Lithuanian broadcaster LRT decided to change the way of Eurovision entry selection process. Composers and singers can submit their entries until 1st December and the official schedule will be published after that date as it will depends on quality and amount of applications. However for 2016 LRT will introduce few changes. First of all the controversial online voting during song selection process will be cancelled and qualified artists will be divided into two groups.
Group A : Artists without the songs
Group B : Artists with their own songs
The whole selection will consist of eight episodes. First two will be dedicated to the candidates without the songs. They will perform the competing songs submitted by composers. In each episode no less than 10 songs will be presented and half of them will be eliminated according to the viewers and jury decision. The same thing will happen to the artists with their own entries. They will perform in 3rd and 4th episode and once again viewers and jury will decide who should stay in the competition.
On 5th episode the winners of 1st and 2nd show (artists without their own songs) will fight for the right to participate in the semifinal. Excactly the same rule will apply for the best entries from episodes 3rd and 4th (artists with their own songs). They will meet in episode 6th and fight for the spot in semifinal. The semifinal (7th episode) will see both groups of artists perform on the same stage and compete for qualification to the Grand Final. Half of them will be eliminated, but in the final (8th episode) no less than 5 entries will take part. The winner will be determined by televoting and jury voting and in the event of tie, the juries will have the decisive power.
After the entry for Eurovision Song Contest 2016 will be selected, LRT will held special open concert to let Lithuanians support new representative before he or she will go to Stockholm. All contestants participated in the final are obligated to take part in the concert which will be broadcasted live by LRT.
Only artists with Lithuanian nationality can apply for the show. As in previous years, Lithuanian and foreign composers are able to submit their entries for the selection process. More information can be found HERE. Lithuanian entry for Eurovision Song Contest 2016 – “This Time” performed by Vaidas Baumila and Monika Linkyte finished 18th in the final.
