🇺🇦 Road to Malmö: Ukraine

photo: UA:PBC

We can not wait for the Eurovision Song Contest in Malmö. Therefore, we have a closer look at one of the contestants every day. Today: Ukraine.

Alyona Alyona

Aliona Olehivna Savranenko, known professionally as Alyona Alyona, is a groundbreaking Ukrainian rapper and songwriter, born on June 14, 1991, in Kapitanivka, Novomyrhorod Raion, Kirovohrad Oblast. With a background in education, holding two bachelor’s degrees and experience as a kindergarten teacher, she transitioned from teaching to pursue music full-time. Gaining attention with her debut video for “Rybky” in October 2018, Alyona Alyona’s career quickly ascended. Her first album, “Pushka,” released in April 2019, showcased her storytelling prowess and unique approach to rap, earning her acclaim as “Ukraine’s most unlikely rap star” by Vogue. Alyona Alyona’s impact extended internationally with her signing to Def Jam Polska in 2020 and winning the Public Choice Award at the Music Moves Europe Talent Awards in 2021

Jerry Heil

Yana Oleksandrivna Shemayeva, known as Jerry Heil, is a versatile Ukrainian singer, songwriter, and YouTuber, born on October 21, 1995, in Vasylkiv, near Kyiv. Her musical journey was shaped by her studies at the R. Glier Kyiv Institute of Music and the Kyiv Conservatory. Adopting the stage name Jerry Heil at 15, she launched a YouTube channel in 2012, covering songs and sharing vlogs, which caught the attention of notable musicians, including Sviatoslav Vakarchuk from Okean Elzy. Signing with Vidlik Records in 2017, Heil’s debut EP, “De miy dim,” marked her professional entry into music. Her career further blossomed with hits like “Okhrana, otmyena,” leading to her debut album “Ya, Yana.” Heil’s distinctiveness continued with her engagement in Vidbir, notably winning Vidbir 2024 alongside Alyona Alyona with “Teresa & Maria” for Eurovision 2024. Fluent in multiple languages and a committed vegan, Heil’s personal and artistic choices are closely intertwined, reflecting her unique identity and values in the music industry.

Vidbir

Vidbir is the name of the Ukrainian national selection. The contest this year contained 11 entries. One of them was added in a late stadium as a wildcard, as a winner of an online election. One former Eurovision participant was among the contestants: Mélovin. The singer presented the song “Dreamer” and was the runner up of the contest. Following the completion of the performances, the Diia app (an app especially for the Ukrainian diaspora) experienced a malfunction, which caused the voting period to be prolonged and resulted in the postponement of the results announcement to February 4. 

Ukraine in the Eurovision Song Contest

In 2003, Ukraine debuted in the contest. Already one year later, the country had its first victory: Ruslana won the contest with “Wild dances”. Ukraine won again in 2016 with Jamala‘s “1944” and in 2022 with Kalush Orchestra and “Stefania”. Ukraine never failed to reach the Grand Final, reaching the top-3 on no less than 6 occasions.

photo: EBU

The Bookmakers

It looks like Ukraine is gonna be succesful: in the betting odds Ukraine is currently the 3rd country in chances to win the 2024 Eurovision Song Contest.

The song

This is the song:

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Martijn

Weekly Update

It’s time for your weekly update about Eurovision. This week brings announcements from across Europe, from new concerts to official bids and selection plans. Here’s everything you need to know. 🇮🇹 Eurofesta brings Eurovision to Italy For the first time, Italy will host its own large-scale Eurovision concert. Eurofesta will take place on August 31 in the city of Trieste. Over 30 Eurovision artists will perform on one stage in this brand-new outdoor event. The show promises a mix of past winners, fan favourites, and recent participants. With so many big names involved, fans are in for an unforgettable night. The full lineup and ticket information are now available on the official Eurofesta website. 🇳🇱 Het Grote Songfestivalfeest returns to Amsterdam One of the most popular Eurovision concerts is back. On November 14, Het Grote Songfestivalfeest returns to the Ziggo Dome in Amsterdam. The event will once again bring together Eurovision legends from past and present. This year’s show already includes names like Kaleen, Käärijä, and Johnny Logan. Many more acts will follow. Fans can expect a spectacular evening full of iconic Eurovision hits. You can find all details and tickets at the official event site. 📷 EBU/Chloe Hashemi 🇦🇹 Innsbrück officially bids for Eurovision 2026 Innsbrück has officially announced its bid to host the Eurovision Song Contest 2026. The city joins others in Austria, including Vienna and Graz, in the race to welcome Europe’s biggest music show. According to ORF Tirol, the city is confident. Innsbrück highlights its experience with major events and the Olympiahalle as a suitable venue. Mayor Johannes Anzengruber said the city can offer “heart and competence” to organize a unique contest. The final decision on the host city will be made in August. 📷 Michael aus Halle, Wikimedia Commons 🇱🇺 Luxembourg holds Eurovision songwriting camp Luxembourg is working hard on its Eurovision comeback. Last week, a songwriting camp took place at Rockhal, where 45 artists and producers joined forces to write new songs. The camp was organised in collaboration with the national broadcaster. Participants came from all over Europe, including past Eurovision contributors. Each day, they created new tracks, some of which may end up in national finals—or even Eurovision itself. More details are available in the RTL Luxembourg article. 🇸🇲 San Marino questions its future Eurovision involvement San Marino’s future at Eurovision is under review. SMRTV Director Roberto Sergio announced they are “seriously considering not participating” without clearer voting transparency. He said they’re talking to the EBU and fellow microstates. The decision about Eurovision 2026 participation will come after those talks. Source is this announcement on X. 📷 EBU 🇬🇷 Greece announces national final for 2026 Big news from Greece: ERT has confirmed that the country will return to a national final for Eurovision 2026. After several years of internal selections, Greece is opening up the process once again. The plan includes two semifinals and a grand final, scheduled early next year. According to Ieidiseis, the selection will take place during a special Eurovision week. With a strong result in 2025, Greece is now building momentum. The broadcaster hopes that this new format will engage more fans and deliver another strong Eurovision entry. That’s all for this weekly update. Stay tuned to EurovisionUniverse.com for more news and developments as we march toward the next Eurovision season. Each week brings something new – and as this update shows, preparations for 2025 and even 2026 are already in full swing across Europe! Share

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