The names Markus Riva and Samanta Tīna speak for themselves – both are winners of various international competitions and have a huge fan base outside Latvia, they are loud, ambitious, much discussed and both have a refined style. What happens when you put the two together? A new equation in Latvian music – Markus Riva x Samanta Tīna!
“Man nesanāk” (I Can’t Succeed) is a fresh release – a new single from Riva’s upcoming album and his first collaboration with Samanta. Just like the previous tracks, this piece has a nostalgic vibe that will have a strong presence in the musician’s album, set to come out in November.
Duets and collaborations are nothing new to Markus – he has previously recorded music with Aminata and Dināra Rudāne. His collaboration with Dināra placed high in “Muzikālā Banka” (Musical Bank), and Markus then joked that it was time for a duet with Samanta. And he has kept his word.
“I very much enjoy musical collaborations, and I love being in the studio with other musicians – witnessing the transformation of a song when another musician brings their personality to it is a fascinating experience. This year, I had not recorded a new duet, so the idea to perform one with Samanta was born. Luckily, she agreed, and this has been a productive and very exciting and fun adventure,” says Markus.
Samanta Tīna: ”I haven’t released a duet in Latvian for quite some time. The audience will remember my last collaboration with Rassell – “Esi man klāt” (Be with Me) – from 2012. The song by Markus and Dināra was simply wonderful, so when Markus invited me to team up I agreed instantly, and I am very happy with the result.”
The production of „Man nesanāk” was supported by the grant of the Latvian Performers’ and Producers’ Association (LaIPA) – the grant competition as a support mechanism for musicians was announced in the summer, and the allocated funding helped 53 new compositions come to life. The song was recorded at “Factory Sounds Studio” and produced by Gints Stankevičs with whom Riva has worked extensively. A Russian version of the song is to follow soon.
