Yesterday the Wiwi Jury – our in-house panel of music unprofessionals – travelled to Lithuania and visited the seaside resort town of Palanga. While strolling along the boardwalk, we discussed Donny Montell‘s song “I’ve Been Waiting For This Night”. Did it make us want to stay up late? Or did it send us to sleep? Read on to find out!

Donny Montell – “I’ve Been Waiting For This Night”

“I’ve Been Waiting For This Night” reviews

Patrick: Back in 2012, I had so much hate for this guy, for his stupid song and stupid staging. Now it’s 2016 and my mind has changed 100% and I love this guy, love his song and love his staging in the selection. Mother nature created a beautiful guy with a stunning voice. Lithuania tends to shock us and, oh boy, it does this year — but in a good way. Donny knows how to perform and how to do things in general when it comes to music. Even if the song is not the most original it is a fantastic pop song and I love it. Bravoooo!

Score: 9/10

Bogdan: When I first heard the studio version, I got excited, but the live performance is underwhelming. Also, why isn’t Donny playing up to his (other) strengths? Does he have to be fully clothed throughout the show? Hopefully this will change in May, for his sake and ours. I’ll be waiting for that night.

Score: 6.5/10

Angus: I bought Donny as a goofy but loveable popstar singing in a blindfold. I’m not sure his transition into swaggy R&B whore on the dancefloor is that convincing. The national final performance was a car crash, but the song itself is solid, and Donny’s vocal abilities have never been in question. That said, this still needs a lot of polishing to ensure it actually qualifies from the semi-final.

Score: 5.5/10

Cristian: So generic, so boring, typical Eurovision fanwank I would use as toilet break. There is no creativity, there is no fun. With a song like this I would immediately change radio station.

Score: 1/10

William: Drop, pop, lock — thrust, squat, jump. No matter what Donny does I am ready to watch! “I’ve Been Waiting For This Night” is a Scandi delight, replete with expensive production, a killer hook and fantastic pacing. Donny explodes at just the right time every time. The final minute becomes a tad repetitive, but I’ve no doubt the Stockholm staging will sort that out. Welcome back, Donny!

Score: 7.5/10

Deban: Scandipop peppered with acrobatic moves, “I’ve Been Waiting For This Night” is destined to be my summer club banger! Donny Montell disembarked from the cruise ship in 2012 – taking his fans to the dance floor. This year’s Lithuania’s entry is current, danceable, memorable and bursting with energy.

Score: 7/10

Diego: I have some mixed feelings about this song. First of all, it sounds like a well-built dance-pop song that could work just fine in any music chart around the world, but I’m not sure if this formula could work nowadays at Eurovision. Some other colleagues point out how generic it might sound, and I’m afraid this might get lost and forgotten for its lack of innovation and emotion.

Score: 7/10

Josh: “I’ve Been Waiting For This Night” is dangerously generic, and that could either help or hinder his chances at Eurovision glory. This is by no means a winner, but it’s nostalgic and modern enough for most people to warm to. I’ll admit though that most of my seven points are just because I want to touch Donny’s abs.

Score: 7/10

Robyn: The debut of this song was the first big thrilling moment of the 2016 NF season, and while it’s still a good song, it hasn’t quite held up against the dozens of others that have since been released. It feels a bit too deliberate and overproduced. Donny is a dedicated performer and is likely to put on a good show, but the song needs to feel more like a heartfelt love song and less like a Eurovision extravaganza.

Score: 7.5/10

Mikhail: I don’t see anything interesting in this song. It is repetitive and really generic. It will get lost on the radio, because no one will be able to differentiate it from other songs. Was it the best in Lithuanian selection? For sure, but that doesn’t say a lot. Nevertheless, Donny is a great energetic performer and he can definitely pull something out of the pocket.

Score: 5/10

Padraig: “I’ve Been Waiting For This Night” rode a wave of hype all the way to Eurovision, buoyed by a mixture of Donny’s personality, its superiority to “Love Is Blind”, and the weakness of the Eurovizija field. Come Stockholm the last two factors will be completely irrelevant. Essentially it’s just generic stadium pop that’s about nothing in particular. Given this year’s crowded field, he’ll be doing well to match his 2012 result — I’ll still dance to it though.

Score: 6.5/10

Sami: I wasn’t fan of “Love Is Blind”, but now Donny is all grown up and is back with very generic but well produced pop track. The weakest part of the whole number is Donny himself. He sure has a great voice, but his dance moves are ridiculous and his whole image is bit arrogant. With a good performance this should be enough to get Lithuania to the final.

Score: 8/10

In the Wiwi Jury we have 40 jurors but only have room for 12 reviews. The remaining 28 scores are below.

Anthony: 9/10

Antranig: 9/10

Bernardo: 9/10

Chris: 6.5/10

David: 7.5/10

Dayana: 8.5/10

Denise: 8/10

Edd: 8.5/10

Forrest: 5.5/10

George: 7/10

Gökhan: 7.5/10

Jason: 3.5/10

Judit: 7/10

Kristin: 7/10

Liam: 8/10

Luis: 5/10

Marek: 4/10

Maria: 7/10

Mario: 8.5/10

Max: 6/10

Mike: 7.5/10

Renske: 7.5/10

Rezo: 5/10

Sinan: 4/10

Steinunn: 7/10

Tobias: 5/10

William C: 5/10

Zakaria: 4/10

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The highest and lowest scores are dropped prior to calculating the average score. This is to remove outliers and reduce potential bias. We have removed a low of 1 and a high of 9.

WIWI JURY SCORE: 6.7/10

SEE OUR CURRENT EUROVISION 2016 REVIEWS AND RANKINGS

42 Comments
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Elizabeth
Elizabeth
7 years ago

Everybody said that his staging was generic and unoriginal.. Ok sorry… but Donny was one of a few who didin’t do “copy paste” from last year’s winer Mans. What was really ridiculous to watch during others performance. And what’s with all visual effects anyway?
First they called him the balkan boy than introduced like Latvian. Whats wrong with Wiwi?
For me Donny performance was tasteful and not overloaded.

Peter V
Peter V
7 years ago

“Love Is Blind” was a great song, it was really appealing to Western Europe audience as it resembled their style of pop music, moreover it was very original and not like anything else that year, that is why I think Donny’s performance was very underrated in 2012. As for this year, I don’t believe in “This Night”. It sounds so generic, boring and forgettable. I’m not even sure Donny has got enough power to make it through the semifinal.

David Who
David Who
7 years ago

This is not the same Donny Montell that sang with a blindfold to us back in 2012. He’s not innocent any more. Anyone who has seen/heard Donny’s most recent song “Don’t Touch Me” will know that he’s moving into the “I want to be seen having sex in my music” phase of his career right now. In his own penned lyrics, he writes: “I know we’re making love tonight. Touch me, love me, f*ck me like you like…” Case and point. The trouble is, I actually liked Donny better when he was more innocent! He was more endearing as an… Read more »

ESCaddict
ESCaddict
7 years ago

I really want to like this song. I have so much respect for Donny (I liked Love Is Blind a lot) & I like this music genre. Unfortunately I struggle to give this song a good ranking because I struggle to hear a hook. Still I am hoping for a good performance in Stockholm.
Currently I rank “I’ve Been Waiting For This Night” 36 of 43.

Tha
Tha
7 years ago

Srsly, is this a song review or just an article to say how good looking the guy is? I thought you were giving points to the song, vocals and performance. Not because you want to touch someone’s abs. If is going to be like that, shouldn’t even have ranking and reviews, just that “Eurovision Next Top Model”. Btw this song is just a generic pop, but it will go to the Grand Final because Lithuania has a lot of countries that will vote for them in SF2 and also because SF2 is the weakest ever. Right side of the scoreboard… Read more »

Andrey (from Russia)
Andrey (from Russia)
7 years ago

I can’t understand why he’s jumping like a monkey and making a sort of jungle-dance. Is his entry about some mowgli?

georgekirkas
georgekirkas
7 years ago

Of course it’s much better than ”Love Is Blind” and I really like it. However, it’s just generic pop and I’m not sure if it can stand out. I think that Lithuania will definitely qualify because they have many supporting countries voting in the same Semi-Final, like Latvia, Ireland, the UK, Norway and Denmark.Also, the song is very accessible.

7/10

cheesecake
cheesecake
7 years ago

Yes, it is generic and unoriginal. However when this first came out back in like November I just immediately loved it, and I still do, because I personally like this kind of music if it’s well produced. Which it is.
The live performance is underwhelming though.

Mistrop
Mistrop
7 years ago

This will make the final because it sounds cool, but it’s a fill up song definitely. Don’t expect this to be higher than 15th position.

Darren
Darren
7 years ago

I detested Lithuania in 2012 but Donny managed to turn it around on his return. The song is much better than “Love is Blind” but I don’t know, it’s missing something for me but I just cannot place what it is. Donny has matured well. Lithuania is currently my 12th. It should qualify easily as it’s got neighbours voting for it such as Poland and Latvia, it also has Ireland and United Kingdom who usually give them points. After qualification it could place anywhere in the final. Don’t think it will win though. Solid song, solid production, solid vocals. Not… Read more »

Briekimchi
Briekimchi
7 years ago

There is no way that this is better than “Love is Blind”. Everything that made that song special and stand out has been sacrificed for safe, boring, Scandi-pop. Parts of this song are incredibly annoying, such as the repeating words at the end of each line in the verses and it does not make much of an effort to be anything more than filler. Having said that, what really sells this is Donny himself. A confident, engaging performer, he takes a song that should be at the bottom of this contest and lifts it up into the middle of the… Read more »

Holden
Holden
7 years ago

I find it a bit boring. 5/10

Hastings
Hastings
7 years ago

6.5/10
20/43

How did this get more than Serbia?

Hanner McSinny/Calvin
7 years ago

I’ll offer a concurrence to Cristian in a way. It actually does feel very modern and contemporary and un-fanwank-y, but that’s actually what I don’t like about it. It feels like an attempt to capitalize on as many trends as possible that ultimately feels very fake to me.

João Teles
João Teles
7 years ago

Correction:

*this is even worse than San Marino and San Marino is a joke this year.

And i agree with Jason, typical gay guys getting horny for the first plastic body you see, gee, no wonder some straight guys laugh at us and say we’re a joke, in that aspect, i understand them, seriously.

Ghost
Ghost
7 years ago

wow, so mutch hate. I have to disagree with most of you, I love this song

Bis
Bis
7 years ago

A generic middle-of-the-road Swedish factory pop song excellently performed by a good artist. I quite like it. 6,5/10

Colin
Colin
7 years ago

@WTF, I agree. Although I don’t find Lithuania to have ‘crap’ song, only somewhat catchy typical one, I do believe Netherlands and Serbia are a lot better!

nick
nick
7 years ago

Wiwiblogger – Christian, thanks for being the spokesperson for the masses! Same goes to @jason. This is awful, awful, awful, awful. It is so boring, so generic, so ordinary, I am sure it will be dead last.

Jason
Jason
7 years ago

One reviewer is begging Donny to wear less clothing at Eurovision, while another is admitting that his higher score is because he wants to touch Donny’s abs. Are you guys for real? I’m gay myself but seriously, why are gay Eurovision fans so easy to manipulate and so willing to think with their crotches instead of their brains? Come on. You’re making us all look awful.

Nicky91
Nicky91
7 years ago

@WTF

we can agree on something, thank you for agreeing with me 🙂

i know we might have different favourite countries

WTF
WTF
7 years ago

Another underwhelming returning artist, this is nothing more than a joke, especially compared to his past ESC efforts (Baku 2012, the disqualified song from 2010)… The fact that it also gets ranked above some of the best entries this year (Netherlands, Serbia) speaks volumes about wiwi’s usual bias towards mainstream pop crap…

Tom
Tom
7 years ago

Boy got hot out of nowhere! And that body ody ody!

Song is very generic euro pop. I’m sure it will qualify, Lithuania tend to qualify with worse.

Good luck Lithuania!

Firestorm
Firestorm
7 years ago

It’s overrated. It’s just a typical pop-song, what you forget right after the song ends. It gets boring really fast..

Paul D
Paul D
7 years ago

This song isn’t very original, it feels like I heard it many times before, but is well produced and its biggest asset is Donny, he’s very charismatic and a great performer, will have no problem to qualify (Lithuania has support from neighbours and diaspora) and should do a decent result in the final

Nicky91
Nicky91
7 years ago

@Colin

you’re welcome, and thank you 🙂

Colin
Colin
7 years ago

@Nicky91

To yours as well, thanks 🙂

Nicky91
Nicky91
7 years ago

@Colin

fair enough from you, and i don’t believe the wiwi juries anymore after these high scores

good luck to your favourites, mate 🙂

Colin
Colin
7 years ago

This song is quite a typical ESC entry – catchy, fun, classic love lyrics… but I somehow find it better than other typical songs of this year (Ireland, Denmark). It might be because of Donny’s presence or the chorus is just so darn catchy? In any case, this is somewhere between a 6 and a 7 for me, so let’s say 6.5/10. Not bad. I think the score here is quite okay compared to others.

oli
oli
7 years ago

It’s one of my this year’s favorites, nothing special but somehow it gives me energy and good mood, … and donny is quite hot as well.

Nicky91
Nicky91
7 years ago

@John Doe

my advice don’t make your opinion based on the wiwi juries, i don’t like their scores either

and sorry to bother you but Ira will be going to Prague to perform her song there and also to meet Gabriela 🙂

anyway sorry to have bothered you, if i annoy you 100 times sorry

John Doe
John Doe
7 years ago

Certain countries have much higher scores but the same quality!

Nicky91
Nicky91
7 years ago

@GEF i agree with you, but i must also say, from all songs we haven’t seen the staging yet, so we can’t Judge on how they perform on the night 🙂 and of course i don’t look at the wiwi juries at all, an 8 for this song, well overrated by the wiwi juries again well i look at the bookmakers, yeah Russia and France and Sweden are now the top 3, well how silly at least Malta is at 5th place which i can believe, Czech Republic is fairly low with them which is a entry i like this… Read more »

GEF
GEF
7 years ago

I can also hardly remember anything positive from Lithuania. It is really amazing that they mostly reach the finals. My favourite song was actually their 2010s entry.

This year they are also lucky since they are in a Semi Final with Poland, Latvia, Ireland and Belorus. Furthemore, the UK can vote for them. How can it be that a country is in a Semi final with all of his usual supporters?

Jerome
Jerome
7 years ago

9/10
This is my favourite upbeat song of the year (8th overall at the moment). Whenever this song comes on, it feels like I want to start running somewhere. The slow build in the verses followed by the explosion in the chorus elicit energy that transfers to the listeners and the audience come the contest. Donny Montell has really good vocals here so that’ll be a plus. But the weird stage movements need to be dealt with i.e. get rid of them! Nonetheless, this is my favourite entry from Lithuania in a very long time.

GEF
GEF
7 years ago

It is just an forgettable dance song. I don’t like it. And I find his live performance really weak. It is also extremely generic and cheap. Don’t understand your positive reviews. I hope it won’t qualify. But ok, it is at least better than “love is blind”. Alter Ego / Play / Say Yay: 9,0 Love Wave / 1944: 8,5 Ghost / Pioneer / Slow Down: 8,0 Made of Stars / What’s the pressure? / Sound of Silence: 7,5 Sing it away / Goodbye: 7,0 Help to fly / Icebreaker / Heartbeat: 6,5 Colour of your life / Walk on… Read more »

Nicky91
Nicky91
7 years ago

@Antranig

well i liked last year’s song, with the kiss and such a happy duo 🙂

but lol 🙂 🙂 🙂

Marco
Marco
7 years ago

Fully agree with Cristian,typical Eurovision fanwank.
Hope he will not reach the final,it’s awful and his voice is so weak…god NO!

Antranig Shokayan
Editor
7 years ago

I haven’t really been a fan of anything the Lithuanians have sent, so it’s easily the best Lithuanian entry for me. My favourite Baltic boy!

Homer
Homer
7 years ago

Christian, i salute you! This is the worst song this year without any doubts! Chessy, annoying, bland, simply stupid and every time i hear it makes me want to puke. Yep, definitely my toilet break. That’s how disgusting this song is. I hope this gigantic crap doesn’t qualify through the final but unfortunately people are too dumb and will vote for this over other entries with way more musical quality. So sad…

Nicky91
Nicky91
7 years ago

well i’m Always a fan of returning artists, if they have a good song

Donny’s Love is Blind was really unique and great, and this song is for me a bit disappointing compared to his previous song, it’s a good summer hit maybe on the radio charts

so i’ll score this 7/10, with the right staging i’ll score it 7.5/10

Bhrister Cjorkman
Bhrister Cjorkman
7 years ago

6/10
25/43

That is a surprisingly high score from the panel. I guess it is justified, as there is not much to criticize other than the fact it is uninspiring. I hope to see him in the finals but would not be too sad if he does not.