The Building Bridges podcast is on-site in Basel and this morning we met with the lovely Latvian fairies Tautumeitas, ahead of their performance at the 69th Eurovision Song Contest.

The group’s Eurovision entry “Bur man laimi” isn’t just a catchy tune — it’s rooted in something much deeper. “It is a spell”, one member explained. “Those are actual ancient spell words that people are singing to protect themselves. So all minds not even know that by singing this song, they are doing good for them.”

This year marks a rare moment for Eurovision — Tautumeitas is only the second Latvian act to perform fully in Latvian since 2004. When asked why they chose to stick with their native language, the group didn’t hesitate:

“We want to bring to Latvians the message that Latvian language is beautiful, and we can compete on a big stage with it. We don’t need to be afraid someone wouldn’t understand. It’s the music and it’s the art that speaks the feeling.”

The song’s viral “Bur man, bur man, bur man” chant has taken social media by storm — and for good reason. It sounds hypnotic, powerful, and instantly memorable. But now listeners know: it’s more than a hook — it’s an ancient affirmation of good fortune.

Tautumeitas also reflected on their transformation from their national final performance at Supernova 2025 to their Eurovision staging. The switch to sleek bodysuits, they said, has given them an entirely new stage identity.

“When we wear beautiful dresses, we are like, ‘okay, I need to find my personality in this dress.’ But here, we don’t need to express our own personalities — we express something mystical, something artistic.”

This episode is one of the most heartfelt and magical of the season — a journey through language, culture, and musical mysticism. Whether you’re a Eurovision superfan or a newcomer to Latvian folk pop, this interview will leave you enchanted.

Listen now on the Building Bridges Eurovision Podcast — and be sure to catch Tautumeitas in the second semi-final. If their spell works, you just might find yourself voting for #04.

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