EUROVISION 2023 | MONIKA LINKYTE – LITHUANIA : ,,Ciuto tuto” is like some kind of spell or magic that could help us to feel more loved, happy, and with more truth in the whole world.”
Monika Linkytė, the Lithuanian representative to Eurovision Song Contest 2023 is a singer and songwriter. She represented Lithuania in the Eurovision Song Contest 2015 along with Vaidas Baumila with the song „This Time”, placing 18th. She also represented Lithuania in the New Wave 2014 competition and was a finalist on season two of Lietuvos Balsas. This year, she will represent Lithuania again in the most popular European music competition with the song „Stay„.
Her debut studio album, Walk with Me, was released on 17 September 2015, and was also certified platinum. She went on to win Best Album for Walk with Me, Best Song for „Po dangum”, and Best Female Act at the 2015 M.A.M.A. Awards, the largest music awards ceremony in Lithuania.
Today we get a bit close to Lithuania and to lovely Monika Linkyte with this new exclusive interview dedicated to the entire Eurovision Song Contest phenomenon.
Hello, Monika! Thank you for giving us the opportunity to meet you today! How are you feeling as the representative of Lithuania in ESC 2023?
What does the Eurovision competition really mean to you?
– So it’s a very good platform where I can share my music and I think that it’s a good place to have loads and fun sharing my own music. It’s a big honor to represent my own country and to meet a lot of good musicians and good artists around the whole of Europe. Also, It’s the biggest music event in the whole world – it’s an honor.
What defines you as an artist? And how can you describe yourself in 3 Eurovision songs?
I really love melancholic music and ballads and this is what I am listening to the most. I love gospel music and I am trying to add a little cherry on top as gospel music in my songs. I think that I would just go like pop music with soul, gospel some electronic sense stuff.
Three Eurovision songs that describe me: Loreen ,,Euphoria”, Rosa Linn ,,Snap” and Maneskin ,,Beggin”. I love Loreen’s voice and I like to sing powerful pop ballads also I really love ,,Snap” song because I think when I am writing music I am using those small phrases and I love to add some super easy words, and repetitive lyrics, repetitive melodies as in this song: snapping one, two where are you.. And Maneskin because inside of my heart, I feel that there is a rock star living and you don’t know and I don’t know but you know might be that one day you going to see me singing that kind of music I would love to please.
What are your best daily motivations as an artist in ESC?
Well, I think the fan base that I am building around the world. All the messages where people say nice things about me, my music, that they listen to my music, and that my songs give them good feelings, good emotions, that’s the biggest motivation you can imagine.
What is the story and the message of your song and how much do you find yourself in the song?
My song is absolutely about me. I am really personal when I am writing my music and songwriting for me is the place where I am letting out all my feelings and all the emotions I am containing and it’s about me or the people who are around me, about my friend and family, about people I met or I will meet in the world. I think that as a songwriter I am trying to release things like what I’m keeping inside of me and that’s why and how I want to relate with people who are listening to the music.
My song ,,Stay” ČIŪTO TŪTO is about my own challenges in the past where I was holding my sadness and not believing in myself and how I finally understand it, how I am trying to find the confidence and love for myself. It’s about the healing process it still goes on and I think that the healing is needed not only for me as a person but for the whole of Europe at the moment. There are so many things around the world happening right now which is very unfair and I think that Europe needs healing, Europe needs ,,ČIŪTO TŪTO”! The ,,Čiūto tūto” is a phrase from Lithuanian folk music. These specific words can not be translated but all Lithuanians used them in Lithuanian songs because it was some kind of meditation and especially these words we’re helping people to get back to themselves, get back to their hearts, get back to their souls and hear their inner needs better.
What details can you give us regarding your show on the stage?
I really want to keep a secret with that question because I think that it would give more surprise when you go to see the performance. We are changing the performance and it will look different than it was in the Lithuanians National audition but well I could promise you that I’m going to keep the same color for my dress definitely because amber is Lithuanian gold and we want to keep this color as the small Lithuanian symbol.
If you could make a duet or a revamp, what artist and song from ESC would you choose and what would you add?
I would definitely choose Abba because I loved them, I am obsessed them or it could be Maneskin because my inner child, my inner self, my inner rockstar wants to be revealed and set free.
What song of the other chosen do you like the most?
I really like Loreen’s song „Euphoria” I’m a fan since 2012.
Why should people vote for you in Eurovision Song Contest?
Well, I really do believe that people should vote if they like it or if they feel something while they are listening to my music and my song. I think that it could relate to lots of people because we’re having those issues inside of us with not believing in ourselves or not letting ourselves be, who we are, how we are, and not feeling enough. I do really believe that ,,Čiūto tūto” is like some kind of spell or magic that could help us to feel more loved, happy, and with more truth in the whole world.
What will be next after Eurovision?
After Eurovision, I am promising to share my new music as much as possible. We are recording my new EP and we are planning to have it in May also we’re already discussing my new album which should come at the end of this year so loads of music I am promising.
For the end, share a message to all your European fans and to Daily Magazine readers!
I am just really thankful for all your support, and all the love you’re sending to me. Sometimes when I am waking up in the morning I am feeling like omg this is the dream or this is real life at the moment so, I am really, really appreciating this and I am sending lots of love and also I am sending all my good energy to everyone who is reading this. I want to wish for everyone to feel enough to feel free to feel loved and spread this good energy around everyone we can see and we can meet in this world.
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