Life after Helsinki 2007 Eurovision

Lithuania's Pabandom iš naujo! Nacionalinė Eurovizijos Atranka 2020, the revamped national selection for Eurovision has had its two semi-finals where only four entries out of nine made the final. The first semi was won by Aisté Pilvelyté followed by THE ROOP, KaYra and Rūta Loop. The second by favorites Monika Marija and Moniqué, with MEANDI and The Backs.  Aistė Pilvelytė – Unbreakable  *** THE ROOP – On Fire  **** KaYra – Alligator  *** Rūta Loop – We Came from the Sun  *** Monika Marija - If I leave  *** Moniqué - Make me human  *** MEANDI - DRIP  * The Backs - Fully  ** Will this finally be Aisté's year? It's her 12th attempt since 1999 and even Olivia Lewis won in Malta with her 11th  try (and 13th song)..... Aisté has been the runner up three times: 2008 Troy on fire , 2010 Melancolia and 2017 I'm like a wolf , Her song isn't that great though, some left over from Mel...

  Lithuania has chosen favorite Ieva Zasimauskaité with her ballad When we're old for Lisbon 2018 Eurovision song contest. She surpriseed the audience in her winning reprise by singing in Lithuanian, but so did also guest star Saara Aalto in her Monsters . However Lithuania should go for the Lithuanian version as it sounded fab! Televotes: Jury votes: Final result: 1. Ieva Zasimauskaitè - When we're old (jury 10 + televote 12) 22 2. Jurgis Bruzga - 4love (12 + 7) 19 3. The Roop - Yes, I do (7 + 10) 17 4. Monika Marija - The truth (8 + 8) 16 5. Kotryna - That girl (6 + 6) 12 6. Paula - 1 2 3 (5 + 5) 10

  Phew. It feels like Lithuania started its selection process first months ago, and now ends it as the last national final of the season! Wo-hoo! We made it. Another year. A few internally selected artists still need to present their songs (Russia, Georgia) and Bulgaria will reveal their act tomorrow, but for the selections go - this is the last! Did they save the best for last? Erm... no. Ieva's fragile ballad needs a stellar live performance to make it outstanding. If she does, she can go actually very far with it. Same goes for Monika Marija with her song she herited from Erika Jennings who pulled out. Only that Ieva is better, as is her song. Jurgis is all groovy and all that, but rather uninteresting lift music. Kotryna has pretty much the same song and act as he does, only with added female and less good. Paula surprised in the semifinal with a new arrangement to the song, more acoustic and was a bit of a surprise qualifer. Then we have The Roop that has quietly sneak...

  Lithuania's everlasting selection is coming to an end and after last week's three finalists we have three more tonight, and in this semifinal previous heat favorites Ieva, Marija and Monika Marija. And also Saules kliošas.... and wildcard Ruta Loop....  Ieva Zasimauskaitė - When We're Old  (jury 12 + televote 12) 24 Marija - This Love  (5 + 8) 13 Monika Marija - The Truth  (7 + 10) 17 Paula - 1 2 3  (10 + 6) 16 Ruta Loop - Positive Thoughts  (4 + 5) 9 Saulės kliošas - Įkvėpk ir nepaleisk (Man gaila)  (6 + 5) 11 Twosome - Hello  (8 + 7) 15            Last week's finalists are:  Jurgis Brūzga - 4Love Kotryna Juodzevičiūtė - That Girl The Roop - Yes, I Do

Lithuania has had its last heat and we have 12 names left only for next week's semifinal where again half the entries will be eliminated. Fan favorite Greta Zazza is sadly out... Živilė Gedvilaitė - Melody (jury 1 + televote 1) 2 Audrius Petrauskas - In My Bones (7 + 0) 7 Agnė Michalenkovaitė - Going On (1 + 3) 4 Saulės kliošas - Įkvėpk ir nepaleisk (Man gaila) )10 + 6) 16 Greta Zazza - Broken Shadows (4 + 4) 8 Ruta Loop - Positive Thoughts (3 + 0) 3 Marija - This Love (0 + 12) 12 The Roop - Yes, I Do (6 + 10) 16 Elizabeth Olshey - Bejausmis (2 + 2) 4 Monika Marija - The Truth (10 + 7) 17 Gabrielius Vagelis - The Distant (5 + 5) 10 Ieva Zasimauskaitė - When We're Old (12 + 8) 20

Lithuania's seelection has been going on for weeeks but now we have reached the top 24 and half of them performed in this heat, and six qualified for the semifinal after 50/50 televote/juryvote. Kotryna and Jurgis totally ruled this one.  Twosome — Hello (jury 7 + televote 4) 11 Milda Rasilavičiūtė — I Think About You (1 + 2) 3 Silvija Pankūnaitė & GeraiGerai — More Than You Know (3 + 8) 11 Lukas Norkūnas — Tegu (5 + 3) 8 Paula— 1 2 3 (6 + 6) 12 Benas Malakauskas — My Memories (0 + 1) 1 Godo — Fire Fountain (10 + 7) 17 Germanė Kinderytė — Turn It Up (0 + 0) 0 Vidas Bareikis — Pusvalanduko (5 + 5) 10 Juozas Martin — Don’t Give Up (2 + 0) 2 Kotryna Juodzevičiūtė — That Girl (12 + 10) 22 Jurgis Brūzga — 4love (10 + 12) 22

After a very long selection the final is finally here.... Some goodies made it this far and just once when it looked the horrid nonsense Get frighten was out of the picture they introduced an online wildcard round and that joke of an entry is back. And propably wins, too, when Lithuania finally could have had a quality entry. Like Greta. Or Gabrielius. Or Aisté. Sigh. On the other hand the jury sems to love Fusedmarc and I can only wonder why? I totally fail to see or hear its greatness...  My ideal top-3 would be Gabrielius, Greta and Aisté. Either of the G's winning :-) Paula - Let U go Aisté Pilvelyté - I'm like a wolf Kotryna Juodzevičiūtė - Love shadow Fusedmarc - Rain of revolution Gabrielius Vagelis - Feel myself free Greta Zazza - Like I love you Gytis Ivanauskas - Get frighten

The neverending Lithuanian selection continues tonight with the 8th heat. Half the entries will be kicked out after Lithuanian and international juries have cast their votes along with the televoters. For me in this heat there's only one I care for: Gabrielius Vagelis with his fantastic atmospheric ballad that echoes Jean-Jacques Goldman's masterpiece Nuit . In a good way. If only he manages to deliver live...  Four of these will qualify for the semifinal (yes, only eight songs left then! The end is near....) Watch here from 20.00 CET Alanas Chošnau - 7 Days Paula - Let U go Gabrielius Vagelis - Feel myself free Queens of Roses - Fisherman Kotryna Juodzevičiūtė - Love shadow Mia - Sacrifice Fusedmarc - Rain of revolution Valerija Iljinaité - You made me glow

Now this is a busy weekend! Selections with heats and semifinals in Hungary, Estonia, Ukraine, Sweden, Lithuania and Latvia, and finals in Spain and Italy. Even if for Italy we may have to wait a few days or weeks for confirmation who goes in the end, and with which song..... And it's not over yet. Monday we will have the Israeli final! I will update the relative posts once they happen - but I will be following Sanremo closely - so this post is for easy access for the results Friday  February10 Hungary - A Dal - semifinal 1 Saturday February 11 Hungary - A Dal - semifinal 2 Estonia - Eesti laul - semifinal 1 Ukraine - semifinal 2 Lithuania - Eurovizijos - heat 6 Sweden - Melodifestivalen - semifinal 2 SPAIN - OBJETIVO EUROVISION - FINAL ITALY - SANREMO - FINAL   Here Sunday  February 12 Latvia - Supernova - Heat 2

The neverending national selection in Lithunaia continues tonight. 12 entries still in the running in this one, four of them will be sent home defintely. Among tonight's entries Eurovision veteran Sasha Song, Aiste Pilvelytè in her 9th attempt (this time with Latvian Aminata as songwriter) and most of all this blogger's season's favorite Greta Zazza.  Watch here from 20.00 Cet Sasha Song - Never felt like this before (6+2=8) Valerija Iljinaité - You made me glow (4+5=9) Alanas Chosnau - 7 days (3+1=4) Greta Zazza - Like I love you (10+8=18) Aiste Pilvelytè - I'm like a wolf (12+12=24) Evaldas Vaikakas - Fire kisses (0+0=0) Neringa Siaudikytè - One more night ((1+0=1) Queen of Roses - Fisherman ((7+10=17) Vodas Bareikis & Ieva Zasimauskaité - I love my phone ((2+3=5) Kotryna Juodzeviciute - Love shadow (8+7=15) Golden Monkeys - Septyni dievai ((0+3=3) Mia - Sacrifice ((5+6=11)

Lithuania has made public the songs, writers and artists for their selection songs. Many familiar names, fan favorites, Eurovision veterans among the artists, and most of them trying again, and again. Some of the songs are already on Youtube, click the title where available... This blogger is all about Greta Zazza at this point! Heat One - January 4     1. Vilius Krivickas & Edvinas Gurevičius (Golden monkeys) - Septyni Dievai  (Vilius Krivickas & Edvinas Gurevičius)  2. Ugnė Kudlaitė (Otreya) - Last Two Weeks  (Ugnė Kudlaitė & Giedrius Balčiūnas) 3. Augustė Vedrickaitė - It's not over (not to me) (Augustė Vedrickaitė; Edgaras Žaltauskas; Kasparas Meginis) 4. Edgaras Lubys - Could it be?  (Edgaras Lubys) 5. Tadas Rimgaila & Samanta Tina - Tavo oda (Stanislavas Stavickis - Stano) 6. Sasha Song - Never felt like this before (Dmitrij Šavrov, Caleb Sutton, Justin Marcellina) 7. Rūta Andruškevičiūtė - Th...

Lithuania is ready to start their marathon selection. A total of 51 singers will battle through ten episodes and March 11 we have the final with at least singers. Among the artists two previous winners Sasha Song  (2009) and  Vilija Matačiūnaitė (2014) as well as eternal runner ups Mia and  Aistė Pilvelytė - will she finally make it? This is her... 10th? try - and a string of other familiar names like Ruslanas Kirilkanas . Below is the full list of the artists taking part. The shows start on January 7, 2017. In the first four shows it's jury-televote, and from then on the international jury joins in making it a jolly threesome.  Golden Monkeys, Otreya, Augustė Vedrickaitė, Edgaras Lubys, Tadas Rimgaila & Tina,  Sasha Song, Rūta Andruškevičiūtė, Benas Malakauskas, Audrius Petrauskas, Justin 3,  Dagna Kondratavičiūtė. Paula Valentaitė, Valdas Lacko, Monika Mėčiūtė, Rugilė Daujotaitė, Kotryna Juodzevičiūtė, Deividas Žygas, Mia. Rasa Kau...

February is coming to an end so are the national finals. This weekend we will get at least seven new entries, and other selections are still going on in Israel, Sweden and Lithuania. All this after having had the pleasure to discover the German and British entries in the last days (and maybe the French , too). And it's not over: during next week we will discover Armenia, Israel, Australia, Romania, Netherlands, Montenegro, Estonia, Poland and Russia! But let's enjoy this weekend and it's offerings first! This post will be updated while things happen so do come back and check the links. Have a lovely weekend! Saturday, February 26 18.40 Moldova - O melodie pentru Europa - FINAL Watch here - Read more here  and here 19.40 Hungary - A Dal - FINAL Watch here - Read more here  and here 20.00 Finland - #UMK16 - FINAL Watch here - Read more here , here , here , here   LIVE BLOG  and here 20.00 Slovenia - EMA 2016 - FINAL Watch here - Read...

Lithuania finally put the two categories together; those with their own songs and those that were given songs submitted. Two will be eliminated tonight, and eight will continue to the semifinal. Some day they will arrive to a conclusion.....  The Lithuanian jury has already voted, and Donny boy took the lead again, followed by Aiste and Erica while Ruta is losing ground. But we have to add the telvotes and the international jury votes and only then we will know... Catrinah - Be Free (7.) Ruslanas Kirilkinas - In wy world (6.) Milda Martinkenaite - If tomorrow never comes (9.) Erica Jennings - Leading me home (3.) Saulene Chlevickaite - Strong (10.) Aiste Pilvelyte - You Bet (2.) Valdas Lacko - Stay tonight (8.) Ruta Sciogolevaite - United (4.) Donny Montell - I’ve been waiting for this night (1.) Ieva Zasimauskaite - Life (5.)

Another crazy weekend that feels almost modest compared to last weekend (and the next). After this weekend we have two more entries, many more finalists and then it's not over: Cyprus will reveal their song already on Monday. Next week also Moldova is having it's semifinals, and Germany and UK their finals before another crazy weekend. And Israel's selection goes on and on and on..... Stay tuned! This post will be updated with results - see links when they turn green. And as always, I will be live blogging through the third #UMK16 semifinal! Saturday February 20, 2016 19.40 Hungary - A Dal - semifinal 2 Watch here - Read more here 20.00 Sweden - Melodifestivalen - semifinal 3 Watch here - Read more here 20.00 Finland - #UMK16 - semifinal 3 Watch here - Read more here  and here 20.00 Lithuania - Eurovizijos, show 7 Watch here - Read more here 20.35 Estonia - Eesti laul - semifinal 2 Watch here - Read more here 21.00 Iceland - Sö...

Lithuania keeps dropping artists and songs, and five will survive tonight and three will go home. I think. I'm losing the plot here soon.....  Pictured Ruslanas Kirilkinas, who we Finns like to remember that way after his brief adventure here years ago..... E.G.O - Long way from home   4+3 = 7 4 Roses - Butterfly   5+5 = 10 Ieva Zasimauskaite - Life (not so beautiful)   7+10 = 17 Aiste Pilvelyte - You bet   12+12= 24 Ruslanas Kirilkinas - In my world   10 +8 = 18 Milda Martinkenaute - If tomorrow never comes   5+6 = 11 Neringa Siaudikyte - Never knew love   8+4 = 12 Saulene Chlevickaite - Strong   6+7 = 13

Lithuania continues with the endless saga of Eurovizijos. These eight artists listed below will sing their song for the third time already and three will be eliminated. It's still a wild race between Donny and Ruta while Valda, Egle and Petunija might be the ones going home..... Valdas Lacko - Stay Tonight (4th, 6th in previous heats) - 4th  Catrinah - Be Free (3rd, 4th) - 5th Istvan Kvik & Ellada - Please don’t cry (2nd, 5th) - 6th Donny Montell - I’ve been waiting for this night (1st, 1st)  19 points - 3rd Egle Jakstyte - Let me show you (5th, 7th) - 7th Erica Jennings - Leading me home (2nd, 3rd)  20 points - 2nd Petunija - Tomorrow (3rd, 8th) - 8th Ruta Sciogolevaite - United   (1st, 2nd)  22 points - 1st

This is the first of February's super Eurovision weekends. This year's trend is Later is better and indeed it is - why unveil your cards in November when you can do it in February-March and be still fresh and interesting come May? Anyways, no finals tonight or tomorrow, but many on going selections and many starts. Below is the chart what to follow and how. I will update this post with the latest...... Saturday - February 6, 2016 18.00 CET Ukraine - Semifinal one Read more here - Watch here or here 19.40 CET Hungary - A Dal, heat 3 Read more here - Watch here 20.00 CET Finland - #UMK16, semifinal 1 Read more here - Watch here 20.00 CET Lithuania - Eurovizijos, Show 5 Watch here 20.00 CET Sweden - Melodifestivalen, Semifinal 1 Read more here - Watch here 21.00 CET Iceland - Söngvakeppnin, Semifinal 1 Read more here - Watch here Sunday - February 7, 2016 Latvia - Supernova, heat 1 Read more here - Watch here Israel ...

Lithuania has made its marathon even longer with the new date for the final and all. Tonight again two entries were eliminated and those who survived will join the ones who did so lat week and it seems we now have only 16 left..... Asite won this one, and Donny the last week's won as they did before when they were performing so those two are the hot favorites. Baiba – Mayday Berta Timinskaite – Stars in a rainbow Ieva Zasimauskaite – Life (not that beautiful) Neringa Šiaudikyte – Never knew love  4 Roses – Butterfly Ruslanas Kirilkinas – In my world Aiste Pilvelyte – You bet Saulene Chlevickaite – Strong Milda Martinkenaite – If tomorrow never comes E.G.O. – Long way from home Last week: Catrinah – Be Free Erica Jennings – Leading Me Home Behind the Moon – Did It All Alice Way – Hero Rūta Ščiogolevaitė – United Valdas Lacko – Stay Tonight Petunija – Tomorrow Donny Montell – I’ve Been Waiting for This Night Eglė Jakštytė – Let Me S...

Lithuania continues its search for Eurovision and tonight the qualifiers from shows 1 and 2 are against each other. The Lithuanian jury that voted already at the recording of the show confirmed the previous winners Ruta and Donny as top contenders but the international jury votes and the televote will be crucial to sort out who drops out. Up to eight acts will continue after tonight.  Ruta Sciogolevaite - United   22 Donny Montell - I’ve Been Waiting for This Night   22 Erica Jennings - Leading Me Home   16 Catrinah -  Be Free   14 Istvan Kvik & Ellada - Please Don’t Cry   12 Valdas Lacko -  Stay Tonight   11 Egle Jakstyte - Let Me Show You   10 Petunija -  Tomorrow   9 Behind the Moon - Did It All   6 Alice Way - Hero   4