Blog Post 2: Lithuania on the Eurovision Stage

Blog Post 2: Lithuania on the Eurovision Stage

In my previous blog post, I found Lithuania’s national identity to be shaped by history, language and religion in relation to its significant others in Europe. As a post-Soviet nation, Lithuania has worked to maintain a strong cultural identity while also integrating into European cultures. Trying to preserve traditions while embracing modern values continues to shape how Lithuania represents itself internationally. Each year, the Eurovision Song Contest allows countries to present carefully developed versions of themselves to a global audience. 

Lithuania’s 2024 Eurovision song, “Luktelk” by Silvester Belt, reflects a shift away from traditional symbols of national identity. Instead of emphasizing history or religion, the performance focuses on emotional expression, minimalism and subtle queerness. Through this, Lithuania presents itself as cosmopolitan, while also revealing the tensions between becoming increasingly progressive and more conservative realities domestically. This performance ultimately challenges more essentializing views of Lithuanian identity by showing it as modern and evolving.

Artist Background

Silvester Belt’s personal identity is important for understanding the meaning of “Luktelk.” Silvester Belt is a Lithuanian artist whose music is shaped by his personal life experiences when he was growing up. His musical style is mainly electronic and pop, which reflects cosmopolitanism rather than traditional Lithuanian styles. A key aspect of Belt’s identity is his sexuality, as he publicly came out as bisexual in 2017 and is Lithuania’s first openly queer Eurovision representative (Wratten, 2024). His personal experiences growing up in a conservative environment strongly influence his music. As noted by the Eurovision Song Contest official site, his songs are inspired by “memories of exploring his sexuality in a homophobic environment” and the emotional impact of suppressing those feelings (Silvester Belt, n.d.). This background shapes how audiences interpret “Luktelk” because while the song is not explicitly about queerness, the themes of hesitation and emotional uncertainty can definitely be interpreted through a queer view. Additionally, Belt’s identity introduces tension between the different groups in Lithuania. Lithuania is often seen as more conservative compared to Western Europe, particularly regarding LGBTQ+ rights (LGBT Rights in Lithuania, n.d.). By sending an openly queer artist to Eurovision, Lithuania is aligning itself with the contest’s reputation for inclusivity. This reflects homonationalism, where LGBTQ+ representation is used to tell that a nation is modern, progressive and part of a larger European cultural community.

Song Meaning and Musical Composition

The title “Luktelk” roughly translates to “wait” or “hold on,” in English and is centered around the idea of uncertainty. The song “is about being stuck in limbo between two stages of barely existing and feeling alive, when you have to hold on and dance through whatever life throws at you” (Silvester Belt, n.d.). The lyrics focus on hesitation and anticipation, especially with the repeated use of the word “luktelk,” which creates a sense of tension that is never fully resolved through the rest of the song. The emotions not being directed toward a specific reason allows for different interpretations because the song reflects the universal experiences of doubt and vulnerability people go through. This also makes the song more relatable to a wider-range of people, specifically international audiences. However, when considering Belt’s identity, it can also be understood as reflecting queer experiences, particularly the feeling of waiting for acceptance or the right moment to act. This adds depth to the performance without making the message overly explicit. 

Musically, the song stands out for its minimalism because it relies on a steady electronic beat and avoids the dramatic build-ups that are common in Eurovision performances. Instead of building toward a powerful climax, the song maintains a controlled, almost hypnotic rhythm through the majority of the song. This made the song feel very controlled and contained and goes along with the emotional tension described in the lyrics. The electronic sound aligns Lithuania with mainstream European pop music, showing its cosmopolitan identity.

At the same time, the decision to perform “Luktelk” entirely in Lithuanian is significant. Lithuania consistently sends songs in its native language, but in 2024, the song was performed fully in Lithuanian with not even a little English. This choice goes against the rise of English in Eurovision and supports cultural authenticity. By combining a global musical style (pop and electronic) with a local language, “Luktelk” reflects a modern form of representation that doesn’t rely on traditional symbols, but still has a connection to Lithuania’s cultural identity.

Staging and Performance

The staging of “Luktelk” is very minimal, and focusing on mood rather than a specific storyline. The performance uses dark lighting, limited props and a clean stage look. The simplicity of the production allows the audience to focus on the emotional tone of the performance instead of being distracted by tons of visuals. Belt’s choreography is pretty repetitive and almost restrained-looking, aligning with the song’s theme of waiting and emotional tension. His movements are precise and looped, creating a sense of being stuck in the same emotional state. This repetition keeps with the idea of hesitation and some internal conflict going on. The lighting also plays an important role in understanding the performance. The shifts in the blue light reflect changes in emotion, such as when the lights flicker more repetitively, the tone becomes more panicked. The overall darkness throughout the whole performance creates a sense of isolation. Rather than telling a clear story, the performance builds an atmosphere that pulls the audience into the emotional experience of the song.

There are also subtle signals of queerness in Belt’s choreography because it is not shown through obvious symbols like flags or costumes, but through his vulnerability and movements. By openly showing emotions like hesitation, uncertainty, and sensitivity, Belt challenges traditional expectations of masculinity, which often are displayed with controlled and confident movements. The slow, repeated movements that reflect the song’s theme of waiting also show a different, non-traditional way of telling a story. In this way, Belt’s queerness is present in the performance without being overt, allowing Lithuania to represent LGBTQ+ friendly while still being able to argue a more conservative performance for conservative-leaning viewers. 

Queerness and Homonationalism

Eurovision has been associated with LGBTQ+ culture and audiences for a long time, making it a unique space for expressions of queerness. For many countries, participating in Eurovision is used as an opportunity to align themselves with values like diversity and inclusion. In this context, Lithuania’s decision to send Silvester Belt can be seen as strategic because his presence signals to viewers that Lithuania is modern and inclusive, aligning with broader European values. This reflects the concept of homonationalism, where nations use LGBTQ+ representation to position themselves as progressive or evolving. However, this representation is not super accurate as Lithuania’s domestic attitude toward LGBTQ+ issues are somewhat conservative compared to many Western European countries (LGBT Rights in Lithuania, n.d.). “Luktelk” reflects this tension through its subtle approach to queerness. Rather than presenting overtly political or explicitly queer, the performance uses emotional expression over anything else. This allows Lithuania to participate in Eurovision’s LGBTQ+-friendly culture without directly challenging domestic norms. It allows the performance to appeal to both international and domestic audiences. The performance can also be understood as a form of artwashing, where progressive imagery is used to shape the perception of Lithuania internationally, without fully addressing the issues internally.

Performance Alignment with National Identity

Unlike many other Eurovision entries, “Luktelk” does not rely on traditional cultural symbols to represent Lithuania. There are no references to history or religion, which are major elements to Lithuanian national identity that were discussed in my previous blog post. The only traditional element present is the use of the Lithuanian language, which grounds the performance in its culture the most out of any other element. However, the song and staging mainly emphasizes modern and progressive values more than traditional symbols of national identity. This goes along with Lithuania's position as a post-Soviet nation that has integrated into European politics and culture showing a vision of Lithuania that looks toward the future rather than the past. By avoiding using traditional forms of imagery in the performance, it challenges the somewhat fixed ideas of national identity that many other countries rely on. It shows that Lithuania’s identity is not just shaped by its history, but also by modern values and global influences. Additionally, the inclusion of queer identity really expands what it means to represent Lithuania. It introduces diversity into representing the nation and challenges more conservative norms. Because of all this, “Luktelk” does not reflect Lithuanian identity but works to actively reshape it. 
 
Word Count: 1,420

References

Askew, J. (2023, October 26). Lithuania moves to ditch controversial Russian-style “anti-gay propaganda” law. Euronews. Retrieved March 2, 2026, from https://www.euronews.com/2023/10/26/lithuania-moves-to-ditch-controversial-russian-style-anti-gay-propaganda-law

Belt, S. (2024). “Luktelk” (Lithuania). Eurovision Song Contest 2024 Malmö [DVD]. Universal Music Group.

Goulding, J. (n.d.). How did Eurovision become a global Queer phenomenon? National Museums Liverpool. Retrieved March 2, 2026, from https://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/stories/how-did-eurovision-become-global-queer-phenomenon

LGBT Rights in Lithuania. (n.d.). Equaldex. Retrieved March 2, 2026, from https://www.equaldex.com/region/lithuania

Silvester Belt. (n.d.). Eurovision Song Contest. Retrieved March 2, 2026, from https://www.eurovision.com/eurovision-song-contest/malmo-2024/all-participants/silvester-belt/

Wratten, M. (2024, May 5). Eurovision’s Silvester Belt on becoming Lithuania’s first LGBTQ+ entrant: ‘Why would I hide it?’ PinkNews. Retrieved March 2, 2026, from https://www.thepinknews.com/2024/05/05/eurovision-silvester-belt-lithuanias-luktelk-first-lgbtq-entrant/