[4]

Results during the semi-final and final shows were determined by the 50/50 combination of votes from a jury panel and a public vote. The jury vote was calculated by having each juror assign points from 1 to 12 based on individual ranking, with the first place receiving one point and last place receiving twelve points. The public vote also assigned points from 1 to 12 based on the number of votes each entry received, with the first place receiving one point and last place receiving twelve points. In the second round of the final, both the jury and public assigned points from 1 to 3 for the top three entries, with the first place receiving one point and last place receiving three points. Viewers were able to vote via telephone up to five times, SMS with a single SMS counting as five votes or via online through the broadcaster's official website. The online vote allowed users to vote once per each accepted social network account: Draugiem.lv, Facebook and Twitter.[5][6]

Songwriters were able to submit their entries to the broadcaster between 1 October 2013 and 20 November 2013. LTV adopted the slogan "Made in Latvia" for the competition, meaning that all songwriters were required to have Latvian citizenship or residency unlike in previous years. 73 songs (60 in English, 11 in Latvian, 1 in Russian and 1 in French) were submitted for the competition at the conclusion of the submission period.[7] Local and international jury panels appointed by LTV evaluated the submitted songs and selected twenty-four entries.[5] The international jury panel consisted of Adam Klein (British music manager), John Ballard (Swedish composer and producer) and Maja Keuc (2011 Slovenian Eurovision entrant). The local jury consisted of Aija Strazdiņa (director), Aija Vītoliņa (singer), Ģirts Lūsis ("Labvēlīgais tips" producer and composer), Kārlis Auzāns (producer and composer) and Kristaps Krievkalns (musician and composer). The twenty-four selected songs were announced during a press conference on 2 December 2013 and the selected songwriters had until 7 January 2014 to nominate the performers for their songs.[8] The twenty-four competing artists were announced on 8 January 2014.[9]

The first semi-final took place on 1 February 2014. Twelve entries competed and the top six songs qualified to the final via a 50/50 combination of votes from a jury panel and the Latvian public.[6] The jury panel that voted in the first semi-final consisted of Kristaps Krievkalns (musician, composer and arranger), Jegors Jerohomovičs (music critic and cultural journalist), Aija Strazdiņa (director), Ģirts Lūsis (musician, composer, producer and manager), Uldis Cīrulis aka DJ Monsta (radio DJ), Gabriel Broggini (member of 2012 Swiss Eurovision entrants Sinplus), Ivan Broggini (member of 2012 Swiss Eurovision entrants Sinplus), Vineta Elksne (singer, vocal coach, conductor and songwriter) and Jānis Palkavnieks (spokesman for Draugiem.lv).[10]

In addition to the performances of the competing entries, the show featured guest performances by rock group Dzelzs Vilks, ensemble Gapoljeri, folk duo Dimantas, hip-hop performer Pikaso and 2012 Swiss Eurovision entrants Sinplus.[11]

The second semi-final took place on 2 February 2014. Twelve entries competed and the top six songs qualified to the final via a 50/50 combination of votes from a jury panel and the Latvian public.[12] The jury panel that voted in the second semi-final consisted of Kristaps Krievkalns (musician, composer and arranger), Jegors Jerohomovičs (music critic and cultural journalist), Aija Strazdiņa (director), Ģirts Lūsis (musician, composer, producer and manager), Uldis Cīrulis aka DJ Monsta (radio DJ), Gabriel Broggini (member of 2012 Swiss Eurovision entrants Sinplus), Ivan Broggini (member of 2012 Swiss Eurovision entrants Sinplus), Zita Lunde (TVNET web portal editor in chief) and Artūrs Ancāns (Emīls Dārziņš mixed choir artistic director and chairman of the board of the Latvian Choir Conductors Association).[13]

In addition to the performances of the competing entries, the show featured guest performances by 2012 World Choir Games champions Latvian Voices, 2010 Latvian Eurovision entrant Aija Andrejeva, group Headline, Latvian Song and Dance Festival choir wars winner Latvian Academy of Culture mixed choir Sõla and 2012 Swiss Eurovision entrants Sinplus.[11]

The final took place on 22 February 2014. The twelve entries that qualified from the preceding two semi-finals competed and the winner was selected over two rounds of voting. In the first round, the top three songs advanced to the second round, the superfinal. In the superfinal, the song with the highest number of votes from the jury and the public, "Cake to Bake" performed by Aarzemnieki, was declared the winner.[14] The jury panel that voted in the final consisted of Kristaps Krievkalns (musician, composer and arranger), Sandris Vanzovičs (journalist), Ģirts Lūsis ("Labvēlīgais tips" producer and composer), Uldis Cīrulis aka DJ Monsta (radio DJ), Ieva Rozentāle (producer of music and culture programs at LTV), Agnese Cimuška (general manager of the Latvian Music Development Society), Andres Kõpper (member of Estonian band Tenfold Rabbit) and Rihards Zaļupe (composer and percussionist).[15]

In addition to the performances of the competing songs, the show featured guest performances by 2003 Latvian Eurovision entrant (as part of F.L.Y.) Lauris Reiniks, Normunds Rutulis, 2004 Latvian Eurovision entrants Fomins and Kleins, 2013 Latvian Eurovision entrants PeR performing together with Lithuanian singer Jurga and Tenfold Rabbit.[16]