Gebrasy Interview: “Whole” is “a song where your head is filled with many different emotions: betrayal, sadness, and anger as you feel neglected by the person you love.”

Singer Gebrasy (Audrius Petrauskas) is something of a veteran of the Lithuanian national selection, having competed several times in the past. Now he’s back for Eurovizija.LT 2025 with the song “Whole.” We caught up with him to discuss the song’s meaning, his favorite artists at the moment, and his plans to release new music. 

You’ve competed in the Lithuanian national selection a few times before. How has your experience this year been compared to your past participations? 

I don’t know. Every single time when I think it should be somewhat easier, it becomes even harder, both emotionally & physically. It feels as if I learned a lot of new lessons this year that I would like to take with me if I ever decide to participate in the future, but they’ll come in handy outside of Eurovision as well.

How did it feel to perform in the semi-final? Are there any nerves about the final?

The performance during the semi-final was really stressful. Everything was still very fresh, and I didn’t have many opportunities to practice on stage – first time on the platform, first time in the clothes that were tailored for the performance, and with lots of crushing expectations on myself to qualify. I don’t think that the final has any chance to compare to that feeling; I’m going into it much more ready and relaxed. 

When you spoke to us in 2022, you mentioned you’ve been watching Eurovision since the early 2000s. What are some of your favorite songs from past contests?

“Amar Pelos Dois” by Salvador Sobral, “Calm After the Storm” by The Common Linnets, and “saudade, saudade” by MARO, to name a few. As for last year, it was probably Bambie Thug (“Doomsday Blue”). 

Can you talk to us about the meaning behind “Whole?” What inspired the song, and what was the writing process like?

I think that the word “whole” perfectly represents this entire song. It’s a song where you wake up in the middle of the night with the realization that your partner is probably cheating on you. Everything is happening in real time, so you get the story piece by piece together with the lyrical hero. It’s a song where your head is filled with many different emotions: betrayal, sadness, and anger as you feel neglected by the person you love. You start to question yourself: were you ever cherished by the person that’s betraying you, or were you just part of their toxic self-discovery journey? By the end of the song, you realise that you are better off alone than in a toxic relationship, and that your partner is the one that is feeling really empty, desperately trying to feel anything by sleeping around with various other people. 

Which artists inspire you, and what have you been listening to lately?

I don’t know if I’m necessarily directly inspired by some artists, but as always, I really love listening to Sam Fender and Billie Eilish. As for some recent discoveries, I could also list a few: Chappell Roan, Kidgloves, Aquilo, and Kevin Atwater. Lyrics are really important to me, so I love good storytellers in music. 

Is there anything fans might not know about you that you’d like to share? Fun facts, interests outside of music, etc.?

I think that fans don’t know a lot of things about me. I’m an avid biathlon & athletics fan, I like watching anime, love to cook & I sometimes cater on special occasions for my friends. As long as my knees don’t give out, I really like running.

Besides Eurovizija.LT and possibly Eurovision, what are your plans for 2025? Any new music, announcements, or just personal time?

I am currently recording my second album, fully in Lithuanian, for 2025, that is going to be followed by a small tour across bigger Lithuanian cities. If I actually win on Saturday, then I’ll probably release an EP in English with some songs that are quietly waiting for a chance to be heard. Other than that, we’ll see how it goes. I gave everything I had these past three months for Eurovision, so I didn’t have much free time to plan ahead. 

The Final of Eurovizija.LT will air at 20:30 CET on February 15. Gebrasy is competing against 11 other artists for the chance to represent Lithuania at Eurovision 2025 in May.

Let us know what #YOU think about “Whole” and all of the Eurovizija.LT 2025 songs on social media (@escunited), Discord, or at our forum.