Aisha performs "You Really Got Me Going" at Karlshamn. Photo by 2010 Baltic Song Contest.

RIGA — Budding Latvian pop singer Aisha made a splash across the Baltic in Sweden this weekend, winning the 2010 Baltic Song Contest in Karlshamn.

The downbeat song “What For?” which failed to impress Eurovision voters in May fared better in Sweden, perhaps because they understand better than Europeans from more distant countries why a Balt would be singing about suffering in times like these. Aisha also sang the upbeat pop-rock “You Really Got Me Going.”

The eastern shore of the Baltic made the top three entries, with Birgit Öigemeel of Estonia in second place and Andrew Solodkiy of Russia in third.

Aisha is the second Latvian act to win this contest — rock band Brainstorm took top honors in Karlshamn in 1998.

This article is free to view. To read Baltic Reports’ subscription-only articles, click here.