Ukrainian band Kalush Orchestra won the Eurovision Song Contest in the early hours of Sunday in a clear show of popular support for the war-ravaged nation that went beyond music.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy welcomed the victory, Ukraine’s third since its 2003 Eurovision debut, and said “we will do our best” to host next year’s contest in the port city of Mariupol.
Kalush Orchestra’s front man, Oleh Psiuk, took advantage of the enormous global audience, last year numbering more than 180 million, to win hearts.
Kalush Orchestra’s song, ‘Stefania,’ was the sentimental and bookmakers’ favourite among the 25 competing performers in the grand finale. The public vote from home, via text message or the Eurovision app, proved decisive, lifting them above British Tik Tok star Sam Ryder, who led after the national juries in 40 countries cast their votes.
The 439 fan votes is the highest number of televote points ever received in a Eurovision contest, now in its 66th year. Psiuk thanked the Ukrainian diaspora and “and everyone around the world who voted for Ukraine. ...”
‘Stefania’ was penned by Psiuk as a tribute to his mother.
Kalush Orchestra itself is a cultural project that includes folklore experts and mixes traditional folk melodies and contemporary hip hop in a purposeful defense of Ukrainian culture.
The six-member, all-male band received special permission to leave the country to represent Ukraine and Ukrainian culture at the music contest.
The song contest remained wide open until the final popular votes were tallied. Fans from Spain, Britain and elsewhere entering the PalaOlimpico venue from throughout Europe were rooting for their own country to win.
Stratospheric singing
Coming in second place was Britain with Ryder’s ‘Space Man’ and its stratospheric notes, followed by Spain with the reggaeton ‘SloMo’ from Chanel.
Other contenders at Eurovision included Sweden’s break-up belt ‘Hold Me Closer’ from Cornelia Jakobs, Greece’s sombre ‘Die Together’ by Amanda Georgiadi Tenfjord, and ‘Brividi’ (Shivers), from Italy’s Mahmood and Blanco.
Italy won the competition last year with ‘Zitti e Buoni’ (Shut up and Behave) from high-octane glam rockers Maneskin, who performed their new single ‘Supermodel’ during Saturday night’s finale.
Eurovision’s winner is chosen by a cast of music industry professionals — and members of the public — from each country, with votes for one’s home nation not allowed.
After a quarter-century of being shut out from the top spot, Britain had hoped to have a winner in ‘Space Man’ and its high notes belted by the affable, long-haired Ryder.
Britain had been ahead after votes were counted from the national juries, but a jaw-dropping 439 points awarded to Ukraine from the public pushed it to the top spot.
Eurovision is a hit among fans not only for the music, but for the looks on display and this year was no exception. Lithuania’s Monika Liu generated as much social media buzz for her bowl cut hairdo as her sensual and elegant ‘Sentimentai’.
Meanwhile, Sheldon Riley of Australia — one of Eurovision’s few non-European entries — sang his self-affirmation ballad ‘Not the Same’ through a sparkling face veil laden with crystals.
And since no Eurovision is complete without a smattering of moves, Spain’s Chanel came to the rescue with her energetic dancing.
