Introduction

The Lithuanian national selection process is one of the longest. Within six shows the Lithuanian broadcaster LRT has put a lot of effort to determine the songs and singers, which have been selected independently. The wining song “This Time” was originally composed for a solo singer. It was fate that there were two young singers who won the competition with the result that a duo Monika & Vaidas is now representing Lithuania in this year’s Eurovision Song Contest.

Monika Linkytė was born in Gargždai (close to Klaipeda), Lithuania in 1992. As a child she attended piano lessons and started to sing, even if she wanted to become a dancer. She studied medicine and law at the Vilnius University. In her singing career Monika participated at several festivals, where she made good placings. She participated four times in the Lithuanian national selection.

Vaidas Jacob Baumila was born in Vilnius, Lithuania in 1987. He has learned singing with the opera singer Vytautas Juozapaitis, professor of the music academy of Lithuania, later on he studied at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music in Glasgow, Scotland and graduated Guildford School of Acting in England. Vaidas was also singing at the Queen Elizabeth cruise ship and played in the Union Theatre in London. Back in Lithuania he participated in the reality show “Dangus” where he became popular. In 2013 he tried his luck in the national selection in Lithuania and came third. Vaidas released three albums already.

The song „This Time“ is a happy country pop song with a catchy and memorable chorus. The two sympathetic and attractive singers have a very positive charisma, they do even kiss each other on stage! Probably not as long as in the first Danish entry “Skibet Skal Sejle I Nat” by Birthe Wilke and Gustav Winckler in 1957. Nevertheless, this is an optimistic and well encouraged entry from Lithuania, which should do well in Vienna.

History

Debut: 1994
Participations: 16
Finals: 10
Top 10: 1
Chance for Top 10: 6%

For Lithuania it’s the 16th time in the Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna this year. The debut entry “Lopsine Mylimai” by Ovidijus Vysniauskas in 1994 came last with zero points – not a good start unfortunately. While the Baltic neighbour countries Estonia and Latvia had a better hand in successful Eurovision entries including two victories, Lithuania never shaped up that well beside of one exception with “We are the winners” by LT United in 2006, which came 6th in Athens. At least Lithuania has qualified six times for the Grand Final out of 16 participations. The chance for Lithuania reaching the Top10 is relatively low by 6%, but of course this could change immediately if there would be one good placing. The most outstanding songs were “Strazdas” by Aiste in 1999 (20th), “Love or leave” by 4Fun in 2007 (21st) and “Eastern European Funk” by InCulto in 2010. The Lithuanians songs were mostly sung in English, beside of two years in the beginning, so it was probably obvious for the Lithuanian broadcaster LRT to see that the songs will be sung in English to be understood at 100%.