Lithuania’s national selection kicked off on Saturday, January 11, with nine songs in the first of five heats:
1. LIT – "You're Not Alone"
Gabrielė Rybko, in a sparkly black-and-silver, space-themed outfit, with two masked backup dancers in tight red rubber suits, sang kind of a standard dance number in English, which I found a bit repetitive (a running theme in the show).
2 Mantas Ben – "Svajonės po 12" (Dreams after 12)
An atmospheric ballad, with mostly static staging and average vocals. Also repetitive: “I want you to flow like a river again / And I want to bloom again like a flower / I want you to believe in yourself again / And I want to accompany you home again” (five times!)
3 Rūta Budreckaitė – "Tai kur namai" (Where home is)
My favorite of the heat: Starting and ending with Ruta in a long pleated skirt on the stage floor, the song built dramatically, using LED effects of a bird, apple, and dagger, as well as an onstage mirror —definitely unique. “I searched like a cat / Where to cuddle / For a slight moment / To feel that warmth”
4 Anyanya – "Running Out of Time"
A soulful, midtempo ballad with gospel touch, three backup singers, several instrumentalists, dramatic lighting, and some LED. The interview was conducted in English, as Anyanya is Nigerian.
5 Aistay – "Meilę sapnavau" (I dreamed of love)
Midtempo ballad with good vocals; also used a mirror (!), and blue/green/yellow lighting. In a green flowered pantsuit, Aistay sang: “The morning smells of love when you hug / And when you wake up late, you realize / That I haven't felt your tenderness for a long time / Because maybe I dreamed of love?”
6 Ewa – "Tell Me Lie" [sic]
Eva sported a black off-the-shoulder dress with gold embroidery and puffy sleeves. Four flygirl backup dancers accompanied her average vocals on this tropical number with a repetitive chorus and lyrics that echoed a better song: “Do you know that I'm over this? / You'll regret that, you narcissist / I will dance like I'm free again / Like Chiki Chiki oh yeah Chiki Chiki oh yeah / Tell me lie, tell me lie, tell me lie-oh”
7 Viktorija Faith – "Scary Beautiful"
A pleasant ballad, but the staging was static, with a lush, flowery LED background. Another green dress!
8 Justė Baradulinaitė – "Tired"
Nice midtempo number, a bit Tracy Chapmanesque with a country touch and guitar solo. “'Cause you're not fond of me / And I deserve to be desired / Yet you're refusing me / And I think I'm growing tired”
9 Euften – "Goodbye Hell"
Kind of a plodding, repetitive rock number by three long-haired rockers (and one bald), all dressed in black, variously sporting a bandana, a jean jacket, and band T-shirts. “Instead of greed, pride, animosity / I choose serenity, love, generosity / But when enough is enough / It's enough”
The show, with a live audience, did not have a lot of bells and whistles, and was interrupted by long discussions with the five jury members. Hosts Gabrielė Martirosian, Nombeko Augustė, and Rimvydas Černiauskas (one of whom gave a quick English greeting to international viewers at the start) were personable and competent.
Results (50% jury, 50% public): Anyanya (12 + 12 points) and Juste (10 + 10) advanced to the final on Feb. 15.
