Lithuania advanced to the final of the 70th Eurovision Song Contest on Tuesday after singer Lion Ceccah qualified from the first semifinal with the song Solo Quiero Mas.
The 34-year-old performer, whose real name is Tomas Alenčikas, performed 12th during the semifinal held in the Austrian capital.
A total of 15 acts competed in the first semifinal, with 10 countries advancing to Saturday’s final. Alongside Lithuania, the finalists were Greece, Finland, Belgium, Sweden, Moldova, Israel, Serbia, Croatia and Poland.
The grand final will feature 26 countries, including the 20 qualifiers from the two semifinals, as well as the so-called “Big Five” – the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy and Spain – and host country Austria.
Both viewers and national juries vote during the semifinals.
This year’s contest has been marked by political controversy, with Spain, Ireland, Slovenia, Iceland and the Netherlands withdrawing from Eurovision in protest against Israel’s participation amid the war in Gaza.
Public broadcasters in Spain, Ireland and Slovenia said they would not air the contest at all this year, while broadcasters in Iceland and the Netherlands are still showing the competition.
Among the favourites to win this year are Finnish representatives Linda Lampenius and Pete Parkkonen with their song Liekinheitin. Finland has won Eurovision only once before, in 2006, when hard rock band Lordi took the title.
Last year, Lithuania’s representatives Katarsis finished 16th in the Eurovision final in Basel, Switzerland, with the song Tavo akys. The contest was won by Austrian singer JJ with Wasted Love.
Lithuania first participated in Eurovision in 1994, when Ovidijus Vyšniauskas finished last with zero points for the song Lopšine mylimai. Lithuania’s best result remains sixth place, achieved in 2006 by LT United with We Are the Winners.
Lion Ceccah: Lithuania ‘needs to win’
Lithuanian singer Lion Ceccah said he wants to bring Eurovision victory to Lithuania after advancing to the final of the song contest late Tuesday night.
Speaking shortly after the announcement in an interview with LRT, the performer said the moment was highly emotional.
“I had lost my feelings, and at that moment they came back,” Lion Ceccah said. “You want to qualify so badly. Everyone expects so much, and it’s hard to explain. I hadn’t felt that in a long time.”
The singer said he was satisfied with his performance and especially moved by the audience reaction inside the arena.
“On stage, I felt the way I wanted to feel. I felt the moment,” he said. “Today during the dress rehearsal, I was vocally 100 percent. But this time there was emotion you can’t buy with vocals. I think that comes from singing in front of so many people and singing with a purpose.”
“For the first time, through my earpiece I heard so many people screaming and applauding, and it was an incredibly good feeling,” he added.
Lion Ceccah, who will perform in the second half of Saturday’s final, said his schedule in the coming days will remain packed with interviews and rehearsals.
Asked about his goals for the final, the singer said he is aiming high despite bookmakers’ predictions.
“I won’t sugarcoat it, Lithuania needs to win, so we’ll try to win,” he said. “Of course, the forecasts are not in our favour but forget those forecasts. We need to do something on stage that nobody expects, and I have ideas we’ll try to implement.”
He also thanked viewers and supporters in Lithuania.
“Lithuania is a very good country, let’s applaud ourselves,” Lion Ceccah said.
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