Ukraine is represented in visas by the Kalush Orchestra.
Already the opening of the Eurovision Song Contest on Sunday said that there is at least one artist in the visas who is not in Turin just to have fun and entertain the audience. Where many other countries were playing and laughing on the turquoise rug was Ukraine Kalush Orchestra completely opposite moods.
None of the band smiled, laughed, and communication was handled through an interpreter. Why would they have smiled? They are Ukrainians, they represent Ukraine, which was visually attacked by Russia at the end of February.
Ukraine has been a favorite of visas for several months now – due to the fact that someone wants to vote for sympathy or that Stefania, who combines folk and rap, is really a valid visa.
The Kalush Orchestra represented Eurovision at the opening. AOP
The Kalush Orchestra is clearly in favor of Finland’s representative The Rasmus. Over the weekend, Kalush and The Rasmus even performed together at Palazo Real.
– The Rasmus is a legend. We had the honor of performing with them, a band soloist reminiscent of Jamiroquai in his hat Oleh Psiuk told Iltalehti at the opening of visas in Turin.
“A great honour”
Psiuk says they feel a great responsibility in representing their own country, Ukraine.
– We want to show the whole world that Ukrainian music exists, Ukrainian culture exists, we exist.
The Kalush Orchestra’s participation in visas was not self-evident. Initially, the band finished second in the visa races in Ukraine just before the war, but the winner Alina Pash decided to withdraw his visas due to paper ambiguities. Pash had performed in the Crimea, and the travel documents were not in perfect condition.
It was unclear for a long time whether the band could travel to Turin at all. Ukraine has reportedly banned all men between the ages of 18 and 60 from leaving the country due to the war.
However, the Kalush Orchestra was granted an exemption to leave the country, and the band has also performed with visas before at various visa events in Europe.
– It is a great honor for us to represent our country, Psiuk continues.
The Kalush Orchestra performed before the Turin visas at the visa event in Amstredam. AOP
Prior to visas, Psiuk worked for a voluntary organization that organized aid for war victims.
The band is scheduled to return to Ukraine immediately after their visas.
Founded in 2019, the band is named after a city called Kalush. The entire Kalush Orchestra is not in Turin, but one member, Mc Kylymmen, was left to fight in Ukraine. The other members of the band are in addition to Psiuk Ihor Didenchuk, Tymofij Muzychuk and Vitalii Duzhyk and background singers Dzhonni Dyvnyy and Sasha Tab.
The Kalush Orchestra will take to the visa stage in the first semi-final on Tuesday at 10 pm Finnish time. Iltalehti follows Eurovision on the spot in Turin.