Lion Ceccah will represent Lithuania at the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna, Austria, after winning the national pre-selection competition, EUROVIZIJA.LT, on Friday evening.
The final of EUROVIZIJA.LT took place at the Twinsbet Arena in Vilnius, culminating a five-week process during which 40 songs competed for the right to represent the nation. Hosted by Gabrielė Martirosian, Rimvydas Černiauskas, and Eglė Kernagytė, the event saw eleven finalists perform before a combined jury and public vote determined the winner. The voting system allocated a 50% weighting to both the jury and the public.
Ceccah’s winning entry, “Sólo Quiero Más,” secured victory with over 38,000 votes from the public – more than double the support received by the runner-up. The song was co-written by Aurimas Galvelis, also known as Lion Ceccah, and Tomas Alenčikas.
SHWR finished in second place with their song “Contact!,” while Nøra Blu secured third position with “Hold My Own.” According to the final tally, SHWR also received 22 points from the combined jury and public vote, but Ceccah’s stronger showing in the public vote ultimately secured his win.
Following his victory, Ceccah was congratulated on stage by last year’s Lithuanian Eurovision representatives, the group Katarsis, who symbolically passed on the mantle. Ceccah, visibly moved, addressed the audience while draped in the Lithuanian tricolor flag, expressing gratitude for the support. “Atėjau aplenkti savęs,” – “I came to surpass myself” – he stated, acknowledging the emotional weight of the moment.
Prior to the final performance, Ceccah had acknowledged some technical difficulties during general rehearsals, specifically concerning camera work. However, the final performance proceeded without issue. The Lithuanian broadcaster, LRT, will now begin preparations for Ceccah’s participation in the Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna this May.
