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 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Monika Liubinaitė |
| Born | 9 February 1988 Klaipėda, Lithuania |
| Occupations |
|
| Instruments |
|
| Years active | 2003-present |
Early life
editLiubinaitė 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
editLiubinaitė 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
edit
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
edit
- Aš matau tavo balsą (2022) — Celebrity panelist[14]
Discography
editStudio albums
edit| Title | Details | Peak chart positions | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LTU [15] | ||||
| I Am |
|
— | ||
| Lünatik |
|
— | ||
| Kodėl Tu Čia? |
|
10 | ||
| "—" denotes an album that did not chart or was not released. | ||||
Extended plays
edit| Title | Details |
|---|---|
| Melodija |
|
Singles
editAs lead artist
edit| 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. | ||||
As featured artist
edit| 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 featuring Monika Liu) |
2022 | 92 | Meilė | |
| "Gal ne rytoj" (with various artists) |
97 | Non-album single | ||
| "Beržas" (Free Finga featuring Monika Liu) |
2024 | 2 | Plastika | |
| "—" denotes a single that did not chart or was not released. | ||||
Awards and nominations
edit| 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
edit- ^ "Paaiškėjo nacionalinės "Eurovizijos" atrankos "Pabandom iš naujo" dalyviai". LRT.lt (in Lithuanian). Archived from the original on 15 February 2022. Retrieved 6 January 2021.
- ^ "Klaipėdos Juozo Karoso muzikos mokykla". Archived from the original on 22 March 2022. Retrieved 14 February 2022.
- ^ 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.
- ^ Dainų dainelė | Monika Liubinaitė „Laiminga diena" „Oh happy day“ (2004)
- ^ ""Lietuvos balse" stereotipus laužys ekscentriškoji Monika Liu: "Scenoje noriu nestandartų"". Archived from the original on 23 January 2022. Retrieved 14 February 2022.
- ^ "Monika Liu tapo slapčiausio TV projekto komisijos nare: "Svajokite garsiai – svajonės pildosi!"". Archived from the original on 22 March 2022. Retrieved 14 February 2022.
- ^ "Naują LNK muzikos šou ves pasaulio Gineso rekordininkas Rokas Bernatonis". Archived from the original on 23 January 2022. Retrieved 14 February 2022.
- ^ Monika Liu pristato pirmąją savo vinilinę plokštelę: gimė iš meilės
- ^ "Paaiškėjo nacionalinės "Eurovizijos" atrankos "Pabandom iš naujo" dalyviai". 7 December 2021. Archived from the original on 15 February 2022. Retrieved 22 January 2022.
- ^ "2022 4-os savaitės klausomiausi (TOP 100)". Archived from the original on 28 January 2022. Retrieved 14 February 2022.
- ^ ""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.
- ^ "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.
- ^ "Lietuva nusprendė – į "Euroviziją" siunčia Moniką Liu". 12 February 2022. Archived from the original on 12 February 2022. Retrieved 14 February 2022.
- ^ "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.
- ^ Peak chart positions for albums in Lithuania:
- "Kodėl tu čia?": "2023 19-os savaitės klausomiausi (TOP 100)". AGATA. Archived from the original on 12 May 2023. Retrieved 10 August 2023.
- ^ Peak chart positions for singles in Lithuania:
- "Vaikinai trumpais šortais": "2020 5-os savaitės klausomiausi (TOP 100)". AGATA. Archived from the original on 31 January 2020. Retrieved 27 July 2023.
- "Sentimentai": "2022 4-os savaitės klausomiausi (TOP 100)". AGATA. Archived from the original on 28 January 2022. Retrieved 27 July 2023.
- "Bossa": "2022 30-os savaitės klausomiausi (TOP 100)". AGATA. Archived from the original on 29 July 2022. Retrieved 27 July 2023.
- "Šampanas (bul bul bul)": "2022 50-os savaitės klausomiausi (TOP 100)". AGATA. Archived from the original on 16 December 2022. Retrieved 27 July 2023.
- "Kodėl tu čia?": "2023 19-os savaitės klausomiausi (TOP 100)". AGATA. Archived from the original on 12 May 2023. Retrieved 27 July 2023.
- "Nemylėjau tavęs": "2023 25-os savaitės klausomiausi (TOP 100)". AGATA. Archived from the original on 23 June 2023. Retrieved 27 July 2023.
- "Gegužis": "2024 24-os savaitės klausomiausi (TOP 100)". AGATA. Archived from the original on 14 June 2024. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
- ^ "Veckolista Heatseeker, vecka 20". Sverigetopplistan. Archived from the original on 20 May 2022. Retrieved 20 May 2022.
- ^ Peak chart positions for singles in Lithuania:
- "Ten, kur tu": "2022 21-os savaitės klausomiausi (TOP 100)". AGATA. 27 May 2022. Archived from the original on 11 June 2022. Retrieved 19 February 2022.
- "Gal ne rytoj": "2022 18-os savaitės klausomiausi (TOP 100)". AGATA. 6 May 2022. Archived from the original on 6 May 2022. Retrieved 19 February 2022.
- "Beržas": "2024 13-os savaitės klausomiausi (TOP 100)". AGATA. 29 March 2024. Archived from the original on 29 March 2024. Retrieved 19 April 2024.