This year, Ukraine will once again choose its entry for Eurovision through the Vidbir selection show. The first step will start in one week, on January 13th, when the Ukrainian public starts voting for a wildcard to join the already shortlisted finalists.
Ten wildcards competing in a preliminary round of voting
Vidbir will once again start with a “Wildcard round”, to select an act that will join a shortlist of nine others in the national final. Ten entries will take part in this preliminary round, although eleven were originally announced. One artist, the singer TESLENKO, withdrew in December, with the authorization of Ukrainian broadcaster Suspilne.
The ten songs will be released on Youtube next week, on Monday, January 13. Voting, through the Diya app, will start on the same day and last until Friday on the same week, January 17.
The wildcards act are, in the “running order” prepared for the app voting:
- ENLEO – “SUPERNOVA“
- Muayad – “AMNESIA“
- BRYKULETS – “Kryshtali“
- Ranrawi – “Anymore“
- GRISANA – “Kohoney“
- Clukhay Sashu – “Zhyvy“
- MON FIA – “Dive Inside“
- YAGODY – “Bramaya“
- Starykova Hrystyna – “Rise“
- FIЇNKA – “Kultura“
A unique show on February 8
The actual show will take place on February 8. The wildcard winner will join nine acts which have already been shortlisted, but which have yet to be released. These nine acts are, in alphabetical order:
- Abiye – “Dim“
- DK Enerhetyk – “Sil’“
- Future Culture – “Waste My Time“
- Khayat – “Honor“
- Krylata – “Stay True“
- Masha Kondratenko – “No Time To Cry“
- Molodi – “My Sea“
- Vlad Sheryf – “Wind of Change“
- Ziferblat – “Bird of Pray“
The voting will be split evenly between the televote and a jury of 3 musical professionals, which have been chosen through a public vote:
- Jamala (Ukraine’s representative in 2016, winning Eurovision that year)
- Serhiy Tanchynets (frontman of rock band Bez Obmezhen)
- Kateryna Pavlenko (lead vocalist of Go_A, Ukraine’s representative in Eurovision 2020 and 2021)
The winner will follow the steps of alyona alyona and Jerry Heil, who ended up in third place in Malmö last year, behind fan-favourites Switzerland and Croatia, with their song “Teresa & Maria”.
Are you excited for Vidbir? Whose song are you expecting the most? Tell us more in the comments below or on social media at @escxtra!
