Eurovision Song Contest Winner Kalush Orchestra Raises $900,000 For Ukrainian War Effort

The BBC have confirmed that talks are currently underway for the UK to host the Eurovision Song Contest in 2023, in place of Ukraine. 

K.J. Yossman The European Broadcasting Union (EBU), the organization that runs the Eurovision Song Contest, has confirmed the competition will not be held in Ukraine next year despite Ukrainian band Kalush orchestra winning 2022’s top spot.As Variety predicted last month, Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine means that the country is not in a position to host the contest, which has some of the strictest security protocols of any live event.

The Eurovision Broadcasting Union has announced that the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest will not be held in Ukraine after Kalush Orchestra’s win last month. Kalush Orchestra, rose up the leaderboard with their track Stefania, just weeks after the nation was invaded by Russia, and went on to become champions.

The UK will likely host next year’s Eurovision Song Contest after the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) concluded that it will be impossible for the show to take place in Ukraine.

Following Sam Ryder's success at the Eurovision Song Contest last month, which saw him claim second place and give Harry Styles a run for his money on the Official Singles Chart, Robbie Williams now wants a piece of the pie.

Naman Ramachandran Ukraine’s Kalush Orchestra, popular winners of the 2022 Eurovision Song Contest, have raised $900,000 for their country’s military by auctioning their winners’ trophy.The auction for the crystal microphone trophy was conducted on Facebook on Sunday by Ukrainian TV presenter Serhiy Prytula.“You guys are amazing! We appreciate each and every one of you who donated to this auction and a special thanks to Team WhiteBIT who purchased the trophy for $900,000 and are now the rightful owners of our trophy. Glory to Ukraine! Glory to the Armed Forces of Ukraine,” Kalush Orchestra posted on Facebook on Monday.

K.J. Yossman The Eurovision Song Contest 2022 delivered stellar ratings, with 161 million viewers watching the three live shows (the first and second semi final and the grand final) in Turin, Italy just over ten days ago.According to the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), which hosts the annual concert, the grand final viewing share on Saturday May 14 rose by three percentage points from 2021, to a total of 43.3% across 34 markets.The coveted 15-24 year-old demographic was also up by three percentage points for the final, with a total of 56.2%.Across Europe, individual territories also reported a ratings spike, with the U.K.

Following a rollercoaster voting section this year, Ukraine’s Kalush Orchestra won the Eurovision Song Contest on Saturday with their song ‘Stefania’. The UK’s Sam Ryder followed in second place with ‘Space Man’, in a dramatic turnaround from last year’s nul points disaster.Already one of the favourites to win the competition, it became widely expected that Ukraine would be Eurovision champions this year following the Russian invasion of the country in February.Of course, following those events, it had not been a given that Ukraine would be able perform at this year’s contest at all.

Associated Press, were able to send their appreciation via Telegram: “Thank you to Kalush Orchestra for your support! Glory to Ukraine!”After their win, the six-member group, who blends traditional Ukrainian music with hip-hop, told reporter Samya Hafsaoui, “We want to say a big thank you to everyone who voted for us… Thank you to everyone for supporting Ukrainian culture and Ukrainian music. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.”The band were not able to travel together or even rehearse before performing the song at the semi-finals on May 10.

The Eurovision Song Contest’s participants are officially banned from making any political statements from the stage, either verbally or in their lyrics, but that didn’t stop Ukraine’s Kalush Orchestra.

Kalush Orchestra have shared a powerful video for ‘Stefania’, the song that won them last night’s (May 14) Eurovision Song Contest.The band triumphed over the UK’s Sam Ryder at the Turin ceremony, receiving a massive portion of the public vote.Following the performance, they have shared an official video for ‘Stefania’, which was shot in the cities of Bucha, Irpin, Borodyanka and Hostomel, all of which were bombed during the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine.At the end of the video, a message from the band reads:“This video was filmed in Bucha, Irpin, Borodyanka, Hostomel, cities near Kyiv that suffered the horrors of Russian occupation.“Dedicated to the brave Ukrainian people, to the mothers protecting their children, to all those who gave their lives for our freedom.“Every man, every woman, every innocent child.“The war in Ukraine has multiple faces, but it is our mother’s face that keeps our hearts alive in the darkest times.“Stand with Ukraine!”Watch the ‘Stefania’ video below:Speaking to NME this week, frontman Oleh Psiuk explained how their taking part was a “huge responsibility”, given the ongoing war with Russia.“To represent Ukraine in the international arena is always a responsibility, but to represent it during the war is just the highest responsibility possible,” he said.“The song [‘Stefania’] was composed and dedicated to my mother, but after the war the song has acquired lots of nuances because a lot of people are perceiving it as if Ukraine is my mother,” said Psiuk.

K.J. Yossman The unspoken question in the run up to this year’s Eurovision Song Contest was whether Ukraine would be able to host next spring if they won.Before the event, sources close to the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), which organizes the annual music contest, indicated it was not a situation they were looking forward to grappling with.However, when Ukrainian rappers Kalush Orchestra were announced as the winners in Italy on Saturday night, it became an inevitability.The contest is hosted each year in the country which won the previous year.

K.J. Yossman Ukraine won the 2022 Eurovision Song Contest in Italy on Saturday night. The country was represented by hip hop act Kalush Orchestra with the song “Stefania,” a tribute to lead singer Oleh Psiuk’s mother Stefania, which merges Ukrainian folklore with rap.The U.K.

The results are in, and the winner of Eurovision 2022 has been revealed as Ukraine. Sam Ryder represented the United Kingdom, and it was clear from the off that he was going to score big as twelves were awarded continuously to the UK by countries across Europe. An elated Sam could be seen smiling as at the half way point of voting the UK were still leading with 195 points, but after all the votes were cast it was Ukraine's Kalush Orchestra who scooped the top prize.

The 66th Eurovision song contest is finally here, with another set of musical hopefuls eager to represent their countries and impress both the judges and the public.

Eurovision traditionally has been a place where politics were frowned upon, at least in the overt songs . But the war in Ukraine is much on the world’s mind, so Eurovision made a statement right at the top of today’s finals.