UA:PBC, the Ukrainian national broadcaster for Eurovision, has revealed the ten finalists of Vidbir 2023, which is due to take place next month.
A few weeks ago, UA:PBC released the longlist of 36 artists for the selection. Earlier today, 10 have been chosen to compete in the final of Vidbir 2023.
The ten finalists and the titles of their entries are as follows:
- 2TONE — “Kvitka” (Flower)
- Angelina — “Stronger”
- DEMCHUK — “Alive”
- FIINKA — “Dovbush”
- Jerry Heil — “WHEN GOD SHUT THE DOOR”
- KRUTЬ — “Kolyskova” (Lullaby)
- Moisei — “I’m Not Alone”
- OY Sound System — “Oy, tuzhu” (Oh, longing)
- Tember Blanche — “Ya vdoma” (I’m home)
- TVORCHI — “Heart Of Steel”
Among the finalists are returning artists Jerry Heil, KRUTЬ and TVORCHI, who participated in the 2020 edition of the selection, where they finished in 6th, 3rd and 4th, respectively.
I am very grateful to all the musicians who managed to do this important work under really difficult circumstances, both emotional and everyday, often under sirens and shelling, in basements and in the absence of light. The task is difficult, because in addition to writing a good song that touches people, record it in the studio and perform it live at the auditions, the finalists had to fulfill all the rules of the selection. As a result we have the great joint work of the UA:PBC team and the musicians who submitted their songs for participation in Eurovision 2023. This year in the final we will hear a lot of interesting new Ukrainian music of very different styles, and I am sure that every listener will find their favorite there. Beyond these ten, there are still many bright musicians who, I believe, will soon have their say in Ukrainian music. It gives me hope and confidence.
Dymtro Shurov, Head Producer
The competing entries will be released next month ahead of the selection, as will the running order draw.
Vidbir 2023
On December 17, the Ukranian national final Vidbir will take place in the capital city Kyiv. This method of choosing the representative for Eurovision has been used almosy every year since 2016 (Go_A was re-selected internally in 2021), although this year will be different than the years before. Due to the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine, the shows will be hosted at the Maidan Nezalezhnosti metro station, instead of a television studio.
Another, more positive, change, is the influence of the audience on choosing the national jury members. Via online voting, the public could choose who they’d want to judge the participating artists. Some well known names entered the voting game, like Kateryna Pavlenko (Ukraine 2021) and Eurovision 2006 representative and former Vidbir judge Tina Karol.
- Taras Topolya – Frontman of Antitila (17.41%)
- Jamala – Winner of Eurovision 2016 (15.71%)
- Yulia Sanina – Frontwoman of The Hardkiss (15.7%)
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