GatiS

Composer & producer.

Real name Gatis Sturnieks.

Born in 1976 in Latvia, Riga.

He began improvising on the piano at the age of 4, often using kitchen bowls and pots for rhythm improvisations. His mother was an actress at the Latvian Youth Theatre, allowing to spend much of his childhood both in the audience and behind the scenes, experiencing the theater world.

Starting in 1980, he was part of Latvia's popular children's vocal ensemble "Knīpas un knauķi." In 1982, he began studies at Emīls Dārziņš Music School, training under piano teacher Līvija Kalniņa and Professor Teofils Biķis, who was head of the Piano department at the Latvian Conservatory/Jāzeps Vītols Latvian Academy of Music. Concurrently, he studied composition under the guidance of teacher and composer Imants Zemzaris and through self-teaching. Since 1983, he began composing his own songs, instrumental pieces, song lyrics, and poems. He participated in and won various piano competitions and festivals.

In school, he spent his breaks playing "Depeche Mode" and other popular bands' compositions on the piano with classmates. Later, he studied architecture and business management.

At 16, in 1992, he co-founded the band "Decembris" with his music school classmates, though he only occasionally performed with them. Inspired by "Depeche Mode", they entered the 1993 Latvian music survey "Mikrofona aptauja" with the song Es un Tu, composed by him. 

During the same period, he experimented with various musical genres. Together with a childhood friend, he created the piece "Dresden", included in the 1994 Latvian underground music compilation "Eau De Cologne 94", released by "Tornis" in CC format.

In 1994, he debuted as a solo artist with the single "Dīvaina nakts", which was included in the "Mikrofona rokaptauja '94" compilation. That year, he also partnered with singer Dina (now Deina Laiviņa), former vocalist of the girl band "Šķembas", to form the group "Duets DIVI", which became one of the commercially successful Latvian pop groups of the 1990s.

In 1995, "Duets DIVI" released their debut album "Spēle" ("The Game"), which became Latvia's best-selling pop album. The same year, he also co-produced "Decembris" debut album "Dejas ritmā", featuring his song "Es un Tu". Later in 1995, he released his debut solo album "VIENATNĒ". In 1996, the "Duets DIVI" released their second album "Atkal kopā", and his instrumental album "Putnu dārzs", inspired by the works of Robert Miles, was also released. He produced Dina's solo album "Sapņi", and in 1996 he recorded a musical poetry cycle, "Tālā dārza putns", with original songs for Latvian State Radio and Television.

"Duets DIVI" continued with further releases, including "Dejas ar vēju" in 1997, and a "Best Of" album in 1998. From 1994 to 1998, "Duets DIVI" was very active, performing in numerous concerts and events.

Between 1995 and 1999, GatiS produced more than ten music albums released in CC and CD formats.

In 1999, he created the 18-part radio play adaptation of Trygve Gulbransen's "Beyond Sing the Woods" for Latvian State Radio, which became a very popular program aired repeatedly over the years.

In 2000, he ended his active participation in "Duets DIVI" and other music projects of the time, shifting his focus to business development while continuing to create music in the background.

A successful collaboration developed with Sigulda People's Theater, leading to music for the plays "Galma gleznotājs" (2015) and "Vajadzīgs melis" (2016).

From 2000 to 2024, he built an extensive library of songs, lyrics, instrumental compositions, and musical sketches that remained unpublished until 2024. Inspired by global and personal events, he decided to return to the music industry to finally bring these untold musical stories to life.

In 2024, he founded the independent record label Green Amber Music to support the realization of his music projects and adopted the stage name - GatiS. He is actively working on several new music ventures, including a solo album slated for release in 2025. The album's first single is scheduled for release in early 2025, marking the beginning of an exciting new chapter in his career.