Eurovision Song Contest 2010 | ||||
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Country | Lithuania | |||
National selection | ||||
Selection process | Eurovizija 2010 | |||
Selection date(s) |
Semi-finals 13 February 2010 20 February 2010 27 February 2010 Final 4 March 2010 |
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Selected entrant | InCulto | |||
Selected song | "Eastern European Funk" | |||
Finals performance | ||||
Semi-final result | Failed to qualify (12th, 44 points) | |||
Lithuania in the Eurovision Song Contest | ||||
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Lithuania participated in the Eurovision Song Contest 2010, with the Lithuanian entry selected by a national final - Eurovizijos dainų konkurso nacionalinė atranka 2010 - organised by Lithuanian broadcaster LRT. On 4 March the final of Eurovizija 2010 was held, where it was decided by a joint jury and televoting decision that InCulto would represent Lithuania at the Contest in Oslo, Norway with the song "Eastern European Funk".
In December 2009 it was announced that LRT would formally withdraw from the 2010 Contest owing to problems in finding the required funds to send a Lithuanian entry to the Contest. A total of 300,000 litas (€90,000) was required by LRT to send a Lithuanian delegation to the contest in Oslo, Norway. However funding was given by Lithuanian company Teo LT which allowed a Lithuanian participation. According to Nerijus Ivanauskas, deputy director of Teo LT, "it was decided to support LRT for two reasons: the international image of Lithuania and Teo LT digital development".
On 6 January LRT revealed the first details of the national final. Performers must be Lithuanian or living in Lithuania to be eligible to participate. Songwriters however can be foreign. Songs could be submitted to LRT until 24 January, and on 1 February LRT announced 36 names that will compete in three semi-finals, beginning on 13 February, leading up to the final on 4 March.
From each semi-final three acts will qualify through jury and televoting, each giving 1-8, 10 and 12 points to their ten highest songs. The nine qualifying acts from the semi-finals will be joined by three other songs not to progress to the final.
The first semi-final was held on 13 February. 11 acts competed for three spots in the final. Donata Virbilaitė was to perform during the semi-final with the song "Nupirkta pasaka", however the song was withdrawn before the show.
Sasha Son & Nora, Aistė Pilvelytė and Monika Linkytė qualified to the final. Sasha Son & Nora were the favourites with the jury, however Aistė Pilvelytė was the clear favourite with the televoting, receiving more than 4 times move votes than the runner-up.