Latvia: Dons releases the official music video of 'Hollow'

Latvia: Dons releases the official music video of 'Hollow'
Friday, 15 March 2024

  • Latvia's Eurovision 2024 representative, Dons,  has released the official music video of his entry for Malmo, 'Hollow'. 

    Dons won this year the Latvian natinal final of Supernova 2024 and secured his way to the Eurovision stage with the song 'Hollow'.

    The song was written by Artūrs Šingirejs (Dons) , Kate Northrop, and Liam Geddes. Šingirejs says that the song explores how one's "insecurities can hold us hostage", with others trying to dictate on how a person should live. Šingirejs compares the culmination of pressures as "a big ball of weight" on someone, with the only situation on removing said weight is finding hope.

     

    A few words for Dons

    Artūrs Šingirejs (born 10 April 1984), better known as Dons, is a Latvian singer and songwriter. He is one of the most popular singers in Latvia, having won the Latvian Music Recording Awards' Top Radio Hit award eight times for most played song.

    He has released eight solo albums and has won numerous awards including Latvijas Radio's Muzikālās Banka  Song of the Year five times. At the Latvian Music Recording Awards, he has won Best Pop Album twice from five nominations for Varanasi (2014) and Tūrists (2020). He has won Best Rock Album once from two nominations with Lelle (2008) and has been nominated once for Best Pop-Rock Album with Signāls (2013). 

    Previously, he attempted to represent Latvia in the Eurovision Song Contest twice with the songs "My Religion is Freedom" (2010) and "Pēdējā Vēstule" (2014), finishing in second both times in the Latvian national finals.

    Born in Saldus, Latvia, Dons began his career in the Latvian reality show Talantu Fabrika (lit. 'Talent Factory') in 2003. He released a duet album, Viens Otram (2004), with fellow contestant Lily (real name Linda Kalniņa, m. 2009; div. 2013). His first solo album Lights On (2006) was mostly in English. He found success releasing his next seven albums in Latvian: Lelle (2008), Signāls (2013), Varanasi (2014), Sibīrija (2015), Tepat (2016), Namiņš. Kaste. Vārdi (2018), and Tūrists (2020). In 2021, he signed with Universal Music and will release his first album Laiks on the label in August 2024.

    Dons will represent Latvia at Eurovision 2024 performing in the second half of the 2nd semi-final on May 9, 2024 in Malmo Arena. 

     

    Latvia in Eurovision 

    Latvia participated in Eurovision first time back in 2000. The country on its debut participation, with Brainstorm finished in 3rd place with the song My Star. It didn’t take long for Latvia to win the contest, since in  2002, with Marie N’s I Wanna the Baltic country was crowned winner.

    Latvia only participated in 2002 thanks to the withdrawal of Portugal from the contest, as Latvia’s poor result in 2001 had relegated them from the 2002 contest. From 2009 to 2014 Latvia met disappointing results as it failed to qualify to the Grand final. In 2015 achieved its best results the latest year with Animata and her Love Injected which ended in 6th place. 

    In 2022, Supernova winners, Citi Zeni, represented the nation with their song 'Eat your salad'  by competing in the first semi final where they failed to qualify finishing in the 14th place.

    Laat year in Liverpool, Aija represented the Baltic nation with the song 'Sudden Lights' which missed out the finals by one spot as he finsihed 11th in the semi-final.