15 votes

Your favorite entry for the Eurovision Song Contest 2025

PSA: If you don’t know what the Eurovision Song Contest is, then I recommend you to watch this funny but highly informative video, ironically made by an American.

What is your favorite entry this year and why?

Mine is Latvia’s song, Bur man laimi by Tautumeitas. You can watch their live performance at Latvia’s national contest (which took place in February) here.

Full disclosure: My wife is Latvian, and I have lived in Latvia with her since 2018, so I’m 100% biased in this opinion. In my defense though, Latvia’s entries throughout the last few years have been underwhelming in my opinion. I did enjoy Eat Your Salad by Citi Zēni in 2022, because it was catchy, but that’s about it.

But this year, Latvia shot it out of the park for me. I will go as far as to say that Bur man laimi is the best song in terms of “artistic value” at the contest. I hope that it makes it at least to the finals. I would be very happy if it placed in the top ten.

I was over the moon when they won the Latvian Supernova 2025 contest. Apparently, the jury tied them with two other participants out of the ten finalists, but ultimately took the title because they had been given the most votes by the public:

They took to the Supernova stage, where Latvia decide upon their Eurovision entry, against 9 other finalists. Tautumeitas performed their song Bur Man Laimi, which means “A chant for happiness,” in amongst a floaty fringe curtain and a series of rainstorms. They delivered catchy folk pop with a dreamy vibe, tight dance moves, and some impressively high notes. Both the public and jury were rightly impressed. But when all the votes were counted, the points were tied three ways.

I have known the Tautumeitas for many years and love a lot of their songs. They are commonly thought of as an “ethno-pop” group, but they have created all kinds of music. It is true though that a lot of their pieces are centered about folklore, and are inspired by the famous dainas:

A daina or tautas dziesma [“folk song”] is a traditional form of music or poetry from Latvia. (...) Latvian dainas often feature drone vocal styles and pre-Christian themes and legends, and can be accompanied by musical instruments such as Baltic psalteries (e.g. kokles). Dainas tend to be very short (usually four-liners) and are usually in a trochaic or a dactylic metre. Dainas are being translated into English by Latvian American Ieva Auziņa-Szentivanyi.

Lyrically, dainas concern themselves with native mythology and traditional festivals but, in contrast to most similar forms, do not have any legendary heroes. Stories often revolve around pre-Christian deities like the sun goddess Saule and the moon god Mēness. There are dainas that do not have a mythical theme as well – many simply describe the daily life of agrarian society and nature. However, these still often include personifications of natural phenomena. Another major theme is the human life cycle, especially the three major events: birth, wedding, and death (including burial). The dainas concerning birth are deeply emotional, and usually feature a mother figure not only as the person who gives birth but also as the one who determines the fate of the child. These also often feature the fate deity Laima and were historically sung immediately after birth, which traditionally took place in a bathhouse. (...) The dainas devoted to death describe an individual preparing for death and often relate to funeral customs. These often feature a female god related to the world of the dead, variously known as kapu māte, veļu māte, zemes māte or smilšu māte (mother of graves, mother of dead, mother Earth, mother of sand). The first collection of dainas was published between 1894 and 1915 as Latvju Dainas by Krišjānis Barons. There are well over two hundred thousand collected dainas in written form.

Notice the “fate” (or “fortune”) deity “Laima” mentioned there. I’ll come back to her.

I showed the song to an American friend who told me that she liked it, but didn’t appreciate the repetition of the stanzas. Well, that’s intentional. Dainas are usually short poems with just two or three stanzas. Hundreds of thousands of them were written by ancient Latvians, who survived the horrors that their people endured under the Russians and Germans since the 12th century, preserving their way of life and wisdom through song and poetry in written format (and previously through oral transmission) once Europe acquired the printing press.

I’m not Latvian nor an expect on the subject matter, but the way that I see it, the vast majority of these dainas are themed around nature and perseverance. These are two traits that really define Latvian culture and the Latvian people as a whole.

First, they are very connected to nature. Even young Latvians today still know a lot about the natural world and enjoy spending their time outdoors, participating in traditional rituals and seasonal activities throughout the year, all around the many beautiful forests, plains, and lakes of this green country. Latvians gift each other flowers for absolutely no reason, all the time. When my wife manages to get me out of the house, she loves pointing at random plants and telling me what they are called and how they can be used. Foraging berries and mushrooms is a popular family activity. Whenever there is a weekend that’s extended by holidays, the capital city turns into a ghost town, because they all retreat to their countryside homes. They’ve even managed to grow their forests.

Second, perseverance is one of their defining traits of character because they have an attitude of “better things are yet to come”. That’s why, I think, you also often find words like ozols (“oak tree”, which I see as a symbol of strength and endurance) as well as laime (“good fortune”, I would translate it as, rather than the usual “luck” or “happiness”). And yes, the word “laime” and the name of the fate deity “Laima” are related. Even a famous brand of delicious chocolate is named after her. The depth of the word “laime” can’t be summarized by a single English word, I think. Latvians use it in so many different contexts, but there’s almost always an undertone of “gratitude for the blessings that fortune brought about” to it. It’s really hard to convey the word’s breadth of meaning, but I think that the ladies conveyed it really well through their performance.

I don’t know about the translation of the title of the song. I would have gone for “conjure me good fortune” instead, but my own Latvian is still only at an intermediary level. Probably best to ask a Latvian about all of this if you want an informed opinion. Maybe the Tautumeitas (“tautumeita”, or “folk girl” itself being an ancient, archaic word with a much deeper meaning) chose to go with “a chant for happiness” to keep it simple for international audiences. I feel confident telling you that the title means a lot more than that though.

Yesterday I collected some 10 or more reaction videos to the song and watched four of them. In one, the lady actually started crying. All of the others loved it. Nothing but praise for the song can be found in all the comment sections. People say (and I agree) that they feel connected to nature listening to it.

This song is the winner of the contest for me. These six stunningly beautiful ladies put a lot of thought behind it’s composition. It masterfully integrates ancient Latvian lyrical and music culture with modern instruments. The vocal harmony is as professional as only Latvia’s best-trained vocalists can be (and let me tell you, music education is a big deal in Latvia). The performance spectacularly illustrates the deeper meaning of the lyrics. The song and visuals are an explosion of Latvian culture.

21 comments

  1. mycketforvirrad
    Link
    I'm supporting Finland from the 2025 Nordic selection. For the first time in a while it's not based on the music but the juicy politics... Finland's president Alexander Stubb rather contentiously...

    I'm supporting Finland from the 2025 Nordic selection. For the first time in a while it's not based on the music but the juicy politics...

    Finland's president Alexander Stubb rather contentiously came out in support of Sweden's entry. It's caused quite the stir over on r/eurovision!

    10 votes
  2. [2]
    TaylorSwiftsPickles
    Link
    So, it's kind of tradition for me to listen to all the songs for the first time at the semi-finals, not before. However I found this year's semi-final entries fairly weak, at least compared to...

    So, it's kind of tradition for me to listen to all the songs for the first time at the semi-finals, not before. However I found this year's semi-final entries fairly weak, at least compared to last year's. I found most of the songs there pretty unmemorable, maybe except Sweden (which was B-tier imo), Iceland, Poland, and Estonia (I guess C-tier imo). But I felt Poland had pretty bad sound levels sadly.

    I saw the trailers for semi-final 2 and it did sound a lot more interesting so I'm hoping for that. Hopefully there's something that parallels my favourite artists from last year!

    5 votes
    1. TaylorSwiftsPickles
      Link Parent
      So, as the 2nd semi-final has almost concluded, I will say that, yeah, there were some more memorable songs in this one. Namely, Ireland, Montenegro, and Latvia, I found quite memorable and closer...

      So, as the 2nd semi-final has almost concluded, I will say that, yeah, there were some more memorable songs in this one. Namely, Ireland, Montenegro, and Latvia, I found quite memorable and closer to my "vibes" than anything else from the previous semi-final. However, rather disappointly, nothing that made me "fall in love with it" or want to actually vote for it.

      For example, in 2024, I loved Bambie Thug (and Marina Satti, but I was already a fan), in 2022 I loved Amanda Tenfjord, and in 2021 I loved Go_A. I still listen to all of them, but nothing like that this year.

      2 votes
  3. KapteinB
    Link
    This year I really enjoy Albania, Sweden, and United Kingdom. If I have to choose a favourite; probably Sweden. Honourable mention to Estonia. I'm not a huge fan of the song, but the performance...

    This year I really enjoy Albania, Sweden, and United Kingdom. If I have to choose a favourite; probably Sweden.

    Honourable mention to Estonia. I'm not a huge fan of the song, but the performance in the semi-final was amazing. Best dancing, best supporting dance crew, and best use of digital effects.

    5 votes
  4. [9]
    kaffo
    Link
    I hate to be a stick in the mud about it all, but eurovison has really lost its appeal to me in the last 10 years. It's all so serious and political and about the drama and the art of music....

    I hate to be a stick in the mud about it all, but eurovison has really lost its appeal to me in the last 10 years.
    It's all so serious and political and about the drama and the art of music. Honestly I'm so in when 6 people show up, definitely still drunk, and do something whacky you're not going to see or hear in regular broadcasting.
    These days though it's all very serious ballads and political statements. I just wana see a dude dressed as a gorilla using his chest as a drum live on stage or something you know?
    I know I'm in the minority, because the popular ones are always the serious ones, but it makes me sad the fun ones aren't as popular because they never win anymore.

    4 votes
    1. [6]
      Akir
      Link Parent
      I mean, three of the countries represented are at war. It would be ridiculous for them to not be political.

      I mean, three of the countries represented are at war. It would be ridiculous for them to not be political.

      3 votes
      1. [4]
        KapteinB
        Link Parent
        What are the three contestants that are at war? I can only think of Israel and Ukraine.

        What are the three contestants that are at war? I can only think of Israel and Ukraine.

        1 vote
        1. [3]
          Akir
          Link Parent
          Is Russia no longer in it? Im not actually following along this year.

          Is Russia no longer in it? Im not actually following along this year.

          1 vote
          1. [2]
            KapteinB
            Link Parent
            They haven't been invited since 2021.

            They haven't been invited since 2021.

            1 vote
            1. Akir
              Link Parent
              Oh wow, I'm really out of the loop. I thought the last one I looked into was just a year ago. :-/

              Oh wow, I'm really out of the loop. I thought the last one I looked into was just a year ago. :-/

              1 vote
      2. kaffo
        Link Parent
        That's just the thing though. I don't think eurovison is the space for a discussion on war or politics. Again, I don't think I'm in the majority here.

        That's just the thing though. I don't think eurovison is the space for a discussion on war or politics.
        Again, I don't think I'm in the majority here.

        1 vote
    2. [2]
      indigorocket
      Link Parent
      If it makes you feel better, one of the top favorites to win this year is about saunas. No undertones, just....saunas. What politicians are doing around the songs is another thing, but at its core...

      If it makes you feel better, one of the top favorites to win this year is about saunas. No undertones, just....saunas. What politicians are doing around the songs is another thing, but at its core it is just a fun song. It's easy to appreciate.

      3 votes
      1. kaffo
        Link Parent
        Yeah! I always appreciate the fun entries like this. I just don't think most other people do lol. The dumb ones never get the votes.

        Yeah! I always appreciate the fun entries like this. I just don't think most other people do lol. The dumb ones never get the votes.

        1 vote
  5. scarecrw
    Link
    Tautumeitas certainly stand out from the crowd! If their performance is half as visually-interesting as the photos appear then I'll certainly be excited and rooting for them to qualify! I've loved...

    Tautumeitas certainly stand out from the crowd! If their performance is half as visually-interesting as the photos appear then I'll certainly be excited and rooting for them to qualify!

    I've loved a lot of the songs this year, but if I had to choose my favorite has been Luxembourg. I love the connection to "Poupée de cire, poupée de son" and the theme throughout is great, but, to be honest, I think I just like it because it's fun and I'm a sucker.

    With that said, while it's not quite my favorite song, I've been so glad that Switzerland's entry introduced me to Zoë Më. "Dorienne Gris" is fantastic and well worth listening to if you want to get a flavor of her work that's different from "Voyage".

    3 votes
  6. [2]
    immaterial
    Link
    I've not listened to anything beforehand, and watching semi finals 1 was my first exposure to the set of songs. I really liked Ukraine - it felt unique and unconventional, especially compared to...

    I've not listened to anything beforehand, and watching semi finals 1 was my first exposure to the set of songs.

    I really liked Ukraine - it felt unique and unconventional, especially compared to the rest of the songs so far. The use of lighting was really awesome in the performance too. It's the standout by far for me.

    Other than that, Albania was great too!

    3 votes
    1. KapteinB
      Link Parent
      I think I would have liked Ukraine better if they'd stuck to just one language, instead of alternating between Ukrainian and English. I prefer understanding nothing of a song over understanding...

      I think I would have liked Ukraine better if they'd stuck to just one language, instead of alternating between Ukrainian and English. I prefer understanding nothing of a song over understanding just parts of it. Lyrics aside it was a pretty good prog rock song, which I'm always into!

      2 votes
  7. lackofaname
    Link
    I am usually a late straggler to Eurovision, watching the performances that have gained particular traction, so I'll be lurking in this thread to catch peoples' favourites :) I do think it would...

    I am usually a late straggler to Eurovision, watching the performances that have gained particular traction, so I'll be lurking in this thread to catch peoples' favourites :) I do think it would be quite cool if Canada were to become a participant (hey, if Australia can...), especially right now as the country looks to strengthen overseas allyships!

    I have to say, as much as Eurovision songs are fun, I particularly enjoyed your sharing a slice of Latvian culture, which I have had no exposure to. I wasn't expecting to find such interesting info within this topic, so thank you!

    2 votes
  8. [3]
    SloMoMonday
    Link
    This is probably the first time I've considered Eurovision songs before the finals and all the memes that come from it. So I just found a playlist and was pretty surprised at spread. Didnt think...

    This is probably the first time I've considered Eurovision songs before the finals and all the memes that come from it. So I just found a playlist and was pretty surprised at spread. Didnt think any song was particularly skippable on a first listen but felt like quite a few blended together in their style and tone.

    The ones that stood out in no particular order:

    Norway - Kyle Alssandro - Lighter: God damn this kids vocal ability is something special.

    Lithuania - Katarsis - Tavo Akys: Sucks that there wasn't much Rock but I really dig their grungy experimental style.

    Iceland - Vaeb - RÓA
    Ireland - Emma - Laika Party
    Not normally a fan of bubbly club stuff but I enjoyed these.

    Switzerland - Zoë Më - Voyage: Its just a magical track that goes on journey over its runtime.

    Sweden - KAJ - Bara Bada Bastu: I loved all the folk inspired tracks, but this one is my favorite. It feels more like something out of a musical, specifically a Bollywood song from my childhood. A sort of community anthem that you sing in a crowd with a bit of production from the performers. It's probably my favorite song of the lot even though it's unlikely to win.

    Overall, really like that this is a little window into European music that I've sort of neglected in my playlist. Will probably start looking into previous years entries.

    2 votes
    1. [2]
      TaylorSwiftsPickles
      Link Parent
      For what it's worth, it's actually quite highly expected to win according to the current bets on eurovisionworld!

      It's probably my favorite song of the lot even though it's unlikely to win.

      For what it's worth, it's actually quite highly expected to win according to the current bets on eurovisionworld!

      1 vote
      1. SloMoMonday
        Link Parent
        That's really interesting to see. I have no insight into anything around the contest and Europe in general so I didn't expect to be anywhere close to the mark. The whole reason I like it is...

        That's really interesting to see. I have no insight into anything around the contest and Europe in general so I didn't expect to be anywhere close to the mark. The whole reason I like it is because it feels very South Asian in attitude.

        With entries being everything from "maximum effort" to "maximum meme", it's hard tell exactly what people look for in this contest. Like there's a song literally trolling Italy next to an amazing ode to ones immigrant mother and both are competing for some high placements.

        I'll probably need to take time to watch the performances too because that also seems to be a big part of the event.

        2 votes
  9. Protected
    (edited )
    Link
    Latvia stood out to me as a strong act today. A lot of acts often make things much easier for the performers by making use of narrow ranges, disguising the vocals with the recorded backing track...

    Latvia stood out to me as a strong act today. A lot of acts often make things much easier for the performers by making use of narrow ranges, disguising the vocals with the recorded backing track and sound effects, no choreography, etc. Latvia's complex layered harmonics were beautiful and unusual in the show, therefore memorable.

    That said, I was happier with the votes during SF1. This year I took some quick notes and ranked the acts as they sang; in SF1, my top 8 all qualified. SF2 was more of a mixed bag with the loss of Australia. I like the goofier acts! The same is true for Estonia and Sweden.

    I quite like the singers from the Netherlands, Austria, UK, maybe Italy?

    Lithuania's haunting act grew on me too.

    Also cool stage CGI from Poland and Luxemburg.

    I'm happy to see San Marino doing well, they have a nice lively song!

    2 votes