Ukraine will compete in the first Eurovision semi-final in May.
The Kalush Orchestra is set to seek Ukraine’s third Eurovision victory. Ukrinform / Shutterstock, AOP
The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) announced today that the Kalush Orchestra has been elected the new Eurovision Song Contest in Ukraine.
The band’s rap song, which combines rap and folk music, is named after the Turin Eurovision Song Contest Stefania. The band won the audience votes for the country’s Eurovision Song Contest, but only finished second in the final results.
Earlier in February, the country won the Eurovision Song Contest Alina Pashhowever, withdrew from the seat.
The reason for his withdrawal was the ambiguity regarding travel to Crimea.
The singer had visited the Crimea in 2015. Russia had annexed the area a year earlier, after which traveling from Ukraine to the Crimea has been quite questionable.
In addition to this, one of his assistants had falsified travel documents.
Uncertainty has also been created by the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. President of Russia Vladimir Putin recognized on Monday the “independence of the People’s Republics” of the capital regions of Donetsk and Luhansk in the eastern part of Ukraine.
Despite the dramatic twists and turns, Ukraine will compete in the first Eurovision semi-finals on May 10th. The country has won the singing competition twice in 2004 and 2016.
Finland’s representative on Eurovision will be elected this Saturday in the finals of the New Music Competition on 26 February.