Lithuania Opens Eurovizija.LT 2026 with a Strong Start as Rug!le and Noy Book Their Final Tickets
Lithuania has officially pressed the play button on its Eurovision 2026 journey and, if the first heat of Eurovizija.LT is anything to go by, we might be in for a quietly fascinating national selection season.
Eight artists stepped onto the stage at the LRT Studios in Vilnius, each hoping to take the first steps toward representing Lithuania at Eurovision 2026. By the end of the night, two names emerged with golden tickets to the final: Rug!le and Noy.
No fireworks. No unnecessary gimmicks. Just songs, opinions, and a public ready to make itself heard.
Rug!le Leads the Night with “Ikona Žemaitė”
Finishing at the very top of the scoreboard was Rug!le with “Ikona Žemaitė”, a song that clearly resonated with both sides of the voting spectrum.
The jury placed Rug!le first, while the public followed closely behind, creating a combined result that felt… deserved. It is one of those entries that does not scream for attention, but instead invites you in. And in a national final environment, that approach often works wonders.
If consistency continues, Rug!le could quietly become one of the names to watch across the entire season.
Noy Wins the Televote and Joins the Final Line-Up
While Rug!le conquered the overall ranking, Noy made a statement with the public.
“Stand Up” topped the televote by a healthy margin, showing clear audience connection. The juries were slightly more reserved, but still supportive enough to secure second place overall and a direct spot in the final.
It is early days, but a strong televote base in January is never a bad sign.
The Middle of the Table Gets Crowded
Just behind the qualifiers, several acts found themselves tightly packed in the scoreboard.
Elizabeth Olshey’s “Between” and Thomas G’s “One Night Lover” both reached the 15-point mark, with Thomas G landing in third place and therefore moving into the wildcard pool. That detail may become important later.
The Ditties delivered a lively “Mambo”, while Aistė Pilvelytė and Valdas Lacko hovered in the mid-lower zone with respectable showings. Siga closed the ranking with “Noriu jo”, but early exits in Lithuania have never stopped future returns.
In short: nobody embarrassed themselves. Always a good start.
A Jury with Industry Variety
This week’s jury panel blended different corners of the Lithuanian music scene:
- Ieva Narkutė (singer)
- Vytautas Bikus (producer)
- Kamilė Gudmonaitė (director)
- Unė Liandsbergytė (LRT OPUS host)
- Karolis Talutis (8 Kambarys)
Speaking of 8 Kambarys, the group also appeared as guest performers, presenting a song written by Gutjera Denisovaitė. A neat way of linking the competition with familiar faces.
How Eurovizija.LT 2026 Works
Lithuania is sticking to a clear and viewer-friendly structure this year:
- Five heats
- Eight artists per heat
- Two qualifiers per heat
- One final
All shows are hosted by Gabrielė Martirosian, Eglė Kernagytė and Rimvydas Černiauskas.
The final takes place on 27 February at the Twinsbet Arena in Vilnius, marking the first time the Lithuanian national final moves into a large arena in the capital. A symbolic step up.
New Rules, Fewer Complications
Several format tweaks aim to simplify things:
- Third-placed songs in each heat enter a wildcard round
- Viewers can vote online once for their favourite wildcard
- The most-voted wildcard reaches the final
- The superfinal is gone
- Winner chosen in a single round (jury + public)
- Online voting available in all live shows
- Telephone voting removed
Clean. Direct. Modern.
Early Verdict
It is too early to crown favourites, but Lithuania has opened its season with a heat that feels confident rather than desperate. Two very different songs qualified. The public engaged. The juries left their fingerprints without overpowering the result.
Exactly what a first heat should do.
Eurovizija.LT 2026 is officially alive.
