Miks Dukurs is a very well known name to followers of Latvian Eurovision preselections. He has been an ever-present in Supernova (and Eiro Dziesma before it), so it feels right to have him back again as the competition gets underway on Saturday night with it’s semi-final.
We were thrilled to be able to catch up with Miks once again ahead of his participation to discuss his plans for this year, and the story behind his latest entry ‘First Love’.
Hi Miks, congratulations on being selected for the Supernova Semi-finals! You are no stranger to the competition of course, and we think it’s now into double figures of times that you have entered EiroDziesma/Supernova. What is it about this competition that you love so much, and what made you want to enter again this year?
‘I love to write music and I always dreamed about showing it somewhere abroad so this is a very good chance for me as an artist to open the gates to Europe. Also it’s always been a dream to do something important for my country and this is great opportunity to hold a flag of your country and feel proud! Another reason is that I’m not a quitter, so I want to make it till the end! This time it’s also beautiful destination to go – my second home, not literally but I feel that way about Italy and even dreaming about living there some day! Amazing architecture, history, good wine and delicious food! Bellissimo!’
You last entered in 2020 and made the final with ‘I’m Falling For You’. How would you sum up that experience, were you happy with the feedback you received and how everything went? What did you learn that you will take into this year’s contest?
‘If you mean comments from jury, they’re mostly very abstract so I mainly care about what people who listen my music feels about it. That year it was all great! Feedback was amazing and I had to meet lots of new listeners and made lots of friends! So I hope this year gonna be even better! Overall experience was remarkable and I learned that if you do it from the bottom of your heart your song can touch lots of souls! It’s magical! This year I’ll go even deeper! Let’s see how it goes’
You’ve had a very busy few months, with your Christmas concerts, your new album and tour, and now onto Supernova. How has the initial reaction been to the new album?
‘Yea, end of the 2021 was crazy! Crazy good! And I turned 33 on 31st of December! My favourite number so I hope year brings lots of fresh experience! About the album – it’s my favourite so far and making it was pure fun. Really hope that after Supernova people will notice it more cause I’m planning a tour when it will be possible. Probably this summer but I hope sooner. Meanwhile “Last Concert Of 2021” is on YouTube, I decided to put it there cause it’s the most emotional concert I ever played with my band and I hope more people will watch it after show as well. It was perfect! In my hometown, so I felt happy as a kid! “33” tour will be special as well, this year will bring lots of joy I think.’
You can watch the concert right here:
When you considered Supernova, were there any other tracks from the album that you considered for submission?, why did you end up choosing First Love specifically for the contest?
‘This year I had lots of songs to choose from but First Love came to me at the very last moment cause something very emotional happened to me in my personal life. My family almost fell apart and I felt destroyed. For two weeks we even lived separately and lyrics for some actually pretty old piano theme I wrote some time ago came very natural. This song means so much to me! I have never been lower in my life but I got out because now we’re happier than ever! I thought this could be a song that I could deliver with my whole heart.’
Your songs are always to heartfelt and clearly your family are such a huge inspiration to you. Can you tell us a bit more about the song ‘First Love’ and what it means to you?
‘As I said this is very important song for me! You also mentioned my family and yes it always was and will be my biggest motivation! My sacred place to go after some battles and struggles life brings to us every day. I was so lost when somehow after 12 years being together with my wife we got into this dark place. Let’s call it 12 years crisis and it’s ok! Now we know that! We found each other again and this is very happy ending. But it was hurting like nothing else, like the first time we got heart broken you know. It’s first love, that feeling and it hurts the most! Feeling that repeats every time we break our heart.’
We know you are a fan of the great outdoors. Last year you took us to the beautiful beaches at Gauja on the Baltic Sea for your video of ‘I’m Falling For You’, and we see you’ve recently taken a trip to Austria for some winter sports!. How was that experience?, I hope you didn’t get injured in the snowboarding, or get any ideas about the Winter Olympics!
‘Olympics no! Let’s leave that to my “brother” Martin Dukurs and his actual brother. I do snowboarding just for fun and Austria was pure inspiration! So beautiful and just what I needed before Supernova. Great way to start a year! I’m a big fan of nature, that’s also true! Gauja is my favourite river so I’m also feeling blessed to live next to it. And I share it with others a lot yup just can’t help it! So beautiful!’
What else do you like to do with your free time. Over the last couple of years it seems so many of us have had extra time to ourselves and with our families. Did you find any new hobbies to keep yourself busy?
‘My story is that my life didn’t change that much. I always worked from home and spend most of free time with my family. The best of what has happened is that my wife also changed her job and now we can be more flexible! There are no sundays and mondays anymore! Of course all this situation cost me lots of concerts that didn’t happen so I had more time to do something else except making music and performing. One example is gardening! I went crazy with that last spring! Besides that I still love to spend time on stand up paddle board! Even won some races here in Latvia!’
Having entered this contest so many times, what would it mean to you to finally get that chance to represent Latvia at the Eurovision Song Contest?, It’s always great to see your name among the contestants, it almost wouldn’t feel right to have a Supernova without you!
‘He he! Yes I’m like a good old furniture here! And really got used to do it all over again every year! It’s like a routine already so I think I would be so shocked that it would took me few days to realise it actually happened! I just couldn’t believe it. All I can say that this year I’m more ready than ever before and if stars will want me to go and represent Latvia, I’ll do it out and proud! Cause I got the right song and it’s Italy!’
Thank you so much for your time Miks. We will of course be watching the show, and we wish the very best of luck in the competition!
You can listen to ‘First Love’ here:
And don’t forget to vote in our poll for your favourites in the semi final of Supernova!
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