ESC+Plus has talked to Gabrielius Vagelis, candidate of this year’s Lithuanian national selection for Eurovision. Gabrielius took part at the second heat of Eurovizija with his song “Feel Myself Free”, getting the third place and a ticket to the semi-final round.
ESC+Plus: Hello! First of all, thank you so much for your time and congratulations on having been selected to take part in the Lithuanian national selection for Eurovision 2017!
Can you tell us about you, your musical career and important achievements?
Gabrielius Vagelis: My main activities are singer and songwriter. My solo career began in the first season of The Lithuanian Voice, which took place in 2012, where I got to the finals. In the same year I have participated in the selection for the Eurovision Song Contest with two songs and I had the honor to sing in the final. I love to create and share my music with the audience. It is the way I like to express myself the most.
ESC+Plus: What impelled you to take part in “Eurovizija 2017”?
Gabrielius Vagelis: I think the main reason is that over the years I have changed a bit as a person and I want to show myself as I am now, also my work, which is different as well.
ESC+Plus: How did you feel when you knew you had qualified for the next phase of the selection? Did you expect it?
Gabrielius Vagelis: I tried not to think about the results too much, but my thoughts were around in the middle of the final score. When I heard that I was in the top 3 I felt remarkable and mainly, because of that, I knew I had reached the audience.
ESC+Plus: What would it mean to you to represent Lithuania?
Gabrielius Vagelis: It would be a huge responsibility not just for me, but also for my whole country. I would love to have a chance to represent Lithuania, because I feel there is no better place on earth for me to be in. It is the place where I belong and there is nothing greater than telling it to the world.
ESC+Plus: Can you tell us about your song? What is the story behind the lyrics?
Gabrielius Vagelis: Perhaps the song was inspired by the year I spent away from home and returned back to where I feel happy. The song itself is about how we are sometimes tired of routine and we want to disappear somewhere where we would be free and not trapped into any frames.
ESC+Plus: Why do you think your song has to be selected for Kiev? What are you strengths to reach the top in the competition?
Gabrielius Vagelis: It is the emotion and the message I send to the listeners, which I think it reaches them. I believe in this song. Sometimes the key to success is simplicity.
ESC+Plus: Will you change anything of your stage performance or you prefer to keep it same?
Gabrielius Vagelis: I am thinking of adding more backing vocals to make the climax of the song stronger and more resultant.
ESC+Plus: Do you usually watch Eurovision? What is your favorite song in the history of the competition?
Gabrielius Vagelis: Yes, I watch the Eurovision every year, but to tell you the truth, I do not have one favorite song. I liked last the year’s performances of Australia and Ukraine, but maybe the most memorable ones are Lena’s Satellite and Loreen’s Euphoria.
ESC+Plus: If you could choose a Eurovision former participant to sing along with, who would it be?
Gabrielius Vagelis: I would love to sing with any of the ladies I have mentioned before or maybe even with all of them together.
ESC+Plus: Finally, can you send a message for our readers and Eurovision fans?
Gabrielius Vagelis: Hoping that all of your favorite participants will represent each country in this year’s Eurovision Song Contest.