About
Biography
Formation and National Selection 2003
F.L.Y. was a Latvian pop trio formed in 2002 specifically to compete in Eurovision. The group’s name comes from the initials of its three members, Mārtiņš Freimanis, Lauris Reiniks, and Yana Kay. All three had participated in Latvia’s national Eurovision selections individually in earlier years. After Latvia’s victory in 2002 with Marie N, Freimanis reportedly came up with the idea of teaming up at a Eurovision after-party. The newly formed trio entered Eirodziesma 2003, Latvia’s national final, with the song “Hello from Mars.” They won the competition on 1 February 2003, earning the right to represent Latvia on home soil at the Eurovision Song Contest 2003.
Eurovision 2003 in Riga
As the host country’s act at Latvia Eurovision 2003, F.L.Y. performed “Hello from Mars” during the grand final in Riga. They took the stage in the 21st performance slot amid high expectations from the home audience. The pop song, written by Freimanis and Reiniks, was upbeat and contemporary. When the voting finished, Latvia’s entry placed 24th out of 26 contestants, scoring just 5 points. It was a disappointing result for the host nation, especially coming right after a victory the previous year. Despite the low placement, F.L.Y.’s appearance is remembered by fans as a proud moment since they represented Latvia in front of a home crowd at Eurovision 2003.
Post-Eurovision Album and Break-up
After Eurovision, F.L.Y. continued working together for a short period. They spent time promoting “Hello from Mars” and even started jamming on new material. As a result, the trio managed to put together a full studio album titled “Never Look Back,” which was released in Latvia in early May 2003. The album included their Eurovision track and showcased the group’s pop sound. However, F.L.Y. did not remain active for long. By 2005 the band had officially split up. The members amicably went their separate ways and each focused on individual projects. Even though their time as a group was brief, F.L.Y.’s legacy lived on through the members’ later successes in music and entertainment.
Solo Careers After F.L.Y.
Lauris Reiniks
After F.L.Y., Lauris Reiniks launched a successful solo career. He released multiple pop albums (nine in total) and even recorded songs in 11 different languages to reach a broad audience. Reiniks became one of Latvia’s most popular singers, earning numerous national music awards. He also expanded into television, hosting shows and later serving as a presenter of Supernova (Latvia’s Eurovision selection). In addition, Lauris won the first season of Latvia’s Dancing with the Stars. His music videos have millions of views online, making him a well-known name across the Baltic states.
Yana Kay
Yana Kay continued to record and perform music, carving out a niche in international electronic music circles. She released solo albums in multiple languages, including English, Russian, Latvian, Spanish, and Italian. Over the years, Yana became especially known for her collaborations in drum and bass, progressive house, and trance genres on the European club scene. Notably, she teamed up with Russian rock star Ilya Lagutenko (of Mumiy Troll) on the popular track “Medveditsa,” gaining airplay beyond Latvia. Her songs in English even made it onto international radio playlists, such as BBC Radio 1, a rare achievement for a Latvian-Russian artist. Yana Kay remains active in music, often appearing at concerts and dance music events.
Mārtiņš Freimanis
Mārtiņš Freimanis returned to his role as frontman of the rock band Tumsa after the group’s split. As lead singer and songwriter of Tumsa, he helped the band release several successful albums in Latvia. Freimanis was also highly respected as a songwriter for other artists. He famously composed “The War Is Not Over,” which became Latvia’s Eurovision entry in 2005 and achieved an impressive 5th place in the contest. In addition to music, Mārtiņš had a talent for acting and appeared in Latvian films, TV series, and even wrote a book of poetry. He remained a beloved public figure and continued participating in Latvia’s Eurovision selection shows as a songwriter and mentor. Tragically, Mārtiņš Freimanis passed away in January 2011 at the age of 33, due to complications from an influenza infection. His death was widely mourned in Latvia, highlighting the significant impact he had on the nation’s pop culture.
