Miks Galvanovskis sings this year’s Dod pieci! anthem as charity marathon turns to mental health

LSM, the Latvian public broadcaster, on Thursday released the official anthem of this year’s Dod pieci! (Give me five!) charity marathon. The song, Neviena, ko zaudēt (No one to lose), is performed by the musician Miks Galvanovskis.

A song about the danger of silence

Galvanovskis wrote the song with Roberts Dinters, the guitarist in his band. The recording and video feature his band and young singers from the Riga Cathedral Choir School gospel choir, led by Una Stade. The video was directed by Zane Gargažina.

“I was aware of the responsibility of speaking about such a serious subject, so while writing the lyrics I talked to people who have been close to it in their own lives,” the musician said. “Silence is dangerous, so I urge everyone to always talk about their feelings and lean on the people around them when things get hard.”

Toms Grēviņš, a DJ at Latvijas Radio 5 who brought Dod pieci! to Latvia, called it the loudest anthem in the marathon’s history. He said part of Galvanovskis’s audience belongs to the generation most exposed to mental health risks.

A week on Dome Square

The marathon will be held for the 13th time, from 11 to 17 December, broadcasting from a special glass studio on Dome Square. Its theme is mental health and suicide prevention: reducing stigma and silence, and helping people spot risks early and seek help. Donations will go to evidence-based support for people after a suicide attempt and those at high risk of self-harm or suicide.

The anthem tradition began in 2016, and each year it is created by one of Latvia’s best-known musicians.

If you or someone close to you is struggling, the 24-hour crisis line run by the Skalbes association is 116 123. In immediate danger, call 112.