Latvia in the Eurovision Song Contest 2011

Eirodziesma 2011 was the twelfth edition of Eirodziesma, the music competition that selects Latvia's entries for the Eurovision Song Contest. The competition commenced on 5 February 2011 and concluded with a final on 26 February 2011. All shows in the competition were broadcast on LTV1 as well as online via the broadcaster's official website ltv.lv, while the final was also streamed online at the official Eurovision Song Contest website euroision.tv.[1][2]

The format of the competition consisted of four shows: two semi-finals, a Second Chance round and a final. The four shows took place at the Jūras vārti Theatre in Ventspils and were hosted by Uģis Joksts, 2005 Latvian Eurovision entrant as part of Valters & Kaža Valters Frīdenbergs and Jolanta Strikaite (final-only). The two semi-finals, held on 5 and 12 January 2011, each featured ten competing entries from which five directly advanced to the final from each show. The Second Chance round, held on 19 February 2011, featured the ten non-qualifiers from the semi-finals from which two proceeded to the final. The final, held on 26 February 2011, selected the Latvian entry for Düsseldorf 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.[3][4]

Results during the semi-final and Second Chance shows were determined by a jury panel and votes from the public. In the semi-finals, 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 Second Chance round, the songs first faced a public vote where one entry qualified. The jury then selected an additional qualifier from the remaining entries to proceed in the competition. Results during the final were determined by the 50/50 combination of votes from the jury and public vote. Viewers were able to vote via telephone or via SMS up to five times.[5]

Artists and songwriters were able to submit their entries to the broadcaster between 16 November 2010 and 7 December 2010. Artists and songwriters were required to have Latvian citizenship or residency and were able to submit up to two entries each. 71 entries (7 less than the previous year) were submitted for the competition at the conclusion of the submission period.[6] A jury panel appointed by LTV evaluated the submitted songs and selected twenty entries. The twenty competing artists and songs were announced on 14 December 2010.

The first semi-final took place on 5 February 2011. Five entries qualified to the final. The ten competing entries first faced a public vote where the top three songs advanced: "Hop" performed by Blitze, "Don't Stop the Dance" performed by Evija Sloka and "You Are" performed by Pieneņu vīns. An additional two qualifiers were selected from the remaining eight entries by the jury: "Let It Be Me" performed by Jānis Stībelis and "Daylight" performed by D-family.[7][8]

The second semi-final took place on 12 February 2011. Five entries qualified to the final. The ten competing entries first faced a public vote where the top three songs advanced: "Banjo Laura" performed by Lauris Reiniks, "Angel in Disguise" performed by Musiqq and "Summer Night" performed by The Secretz. An additional two qualifiers were selected from the remaining eight entries by the jury: "Upside Down" performed by Triānas parks and "Live On!" performed by Oksana Ļepska.[8][9]

The Second Chance round took place on 19 February 2011. Two entries qualified to the final. The ten competing entries that failed to qualify from the preceding two semi-finals first faced a public vote where one song advanced: "Look Back At Me Again" performed by Elīna Krastiņa-Grence. An additional qualifier was selected from the remaining nine entries by the jury: "Cinderella" performed by Ivo Grīsniņš-Grīslis.[8][10]

The final took place on 26 February 2011. Triānas parks withdrew their song "Upside Down" from the competition due to illness of their lead singer. The remaining eleven entries that qualified from the preceding two semi-finals and Second Chance round 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: "Banjo Laura" performed by Lauris Reiniks, "Angel in Disguise" performed by Musiqq and "You Are" performed by Pieneņu vīns. In the superfinal, the song with the highest number of votes from the jury and the public, "Angel in Disguise" performed by Musiqq, was declared the winner.[8][11] The jury panel that voted in the final consisted of Boriss Rezņiks (composer), Sandra Veinberga (journalist), Jānis Šipkēvics (Chairman of the Board of Radio SWH), Iveta Lepeško (Eirodziesma project manager), Aigars Dinsbergs (director of the Entertainment Producers Association 7), Juris Sējāns (musician) and Aivars Hermanis (composer, arranger and producer).

• In the Semi-final 2 Latvia came 17th with 25 points: the public awarded Latvia 15th place with 43 points and the jury awarded 19th place with 11 points.