Olena Usenko has been chosen to represent Ukraine at the 2021 Junior Eurovision Song Contest. UA:Kultura aired the national final, in which 11 participants competed to represent Ukraine in Paris in December. Olena won the competition with the song “Vazhil”. (‘Leverage’)
The young singer received the most points from a panel of Eurovision experts – including Alyosha from Eurovision 2010 and Oleksandr Balabanov, who represented Ukraine at Junior Eurovision last year. She also received the most points from the televote.
The 11 finalists of the Ukrainian selection
You can watch the national final in full on YouTube here.
- Arsenii Hryshchenko – “Redemption”.
- Anastasiia Doroshenko (Nana Do) – “Svit nadliudei”
- Daryna Zinchenko – “Save This World”
- Karina Kornuta – “Save This World”
- Daryna Kryvenko – “Kosy khmarochosy”
- Veronika Morska – “Save This World”
- Yelyzaveta Petruk – “Save This World”
- Daria Rebrova – “Make Me Happy”.
- Sofiia Skvaruk – “Golden Time”.
- Mariia Tkachuk – “Pazly svitu”
- Olena Usenko – “Vazhil”
About Junior Eurovision 2021
Only days after Valentina’s win, the EBU were quick to confirm that we will be travelling to France for the 19th edition of the Junior Eurovision Song Contest. The contest will take place on December 19th at La Seine Musicale. The slogan of the contest will be Imagine, and the logo was unveiled in August.
In total, the following 19 countries have been confirmed by the EBU as taking part in the 19th edition of the Junior Eurovision Song Contest:
- Albania (RTSH)
- Armenia (AMPTV)
- Azerbaijan (Ictimai)
- Bulgaria (BNT)
- France (France TV)
- Germany (NDR/KiKa)
- Georgia (GPB)
- Ireland (TG4)
- Italy (Rai)
- Kazakhstan (Khabar Agency)
- Malta (PBS)
- Netherlands (AVROTROS)
- North Macedonia (MKRTV)
- Poland (TVP)
- Portugal (RTP)
- Russia (RTR)
- Serbia (RTS)
- Spain (TVE)
- Ukraine (UA:PBC)
The Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2021 will be broadcast live on December 19 and starts at 17:00 CET. Stay tuned in the coming weeks ahead, as more broadcasters select their acts for Paris 2021!
What do you think of the song? Have Ukraine made the right choice? Let us know! Be sure to stay updated by following @ESCXTRA on Twitter, @escxtra on Instagram and liking our Facebook page for the latest updates! Also, be sure to follow us on Spotify and YouTube to see our reactions to the news in the run up to the 2022 national final season!
Олена Усенко – Важіль / Ellen Usenko – Vazhil
