Latvia was represented at the Eurovision Song Contest 2006 with the song "I Hear Your Heart", composed by Andris Sējāns and Reinis Sējāns, with lyrics by Guntars Račs and Molly-Ann Leikin, and performed by the group Cosmos. The Latvian participating broadcaster, Latvijas Televīzija (LTV), organised the national final Eirodziesma 2006 in order to select its entry for the contest. Twenty songs were selected to compete in the national final, which consisted of three shows: two semi-finals and a final. In the semi-finals on 4 and 11 February 2006, five entries were selected to advance from each show: three entries selected based on a public televote and two entries selected by a five-member jury panel. Ten songs ultimately qualified to compete in the final on 11 March 2006 where two rounds of public voting selected "I Hear Your Heart" performed by Cosmos as the winner. As one of the ten highest placed finishers in 2005, Latvia automatically qualified to compete in the final of the Eurovision Song Contest. Performing during the show in position 4, Latvia placed sixteenth out of the 24 participating countries with 30 points.

Background

Prior to the 2007 contest, Latvijas Televīzija (LTV) had participated in the Eurovision Song Contest representing Latvia seven times since its first entry in 2000. It won the contest once with the song "I Wanna" performed by Marie N. Following the introduction of semi-finals for the 2004, it was able to qualify to compete in the final in 2005 with the entry "The War Is Not Over" performed by Walters and Kazha. As part of its duties as participating broadcaster, LTV organises the selection of its entry in the Eurovision Song Contest and broadcasts the event in the country. The broadcaster has selected its entries for the contest through a national final. Since their debut in 2000, LTV had organised the selection show Eirodziesma. The broadcaster organised Eirodziesma 2006 in order to select its entry for the 2006 contest.

Before Eurovision

Eirodziesma 2006

Eirodziesma 2006 was the seventh edition of Eirodziesma, the music competition organised by LTV to select its entries for the Eurovision Song Contest. The competition commenced on 4 February 2006 and concluded with a final on 11 March 2006. All shows in the competition were hosted by Uģis Joksts and Kristīne Pekule and broadcast on LTV1.

Format

The format of the competition consisted of three shows: two semi-finals and a final. The two semi-finals, held on 4 and 11 February 2006, each featured ten competing entries from which five advanced to the final from each show. The final, held on 11 March 2006, selected the Latvian entry for Athens from the remaining ten entries over two rounds of voting: the first round selected the top three songs and the second round (superfinal) selected the winner. Results during the semi-final shows were determined by a jury panel and votes from the public. The songs first faced a public vote where the top three entries qualified. The jury then selected an additional two qualifiers from the remaining entries to proceed in the competition. In the final, a public vote exclusively determined which entry would be the winner. Viewers were able to vote via telephone or SMS.

Competing entries

Artists and songwriters were able to submit their entries to the broadcaster between 20 September 2005 and 22 November 2005. A record 93 entries were submitted at the conclusion of the submission period. A jury panel appointed by LTV evaluated the submitted songs and selected twenty entries for the competition. The jury panel consisted of Ruslana (who won Eurovision for ), Arsen Shagiev (Manager of Mumiy Troll –who represented –), Igor Volk (Russian producer), Manolo Dias (President of EMI Spain), Ramūnas Zilnys (Lithuanian music journalist), Walters and Kazha (who represented ), Toms Grēviņš (radio DJ), Uldis Rudaks (music critic), and Daiga Mazvērsīte (musicologist). The twenty competing artists and songs were announced during a press conference on 6 December 2005. On 20 January 2006, LTV announced that the song "Day or Night" would be performed together with Amberlife by Anna Polanski instead of Jenny May after she was selected with more than one song.

Shows

Semi-finals

The two semi-finals took place on 4 and 11 February 2006. The live portion of the show was held at the LTV studios in Riga where the artists awaited the results while their performances, which were filmed earlier on 26 and 28 January 2006, were screened. In each semi-final ten acts competed and five entries qualified to the final. The competing entries first faced a public vote where the top three songs advanced; an additional two qualifiers were then selected from the remaining seven entries by the jury. The jury panel that voted in the semi-finals consisted of Marija Naumova (who won Eurovision for ), Egons Reiters (DJ at Radio SWH and director of LTV), Aigars Dinsbergs (producer), Edgars Kots (Deputy General Director of LTV) and Raimonds Pauls (composer).

Final

The final took place at the Olympic Center in Ventspils on 11 March 2006. The ten entries that qualified from the preceding two semi-finals competed and the winner was selected over two rounds of public televoting. In the first round, the top three songs advanced to the second round, the superfinal. In the superfinal, "I Hear Your Heart" performed by Cosmos was declared the winner. In addition to the performances of the competing entries, guest performers included the group Putnu balle, Ivo Fomins (who represented ) with the group Borowa MC, Walters and Kazha (who represented ), Sandra Oxenryd (who would represent ), Brian Kennedy (who would represent ), and Fabrizio Faniello (who would represent ).

Ratings

At Eurovision

According to Eurovision rules, all nations with the exceptions of the host country, the "Big Four" (France, Germany, Spain, and the United Kingdom) and the ten highest placed finishers in the are required to qualify from the semi-final in order to compete for the final; the top ten countries from the semi-final progress to the final. As one of the ten highest placed finishers in the 2006 contest, Latvia automatically qualified to compete in the final on 20 May 2006. In addition to their participation in the final, Latvia is also required to broadcast and vote in the semi-final on 18 May 2006. On 21 March 2006, a special allocation draw was held which determined the running order and Latvia was set to perform in position 4 during the final, following the entry from and before the entry from. Latvia placed sixteenth in the final, scoring 30 points. The semi-final and the final were broadcast in Latvia on LTV1 with all shows featuring commentary by Kārlis Streips. LTV appointed Mārtiņš Freimanis as its spokesperson to announce the Latvian votes during the final.

Voting

Below is a breakdown of points awarded to Latvia and awarded by Latvia in the semi-final and grand final of the contest. The nation awarded its 12 points to in the semi-final and the final of the contest.

Points awarded to Latvia

Points awarded by Latvia