Lithuanian broadcaster LRT has announced that 60 entries have been submitted for the 2020 edition of Eurovizijos Atranka, Lithuania’s national final for Eurovision. The first heat of Eurovizijos will be held on 11th January 2020, leading up to the final on 15th February 2020.
60 submissions… 36 entries!
The 60 submitted entries will now be cut to 36 entries which will compete in the six-week long national final to select Lithuania’s act for Rotterdam. This year, each artist can only compete with one entry, unlike last year where Monika Marija competed with two entries – “Light On” and “Criminal” – before withdrawing her one entry “Light On” prior to the final.
Last week, the hosts of the show were announced as Gabriele Martirosian, Giedrius Masalskis and Ieva Zasimauskaitė. Ieva is no stranger to Eurovizijos, after winning the contest in 2018 with her song “When We’re Old” which went on to place 12th at Eurovision.
The show will consist of three heats, two semi-finals and the grand final, with the shows being held across 6 weekends in January and February.
Lithuania at the Eurovision Song Contest
Lithuania made their debut at the Eurovision Song Contest in 1994 with Ovidijus Vyšniauskas and his song “Lopšinė mylimai”. It finished in last place with the dreaded nul points. It took Lithuania several years to make the top 10 at Eurovision. Indeed it took them until 2006 to pull off a top 10 finish with a song entitled “We are the Winners”. The song managed to finish in 6th place with 162 points.
Since then, Lithuania have only managed to grace the top 10 on one other occasion – in 2016 with Donny Montell. This year, in Tel Aviv, Lithuania failed to make the final with Jurij Veklenko’s “Run With The Lions”. It placed 11th place in the semi-final with 93 points.
Who are you hoping to see take part? Do you think Lithuania can make the top 10 again in 2020?
Let us know in the comments below and on social media @ESCXTRA.
