The Ukrainian winners of the Eurovision Song Contest have sold their trophy to raise almost $1M for the war effort.
16.05.2022 - 15:53 / completemusicupdate.com
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.
First there was the logistical question of whether Kalush Orchestra would be able to travel to this year’s host city, Turin in Italy. And then there was the political dimension, with Eurovision famously having a strict no politics rule, which is always hard to enforce when there is an ongoing political and/or military conflict between two countries competing in the contestThe conflict between Russia and Ukraine has impacted on Eurovision before, of course, in particular following the former’s annexation of Crimea in 2014.
Back in 2016, Russia complained that Ukraine’s entry that year – Jamala’s ‘1944’ – was clearly political because its lyrics were about military action in Crimea. EBU had banned overtly political songs in the past, the Russian delegation said, and should stop ‘1944’ from being performed too.But Ukraine countered that the song was about completely different military action – one led by Joseph Stalin in 1944 – and not the annexation of the region by Russia in 2014, so no rules had been broken.
The Ukrainian winners of the Eurovision Song Contest have sold their trophy to raise almost $1M for the war effort.
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.
TURIN, Italy -- Ukrainian band Kalush Orchestra won the Eurovision Song Contest, a clear show of popular support for the group's war-ravaged nation that went beyond music.The band and its song “Stefania” beat 24 other performers early Sunday in the grand final of the competition. The public vote from home, via text message or the Eurovision app, proved decisive, lifting them above British TikTok star Sam Ryder, who led after the national juries in 40 countries cast their votes.Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy welcomed the victory, Ukraine's third since its 2003 Eurovision debut.
TURIN, Italy -- Ukrainian band Kalush Orchestra won the Eurovision Song Contest, a clear show of popular support for the group's war-ravaged nation that went beyond music.The band and its song “Stefania” beat 24 other performers early Sunday in the grand final of the competition. The public vote from home, via text message or the Eurovision app, proved decisive, lifting them above British TikTok star Sam Ryder, who led after the national juries in 40 countries cast their votes.Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy welcomed the victory, Ukraine's third since its 2003 Eurovision debut.
3 min read Kalush Orchestra have won the 2022 Eurovision Song Contest for Ukraine with their song ‘Stefania’. After the jury scores were tabulated, the United Kingdom’s entry Space Man by Sam Ryder was leading the pack with 283 points, with Sweden and Spain close behind with 258 and 231 points.
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.
LIVE – Updated at 09:28The Eurovision 2022 final proved to be one of the liveliest and most competitive in recent memory. While the atmosphere was still good-humoured, the sheer quality of the 25 countries competing this year presented voters with some tough decisions. Ultimately, though, favourites Ukraine and their entry Kalush Orchestra were crowned the winners, leaving many to wonder if the country will be able to host the contest in 2023.
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.
Ukrainian band Kalush Orchestra won the Eurovision Song Contest in the early hours of Sunday in a clear show of support for the war-ravaged nation.
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.
The UK has narrowly lost out in the Eurovision song contest this evening. Sam Ryder took to the stage with an upbeat performance of his uplifting pop song Space Man.
launched a full-scale invasion on Feb. 24.Among the 25 nations performing on the big stage in Italy is Ukraine, which is considered a favorite to win.Below, we remind you of everything you need to know ahead of the final.The Eurovision Song Contest first hit our screens way back when in 1956.
British bookies are currently offering odds of 7/18 for Ukraine to triumph at this evening’s Eurovision Song Contest in Turin, Italy, with their entry Kalush Orchestra’s distinctive blend of rap and folk music, combined with the country’s current courage in the face of Russian invasion, expected to unite voters across Europe in support.
Eurovision Song Contest took place in our very own county of Yorkshire. In 1982, the 27th edition of the competition took place in Harrogate following the country's victory at the 1981 contest. Buck's Fizz won it for us, with their classic "Making Your Mind Up".
Ukraine.About 50 people created a flash mob when Kalush Orchestra appeared on an outdoor stage in Turin this week, amplifying international calls for help getting remaining civilians and fighters out of a steel plant that is the last Ukrainian holdout in the southern city of Mariupol.“We see Eurovision as an international event where the presence of Ukraine and Ukrainian culture is very important,’’ said Zoia Stankovska, a Milan-based lawyer who helped organize the flash mob. “At the moment, Eurovision is also a place where our voice is being heard.’’Kalush Orchestra's Eurovision entry “Stefania" was written as the frontman's tribute to his mother but has become an anthem to the motherland since Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb.