Introduction

• Participant(s): Ieva Zasimauskaitė
• Song: "When We’re Old"
  
• Writer(s): Vytautas Bikus
• Composer(s): Vytautas Bikus
• Broadcaster: LRT
  
• Social media:   
• Team review: 

Lithuania is the country with the most extensive pre-decision procedure of all the European participants. This show is called “Eurovizija” and there were 10 live shows including several qualification rounds and a big final. One of the participants Erica Jennings, who represented Lithuania back in 2001 with the group Skamp “You Got Style” in Copenhagen (13th) left the show earlier as planned as she was complaining about the bad comments of the jury members.

Unfortunately, this extensive show concept has not really paid off, as las year’s entry did not even reach the Grand Final. This year’s jury members wanted to change this and decided to send a beautiful love song to Lisbon called “When We’re Old”. The song is about everlasting love, with this power it will take us all our fears. The song has been composed by the film songwriter Vytautas Bikus. In the final show the Finnish singer Saara Aalto was invited as a special guest to present her ESC song “Monsters”.

The singer Ieva Zasimauskaitė-Kiltinavičienė was born in Kaunas in 1993. Since her time in the Kindergarten she was involved in music. Ieva plays the piano and studied music, toured with a choir throughout Lithuania. In the age of 14 she even sang as a backing singer in the Junior Eurovision Song Contest. Here she discovered the magic of the ESC and after that she tried to enter the Lithuanian national competition in the years 2013, 2014, 2016 and 2017. Finally, her dream to represent Lithuania at the ESC will become reality.

The love song “When We’Re Old” is soulfully and touching with beautiful lyrics. What a lovely imagination to be old and still in love with a lovely partner. With this entry Lithuania could really have great success. It’s great to see that such soft tones have been chosen. As we know, ballads can also win the ESC, like last year. Lithuania had several good ballads in the past, but this one is the strongest.

Good luck Ieva.

History

• Debut: 1994
• Participations: 19
• Victories: 0
• Finals: 12 (8 since 2004)
• Top 10: 2
• Chances for Top 10: 11%
• Chances for Final: 53%

For Lithuania it’s the 19th time in the Eurovision Song Contest in Lisbon this year. The debut entry from 1994 “Lopsine Mylimai” by Ovidijus Vysniauskas came last with zero points – not a good start, unfortunately. While the Baltic neighbour countries Estonia and Latvia had a better hand in choosing 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, this entry ended up 6th in Athens.

At least Lithuania has qualified eight times for the Grand Final out of 18 participations including last year. The chance for Lithuania reaching the Top10 is relatively low at 11%. Last year’s entry “Rain Of Revolution” by Furedmarc did not reach the Grand Final in Kiev. The Lithuanians songs were mostly sung in English, beside of first two years due to the language rule, so it was probably obvious for the Lithuanian broadcaster LRT to see that the songs will be sung in English to be understood for 100% to shape up in a better way.

Biggest successes

1x 6th place

• LT United | We Are The Winners (2006)

Video Nostalgia

• “Lopšinė mylimai” | Ovidijus Vyniauskas, Rank 25, Dublin 1994
•  “Little By Little” | Laura and the Lovers, Rank 25 (Semi Final), Kiev 2005
• “Love Is Blind” | Donny Montell, Rank 14 (Final), Baku 2012