Lithuania will hold the national final Pabandom iš naujo 2020! (“We Go Again 2020”) on Saturday the 15th of February 2020.
The competition consists of 3 “Heat” rounds, 2 semi-finals and final.
8 candidates qualified for the final but only one of them will represent Lithuania in Eurovision 2020.
The results will be determined by 50% public voting and 50% jury voting.
In this post, I will review the 8 competing songs in the final.
#1. Aistė Pilvelytė – Unbreakable (2nd place in Heat 3, winner if semi-final 1)
#2. Rūta Loop – We Came From Sun (3rd place in Heat 2, 4th place in semi-final 1)
The opening is already promising. The song starts with “Oh Oh Oh Oh” that actually creates a frame for the song. The genre of the song can be described as a Pop Soft Rock Soul ballad. Her English accent is perfect. I’d like to mention her ability to dance and sing at the same time. The dancers are a blessed component in the whole performance. The song lives in the limits of up-tempo to a mid-tempo ballad. The song is catchy, convincing and not monotonic at all. The electronic production fits and doesn’t take over the melody. It’s the gold combination of an excellent singer, good entry, and magnificent performance.
#3. KaYra – Alligator (3rd place in Heat 3, 3rd place in semi-final 1)
It’s a sweet Pop song. The atmosphere in the performance is a little bit childish. The singer and the dancers wear pink clothes (at the “Heat”) and their movements remind me of children’s games. The melody is very simple and basic. Towards the end of the song, it receives elements of the 1990s music. You can see how much fun KaYra has on stage. However, the song isn’t brilliant and the vocal performance isn’t special.
#4. Monika Marija – If I Leave (winner in Heat 1, winner in semi-final 2)
It’s a country Pop ballad with motives of Soul. The melody is based on עuitar strumming. The main element is the strong and attractive voice that Monika has to suggest. The melody seems very familiar because is pretty basic. The stage presence is very noticeable. In my opinion, the chorus is more interesting than the verses. The performance becomes more effective when her singing is stronger, right after the “Oh oh oh” transition. To sum up, we have here an excellent singer with a good (but not excellent) song.
#5. Meandie – Drip (3rd place in Heat 1, 3rd place in semi-final 2)
The performance starts with a ringing telephone and sitting next to the keyboards. It’s a Rap song with electro motives. Meandie performs on stage while wearing a yellow jacket and blue pants and he mentions it in the lyrics. Moreover, he speaks about “West Side” in the lyrics which connects to Rap and Afro-American music. It has nothing to do with Lithuania. In a specific point, It becomes monotonic and inspirational. I see the song as a catchy advertisement song. not a Eurovision entry.
#6. The Roop – On Fire (Winner of Heat 3, 2nd place in semi-final 1)
The permanence starts with zoom-in on the lead vocalist’s face, while 2 magnifying glass is being attached. The beat of the song is catchy. The melody includes piano, guitar, and drums. The singer has a unique voice which you can ignore. The instrumental transition is excellent and fits very well with the dancing. It’s a mid-tempo Pop Rock song with foundations of the early 2000s. There is a creepy part of the dancing which can be removed easily. To sum up, it’s a good song but there will be more than a few people that won’t be attracted to it.
#7. The Backs – Fully (6th place in Heat 3, 4th place in semi-final 2)
The song starts with a beat of percussion instruments which create an interesting frame to the song. On the stage, we have 4 women wearing black clothes and black hats. It’s a dark Pop Indie ballad. Some of the singers sing their solo parts in the song in a Soul style. At the beginning of the last third of the song, they throwing their hats on the floor. I love the combination of their voices and the harmonizes. This is a good song that grows on me, but it lacks any surprising moment.
#8. Moniqué – Make Me Human (winner of the Heat2, 2nd place in semi-final 2)
It’s a ballad that is opened with a basic piano playing. In the beginning, the singing is gentle and soft, it’s almost a lullaby. Afterward, it becomes more powerful and dramatic. There is a smart use of lighting and camera angles. The chorus is touching, catchy and emotional. In the second half of the song, the lighting is moderate and we finally can see clearly Monique. Before the second chorus, she uses a lower voice, but she will use a higher voice later on. The backing vocalists can be heard only in the phrase “Make Me Human”. Monique has a great stage presence, wonderful interpretation, and an excellent voice. The song is well written and the melody isn’t complicated which I see as an advantage. The whole act seems very shole and ready. We have a strong contender for winning the national final and even for taking Lithuania to the top of the table.
My Ranking
#1. Moniqué – Make Me Human
#2. Rūta Loop – We Came From Sun
#3. The Roop – On Fir
#4. Monika Marija – If I Leave
#5.The Backs – Fully
#6. KaYra – Alligator
#7. Aistė Pilvelytė – Unbreakable
#8.Meandie – Drip
My Prediction
It seems like the jury will be behind Aistė Pilvelytė and Monika Marija, while the public will be behind Moniqué and The Roop.
I think that it will be one of the following three:
Moniqué
The Roop
Monika Marija,
