Mystical Song Contest 49

The Mystical Song Contest #49 (also known as MSC 49) was the forty-ninth edition of the Mystical Song Contest. It took place in Riga, 🇱🇻 Latvia after Debris ft. RudeLies & Jex won in Yerevan, 🇦🇲 Armenia.

It was confirmed that 48 countries participated in the 49th edition. No withdrawing, returning or debuting.

The top 6 of last edition 🇱🇻 Latvia, 🇧🇾 Belarus, 🇰🇷 South Korea, 🇫🇷 France, The Netherlands and 🇳🇿 New Zealand were automatically pre qualified for the Grand Final of this edition. The 42 others participating countries were split into 2 semi final.

The running orders were made by the supervisor of the contest ESC Thømås.

Riga
Riga (/ˈriːɡə/; Latvian: Rīga [ˈriːɡa] (listen), Livonian: Rīgõ) is the capital of Latvia and is home to 627,487 inhabitants (2020), which is a third of Latvia's population. Being significantly larger than other cities of Latvia, Riga is the country's primate city. It is also the largest city in the three Baltic states and is home to one tenth of the three Baltic states' combined population. The city lies on the Gulf of Riga at the mouth of the Daugava river where it meets the Baltic Sea. Riga's territory covers 307.17 km2 (118.60 sq mi) and lies 1–10 m (3 ft 3 in–32 ft 10 in) above sea level, on a flat and sandy plain.

Riga was founded in 1201 and is a former Hanseatic League member. Riga's historical centre is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, noted for its Art Nouveau/Jugendstil architecture and 19th century wooden architecture. Riga was the European Capital of Culture in 2014, along with Umeå in Sweden. Riga hosted the 2006 NATO Summit, the Eurovision Song Contest 2003, the 2006 IIHF Men's World Ice Hockey Championships and the 2013 World Women's Curling Championship. It is home to the European Union's office of European Regulators for Electronic Communications (BEREC). In 2017, it was named the European Region of Gastronomy.

In 2016, Riga received over 1.4 million visitors. The city is served by Riga International Airport, the largest and busiest airport in the Baltic states. Riga is a member of Eurocities, the Union of the Baltic Cities (UBC) and Union of Capitals of the European Union (UCEU).

The river Daugava has been a trade route since antiquity, part of the Vikings' Dvina-Dnieper navigation route to Byzantium. A sheltered natural harbour 15 km (9.3 mi) upriver from the mouth of the Daugava — the site of today's Riga — has been recorded, as Duna Urbs, as early as the 2nd century. It was settled by the Livs, an ancient Finnic tribe.

Riga began to develop as a centre of Viking trade during the early Middle Ages. Riga's inhabitants occupied themselves mainly with fishing, animal husbandry, and trading, later developing crafts (in bone, wood, amber, and iron).

The Livonian Chronicle of Henry testifies to Riga having long been a trading centre by the 12th century, referring to it as portus antiquus (ancient port), and describes dwellings and warehouses used to store mostly flax, and hides. German traders began visiting Riga, establishing a nearby outpost in 1158.

Along with German traders the monk Meinhard of Segeberg arrived to convert the Livonian pagans to Christianity. Catholic and Orthodox Christianity had already arrived in Latvia more than a century earlier, and many Latvians had been baptised. Meinhard settled among the Livs, building a castle and church at Uexküll (now known as Ikšķile), upstream from Riga, and established his bishopric there. The Livs, however, continued to practice paganism and Meinhard died in Uexküll in 1196, having failed in his mission. In 1198, the Bishop Berthold arrived with a contingent of crusaders and commenced a campaign of forced Christianization. Berthold died soon afterwards and his forces were defeated.

The Church mobilised to avenge this defeat. Pope Innocent III issued a bull declaring a crusade against the Livonians. Bishop Albert was proclaimed Bishop of Livonia by his uncle Hartwig of Uthlede, Prince-Archbishop of Bremen and Hamburg in 1199. Albert landed in Riga in 1200 with 23 ships and 500 Westphalian crusaders. In 1201, he transferred the seat of the Livonian bishopric from Uexküll to Riga, extorting agreement to do this from the elders of Riga by force.

Host of the show
On February 22, 2021 it was announced that Intars Busulis will be the host of Mystical Song Contest 49.

Intars Busulis (born 2 May 1978 in Talsi, Latvia) is a Latvian singer, trombonist and musician in a Musical Union Intars Busulis & Abonementa orķestris. Wider recognition came from participation in a band called "Caffe", in 2001. Also, he has been the winner of several music competitions (including the Grand Prix of the "New Wave" in 2005), as well as, he represented Latvia in Eurovision Song Contest 2009.

He was also a contestant in the 3rd season of Russian reality television singing competition The Voice, based on The Voice series.

Intars Busulis got his education in Primary School, in Pastende, but musical education received by completing Talsi Children's Music School and by finishing Ventspils Music College, where he played trombone in "Ventspils big-band" led by Ziedonis Zaikovskis.

Musical career started, together with sister performing the song "Ūsainā puķe" (Latvian for "Flower with Mustache"). Also, during his childhood, played in a children's ensemble "Talsu Sprīdīši". The singer's career began in Raimonds Tiguls project – musical group "Caffe". The band took part in Eurosong 2002. "Caffe" lasted for four years. In parallel, he also played in the NAF Headquarters brass orchestra and jazz group "Wet Point", along with Vilnis Kundrāts. The spring of 2005 he took part in Erik Moseholms' (Danish bass guitar player) project E.Y.J.O. (European Youth Jazz Orchestra).

Intars Busulis represented Latvia in 2005 in the international contest "New Wave" and won a Grand Prix. He performed three songs – "Kiss", "Ты Ветер", "Изчезли солнечние дни".

In collaboration with composer Kārlis Lācis recorded several solo albums in Latvian, participated in K. Lācis musical "Oņegins" in Daile theater performances and also participated in the recording of a musical album "Lāču tēta dziesmas" (Latvian for "Bear Dad's songs").

In "Musical Bank" 2008, which took place in January 2009 in Ventspils, Intars Busulis won with the song "Brīvdiena" (Latvian for "Holiday"). In 2008 LNT (Latvian Independent Television) music show "Fight Club" finals in February 2009 Intars Busulis won with the song "Davai, Davai".

In Music Record Awards concert ceremony "Golden Microphone" (2017) received an award in nomination – Concert-recording, for Intars Busulis, Abonementa orchesta and Liepāja Symphony Orchestra concert (2016).

A few months after the release of album Nāmakā pietura (1 March 2017), it received Golden Disc Status. In Music Record Awards concert ceremony "Golden Microphone" (2018) album "Nākamā pietura" won in two nominations – Best Pop album and Album of the year.

Debuting/Withdrawing
No countries withdrew or debuted.

Returning Artists
Here is the list of the returning artists for the 49th edition.

Semi Finals
On February 22, 2021 the supervisor of the contest ESC Thømås revealed the running order of both semi finals.

The big 6 members were assigned to a semi final where they had to vote.

A total of 21 countries competed in each semi final and 10 countries qualified in both.

Semi Final 1
In this semi final 🇱🇻 Latvia, 🇫🇷 France and 🇳🇿 New Zealand have to vote.

Semi Final 2
In this semi final 🇧🇾 Belarus, 🇰🇷 South Korea and The Netherlands have to vote.

Grand Final
On March 6, 2021 the supervisor of the contest ESC Thømås revealed the running order of the Grand Final.