Latvian DJ Elvis Grinbergs Wins Young DJ Champion 2026

Elvis Grinbergs is Latvia’s newest DJ champion, a title he secured in a surprising win. “It was definitely a surprise, a very, very pleasant surprise, and I’m happy about that,” said Grinbergs, reflecting on his victory in the “Jaunais DJ čempions 2026” competition.

The competition drew 40 applicants this year, with 15 finalists advancing to the semi-final and final rounds. A ten-person jury evaluated the young DJs, assessing technical skills, song composition, originality in music selection, and set design. “We evaluated technical skills, song composition, the originality of the music choices, how thoughtful the set is. Also work with the audience – how active the DJ is at the console,” explained Aivars Apriķis, head of the “Ritma Institūts” and DJ Aiva.

The winning DJ, Haizivjbende, first touched a DJ console three years ago. He spent several months attending DJ training at the Ritma Institūts, and is now Latvia’s top young DJ. The win underscores the growing prominence of Latvia’s electronic music scene.

Grinbergs currently works in a law firm, and doesn’t plan to abandon his legal career just yet. “I haven’t planned a complete career change, but DJing definitely plays an increasingly large role in my life – I want to continue to develop in this direction,” he stated.

Grinbergs frequently performs during basketball games and occasionally appears at nightclubs. Previous winners of the young DJ competition have often gone on to become well-known and popular DJs in Latvia, suggesting a bright future for this rising talent. The final took place on March 12, with the semi-final on March 5, and qualifying rounds on February 19 and February 26, all at Coyote Fly lounge club in Riga. The competition is organized by Ritma Institūts, with support from ALPHATHETA / PIONEER DJ, DJCITY, and DJVEIKALS.LV. The jury included AI-VA, [Ex] Da Bass, Alex-O, Emil Deo, Kapteinis Reinis, Eddie March, Gustavito, Birch Please, PM2THEAM, Vilks, M&M, and Miami.