She’s the winner of The Voice Lithuania who now has her sights set on Eurovision. And Monika Marija is quickly becoming a fan favourite to win Lithuania’s Eurovizijos atranka 2019, with either “Criminal” or “Light On”.
Placing second in heat three with the former, and first in heat four with the latter, both songs are set to feature in the competition’s semi-finals. Although, whether one song will feature in each semi-final, or if Monika will compete with both songs in a single semi-final is still unknown.
However, no matter which way it plays out, if Monika ends up taking home the Eurovizijos atranka trophy, she’ll do so with only one song. After all, she can’t take both to Tel Aviv.
Thus, we want to know, which song do you think she should take to Eurovision 2019 if she gets the ticket? Are you #TeamCriminal or #TeamLightOn?
Take a listen to both songs below and vote in our poll. And remember you can only vote once.
“Criminal”
In our interview with her above, Monika says “Criminal” stems from her personal experience of hurting someone.
“The main idea is that people think that the real criminals are the murderers, the thieves, the people who do real crimes,” she says.
“But I think the biggest crime is to hurt another person and to leave a scar in his heart, in his memories. I have done that myself, I can admit it, and even to this day, it hurts me, thinking about what I have done to other person.”
“Light On”
The singer’s second entry, “Light On”, also has a back story. Two years ago, Monika contracted a blood infection. Her blood levels rose so high that the doctors said it may be impossible for her to survive.
“I was laying there in a glass box, completely sterilised, I didn’t have anything of my own. Not my clothes, not my cell phone, not any single thing. And my sister could only visit me like 20 minutes or half an hour a day.”
She added: “I remember laying there in the bed and thinking, if I make it through this, one more day, one more hour, I can deal with anything in my life. Absolutely anything.”
And luckily she did get through that. And that is how the single “Light On” was born.
“After two weeks or something, I actually made it out and it was incredible. So I said, I’m gonna start living now. So the song is actually about that. Just to keep the Light On, have hope for yourself, don’t turn off your passion for living. Every time I sing the song, I think about that and just how happy I am to manage my life today and just have a prospect to my future.”
Poll – Which of Monika Marija’s Eurovizijos atranka 2019 songs do you prefer?
[crowdsignal poll=10230834]Do artists benefit from entering two songs into a national final?
Having one artist with two songs in the same national final is nothing new. Needless to say, taking up two slots in the line-up means the singer has an increased chance of winning. However, there’s also the possibility that they could be stretched too thin between each entry, resulting in lacklustre performances of both; or that votes are split between the two songs, allowing another competitor to sneak through and snatch the crown.
Indeed, such situations haven’t always lead to the best results in the past.
In 2016, Samanta Tina entered Latvia’s Supernova with “We Live For Love” and “The Love is Forever”. However, the former – and arguably stronger of the two entries – failed to make it through the first round. Meanwhile, the latter made it to the semi-final. But after her performance at the semi, Samanta announced live on the show that she would be withdrawing from the competition. She felt that she did not have the best song and thought that Justs should win with his song “Heartbeat” – which he went on to do.
In the same year, Maltese superstar Ira Losco entered two songs into the now defunct Malta Eurovision Song Contest – “Chameleon” and “That’s Why I Love You”. In this case, only one song was permitted to move on from the semi-final to the grand-final, with “Chameleon” getting the ticket. Naturally, Ira went on to win the contest and represent Malta at Eurovision 2016, but not with her winning MESC entry. Instead an internal selection was undertaken to replace her song with “Walk On Water”, which we eventually saw on stage in Stockholm.
With Ira being such an icon on the island nation, the general feeling was that she would have won MESC no matter what song she competed with. Therefore, a case could perhaps me made that entering two songs wasn’t necessary. Rather, the team should have focused on entering one that was good enough from the start and didn’t need to be replaced later on.
Which of Monika’s two songs do you prefer? Do you think either has a shot at winning Eurovizijos atranka? Or are you routing for someone else to take home the crown? Let us know in the comments below!
I like both songs.
My favourite will be the one where she wears her wonderful Yara Sofia wig.
As a song i prefer ‘Light On’, but with ‘Criminal’ they have more possibilities for an amazing staging.
I adore both songs but perhaps preferLight On slightly, Monika Marija is a terrific vocalist and she was my favorite in last year’s Eurovizijos with The Truth.
JURIJUS – Run with the Lions
“Paradox”, “Survival”, “The Smell of your eyes”.
I love both of the songs so much and really hope that the Lithuanians will at least vote for one of her songs. It’s quite concerning though that they’ll probably both be in the final and split votes… however if either of the songs are able to prevail it’d be a great Lithuanian entry!!
We’ve heard tons of songs from the selections already, but Light On remains as the strongest one so far. Vilnius 2020 is a possibility.
If Lithuania ever wins ESC the hosting city will probably be Kaunas. It has the largest arena in the country with a capacity of 20000 spectators while the largest arena in Vilnius can host only 12500. It would be plainly stupid to lose 7500 spectators and their money.
My favorite would have to be “Light On”. 🙂
Light On was written by her when she was very ill in hospital… knowing that when listening to the lyrics gives it the emotional edge for me
when she was learned she was h i v positive , thats why its very emotional song
what
Wiwibloggs team please do reviews when we will know the 8 finalists!
Yes please this needs to happen!
Light On is slightly better suited for the contest, Criminal slightly has my preference (with some light revamp) (and some heavy hair revamp). Difficult choice, but Criminal may become a new Undo if well staged…
Toss a coin. It’s that close.
Monika Marija should represent Lithuania for the next three years. Please and thank you.
Criminal is what the international jury would like if it’s staged well, imo.
Light On for the win!
Oh no fights here. It’s safe, good.
I like both songs but I prefer Criminal. Just remove that thing from your hair please.
Is it just me or Criminal’s chorus sounds like Radiohead’s Creep?
I love both but Criminal is stronger
I don’t care whatever song they chose, just as long as it’s by Monika. She’s brilliant.
Criminal all the way. I like Light on but it kinda gets repetitive after a while, and although it has a great message, I doubt that many people will connect to it.
Light On is powerful, catchy and has such a unique meaning behind it. Enough of love songs!
Criminal would be better, because it’s more memorable. Light On might be the fan flop of the year, if chosen, because it is nice and pleasant, but I don’t know about the audience size who would be voting for this. Lithuania would be in danger with Light On, but not with Criminal. As we have seen Lithuania know how to do staging, so that is good news for anyone that would be chosen, but overall the competition is Monika Marija, and no one else. My hope goes to Criminal.
I’m not normally that into ballads, but I really like ‘Light On’. It really reminds me of Nobody but You from last year and with a powerful build up and some gospel backing, I think it could do just as well.
I hope she wins with Criminal and then I hope even more that she wears that stupid dress and crazy hair! Iwant the hair to be even bigger, all over the stage, let’s make history! 😀
I love both, but if Monika doesn’t go to ESC, Lithuania are making the WRONG choice.
Both songs are in my personal top 10 of all songs in this NF season. Light On is just truly an emotional experience for me, because it’s so honest and deep. Criminal is very dramatic and powerful. Either could arguably be a contender for my ESC winner!
I prefer Light On. ‘Criminal’ is a potential winner with a big and dramatic atmosphere, but it was showing too much, it needs to be watered down. The arrangement was not the best–it has a good progression but it took a while to get there, and the ending is… pretty confusing. Like Emily J, Monika made so much adlibs it felt quite flat. ‘Light On’ has a good amount of its elements (arrangement, vocals, etc.) which blends beautifully and it made an enjoyable combination. It was not understated, yet also not too much.
Whatever song Monika wins with, I think this could be Lithuania’s year to break through the top five, if not actually win the contest. In what is possibly shaping up to be a weak Eurovision, Lithuania could have a chance. I know it’s located in the tougher semi-final on paper, but with the right song, it could make the cut. If Lithuania could survive the bloodbath that was semi-final one in 2018, I think it could do the same this year.
light on is better but i am still team jurijus and running with lions
you guys can down vote me all you like i will always be honest with myself and my taste of music
I like Jurijus too! So you are not alone. 😉
Yeah me too! Don’t feel bad if your comment is disliked. This addition was great, but people here mistake opinions for hate apparently.
JURIJUS is the best choice
Same here.
criminal is the better song, more dramatic and shows off her amazing vocals, but burn that dress please
I really don’t like the spider-web hair piece. She should drop it.
nooo, she should make it even bigger in Tel Aviv 😀
Criminal is way better in my opinion. Light On is boring, the chorus is really meh
I simply don’t want it to make Marija lose the ticket to Tel Aviv!
Love both songs so much!
Both of these songs are great, I don’t care which one they send, she deserves to go to eurovision. I’m just hoping Lithuania doesn’t screw up again and send someone like Jurijus (He’s getting a lot of praise from lithuanians for some reason..)
She’s great and I hope she gets the ticket, no matter which song they pick. But after reading the story behind Light On, I’m definitely leaning towards this one. It’s a very personal and moving song.
Light On.
I really don’t care, I’m team Monika Marija, she deserves to go to Eurovision, I love both songs
Light On is Criminals biggest competitior, Criminal is the best this year but if 40% of the people that would vote for Criminal vote for Light On then a weaker entry would snatch the crown. I just hope Lithuania selects either of these songs, Monika deserves to go to Tel Aviv for Lithuania.
I’m 100% #TeamLightOn, please don’t hate me.