For many, Ingrida Kazlauskaitė is defined by the spotlight—a presence built on melody, performance, and the curated image of a public figure. However, the Lithuanian singer is currently inviting her audience to look past the stage lights and into a more cerebral, private world. In a recent reflection on her personal milestones, Ingrida Kazlauskaitė prasitarė apie ypatingą Velykų dovaną, revealing that her “special Easter gift” this year is not a physical object, but the unveiling of a hidden side of her personality through her participation in the high-stakes game show Užvaldyk aikštelę. The Floor.
The transition from the recording studio to the competitive grid of The Floor—a global trivia format now airing on TV3 Lithuania—marks a deliberate shift for the artist. While the public knows her for her voice, Kazlauskaitė describes herself as a lifelong enthusiast of puzzles, sudoku, and board games, viewing these intellectual challenges as a necessary sanctuary from the pressures of her professional life. For her, the game was less about the competition and more about the “adrenaline felt from the fingertips.”
This revelation serves as a bridge between her public persona and her domestic reality, where the thrill of a solved crossword puzzle is as rewarding as a successful performance. By stepping into a project that prizes raw knowledge over celebrity status, Kazlauskaitė is challenging the perceptions of her fans, proving that her intellectual curiosity is as central to her identity as her musical talent.
Beyond the Spotlight: The Intellectual Game
The experience on The Floor provided Kazlauskaitė with a rare opportunity to interact with a diverse array of experts and polymaths. She spoke candidly about the fascination of rubbing shoulders with contestants like Joelis, whose IQ is reported to be 141, and Džiugas, a medical professional regarded by peers as a “wunderkind.”
„Buvo labai įdomu su jais pabendrauti. Aš pati esu bendraujanti, man patinka pažinti, o tokios bendros patirtys labai suartina,“ (It was very compelling to communicate with them. I am a communicative person, I like to obtain to know people, and such shared experiences bring people closer), Kazlauskaitė shared, noting that the contestants have since formed a lasting bond through a shared group chat.
For the singer, the appeal of the show was rooted in a philosophy of lifelong learning. She maintains that keeping the brain active is a critical defense against aging and cognitive decline, citing medical recommendations to read, knit, and play games to maintain mental acuity. Her participation in the show was an extension of this habit, albeit on a much larger, more televised scale.
Interestingly, the competitive nature of the prize money was an afterthought. Kazlauskaitė admitted she was initially unaware that there was a financial reward involved, having joined the project simply for the experience. It was only while filling out the application questionnaire that she discovered the stakes. When asked how she would use any potential winnings, her answer was immediate: her music.
The Intersection of Art and Intellect
While the game show captures her current curiosity, Kazlauskaitė’s primary focus remains her musical evolution. She is currently in the process of recording a program of original songs, collaborating with a producer based in France. She describes this creative venture as a “international baby,” a project born from cross-border collaboration that will eventually find its home in Lithuania.
This period of transition includes more than just new music; she is overhaulng her visual identity and designing new costumes for a series of upcoming summer concerts. The juxtaposition of her work in France and her roots in Lithuania mirrors the duality of her personality—the international artist and the woman who finds peace in traditional family gatherings.
| Public Persona | Private Passions |
|---|---|
| Professional Musician | Sudoku and Crossword Enthusiast |
| Stage Performer | Board Game Strategist |
| International Collaborator | Traditional Easter Practitioner |
| Celebrity Figure | Lifelong Learner/Trivia Participant |
Tradition and the ‘Best Easter Egg’
Despite the glamour of the music industry and the adrenaline of television, Kazlauskaitė remains anchored by her family traditions. For the Kazlauskas family—including Liveta and Petras Kazlauskas—Easter is defined not by excess, but by presence. The holiday is centered on the act of preparation, the gathering of the family circle, and a spiritual commitment to attending church.
A central figure in these traditions is her grandmother, whom Ingrida describes as a “star” in the art of wax-dyed eggs. The tradition of margučiai (decorated eggs) is a multi-generational craft in their home, with neighbors historically bringing white eggs for the grandmother to decorate. While Ingrida has learned the technique, she admits that her grandmother’s mastery remains unsurpassed.
When preparing her own eggs, the singer eschews synthetic dyes in favor of natural elements. Her palette includes:
- Red wine and red cabbage infusions for deep hues.
- Onion skins, juniper, and thuja for earthy tones.
- Celandine for distinct yellow shades.
For Kazlauskaitė, the culmination of the holiday this year is the intersection of these two worlds: the warmth of her family home and the public reveal of her time on The Floor. “This will be the best Easter egg for me,” she remarked, viewing the broadcast as the ultimate gift of self-expression.
As she balances the demands of a French production studio with the quiet rituals of a Lithuanian Easter, Kazlauskaitė is positioning herself for a transformative summer. With new costumes being sewn and a fresh repertoire of original songs ready for the stage, the next major milestone will be her series of summer concerts, where the “international baby” of her musical creation will finally be introduced to the public.
We invite you to share your thoughts on the intersection of celebrity and intellectual pursuits in the comments below.
