Monika Liubinaitė (Lithuanian: [ˈmɔnʲɪkɐ lʲʊbʲɪˈnaɪ̯tʲeː]; born 9 February 1988), known professionally as Monika Liu, is a Lithuanian singer-songwriter. She represented Lithuania in the Eurovision Song Contest 2022 in Turin, Italy with the song "Sentimentai". She was announced as one of the qualifiers and took 14th place at the Grand Final.[1]

Monika Liu
Liubinaitė in May 2022
Liubinaitė in May 2022
Background information
Birth nameMonika Liubinaitė
Born (1988-02-09) 9 February 1988 (age 36)
Klaipėda, Lithuania
Occupations
  • Singer
  • songwriter
Instruments
  • Vocals
  • piano
Years active2003-present

Early life

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Liubinaitė was born in Klaipėda, in the family of a music teacher and a musician.[2][3] She studied at Klaipėda Ąžuolynas Gymnasium, attended ballet lessons when she was little.[3] As a student, Liubinaitė moved to Boston and later to London. As of 2023, Liubinaitė lives in Vilnius.

Career

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Liubinaitė began her musical career at the age of five when she started to play the violin. She discovered singing ten years later, and won the Dainų dainelė ("Song of Songs") competition in 2004.[4] After graduating from high school, Liubinaitė studied jazz music and vocal studies at the Faculty of Music of Klaipėda University, and later went to the United States, where she studied at Berklee College of Music in Boston. After leaving the college, the singer moved to London, where continued to compose songs. She has worked with the famous producer Mario Basanov, collaborated with the electronic music family Silence, recorded the song "Ne Vakar" ("Not Yesterday") with the band Sel, and appeared on the LRT television project Auksinis balsas ("Golden Voice").[3]

Liubinaitė's early work has been described as a "strongly electro-pop (and less bizarre) version of Björk".[3] On 23 May 2019, Liubinaitė was announced as a judge of The Voice Lithuania.[5] She has also served as a jury member of The Masked Singer Lithuania during its 2021 season.[6][7] On 20 April 2020, the artist released her second album and first vinyl record Melodija. The record was recorded in the United Kingdom in collaboration with producer Miles James, sound director Christoph Skirl and musician Marius Aleksa.[8]

2022: Eurovision Song Contest

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Liubinaitė performing at the first semi-final of the Eurovision Song Contest 2022 in May 2022.

On 7 December 2021, Liubinaitė was announced as a participant of Pabandom iš naujo! 2022, the Lithuanian national selection for the Eurovision Song Contest 2022, with the song "Sentimentai".[9] The song was publicly released on 18 January 2022, and topped the Lithuanian singles chart shortly after.[10] Liubinaitė performed in the third heat and advanced to the semi-finals and final, ultimately winning the competition, thereby winning the right to represent Lithuania in the Eurovision Song Contest 2022 in Turin, Italy.[11][12][13]

"Sentimentai" participated in the first semi-final of Eurovision 2022, which took place on 10 May 2022, and ultimately qualified for the grand final, which took place on 14 May 2022, winning 14th place with 128 points.

Filmography

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Monika Liubinaitė on the red carpet promoting Aš matau tavo balsą.

Discography

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Studio albums

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Title Details Peak chart positions
LTU
[15]
I Am
Lünatik
  • Released: 24 October 2019
  • Label: Self-released
  • Formats: Digital download, streaming
Kodėl Tu Čia?
  • Released: 6 May 2023
  • Label: Self-released
  • Formats: Physical, digital download, streaming
10
"—" denotes an album that did not chart or was not released.

Extended plays

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Title Details
Melodija

Singles

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As lead artist

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Title Year Peak chart positions Album or EP
LTU
[16]
SWE
Heat.

[17]
"Journey to the Moon" 2015 * I Am
"On My Own" 2016
"Hello" 2017 Non-album single
"Komm zu mir" 2019 Lünatik
"Resist No More"
"Falafel"
"No Matter What"
"Sometimes I Loved You Sometimes You Loved Me"
"Detective"
"I Wanna Be a Man"
"I Got You"
"Vaikinai trumpais šortais" 31 Melodija
"Troškimas" 2020
"Sentimentai" 2022 1 14 Kodėl Tu Čia?
"Bossa" 23
"Dai Boh"
(with Alyona Alyona and Jerry Heil)
Dai Boh
"Šampanas (bul bul bul)" 42 Kodėl Tu Čia?
"Kodėl tu čia?" 2023 89
"Į tave"
"Nemylėjau tavęs"
(with Gintariniai Laikai)
62 Non-album singles
"Gegužis"
(with Rokas Yan and Vaidas Baumila)
2024 2
"Atostogų duetas"
(with Teleduetas)
"—" denotes a single that did not chart or was not released in that territory.
" * " denotes that the chart did not exist at that time.
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Title Year Peak chart positions Album
LTU
[18]
"In So"
(XOA featuring Monika Liu)
2016 One011
"Laisvė"
(SKAMP featuring Monique, Bjelle, Monika
Liu, Kazimieras Likša & Future Cello)
2018 Non-album single
"Ne vakar"
(SEL featuring Monika Liu)
2019 Aš Kaip Žąsis
"Sea"
(Domas Strupinskas featuring Monika Liu)
Live From Big Jelly Studios
"Ten, kur tu"
(Jautì [lt] featuring Monika Liu)
2022 92 Meilė
"Gal ne rytoj"
(with various artists)
97 Non-album single
"Beržas"
(Free Finga [lt] featuring Monika Liu)
2024 2 Plastika
"—" denotes a single that did not chart or was not released.

Awards and nominations

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Award Year Category Nominee(s) Result
M.A.M.A. Awards 2015 Best Female Act Herself Nominated
Breakthrough of the Year Nominated
2020 Best Female Act Nominated
Song of the Year "Vaikinai trumpais šortais" Nominated
Eurovision Awards 2022 Best Look Herself Nominated
Best Hair Won
M.A.M.A. Awards 2023 Pop Artist/Group of the Year Nominated
Artist of the Year Nominated
Song of the Year "Sentimentai" Won
2024 Artist of the Year Herself Nominated
Pop Artist/Group of the Year Nominated

References

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  1. ^ "Paaiškėjo nacionalinės "Eurovizijos" atrankos "Pabandom iš naujo" dalyviai". LRT.lt (in Lithuanian). Archived from the original on 15 February 2022. Retrieved 6 January 2021.
  2. ^ "Klaipėdos Juozo Karoso muzikos mokykla". Archived from the original on 22 March 2022. Retrieved 14 February 2022.
  3. ^ a b c d "Dainininkės Monikos Liu paauglystė bėgo su smuiku ir tardytojo užrašais". Archived from the original on 22 March 2022. Retrieved 14 February 2022.
  4. ^ Dainų dainelė | Monika Liubinaitė „Laiminga diena" „Oh happy day“ (2004)
  5. ^ ""Lietuvos balse" stereotipus laužys ekscentriškoji Monika Liu: "Scenoje noriu nestandartų"". Archived from the original on 23 January 2022. Retrieved 14 February 2022.
  6. ^ "Monika Liu tapo slapčiausio TV projekto komisijos nare: "Svajokite garsiai – svajonės pildosi!"". Archived from the original on 22 March 2022. Retrieved 14 February 2022.
  7. ^ "Naują LNK muzikos šou ves pasaulio Gineso rekordininkas Rokas Bernatonis". Archived from the original on 23 January 2022. Retrieved 14 February 2022.
  8. ^ Monika Liu pristato pirmąją savo vinilinę plokštelę: gimė iš meilės
  9. ^ "Paaiškėjo nacionalinės "Eurovizijos" atrankos "Pabandom iš naujo" dalyviai". 7 December 2021. Archived from the original on 15 February 2022. Retrieved 22 January 2022.
  10. ^ "2022 4-os savaitės klausomiausi (TOP 100)". Archived from the original on 28 January 2022. Retrieved 14 February 2022.
  11. ^ ""Pabandom iš naujo!" – įtempta kova: į pusfinalį keliauja dar 6 dalyviai, vakaro žvaigžde tapo Monika Liu". 22 January 2022. Archived from the original on 28 January 2022. Retrieved 14 February 2022.
  12. ^ "Bilietas į "Pabandom iš naujo!" finalą – dar 4 dalyvių rankose: žiūrovų ir komisijos simpatijos sutapo, favoritė – Monika Liu". 5 February 2022. Archived from the original on 7 February 2022. Retrieved 14 February 2022.
  13. ^ "Lietuva nusprendė – į "Euroviziją" siunčia Moniką Liu". 12 February 2022. Archived from the original on 12 February 2022. Retrieved 14 February 2022.
  14. ^ "Monikai Liu ir Karolinai Meschino naujame LNK šou "Aš matau tavo balsą" – neįprasta užduotis". LNK (in Lithuanian). MG Media Baltics. 13 March 2022. Retrieved 13 March 2022.
  15. ^ Peak chart positions for albums in Lithuania:
  16. ^ Peak chart positions for singles in Lithuania:
  17. ^ "Veckolista Heatseeker, vecka 20". Sverigetopplistan. Archived from the original on 20 May 2022. Retrieved 20 May 2022.
  18. ^ Peak chart positions for singles in Lithuania:
Awards and achievements
Preceded by Lithuania in the Eurovision Song Contest
2022
Succeeded by