Her performance of “Get Frighten” was an extravagant stand-out in the third heat of Eurovizijos atranka. But eagled-eyed viewers noticed that drag performer Lolita Zero appeared to be lip-syncing her song. Now the Lithuanian broadcaster LRT has confirmed that a lip-sync did happen — but it’s not in breach of the Eurovision rules.
Lolita Zero is the drag persona of actor Gytis Ivanauskas. And while he can put on a great show, it appears his singing voice isn’t as good, making the controversial lip-sync necessary.
Eurovizijos atranka producer Lauro Luciuno explained that in accordance with Eurovision rules, all the performance vocals were live and were only performed by the six people seen on stage.
The key falsetto vocal that Lolita Zero lip-synced along with came from one of her backing dancers, Jurijus Veklenko. He’s best known as one of Monika and Vaidas’ kissing “This Time” backing vocalists from Vienna.
While Jurijus is on stage during the “Get Frighten” performance, he is often standing directly behind Lolita — or obscured by her flamboyant gold skirt. Lolita performs one segment herself — a rousing spoken word piece in the middle.
Will it work?
It’s been long known that some Eurovision acts use backing vocalists to beef up their own vocal ability, but this may be the first time that a potential Eurovision act has entirely lip-synced her singing.
But will it be a successful tactic? As LRT notes, 2013 Melodifestivalen act Army of Lovers had performer La Camilla lip-sync her vocal. Their entry “Rockin’ the Ride” failed to make it out of the semi-final.
Lolita Zero is having better luck in Eurovizijos atranka. Last week “Get Frighten” won the televote and placed second overall its heat.
With its flaming devil horns and watermelon smashing, the performance is fast going viral. It will face further competition in the next level of elimination shows, starting in two weeks.
Meanwhile the fourth and final heat of Eurovizijos atranka is due to take place this coming Saturday. It will include Aiste Pilvelyte with her entry “I’m Like a Wolf”, written by Latvian star Aminata Savadogo.
What do you think? Is it fair for Lolita Zero to lip-sync to a live backing vocalist? Or is it a legit expression of drag performance? Share your thoughts below!
@Charles – you always echo my mind and comments. Well said. And yes.
Everything falls into a perfect place: a) a joke entry where the drag queen trick is used again God knows why b) lip sync … why singing live … nobody even cares these days and fans would be glad because it would be also about the performances, the dancing, the props, the outfit, the LED, the naked male dancers, etc … the singing becomes irrelevant. c) the funfair, the bad taste, the circus … the 2000s are back … Fans biggest dream is right here in the shape of this Lolita Zero … Zero? Fits perfectly with I thinks about… Read more »
Let’s face it, Eurovision is getting less about the song and more about the staging and the performer so it’s only going to be a matter of time before pretty models will be lip syncing to live vocals by more talented singers that are on the same stage
It’s totally against the spirit of the competition! Then again, I think someone else will fly Lithuania’s flag in Kyiv.
UK 1984 do first that at Eurovison, only lead female singer sang live on stage, and 2 female backing singer sang live but they are out of stage ( backing vocalist out of stage happen second time from Sweden 2012 and we had many time from that year that many back vocalist not see on stage), and on stage we had 2 girls who sang on lip syncing in 1984.
Elena not lipsynced when sing Balkan Girls .Elena has kind of high key voice.the backing singer to the side of the stage has kind of low key voice.please
Last year Lithuania was sure that Donny will win.
Maybe this year Lithuania wants to troll ESC.
I don’t care who sang it, it’s TERRIBLE anyway. Don’t make a mistake, Lithuania.
I understand that on stage can be maxim 6 persons, and the vocals must be live, and performed by any of the 6 people on stage, the rules do not say that the most visible person must provide the main singing, but is still very embarrassing, and this is why artists hide that. I’m sure the rules were not created with this intention.
Actually, show producer is Lauras Luciunas, not Lauro Luciuno…
There was also the heavy rumour that Balkan Girls was performed mainly by the backing singer to the side of the stage and Elena just lipsynced.
@Colin: a more apt comparison would be a team of rowers winning gold at the olympics whilst one of them didn’t row a stroke. Doesn’t look good for the guy not rowing but not technically against the rules.
Ira Losco couldn’t hit her high note last year but didn’t get penalised for it either. 😉
It really isn’t against the rules.
Eurovision rules say vocals need to be performed live.
Look at Greece 2012 I mean the backup singer sang everything.
@Robyn: So, live instrumentals and more than 6 people on stage are not within rules, but lip-syncing is okay? How come? Isn’t live vocals, like ESSENCE of what this show is about? It seams like legalizing steroids on the Olympics.
It is in accord with ESC rules but she still might face criticism or jokes.
It can be a solution for her to appear like Dita Von Teese in Germany 2009 performance.
It’s totally unfair. But what’s more unfair is that this tragedy somehow managed to do very well.
Lol everyone knew that he’s lip-syncing, why create an article about that ;D
Lithuania allows lip-syncing in the show? Then they’ll suddenly be surprised when a mediocre vocalist flops at ESC, where that technique isn’t allowed.
Awful performance and song.