Monika Liu, Lithuania’s performer at this year’s Eurovision, says the months after the competition have not been any less intense. A break-up with her boyfriend and a new dog has not interfered with her work.
In an interview with LRT.lt, Liu discusses her memories from Eurovision, reveals when she is planning to start dating again, and why she likes performing in summer.
When you were still at Eurovision, you were worried about post-Eurovision depression after the contest. Were your worries justified?
Nothing like that has happened so far. Maybe I slipped through safely. I had three days off after the competition to rehabilitate my body, and then I jumped on the work train, and I’ve been on it ever since.
It’s true, even though it’s only been a couple of months since Eurovision, it feels like a very long time ago. A lot has happened in my life in that time: changes in my personal life, a dog, a lot of concerts, new songs...
I’m grateful that everything is going so well now. I’m very happy to have so many activities, I’m trying to enjoy this time and reap the fruits of it – I know that this period will end. But I won’t lie, there is so much to do that I wish I could just lie on the sand by the sea.
Isn’t there at least a few days of just relaxing by the seaside in your busy schedule?
I have six days of holiday planned for August. I am looking forward to it. I like to perform in the summer – I like people on holiday. They come to listen to my songs relaxed, happy, rested.
What do you do on your days off? Will you be able to, as you said, dribble on the beach for a couple of days and do nothing?
I am going to spend that time in nature, it replenishes and recharges me, gives me energy. As much as I give out during my concerts, I take from nature. So I’ll take [my dog] Balbina, hide my phone, my computer, and just relax. In fact, when I rest, new ideas, new songs come to my head.
It’s no secret that you recently broke up with your boyfriend. Maybe activities will help you to forget?
It’s true, my thoughts are elsewhere. Some emptiness in my heart is filled by the dog, and in the end, I think more about the future than the past. I hope for a bright future.
The news of your break-up must have spread wide, there must be scores of fans queuing at your door...
When I come home, I keep looking out of the window, but the queues are still not there (laughs), I don’t really have time for dates now. if I have a spare hour, I want to relax and get on with my daily life. Of course, I’ll have to find time for that too, maybe in the autumn. I haven’t been on a single date since the break-up, although now that I have a dog, I joke that maybe a vet would take care of Balbina.
Was having Balbina the poodle an old dream of yours or a spontaneous decision?
I have been waiting for my Balbina all my life. I grew up with a dog, a cat, and a bird. So I really wanted a puppy, but I didn’t have the means to have one – I lived in an apartment for a while, I couldn’t have a pet there, and then I got involved in Eurovision. And when the contest and the relationship ended, I thought it was the right time for a pet.
For those who work Monday to Friday from 08:00 to 17:00, a performer’s schedule and rhythm of life can seem chaotic, and a dog requires a certain routine, a regimen.
I can’t sleep any more in the morning because Balbina wakes me up to take her for a walk. But this does not bother me in the least. And when there are a lot of filming, rehearsals or concerts, my mother helps. I thank her for coming and taking care of Balbina, my house and me.
Even before Eurovision, you had to spend months of intensive preparation, travelling to presentation events, communicating with the media, etc. I guess it’s also friends and family who feel neglected and demand your attention?
Of course, some people complain, but I promise everyone that we will make up for it in the autumn. It’s just that I often have to apologise for not finding the time in the summer due to the number of activities. I miss everybody and if I do get to meet people I care about, I really appreciate the time together. [...]
Now, it’s a more active time in my career, then maybe it will be a more active time in my personal life. Maybe I’ll have not only Balbina but also bambinos (laughs.)
Do you look back at Eurovision now, do you look at the videos?
I’m always looking at pictures from Italy! I look at them, I enjoy them, I remember it with a kind of longing and a smile. It’s so good to remember the whole adventure.
Do you think you might do some things differently in the competition now?
I wouldn’t change a thing! I did my best and I have no regrets. I have only good memories, and I clearly remember my performance on stage – I wasn’t lost in a dream or in a haze of excitement. I was consciously experiencing everything.
You’ll probably be performing your song, Sentimentai, for a very long time.
In fact, this song is now the centrepiece of my concerts – people are singing, dancing and enjoying it together. I would say that it spreads a very good and positive emotion, joy. I am very happy that this song has entered the Eurovision history of Lithuania.
By the way, another one of my songs, Bossa, has just been released. I continue to create unconventional things and add to the history of Lithuanian songs. We don’t have many Bosanova-style songs, especially ones with kanklės [a traditional Lithuanian string instrument].
It was inspired by my mother playing it, but this time it was not her but my friend Indrė Jurgelevičiūtė. I don’t intend to stop – I want Lithuanian music to be eternal and sound great.
During Eurovision, you became friends with Kalush Orchestra from Ukraine. They also thanked you for your support. Has this friendship continued?
I continue to be very supportive of them, of the war-torn country. Our communication has not stopped either, we are in regular contact, and we met when they were performing in Lithuania. I have also established contacts with more Ukrainian artists, so there are plans for joint projects. So, there is a lot of good news for the fans.
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