Lithuania, Vilija Mataciunaite, 1

Earlier this morning the Wiwi Jury—our in-house panel of musical unprofessionals—caught a bus to Druskininkai, a 19th century spa town on the Nemunas River which promised us miracle cures for our eczema, sore joints, and wrinkles. After towelling off we headed to Vilnius to review Vilija Mataciunaite’s Eurovision 2014 song “Attention”. Did Vilija’s sass and dancing ability snap us to attention? Or were we eager to get back to the spa? Read on to find out…

Angus: Vilija, honey: Squawking – even with gusto – does not a singer make. This is one ugly mess of a song – bizarre dubstep, seemingly gothic vocal and rapid fire lyrics make it a truly hideous listen. I don’t wanna give this attention – I want to lock it away somewhere never to see the light of day ever again. Needs. To. Go.

Score: 1/10

Deban: Lithuania really has an editing problem!  Flashing strobe lights, a hysterically camp male dancer and a hyperactive ballerina all feature in this entry. To make matters worse, Vilija’s three-minute song fuses, pop, dubstep, rock, scatting, rhythm and blues. Even for an LP, that’s too many ideas. She starts off in a very low register, only to scream into her microphone mid-way. Two minutes into the song, I felt isolated. Hmm, not a good sign.

Score: 1.5/10

Anthony:  I survived the 12-week marathon of Lithuania’s national selection. Was it worth the wait? Erm, no. This feels like a teenager’s bedroom: messy and hard to get into. Despite several listens, I’m still having trouble working out what “Attention” is all about. Is it pop? Is it dubstep? Or is it a muddled combination of the two? I’d say the last option is most accurate. Vilija’s a great singer, so it’s a shame she’s been given a lacklustre song. Overall, it’s a slight improvement on last year’s dreadful entry. Considering Lithuania is in the easier second semi-final, I wouldn’t be surprised if Vilija makes it four in a row and qualifies.

Score: 4/10

Billy: Mediocre. I only like the refrain and the girls singing behind Vilija. Her accent and voice are not very good, and the part where she says “I’m gonna make you fall d-d-d-down on your knees” is so bad I almost vomit. Without auto-tuning, it is appropriate for a vine video. BTW this girl is not singing. She just speaks and shrieks.

Score: 3.5/10

Lithuania, Vilija Mataciunaite, 2

Bogdan: This is my least favourite song of all 37. I really can’t connect to it at all, as much as I want to. That being said, I like Vilija’s look, I think she is one of the more beautiful female singers this year. But that’s about it in terms of positives. Vilija tries to be fierce but comes across as obnoxious, due to this annoying track. The staging doesn’t help matters at all. If anything it makes the package even more annoying. The three minutes of “Attention” sound like a bad roller coaster ride that you regret jumping on even from the start, and at the end you feel dizzy and nauseous.

Score: 1/10

Katie: This woman is terrifying! She certainly does get our “attention” when she screams it down the microphone, but she hurts my ears at the same time. I’m wondering whether she can even speak English, because I really struggle to understand her. I’m not even going to mention her dancing, it’s like the backwards wedding march, wtf? I’ve given up on this song by time the “I’m gonna make you make you fall down da da da down on your knees” begins.  Lithuania need a slap in the face if they think song is going to win them the Eurovision title.

Score: 3/10

Padraig: For some bizarre reason the song begins with cackling crows. It’s an absurd concept. Maybe I could just about grasp it if it was the precursor for some gothic brilliance from the likes of Kate Bush or Florence Welch. But no such luck. Instead we’re greeted by Vilija – Queen of the Magpies. She squawks and caws, but rarely sings. My head pounds and my ears ache. Vilija has certainly caught my attention but for all the wrong reasons.

Score: 2/10

Lithuania, Vilija Mataciunaite, 3

Patrick: Last year I was disappointed that Lithuania sent Andrius Pojavis but this year I’m shocked. The Lithuanian National Final was the most boring and complicated National Selection this year filled with some of the most crap songs ever. When it came to the Final I really really wanted Vaidas Baumila to win with “Attention”. He gave it lift, whereas Vilija renders it boring. I can’t believe that Lithuanian people voted for this. This “song” is only speaking and screaming. Sorry Lithuania: I’m not paying Attention any more.

Score: 3/10

Vebooboo: If you have to scream “Attention” to make people listen, that ain’t a good sign. Also, singing about how beautiful you and your friends are is a tad desperate. Well, something tells me Vilija will be desperate for some press attention in Copenhagen, because nobody is going to be falling at her knees. This song features a woman who screams rather than sings, and has way too many chord changes packed into three measly minutes. And Vilija, for the love of God, please get rid of that black tutu that you “rocked” on stage.

Score: 1.5/10

Wiwi: The first time I saw the words “Vilija Mataciunaite” in print, I thought they referred to a seaside resort on the Baltic. But once I learned that Vilija Mataciunaite was a person singing “Attention”, thoughts of infinity pools and massages gave way to the sounds of slaughter and pain. Honestly, at times it sounds like she is dying, or perhaps giving birth. In a hospital without pain killers. If Eurovision is a race to the bottom, then Miss Matacuinaite wins.

Score: 1/10

All 19 members of our jury rate each song. However, we only have room to share 10 written reviews. Here are the remaining nine scores.

Mario: 5/10

Francheska: 0.5/10

James L: 2/10

Maxim Montana: 2/10

Mike: 4/10

Ramadan: 7/10

Sami: 2/10

Zach: 6/10

William C: 7.9/10

The highest and lowest scores are removed before calculating the final score. We have dropped a low of 0.5 and a high of 7.9.

The Wiwi Jury Verdict: 2.91/10

You can check out our latest Eurovision 2014 reviews and rankings on the Wiwi Jury page. You can keep up-to-date on the latest Eurovision news and gossip by following the team on Twitter @wiwibloggs and by liking our Facebook page.

35 Comments
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MoMo
MoMo
9 years ago

Give me a minute; imma just stroll over to Ramadan and borrow me a zero for this situation.

Figleaf
Figleaf
9 years ago

Just looking again. The highest mark from those who posted a review was 4/10
5 of the 9 who didn’t post a review rated it 4/10 or higher. Including a 7.9
This piece is about as balanced as Thomas 🙂

Figleaf
Figleaf
9 years ago

@Willy Lee Adams
Why didn’t you post the reviews of the 2 members that rated the song?
A rather unbalanced piece

Ian
Ian
9 years ago

Seriously Ramadan !
You gave this 7/10 ?? -_-
I’m sorry but you have no taste in music.
This is a horrible horrible song

Nathan
Nathan
9 years ago

Here are my two cents: Vilja is a talented singer who sings with attitude. She sings with ease to capitalize on the range of this sassy song. The dancing is entertaining, the black tutu is radical and just the right costume. I will have this song in my head on those nights when I am slightly buzzed, when a slimy greasy-haired man tries to hit on me and tells me I remind him of Gok Wan – ugh – and that’s happened before. I’d probably break out in this song, minus the “Attention Attention” in the beginning. I’d probably show… Read more »

Fan
Fan
9 years ago

Very unfair rating. Bogdan should be forced to apologise to the beautiful Vilija Mataciunaite.

boo
boo
9 years ago

Buthurt much? lol.

123
123
9 years ago

You guys are assholes.

Erin
Erin
9 years ago

This song has seeds of potential, but It’s like a half-baked idea that doesn’t stand the three minute test and it’s not helped by Vilija’s crude voice. If by ‘modern’ you accept below average standards of melodic structure, vocal sensibilities and stage presentation than that’s your choice. Just because you have a string of musical notes and effects that sound ‘super cool’, it doesn’t mean you have a coherent act!

Dan
Dan
9 years ago

Wow @wiwiblog juries you all are disrespectful sh*theads : ). You try way too much to creat a controversy.

Dear Lithuanians I have not listen your song carefully so I won’t talk about that but keep supporting you nation ; ) Good luck from The Netherlands!

afg
afg
9 years ago

why you are writing about my country song if you don’t like it? Respect my country choice !

Leon
Leon
9 years ago

Wow, a song that’s stirred up a hornet’s nest from jury and punters alike. My conclusion, love ‘Attention’ or hate it, you can’t ignore it or even forget the performance. Lots of hooks to catch many and pull in the votes. 8/10

bav
bav
9 years ago

You hate what is beautiful and creative, and you promote it, which is boring and unnecessary. You are radical pests. You and esctips, The same kind of idiots.?

Timselvision
Timselvision
9 years ago

@Down below: Alcohol is free is a good song! Still like it x)

I dunno if ik have to like it or not. It’s unique, and clearly not liked by erveryone. But that’s the same with all other songs this year xD I kinda like it, it’s in my top 10 in the second semi.

Marcelo N
9 years ago

This is the reason why we will never have a majority of countries sending daring songs to ESC. There have been exceptions, of course, though they have most usually been looked down on.
Personal taste is ok; disrespectful ranting is not. And it seems the order of the day.

thomas
thomas
9 years ago

The music is absolutely perfect and her d-d-d-d-down down, wow! Strophes are perfect, chorus is perfect, what do you want, people? This music Eurovision needs. Thanks Lithuania and Poland, this is the way of Eurovision dance, not songs like Tanja or Sanna.

And if you dont like new version, begin spend money for new ears 🙂

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j_JsRtrQcfY

thomas
thomas
9 years ago

OMG, you gays, have a really bad taste. This is catchy song with modern sounds. With Poland and Hungary (and Sweden, if there would win amazing Ace instead of old-fashioned Sanna with trashy gay euro disco ballad) it is the only modern dance music in Eurovision this year. Very good Lithuania, you have one of the best songs this year. Don’t worry, that gays don’t like it, they love sh*ts like Euroband and Charlotte Perrelli with 90’s euro disco. We normal str8 people love your song. Attention will be in TOP 10!!! Congrats!

beccaboo1212
9 years ago

I personally think “Attention” is a cute song!

Daria Kinzer
Daria Kinzer
9 years ago

Hey, Wiwibloggs readers! Please check out this new comic show about me! It’s called “Da Dria Kiznr Show” and features some other ex-Eurovision starts! It’s some kind of Eurovision spin-off of “The Nekci Menij Show”. It would be a big honour for me if you dedicated an article to this show! Enjoy! 🙂

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z3ouvGdjoss

With love, your Daria Kinzer! <3

Dar
Dar
9 years ago

No quality in this entry .. Soo cheap ..

Alex
Alex
9 years ago

The jury rating is a little low, but it’s not exactly one of the best entries in the contest. She starts the song by singing notes that are too low for her to hit, and she has trouble hitting the notes in the “Attention” part – these two things don’t combine very well. It’s actually not a bad song overall, but it needs polish and it’s very difficult to perform. The only thing that surprises me from the jury rankings is that Ramadan gave a rating to this entry that wasn’t 0, 1, 2, or 10. I’m glad Ramadan is… Read more »

Easpag
Easpag
9 years ago

It’s really not a good song. Vaidas may have rescued it if he was chosen to sing it, but Vilija just doesn’t suit it. Last years entry wasn’t great, but this year it actually got worse.

Dan RO
Dan RO
9 years ago

This song and this performance certainly caught my attention! In the worst possible way, unfortunately. This song is all over the place – so many things going on, so many directions in which it tries to go, OMG! I blame the production, which must be the worst this year! During the bridge (I’m gonna make you….blah blah), I was indeed on my knees – sick from my stomach, it is soooooo bad!!! I read here that some people say that she CAN sing – maybe they heard her singing something else, because in this she does anything BUT sing! And… Read more »

Jacob
Jacob
9 years ago

I feel like the only person that likes it.

Thiefo
Thiefo
9 years ago

I didn’t like it at first, but for some reason I do now, it’s interesting and different, but I understand why most people don’t like it. Still not one of my favourites, but at least I like it a lot more than others that have been ranked higher so far.

Fan
Fan
9 years ago

They didn’t qualify because people have no taste nowadays. They voted for a song screaming about alcohol?!

But FYI; Without the jury Moje 3 qualified so yeah.

Gerard P
Gerard P
9 years ago

@Fan: Um…if those songs were so strong then why didn’t they qualify?! And for the record, this Lithuania song is terrrrrible. Vilija CAN sing. But she is singing CRAP. It’s a shame. Lithuania should have given her a better song, or chosen someone who could carry this one better. But it’s so bad I don’t think anyone actually could

Fan
Fan
9 years ago

Jericho there’s no denying Natália was one of the strongest, along with Moje 3 in SF1.

D
D
9 years ago

Surprised you gave this a lower ranking than the songs from Latvia and Malta. None of the three are masterpieces but this is by far better than those two. 6/10 for me.

Jericho
Jericho
9 years ago

Pretty sure Natalia didn’t make the final so she deserved the low ranking….

CookyMonzta
CookyMonzta
9 years ago

For this song, the ratings are no surprise. Andrius Pojavis’ “Something” from last year’s contest is better than this.

Miksi
9 years ago

First of all:It’s unique
Secondly: Vilija CAN sing
Thirdly: Song is probably the catchiest song of this year
If this was Azerbaijan I just know that you would love it -_- Anyway,Gl to Vilija 🙂 She is 18th in my top 37 🙂

Nick P.
9 years ago

This is one of my favorite songs this year. It’s just got so much energy, much more than almost any other song at Eurovision or the national finals. It’s also one of the most unique songs; nothing else sounds like it. I love her moody and strong performance and I think that it’ll surprise people in Copenhagen. Go Vilija! 🙂

Fan
Fan
9 years ago

This song is amazing. You ranked Greece highly and not this? Pfft. You just hate Lithuanian people.

Not only that but you all rated Natália low last year.

bav
bav
9 years ago

If you don’t like it, you should ignore it. But you are like nazis, only you have the right.