Matt Len Interview: “While it would be a struggle to stand out in Texas by wearing a cowboy hat, here it’s only natural.”

Lithuania may be a long way from Nashville, but that isn’t stopping Matt Len from bringing a little outlaw country to Eurovizija.LT. After making a strong impression in 2023, Matt is back for his second attempt at competing to represent Lithuania at Eurovision. He took the time to speak with us about his love of motorcycles, the lessons he learned from his last participation, and what to expect from his live performance. 

You competed in the Lithuanian national selection in 2023. How does it feel to be back again this year? 

I feel a lot more confident and secure, having a bigger team and experience behind my back. However, our national selection in Lithuania has also grown! Having so many talented contenders feels a bit challenging, but we all try to support each other. After all, we’re on the same team, with the same goal: to finally win Eurovision for our country!

Did you learn any lessons from your experience in Pabandom iš naujo! in 2023 that you‘ve taken to Eurovizija.LT this year?

With my first attempt, I had no idea what I was getting into. I had to find out the hard way – learning only a month before the filming that I got into the contest, and all the stage preparations to do. I’ve learned that a good performance is so much more than writing a good song, and a cool outfit. It also consists of well-planned choreography, lights, LED content, camera work, audio balance, and confidence. Not to mention, too much choreography can affect your vocal performance. One of the biggest challenges for a less experienced singer is not considering the adrenaline and stress raising your heart rate on stage, causing you to be out of breath more often than in casual practice. 

Any advice to aspiring participants?

My advice is to not avoid seeking help and guidance from the professionals. You don’t have to be able to do all of it! Especially in a month, without having experience or expertise in all areas. I’m very thankful to Eurovision for teaching me all that, and making me grow in the world of music performance – where I truly belong.

Can you tell us a bit about your background? When and how did you start making music?

My life was always involved with music, ever since I started playing guitar and saxophone as a kid. I started writing songs when I was 14, and I realized I don’t just want to play covers. Then I played in a band for a little while – I took on some gigs in local bars and festivals.

However, I realized that I wasn’t on the same page as my bandmates. I decided that I wanted to grow faster, and have more creative freedom. That’s when I started writing songs for myself again in 2019, and contacted my childhood friend and saxophone teacher, who is also a music producer and has a label, Lithuanian Sound. I wrote a few songs, and we worked on them in a professional studio, with the song “Northern Wind” being my first song that is still out there. Some others have been taken down because I was being quite experimental, and they didn’t feel like something I wanted to represent me later down the road.

So what made you decide to enter the national selection?

I decided to participate in 2023 with the song “Midnight Train.” To my surprise, I was recognized by the jury and Eurovision fans for my unique voice – better than I expected. Even though my performance at the time had a lack of experience, budget, and confidence to get into the Final, I was treated quite well and invited to several radio shows, such as “LRT OPUS” and “LRT RADIJAS,” and I believe one of my songs is still being played on one of them in rotation. Since then, I kept making more songs and adjusting their style to my liking. I went to study vocal performance at 1500 Sound Academy in Los Angeles, California. So I’m coming back to Eurovizija.LT 2025 stronger than ever before!

Your music is clearly country and western inspired, but Lithuania isn’t exactly the first place that comes to mind when people think of country music. What about the genre resonates with you? Do you consider yourself a country artist?

Yes – growing up, I mainly consumed foreign media, and that shaped my taste to be a bit different from what you would normally expect. I always had a liking for country music, and its ideology of simplicity, truthfulness, and strong values of a man. I also felt like we could use a bit of that here in Lithuania. 

I was heavily influenced by and still admire the [Icelandic] band “Kaleo,” and the artist “Colter Wall.” They’ve been my inspiration for most of my musical journey. They still are. I’m trying to find my unique sound, and it still leans to the countryside. I just like it – what can I say? 

Being a Lithuanian artist, it’s also an advantage, because there aren’t a lot of country artists here. While it would be a struggle to stand out in Texas by wearing a cowboy hat, here it’s only natural.

How would you describe your songwriting process? What inspired you to write “Not Alone?”

The song “Not Alone” came to me very organically. As with most of my songs, I start strumming my guitar, find a melody I like, and sing on top of it. The lyrics: “Man I know I’m not alone / But this road that I’m on / Only has a room for one” just had a real nice feel rolling off my tongue, and the song just came to be. 

My process is not overly complicated. It’s about finding the strength in yourself to keep going and put in some work, even if others may not see the progress. It’s just important that you do. If that means you have to be alone for a while not to burden those around, so be it. Come back when you’re stronger. If they really care for you, they will respect your choice as long as you’re still watching over them from afar.

Without spoiling too much, what can viewers expect from your live performance?

Be prepared for some western action! I have only watched old western movies, listened to country and classic rock, and quite literally lived as a cowboy as much as I could while preparing for this show. There’s been a lot of dedication and hard work, and I’ve even learned to use a certain tool for this performance that I will demonstrate on stage!

Why do you want to go to Eurovision – both as a musician and as a representative of Lithuania?

Honestly, it’s one of the best ways to be recognized as a small musician. Not to mention, I’ve always imagined myself on the big Eurovision stage as a kid. It would really be a dream coming true for me.

How about some of your favorite Eurovision songs?

I loved The Netherlands’ entry in 2018!  “Outlaw In ‘Em” by Waylon. I like his energy, and strong vocals. Just the way he’s being himself on the big stage is really inspiring. 

Tell us about your interests and hobbies outside of music. What do you like to do in your spare time?

Aside from music, I live to ride my motorcycle! I have a custom Harley Davidson Lowrider ST. Sadly, I only get to ride it for seven months [out of] a year, because of our harsh weather conditions in Lithuania. But thankfully, that’s exactly when Eurovizija.LT takes place, making the winter pass by so much faster.

Besides “Not Alone,” do you have any plans to release new music this year?

Oh yeah! I’m working on two more songs at the time. And I’ll be releasing an album pretty soon, along with at least one music video! I have plans to finally do some live concerts this summer, after the album hits the streaming platforms. And then who knows? I feel more inspired than ever!

Any other fun facts you’d like to share with fans?

Well, aside from music and motorcycling taking up the biggest part of my life, I’m a pretty social person and I love chatting with my fans, so if you have anything you want to say don’t shy away!

Check out Matt Len on YouTube and Spotify! 

Matt Len is competing in the fifth semi-final of Eurovizija.LT, which airs on February 8 at 20:00 CET. The top two contestants will progress to the Final. The winner of Eurovizija.LT 2025 will represent Lithuania at the 2025 Eurovision Song Contest. 

What do #YOU think of Matt Len’s song “Not Alone?” Give us a shout on social media (@escunited), Discord, or at our forum.