Lithuania's national Eurovision Song Contest selection show "Pabandom iš naujo 2023" has concluded and Lithuanians have chosen their representative - Monika Linkytė.
Singer Monika Linkytė won the hearts of many listeners with the song "Stay", which she performs with backing vocalists from the United Kingdom. The co-producers of the song are Latvian musicians, producers Chris Noah and JJ LUSH. In 2015 Monika already had the chance to try out the big Eurovision stage - then the song "This Time" performed by her and Vaidas Baumila took 18th place in the final of the song contest.
10 contestants competed for the only ticket to the 67th Eurovision Song Contest in the "Pabandom iš naujo" final on Saturday evening: Mario Junes, Moon Bee, Justė Kraujelytė, Paulina Paukšaitytė, Beatrich, Rūta Mur, "Il Senso", Petunija, Gabrielius Vagelis and Monika Linkytė.
This time, the opinions of the audience and judges were different. The audience awarded the most points to Rūta Mur, but the jury gave maximum of 12 points to Monika Linkytė. According to the selection rules, if such a situation occurs in the final, the deciding card is in the hands of the jury of Lithuanian music experts, who chose Monika Linkytė as the winner.
Watch the performance on Rūta Mur:
The jury panel consisted of music critic and journalist Ramūnas Zilnys, musicians who have represented Lithuania in the ESC - Monika Liu, Jievaras Jasinskis from InCulto, Vaidotas Valiukevičius from The Roop, as well as singers Raminta Naujalytė-Bjelle, Ieva Narkutė, Stanislavas Stavickis-Stano, producer Vytautas Bikus, and TV and radio host Gerūta Griniūtė.
As the special guests on the final night of "Pabandom iš naujo 2023" performed the Eurovision Song Contest 2019 winner Duncan Laurence and the last year's winners, Ukrainian duo Tvorchi.
Now, with Lithuania's final selection, all three Baltic countries have chosen their representatives. Latvia and Estonia had already chosen their entries for Eurovision, which will be held in UK due to the ongoing war in Ukraine. The Grand Final of the Eurovision Song Contest 2023 will take place in the Liverpool Arena next to the River Mersey on Saturday 13 May with Semi-Finals on Tuesday 9 and Thursday 11 May.
Sudden Lights from Latvia will perform in the first Semi-Final while Lithuanian Monika Linkytė and Estonia's entry Alika will have their spotlight on the second Semi-Final. Is anyone gonna make it to the Final? Fingers crossed for the Baltics!
