Ieva Zasimauskaitė (pronounced [ˈjɛvɐ zɐsʲɪmɒʊ̯ˈskaɪ̯tʲeː]; born 2 July 1993) is a Lithuanian singer who represented Lithuania in the Eurovision Song Contest 2018 with her song "When We're Old". She had previously participated in the Lithuanian national selection for the Eurovision in 2013, 2014, 2016, and 2017, and participated again in 2022.

Ieva Zasimauskaitė
Ieva Zasimauskaitė at the Eurovision Song Contest 2018 in Lisbon.
Ieva Zasimauskaitė at the Eurovision Song Contest 2018 in Lisbon.
Background information
Birth nameIeva Zasimauskaitė
Born (1993-07-02) 2 July 1993 (age 31)
Kaunas, Lithuania
Genres
Occupation
  • Singer
Years active2012–present

Biography

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Ieva Zasimauskaitė was born and raised in Kaunas, the second largest city of Lithuania. In 2012, she graduated from Kaunas Vytautas Magnus University Rasos Gymnasium in Kalniečiai. In 2015, she received Bachelor's degree in Hotel Management from the International School of Law and Business (TTVAM) in the Lithuanian capital Vilnius. In 2014, Ieva spent a semester following the Erasmus Programme in Barcelona, Spain. In the spring of 2015 she completed an internship in a hotel in her hometown Kaunas and for some time worked in a gift shop.[1]

At the age of seven, Ieva was sent to the vocal class of the Kaunas Music School where she studied for eight years. At the music school, Ieva sang in the Children's vocal band "Linksmasis do" and played the piano.[2] During this time, she also participated in various competitions and festivals. In 2007 she went to the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2007 as a backing vocalist for Lina Jurevičiūtė. When she was 16 years old, she became a member of the Kaunas Choir on the TV3 project "Chorų karai" (Clash of the Choirs).[3] After the choir won the TV project, Ieva performed for three years together with the choir throughout Lithuania (giving up to 16 concerts per month). Afterwards, she began to work personally with the composer and music producer Tautkus, leader of the Boy band N.E.O. At that time she met her future husband, who was a member of the band.

In 2012 Ieva participated in the project Lietuvos balsas ("The Voice of Lithuania"). She managed to reach the superfinal and sang together with Dima Bilan his hit song "Never Let You Go". Shortly thereafter she began her solo career and composed her first song "Pasiilgau" ('I miss'). Then she had many concerts with her band. Mostly she sang at corporate events and weddings, performing songs by Adele, Rihanna and Alicia Keys.

Ieva learned vocals from rock singer Česlovas Gabalis, opera singer Kristina Zmailaitė, Rosita Čivilytė and Gendrius Jokūbėnas.[4]

Ieva is also a songwriter and sings self-composed songs.

Personal life

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Ieva's parents are medical employees. Her father plays guitar. Ieva has an older brother Ugnius (born 1989).[5][6]

Ieva was married in June 2015 after a relationship of five years in a Catholic Archangel Michael Church of Kaunas. Her husband Marius Kiltinavičius (born 1982) is a former coach of the Lithuanian National Basketball Team (U-20), former coach of BC Sūduva-Mantinga and also a former singer of the Boyband N.E.O.[7][8] In 2014, they both became vegetarians. They are interested in Ayurveda and practice meditation. They have travelled together as pilgrims to India several times. Ieva is a follower of the Hare Krishna movement, a Hindu religious organisation.[9][10] The couple divorced in 2020.[11]

Ieva married her second husband, Vaishnava monk Simas Grabauskas, on June 21, 2021.[12] The couple welcomed their first child, a daughter, on June 14, 2023.[13]

Discography

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Singles

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Title Year Peak chart positions Album
SCO
[14]
SWE
Heat.

[15]
UK
Down.

[16]
"Life (Not That Beautiful)" 2016 Non-album single
"You Saved Me" 2017
"When We're Old" 2018 88 10 94
"Paslėpk mane"
"Absorbed"
"Apkabink"
"Aš galiu skrist" 2019
"What Do You Want From Me"
"Visą save"
"Praėjo" 2020
"Labas Tau Tariu"
"Mano Lietuva (with Džimba)"
"Jau Nieko Neliko"
"I'll Be There" 2022
"Apie Mus" 2023
"Laišką tau rašau"

References

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  1. ^ Mieste.lt. "Po vestuvių - ilgai laukta naujiena Ievai Zasimauskaitei". mieste.lt (in Lithuanian). Archived from the original on 12 March 2018. Retrieved 5 May 2018.
  2. ^ "Ieva Zasimauskaitė - Music.lt". Music.lt. Archived from the original on 13 March 2018. Retrieved 5 May 2018.
  3. ^ Kutinskaitė-Būdavienė, Šarūnė. "Dainininkė I. Zasimauskaitė vyro kritikos vis dar neišmoko priimti ramiai". delfi.lt (in Lithuanian). Archived from the original on 13 March 2018. Retrieved 5 May 2018.
  4. ^ LIANDZBERGIENĖ, GRYTĖ. "Ieva Zasimauskaitė: "Nesijaučiu per jauna nei santuokai, nei karjerai"". zmones.lt (in Lithuanian). Archived from the original on 13 March 2018. Retrieved 5 May 2018.
  5. ^ https://zmones.lrytas.lt/veidai-ir-vardai/2015/06/05/news/kaune-susituoke-dainininkai-i-zasimauskaite-ir-m-kiltinavicius-2787683/m[permanent dead link]
  6. ^ "Ugnius Zasimauskas / Žaidėjai - Basketnews.lt". basketnews.lt. Archived from the original on 13 March 2018. Retrieved 5 May 2018.
  7. ^ "Kaune amžiną meilę prisiekė I. Zasimauskaitė ir M. Kiltinavičius". delfi.lt (in Lithuanian). Archived from the original on 6 August 2022. Retrieved 5 May 2018.
  8. ^ Šarakojytė, Birutė. "Kaune susituokė dainininkė Ieva Zasimauskaitė ir krepšinio treneris Marius Kiltinavičius". 15min.lt (in Lithuanian). Archived from the original on 18 January 2021. Retrieved 5 May 2018.
  9. ^ "ISKCON Devotee to Win Eurovision". dandavats.com. 4 May 2018. Archived from the original on 21 January 2020. Retrieved 26 April 2020.
  10. ^ "Who is Ieva Zasimauskaitė? Meet Lithuania's Eurovision Song Contest entrant". Metro. 11 May 2018. Archived from the original on 14 May 2018. Retrieved 26 April 2020.
  11. ^ "Ieva Zasimauskaitė patvirtino – oficialiai skiriasi su vyru Mariumi Kiltinavičiumi". 15min.lt (in Lithuanian). 12 February 2020. Archived from the original on 10 April 2021. Retrieved 24 April 2020.
  12. ^ "I.Zasimauskaitė ištekėjo už S.Grabausko: "Taip smagu dar niekada gyvenime nebuvo"". people.lt (in Lithuanian). Archived from the original on 20 June 2023. Retrieved 21 June 2023.
  13. ^ https://www.instagram.com/p/CthSLxDNnYr/?img_index=1 Archived 20 June 2023 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 21 June 2023
  14. ^ "Official Scottish Singles Chart Top 100: 18 May 2018 – 24 May 2018". Official Charts Company. Archived from the original on 22 March 2019. Retrieved 19 May 2018.
  15. ^ "Veckolista Heatseeker – Vecka 20, 18 maj 2018". Sverigetopplistan. Archived from the original on 18 May 2018. Retrieved 19 May 2018.
  16. ^ "Official Singles Downloads Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 19 May 2018.
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Preceded by Lithuania in the Eurovision Song Contest
2018
Succeeded by