Silvester Belt

Silvester Belt
Belt in 2024
Belt in 2024
Background information
Birth nameSilvestras Beltė
Born (1997-11-26) 26 November 1997 (age 27)
Kaunas, Lithuania
Genres
Occupations
  • Singer
  • songwriter
Years active2010–present
LabelsOpenPlay

Silvestras Beltė (Lithuanian pronunciation: [sʲɪlʲˈvʲɛstrɐs ˈbʲɛlʲtʲeː], born 26 November 1997),[1] professionally known as Silvester Belt, is a Lithuanian singer and songwriter. He represented Lithuania at the Eurovision Song Contest 2024 with the song "Luktelk".

Early life

Beltė was born in Kaunas, Lithuania. At the age of four, he developed an interest in music and began to attend music school. After his graduation, he continued his studies at the Juozas Gruodis Conservatory in Kaunas.[2]

In 2019, he graduated from the University of Westminster in London with a degree in Commercial Music Performance.[3][4] After graduation, he began working in a beauty salon. In January 2021, he returned to Lithuania where he signed with a record label; initially, he intended to return to London, but could not due to quarantine regulations.[4]

Career

In 2010, Beltė competed in Vaikų Eurovizijos nacionalinė atranka, the Lithuanian preselection for the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2010. He performed the song "Pi-pa-po" and qualified to the final, later placing 8th out of 12 finalists.[5][6]

In 2017, after being encouraged by his sister to apply, Beltė competed and later won the Lithuanian reality competition television show Aš – superhitas (I Am a Superhit).[4] Upon winning, he moved from his hometown to Vilnius, where he later released his debut single, "Noise".[7][8] Shortly after winning the show, he worked behind the scenes of the television show 2 Barai, the Lithuanian counterpart of the reality competition The Bar.[9] The following year, he competed in the sixth season of X Faktorius, the Lithuanian version of The X Factor, where he was eliminated in the fourth week.[10]

Silvester Belt at the Eurovision Song Contest 2024

On 19 December 2023, it was announced that Beltė would be competing in Eurovizija.LT, Lithuania's national selection to select the country's entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 2024, with the song "Luktelk".[11] He went on to win the competition, earning the right to represent Lithuania at the contest.[12] In the contest itself, held in Malmö, Sweden, he performed in the first semi-final, held on 7 May 2024, where he placed 4th out of 15 with 119 points, qualifying to the final, where he placed 14th out of 26 with 90 points.[13][14][15][16]

On 29 March 2024, several entrants, including Silvester Belt, released a joint statement calling for "an immediate and lasting ceasefire" in Gaza, as well as "the safe return of all hostages".[17]

Artistry

Beltė describes his music as mainly pop, with some electronic, rave and techno influences.[3] He cites Troye Sivan as his "all time inspiration."[18][19]

Personal life

Beltė is openly bisexual and came out publicly in 2017.[20][8]

Discography

Singles

As lead artist

Title Year Peak chart positions Album or EP
LTU
[21] 		FIN
[22] 		SWE
[23]
"Noise" 2017 * — — Non-album singles
"Tave radau" — —
"Enough 4 U" 2020 — — —
"Ar dar matai" 2022 48 — —
"Vidury naktų" 2023 — — —
"Luktelk" 2024 1 44 83
"Tyliai tyliai" —[A] — —
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.
" * " denotes that the chart did not exist at that time.
Title Year Peak chart positions Album or EP
LTU
[25]
"My Drug"
(Romen Jewels featuring Silvester Belt) 		2018 — Non-album single
"Drugiai"
(Jessica Shy featuring Silvester Belt) 		2022 73 Apkabinti prisiminimus
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

Awards and nominations

Year Award Category Nominee(s) Result Ref.
2024 Eurovision Awards Luscious Locks Himself Won
[26]
#ALBM Cover of the Year Himself[a] Won

Notes

  1. ^ "Tyliai tyliai" did not enter the AGATA Singlų Top 100, but peaked at No. 19 on the TopHit Lithuanian Airplay chart.[24]
  1. ^ For his performance of the song "Rush" by Troye Sivan.

References

  1. ^ "Į "Euroviziją" keliauja Silvester Belt" [Silvester Belt is going to Eurovision]. moteris.lt (in Lithuanian). 17 February 2024. Retrieved 3 March 2024.
  2. ^ Liandzbergienė, Grytė (22 February 2024). "Lietuvos atstovas "Eurovizijoje" Silvester Belt: "Neatsidūriau didžiojoje scenoje per vieną dieną"" [Lithuanian representative at Eurovision Silvester Belt: "I didn't end up on the big stage in one day"]. Žmonės (in Lithuanian). Retrieved 26 February 2024.
  3. ^ a b Juršėnaitė, Eimantė (26 February 2024). "Silvester Belt on Junior Eurovision, failures, and being himself – interview". LRT. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
  4. ^ a b c Valaitis, Jonas (22 September 2021). "Silvestras Beltė: "Tos svajonės - pernelyg sureikšmintas dalykas"" [Silvestras Beltė: "Those dreams are an overemphasized thing"]. JARMO (in Lithuanian). Retrieved 26 February 2024.
  5. ^ "Pirmojo "Vaikų Eurovizijos" atrankos pusfinalio rezultatai [papildyta]" [Results of the first "Junior Eurovision" selection semi-final [added]]. Eurodiena (in Lithuanian). 13 September 2010. Retrieved 20 February 2024.
  6. ^ "Silvester Belt laimę bandė ir "Mažosios Eurovizijos" atrankoje – prisiminkite jo pasirodymą" [Silvester Belt also tried his luck at the "Little Eurovision" selection - remember his performance]. LRT (in Lithuanian). 19 February 2024. Retrieved 20 February 2024.
  7. ^ "Silvestras Belte prakalbo apie smarkiai pasikeitusį gyvenimą" [Silvestras Belte spoke about his life that has changed dramatically]. TV3 (in Lithuanian). 17 May 2017. Retrieved 14 February 2024.
  8. ^ a b "Gėjų klube koncertuosiantis Silvestras: kad aš esu "kitoks" yra akivaizdu" [Silvestras performing in a gay club: that I am "different" is obvious]. TV3 (in Lithuanian). 26 April 2017. Retrieved 14 February 2024.
  9. ^ "Realybės šou "2 Barai" už kadro dirbantis Silvestras gerbėjams paruošė staigmeną" [Silvestras, who works behind the scenes of the reality show "2 Barai", prepared a surprise for his fans]. TV3 (in Lithuanian). 10 August 2017. Retrieved 14 February 2024.
  10. ^ "Dėl seksualinės orientacijos žinomas dainininkas emigravo iš Lietuvos" [The singer, known for his sexual orientation, emigrated from Lithuania]. Lrytas.lt (in Lithuanian). 29 September 2018. Retrieved 14 February 2024.
  11. ^ "Lithuania 2024: 'EUROVIZIJA.LT' participants and details released". Eurovision.tv. EBU. 19 December 2023. Retrieved 14 February 2024.
  12. ^ Carabaña Menéndez, Hugo (17 February 2024). "Silvester Belt gana Eurovizija.LT 2024 y representará a Lituania en Eurovisión 2024 con «Luktelk»" [Silvester Belt wins Eurovizija.LT 2024 and will represent Lithuania at Eurovision 2024 with "Luktelk"]. ESCplus España (in European Spanish). Retrieved 17 February 2024.
  13. ^ Holdiness, Timothy. "Eurovision 2024 Semi-Final One Qualifiers". ESCXTRA. Retrieved 14 May 2024.
  14. ^ Sturtridge, Isaac. "REVEALED: The Eurovision 2024 semi-final and final jury/televote detailed voting results". ESCXTRA. Retrieved 14 May 2024.
  15. ^ Juršėnaitė, Eimantė (9 January 2024). "Filmuojama pirmoji eurovizinės atrankos laida: sceną išbando pirmasis dalyvių aštuonetas" [The first Eurovision selection show is filmed: the first eight contestants test the stage]. LRT (in Lithuanian). Retrieved 14 February 2024.
  16. ^ Juršėnaitė, Eimantė (13 January 2024). "Du EUROVIZIJA.LT dalyviai jau užsitikrino vietą atrankos finale: vakaro favoritas – Silvester Belt" [Two EUROVIZIJA.LT participants have already secured a place in the selection final: the favourite of the evening – Silvester Belt]. LRT (in Lithuanian). Retrieved 14 February 2024.
  17. ^ "Eurovision: Olly Alexander and other competitors reject calls to boycott over Israel participation". The Guardian. 29 March 2024.
  18. ^ Terry, Connor "CJ" (12 January 2024). "🇱🇹 Silvester Belt Interview: "My all time inspiration is Troye Sivan"". ESC United. Retrieved 14 February 2024.
  19. ^ "Lithuania picks Silvester Belt to go to Eurovision". LRT. 18 February 2024. Retrieved 18 February 2024.
  20. ^ Jančiukaitė, Elena (13 December 2018). "Homoseksualumo neslepiantis "X faktoriaus" dalyvis Silvestras: "Nėra ko bijoti"" ["X Factor" participant Silvester, who does not hide his homosexuality: "There is nothing to fear"]. TV3.lt (in Lithuanian). Retrieved 18 February 2024.
  21. ^ Peak chart positions for singles in Lithuania:
  22. ^ "Silvester Belt: Luktelk" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat. Retrieved 18 May 2024.
  23. ^ "Veckolista Singlar, vecka 20". Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved 17 May 2024.
  24. ^ "Top Radio Hits Lithuania Weekly Chart: Aug 8, 2024". TopHit. Retrieved 24 September 2024.
  25. ^ Peak chart positions for singles in Lithuania:
  26. ^ "Vote now in the Eurovision Awards 2024". eurovision.tv. European Broadcasting Union. 6 December 2024. Retrieved 21 December 2024.
Awards and achievements
Preceded by Lithuania in the Eurovision Song Contest
2024 		Succeeded by
TBD