Bio

Marie N is one of the most popular young singers in Latvia. Since 1995 she has successfully participated in many music festivals and competitions for young pop singers and jazz performers. Several times she has won the Prize of spectators sympathy at the International competition for professional singers, and also at the festival "Voice of Asia" taking place in Alma-Ata, Kazahstan. Music journalists have named Marie N the very best performer of the main character in Latvian local musical Carrie based on a novel by Theodore Dreiser.

In 1997 Marie N participated with great success in a series of concert programmes dedicated to the 100th anniversary of George Gershwin. In 1999 Marie N sang in a concert together with the legendary singer Robertino Loretti, but in 2000 she was a support artist for Joe Cocker concert in Latvia. As songwriter Marie N had her debut only at national competition for Eurovision song contest.

Her first released recording was self-produced album of popular songs of Latvian composer Raimonds Pauls sung in Russian. But her national debut album "Look into the eyes" gained the Golden Disc within the short period of two weeks after 11 month she received a Platinum Disc for this album. Album contained few songs written by Marie N. During the last year Marie N recorded a new album “Ma Voix, Ma Voie” (2001) of songs in French. Those weren’t French chansons but Latvian songs (mainly written by locally famous Latvian composers and musicians Raimonds Pauls and Niks Matvejevs) with lyrics in French. There is a presence of French style in music too. This unusual album has national success commercially too (in spite of French language and style of the content).

Since 2001 she has weekly been giving four concerts and seven interviews at an average.

Marie N has participated also in two previous Latvian national final competitions for Eurovision international song contest and both results placed her among most voted songs (“For You My Friends” in 2000 and "Hey Boy Follow Me" in 2001). And finally on March 2, 2002 she won national competition for Eurovision international song contest with her song “I Wanna…”.

On May 25, 2002 Marie N represented Latvia in the international Eurovision Song Contest in Tallinn. Marie N won an impressive victory in front of more than 100 millions TV spectators. The single “I Wanna” was released in many countries all over the world (Germany, United Kingdom, Spain, Greece, Benelux, Russia, Estonia, Saudi Arabia, Argentina, Chile, Mexico, Brazil, South Africa and others.). Marie N participated in countless shows on radio and TV, concerts and interviews.

In November 2002 Marie N latest album “On A Journey” was released. It’s Latvian version “Noslēpumi” was released in December. In this recording Marie N displays her lyrical character. The first half of the year 2003 is spent under the sign of Eurovision – Marie N is a guest in the national finals of many countries. There is also Marie N concert tour in Latvia during the beginning of 2003. Marie N introduces Latvia’s audience to the new songs of her latest albums.

On March 17, 2003 German records company “Global Chrysalis”/BMG releases Marie N single “Realise” and on May 19 – the album “On A Journey”. These recordings are for distribution in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. A new, special design is made for the album, the sound quality has been improved.

On May 24, 2003 Marie N and the lead singer of “Brainstorm” Renārs Kaupers are the Masters of Ceremony in Eurovision Song Contest 2003 in Riga, Skonto hall. During the final of the contest, in front of more than 170 millions TV spectators, the videoclip of Marie N latest song “I Feel Good” was broadcasted. The single “I Feel Good” has been released in Latvia by “Baltic Records Group” briefly before Eurovision, on May 20, 2003.

In 2004 Marie N successfully combined her singer’s and actress’s talent, in the main role of the musical “The Sound of Music”.

In December Marie N’s latest album “On my own” was released, with songs in Latvian, French, English and Portuguese language.New compositions for Marie N are composed by Sergey Manoukyan, Ivar Must and Andrejs Jevsjukovs. Marie N has written several songs herself, as well. There are cover versions of several world-famous songs in the album – for example, two compositions which were originally written in French, but became very popular in English language. Marie N has been enchanted by French language once more, that’s why the legendary song “Nocturne” of Latvian composer Aleksandrs Kublinskis will resurrect in a new arrangement and lyrics.

One of the biggest charity projects, who initatior is MarieN, started in 17th of September, 2004, with the charity concert in Riga, the exhibition hall Kipsala and has come to it s end with visit of 10 former hostages of Beslan in Latvia. During this project were open charity phone line and account number. Thanks to every contributor, on 1st of June in Riga came 10 guests from Beslan – 5 children and their parents. All will take the rehabilitation course in the sanatorium "Jaunkemeri" for 18 days. Children and their parents have programme of cultural activities during whole visit in Latvia.

Album „Another dream” was released in December, 2005. The album comprises the most beautiful songs from the repertoire of MarieN over the last years.

As of autumn 2005 MarieN opened MarieN Studio, her non-profit enterprise, which offers teaching dancing and singing to children and adults. MarieN Studio has taken part in numerous charity projects. Each study year MarieN Studio finds ways for children from childrens’ houses, low income families, and crisis centres to attend free of charge classes and relax in summer camps free of charge.

In August 2005 MarieN organized the traditional concert in concert hall “Dzinari” in Jurmala. This concert was followed by two concerts, in Jelgava recreation centre and in Valmiera.

In 2006, celebrating the anniversary of Raimonds Pauls and the decade of collaboration of Maestro Pauls and MarieN, the singer together with Raimonds Pauls and the Latvian National Symphonic Orchestra under the direction of Jekabs Ozolins were preparing a special and wide-ranging concert program. This program was made as a reflection of ten years long collaboration of Maestro and MarieN. Favourite Maestro’s songs, world music that Maestro and MarieN had presented in different concerts and some new songs wrote specially for this concert were presented.

In 2007 MarieN participated in the TV3 grand show „Dancing with the Star” where she proved herself as a great dancer showing excellent performance.

At the beginning of 2008 MarieN again confirmed herself as an excellent singing actress in the world-famous musical Les Misérables Victor Igo. Marie N played the role of Fantina.

Marija often participates in charity concerts and projects, she is the initiator of public events, for example the Children’s Capital 2007 (Bernu galvaspilsēta 2007) that provided a wide festivity program for children, youth, and parents in June 2007 in Old Riga.