Years active 2002 - present | Genres Pop music, Europop, Jazz | |
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Dates Six days (three contest days) in July Location(s) Jūrmala, Latvia (2002-2014)
Sochi, Russia (2015-present) Founded by Igor Krutoy, Raimonds Pauls | ||
New Wave (Russian: Новая волна, Novaya volna, Latvian: Jaunais Vilnis) is an international contest for young performers of popular music founded in 2002 by the Russian composer Igor Krutoy and Latvian pianist and composer Raimonds Pauls and later enhanced by the Russian superstar Alla Pugacheva. The contest usually lasts for six days: 3 contest days, 2 special event days and, at the end, the day where the contest's results are announced followed by an ending concert.
New Wave used to be held in the Latvian coastal city of Jūrmala (Dzintari), but then it was moved to Sochi city, the Russian Federation in time for the 2015 contest. One of the main reasons for the move was the ban of the Russian singers Valeriya, Iosif Kobzon and Oleg Gazmanov to enter the country due to their voiced support for the Russia's annexation of Crimea.
Although meant to popularize new stars from all over Europe, the countries of the former USSR and USA, many present and former superstars play an important, if not the most important, role in it.