Lithuania’s national final for Eurovision 2022 returns for its first heat on 8 January. And one month ahead of the opening show, broadcaster LRT has published the names of the 36 acts who will compete in Pabandom iš naujo 2022.
The line-up features lots of exciting names including Eurovision alums Ieva Zasimauskaitė (2018), Monika Linkytė (2015), Vilija (2014) and Erica Jennings (2001). The 2021 runner-up Gebrasy is also returning. Other returning acts include the drag queen Lolita Zero and Voldemars Petersons.
Lithuania’s Pabandom iš naujo 2022 — The 36 competing acts
- Aldegunda
- Artūras Aleksiejus – Alekas
- Augustė Vedrickaitė – Augustė
- Basas Pegasas
- Clockwork Creep
- Elonas Pokanevič
- Emilijana
- Emilija Valiukevičiūtė – Emilija V
- Erica Jennings
- Gabrielė Goštautaitė
- GABREA
- Gebrasy
- Geleibra
- Gintarė Korsakaitė
- Ieva Zasimauskaitė
- Joseph June
- Justė Kraujelytė
- Justin 3 feat. nanaart
- Lolita Zero
- Mary Mo
- Mėnulio fazė
- Monika Linkytė
- Monika Liu
- Moosu X
- Cosmic Bride
- Queens of Roses
- Rūta Loop
- Sun Francisco
- Titas ir Benas
- Urtė Šilagalytė
- Vasha
- Viktorija Faith
- Viktorija Kajokaitė
- Vilija Matačiūnaitė
- Voldemars Petersons ir the Break Hearters
- Živilė Gedvilaitė
Pabandom iš naujo 2022
A six show selection
This year’s selection will consist of six shows. There will be three qualifying heats, two semi finals and a grand final. The first show will air on 8 January. As usual, the results will come via a mixture of a public and jury vote. The composition of the jury will change for each episode. Like 2021, the jury scores will only be announced at the end of each show, so as to not influence viewers voting from home.
Additional funding for acts
LRT has also commited to providing financial support to all performers. This will be the first time that the broadcaster has taken such a step. Acts can use the money to prepare for their televised performances. It cannot be used as royalties for songwriters and composers. The TV network will provide a total of €54,000, excluding taxes, which will be divided between the 36 participants.
Submissions
The PIN 2022 shortlist has been whittled down from more than 50 submissions. The shortlisting process took place over two stages. First, a committee assessed whether the submissions met all the competition rules. They then evaluated the merits of each song.
What do you think of the line-up? Who are you most excited for?
Yes my fav Erica Jennings en Gebrasky and Monika Linkyte! Looking forward to the songs also from the unknown names!
I would expect something good from Monika Linkyte, she puts out some goods songs recently (like “Šilkas”) also Monika Liu could bring something interesting (but weired) as shes popular in Lithuania and a former The Voice Lithuania judge for few seasons
Hopefully Monica Linkyte has a song that shows her growth as a singer that’s better than the duet she went to Eurovision with in 2015. Wanna kill you is one of the few responsible for winning song, which could be a disadvantage because you also send English language stuff, but if the song is strong enough, it could be a risk worth taking.
If you want to get a taste of what our participants are like, I found this recap video of most of them featuring their prior work either on past national finals or thrown work, although there are a couple that are Just their auditions for the Voice— https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=lTmJq0KPHEQ
I think most of them are pretty promising.
We’ve also got dates for the six-week selection:
So it looks like Estonia and Lithuania will have their finals on the same date. Wouldn’t it be funny if Latvia also scheduled their final on February 12th too?
From what we know, there are going to be 4 songs in Lithuanian and 32 songs in English. Only 1 song at the moment is released, it’s fine, I guess. I’m pleasantly surprised.
Emilija V with her song “Overload”
https://genius.com/Emilija-v-overload-lyrics
I’ve had a chance to listen to the song, and while I don’t like that intro because it sounds like a recording blooper added to it, when do you get to the first verse, Then it’s off to a promising takeoff. She has a slow crackle voice that could have a potential for a pratfall if she doesn’t perform it well, but if she does a good job in the heat, she could make it up to the semi finals at least. Something about this song makes me think of another specific song that I just can’t put my finger… Read more »
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKid56lRDW4&ab_channel=Pabandomi%C5%A1naujo%212022
I found this recap link of most of the participants https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=lTmJq0KPHEQ
Maybe another article will be written, but we’ve got song titles https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lithuania_in_the_Eurovision_Song_Contest_2022
“The Devil Lives in Spain” made me spit out my drink lol
Why? Were you possessed?
It’s such a random and funny title
I really liked Gebrasy’s song last year, so I’m curious to see what he’ll bring
So the article states that over 50 songs were submitted for PIN, out of which 36 were selected, but In the past, Over 50 songs would be the number you’d had competing within a national final. Funny how things change.
I think LRT rejects some entries? They need 12 songs per heat, so it makes sense that there are 36 songs.
Sounds like a very strong NF here! I’m happy to see Lithuania improving. Among the names, Ieva and Gebrasy are my faves atm, though I’d like Gebrasy to win because he hasn’t had the chance. Of course, if he has a good entry.
Wait until the songs are out before we can judge pin 2022 as a strong or weak selection, but the broadcaster is offering €54,000 for all 36 artists (€1500 per artist), so it could uplift all the songs to a higher level, even with some of the weaker ones. Fingers crossed.
When We’re Old is my favorite Lithuanian entry ever, and in my top 5 of 2018. Where’d You Wanna Go is my winner among non-winning entries of the last season altogether. I have a hunch that both Ieva and Gebrasy will bring another entry of a high quality. Overall, it’s a good line-up, and I can’t wait to hear the songs. Good luck! 🙂
A lot of new names, this will be interesting. Instantly rooting for Ruta Loop, “We came from the sun” was a bop. She can totally win this time. Also don’t sleep on Monika Liu, those vocals slay people.
If she has a great song, and she gets to go to your vision, could she actually Be good enough to get a lot of jury points because that’s Lithuania’s weakness?
Some great names in there. Hoping for good songs from Ieva and Erica. Erica should have won with “Leading me home”.
I hope so too, especially with the €54,000 investment to help boost the quality, but I’m moderating my expectations a little bit in case it turns out disappointing. I hope Lithuania has some very strong options To choose from. Yes, not every song is going to be a winner, but you need some weak songs to fall in the heat and semi finals in order to allow the stronger Songs to make it to the final. I hope the investment makes stronger songs shine brighter and uplift weaker songs to be more tolerable.
Omg monika linkyte (loved 2015), Gebrassy (was my winner over the roop), ieva (one of my favorite eurovision performances ever), WHAT AN INCREDIBLE LINEUP! Imagine jurijus and donny participated as well 🙂
I think Donny Montell is done with Eurovision. There’s an article in reading saying that he has no intention to participate in any more national finals.
Donny was very hesitant about his future participation in a recent interview. I think he’s done.
Well, last time when Lolita Zero competed in national selection, Jurijus was the man behind her vocals (I mean, literally behind XD). So, maybe it will be the same this year
I didn’t really start following national finals closely till like the 2018 contest, but I had a mistake assumption that Lolita zero didn’t make it to the final because of the live lip-synching stunt, but she did and got fourth place. I don’t know whether she’ll do that same stunt again or she’ll actually have to sing herself, but I don’t think she can get away with it again.
I hope Gebrasy hasn’t peaked at the wrong time and he has another great song on his bag. Ieva is a darling, so I wish her a positive comeback. But what really excited me is to see that Ruta Loop will be back! “We Came From the Sun” was one of my favorites on that really strong PIN 2020.
I hope his next song isn’t weaker But better. Will have to wait until this national final goes ahead in January.
We never know, maybe “Where’d you wanna go” will go down history as his “Yes, I Do”.
Looking forward to Gebrasy and Ieva Zasimauskaite!
Is any of these Monika’s the one who participated twice but had to pay a penalty? I really liked “Light On” of her
No, I don’t think so. If she was participating we would see Monika Marija In this list, but we don’t, So she’s not participating this year it seems. Unless she got married and has a different last name, but I doubt it.
A pity! 🙁
Why she never tried again despite being a fan favorite? She only lost because her both song cannibalised the votes
She came back in 2020 and reached the final!
So sad Gabrielius Vagelis isn’t in the list. Did he submit a song or did he decided to miss this edition? I guess Gebrasy is the name that hypes me the most. I really loved “Where’d You Wanna Go?” and would’ve been a great contestant if it wasn’t for the Roop.
I think that of the 2021 artists returning, Gebrasy has the most potential To be a really good after Eurovision. The rest of those returning acts Were mostly lucky that there was a Shorter national final, and most of them probably won’t make it to the final with more participants, but we’ll see. Maybe a few might’ve actually made some improvements for 2022, especially with this funding initiative.
Not Lolita Zero, please
She’ll probably be one of the earlier casualties in the heats.
I wasn’t expecting a list of participants so soon, but it’s nice to know who is participating. I recognize a few names, either because they have been to Eurovision before, or they had participated recently last year, but overall I can’t tell who’s returning and who’s a debutante. I’ll just wait for the Mizija Eurovizija video to inform me. I was excited when the submission process opened because of the Broadcaster’s announcement of a 54,000 Euro investment to help artists improve their song and stage quality, which I took as an ambition to have a higher qualify national final with… Read more »
I think we actually got some heavy hitters among the selection. Gebrasy and Ruta Loop were great competitors, and the returning artists all had stuff going for them in Eurovision too, so that’s great. I hope the NF will be good! 🙂
I hope the €54,000 can help boost the national final quality overall, even for the supposedly weaker participants. I don’t expect everybody to be a winner, especially with 36 artists, but I hope that at worst they’re not aggressively horrible.
I am quite sad, no Gabrielius this time, I miss him already…
As a Lithuanian, I must say, I expected more famous names, oh well. Pretty weak selection. Maybe more successful artists are afraid they won’t be able to top The Roop so they’re skipping this year. Anyways, I am rooting for Ruta Loop the most, but Monika Liu, Gebrasy, Titas ir Benas also have a spot for me. The rest are either meh/fillers or had their chance to show their best and failed miserably.
I don’t know who is considered a big name in Lithuania or not, but you’d think that the roop’s
Top 10 placing would encourage more To apply to try to surpass it or even hit top five, but we’ll see.
Sometimes, though, you need some weaker entries in order to prop up stronger competitive songs. Somebody has to stay behind in the heat and semi finals.
I guess big names may want to skip this year after The Roop secured the second best Lithuanian position because of people having a tendency to compare. And they will literally compare The Roop’s acclaim in 2020 and in 2021 with somebody who will represent Lithuania in 2022. Some artists may feel uncomfortable to receive dozens of questions of “How do you feel about The Roop? Do you think you can reach even higher?” and the outcome if not. I would say that big names in Lithuania are: Jazzu, GJan, Monique, Justinas Jarutis, Dzordana, Evgenya Redko, Saulius Prusaitis, Sisters On… Read more »
It’s hard to judge without songs for the 2022 selection, but who hypothetically has the best shot To get a top 10 or top-five finish at Eurovision (Probably not winning)? I know you listed those two artists in your comments, what if they have weak songs?
Your broadcaster is offering €54,000 (€1500 per Artist), To push for a better quality of song and stage production. Do you think that will help or be a waste of money?
Obviously, we cannot judge the contest before we know songs. However, Eurovision is not only about song you deliver (you can literally just sing “Say Na Na Na” and secure position as high as an enchanting ballad “C’est ma vie”). It also cry for media coverage and how you deal with it, your experience on the stage and ability to control stress, your presence both on stage and off stage, your attitude, communicative skills, visualisations, involvement in social media, etc. Many winners would be different at least in this millenia if people would purely judge songs but not the full… Read more »
You bring up very good points. While I don’t know much about broadcaster politics and stuff, it does seem like whoever is in charge right now seems to know what they’re doing and has an ambitious vision for Lithuania at Eurovision. I hope it does pay off.
And Vilija from 2014 too ! There’s also Ruta Loop in the pack, Hope she’s got something as interesting as We Came From The Sun
On one hand, it’s nice to see so many familiar names, on the other one – the interest in participating after the Roop looks a bit disappointing (only ~50 entries) 🙁
It doesn’t mean I’m not hyped tho! Quality > quantity
You’d think there would be more submissions, but Lithuania has a small population so it shouldn’t be surprising to see returning names. I see a few names from 2021 trying again, but let’s see how far they’ll go with a larger number of participants. I don’t expect most of them to make it to the final (semi finals at the most), apart from Gebrasy who seems to have the most potential. I hope he has something great or even better than his 2021 entry.
Where is Evgenya Redko? Please!
Maybe she didn’t submit something. I don’t know
Yeah , very sad not seeing Monique there … she deserved to win in 2020 , it means she will never return … that’s so sad
Or she might not have the song for this year.
Dont sleep on Monika Liu. She is one of the best singers in Lithuania, miles ahead of Monika Linkyte and Erica Jennings.
What’s her discography’s like?
Her vocals are amazing. She always works with US/UK songwriters and the songs are very old school, James Bond-esque even. You should listen to “Amžinai toli”, “Tiek jau to” and “On my own” (older song of hers that I really enjoy).
james bond-esque tends to tank at esc, just look at 2018… hopefully she has something less predictable
rise like a phoenix won though
Definetely the come back season! Looking forward to see what Iena and Gebrasy have in their bags this time.