Whatever ever happened to Marie N, the Latvian queen of the quick-change dress?
It was 2002 – the year when texting cost 10p, Will Young was everywhere, and Shakira’s hips were yet to achieve full global dominance. In Tallinn, Estonia, something quietly historic happened: Latvia – only in its third year at Eurovision – snatched the crown with a disco-pop track called “I Wanna”.
The performer? Marie N, a poised singer with a knowing smile… and a stage trick that would become legend: a white suit that magically transformed into a slinky red dress before your very eyes. Forget smoke machines – this was pure Eurovision sorcery.
From singer to hostess of Europe’s biggest party
Winning Eurovision meant one thing: Marie N was suddenly the face of Latvia. Just a year later, she was co-hosting Eurovision 2003 in Riga alongside Renārs Kaupers from Brainstorm. She smiled through the nerves, delivered her lines with the poise of a royal correspondent, and – importantly – did not fall over in heels.
Life beyond “I Wanna”
Unlike many winners, Marie N didn’t try to bottle the same formula for a quick follow-up hit. Instead, she veered off into jazz, soul, theatre, and even lullabies. She released On A Journey, toured, performed in musicals, and became something of a chameleon – less about chart domination, more about artistic credibility.
Her career choices were so eclectic, you half expect her to pop up as a surprise judge on The Great British Bake Off.
The big plot twist: boss of Latvian TV
In 2015, Marie pulled off a career change almost as dramatic as that dress swap – she became Director of Latvian Television (LTV). Yes, the very network that once sent her to Eurovision was now under her command.
Since then, she’s been steering Latvia’s cultural output, nurturing the Supernova national selection, and making sure Latvia still sends interesting acts to Eurovision. In other words, she went from singing on stage to deciding who gets on stage.
Legacy: more than a dress
Marie N’s victory remains one of Eurovision’s great underdog wins. She wasn’t the bookies’ favourite, she didn’t have pyrotechnics or dancers on trampolines – just a song, a voice, and a theatrical flourish that made millions of jaws drop.
Twenty-two years later, that dress change is still in Eurovision highlight reels. But the real magic trick? Turning a three-minute pop performance into a two-decade career in music, theatre, and broadcasting – without ever becoming yesterday’s news.
If Eurovision taught us anything in 2002, it’s that sometimes all you need to win the hearts of a continent is a killer hook, a bit of confidence… and a tailor who can work miracles in under 15 seconds.
