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Blast from the past: Ukraine 2010

We know a lot about Eurovision and we want to share this knowledge with you! Therefore we’d like to bring you a blast from the past. Today we look back at Alyosha‘s “Sweet people”, the Ukrainian song in 2010. Ukraine in the Eurovision Song Contest The first Ukrainian entry in the Eurovision Song Contest was “Hasta la vista”, sung by Olexandr Ponomariov in 2003. Already a year later, the country had it’s first victory with Ruslana and her “Wild dances”. Ukraine is the only country that always reached the final so far. Ukraine managed to win the contest even three times already: with Ruslana, in 2016 with Jamala and her “1942” and in 2022 with Kalush Orchestra’s “Stefania”. Evrobachennya. Ukrayina-2010 Vasyl The road that lead to “Sweet people” being the Eurovision song was quite a complicated one. In December 2009, Ukrainian Television announced that the artist representing the country was selected internally. It was the 28 years old singer and performer Vasyl Lazarovych who got the job. The national final Evrobachennya. Ukrayina was held on March 5. Vasyl sang a total of 5 songs. The winning song was “I love you”, written and composed by Brandon Stone and Olga Yarinich. However, a storm of criticism came up, especially about the idea of giving only one artist the chance to perform. 20 songs After 10 days, Ukrainian broadcaster NTU decided to have a new national final. “I love you” was now one of 20 songs. Vitaliy Kozlovskiy sang “”I-L@VE?” Vasyl Lazarovych sang “I love you”, 24 pts, 7th SH and BB sang “Ne zhurys” OIeksiy Matias sang “Angely ne umirayut”, 32 pts, 3rd Zaklyopi sang “Anybody home?” 23 pts, 8th Ivan Berezovskyi sang “No doubt”, 21 pts, 10th Stereo sang “Ne shkody s uma”, 22 pts, 9th Irina Rosenfeld sang “Forever”, 29 pts, 6th Shanis sang “Lechu k tebe” Max Barskih sang “White raven” Vladyslav Levytskyi sang “Davay, davay!” Miya sang “Vona” DaZzle Dreams sang “Emotional lady” Masha Sobko sang “Ya tebya lyublyu”, 36 pts, 2nd Zlata Ochnevich sang “Tiny island”, 30 pts, 5th Mira Gold sang “Crazy lady” Natalia Valevska sang “Europe”, 31 pts, 4th Juliya Voice sang “Zavyazhi mne glaza” El Kravchuk sang “Fly to heaven”, 21 pts, 10th Alyosha sang “To be free”, 36 pts, 1st A new song Accusations of plagiarism were made about the winning song “To be free” immediately after the contest. Also, it was said to be published already in 2008. While NTU wanted to investigate this, the final deadline of submitting a song was so close that NTU decided that Alyosha could sing another song in Eurovision: “Sweet people”. Alyosha Olena Oleksandrivna Kucher, known as Alyosha and later by her real name, Olena Topolia, is a celebrated Ukrainian singer, songwriter, and composer. Born on May 14, 1986, in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine, she grew up in a hardworking family; her father was a traffic officer, and her mother worked at an aviation plant. From a young age, Olena was passionate about music, singing in school choirs and attending the “Youth” music studio. She later graduated from the Kyiv National University of Culture and Arts with a degree in Pop Vocal. Olena’s career began to take off after she won the international competition Yalta 2006. In 2010, she gained worldwide attention when she represented Ukraine at the Eurovision Song Contest with the song “Sweet People,” . Olena quickly became a prominent figure in the Ukrainian music scene. She has written and composed many of her own songs, as well as for other artists. Over the years, Olena has released several successful albums, such as A World Outside Your Door and Tocka na karte. In 2023, she returned to Eurovision as an interval act, performing a duet with Rebecca Ferguson. That same year, she started performing under her real name, Olena Topolia, marking a new chapter in her career. Sweet people The song “Sweet people” was composed by Alyosha, alongside Borys Kukoba and Vadym Lisitsa. It was written in response to environmental concerns, carrying a strong message about the negative impact of human actions on the world. The lyrics call for awareness and responsibility, warning about the destruction caused by pollution and the need to protect the planet for future generations. At the Eurovision Song Contest, “Sweet People” represented Ukraine after the forementioned last-minute change from Alyosha’s original song, “To Be Free,” due to plagiarism accusations. In the grand final, Alyosha delivered a powerful performance of the ballad in Oslo, Norway. The song finished 10th out of 25 participants, scoring a total of 108 points. “Sweet People” stood out for its emotional message and Alyosha’s strong vocal performance, gaining widespread recognition across Europe.

🇨🇾 Theo Evan to represent Cyprus

Theo Evan will represent Cyprus in the upcoming Eurovision Song Contest. That is what the singer himself announced on Instagram today. The singer was internally selected by the Cypriot broadcaster CyBC. Theo Evan is a Cypriot singer, born in Nicosia. He was already a singer and a dancer at the age of 7. In his teens he started writing songs himself. After finishing school in Nicosia, Theo moved to the United States to study music and performance at the famous Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts. He did very well in his studies and has been invited back as an honorary guest at the university’s graduation ceremony three times, alongside stars like Missy Elliot, Pharrell Williams, John Legend, and Justin Timberlake! Theo released his first single, “The Wall,” in 2021, and since then, he has created a strong collection of songs, inspired by artists like Stromae, Michael Jackson, and reggaeton. Theo was also involved in the popular HBO TV series Euphoria, where he appeared as an extra!

Eurovision 2025 in Basel

Basel will be the host city of the 2025 Eurovision Song Contest. The contest will be held on 13, 15 and 17 May. Due to Nemo’s victory this year, Switzerland has the opportunity to host the contest. Geneva and Basel were the last two cities, and through this video, Basel was announced as the host city: Martin Österdahl, executive producer of the Eurovision Song Contest, says: ‘The EBU is thrilled that Basel has been selected as the Host City for the Eurovision Song Contest 2025. The Contest was born in Switzerland in Lugano back in 1956 and it’s great to be bringing it back to its birthplace almost 70 years later.’ Following Contests in the Italian and French speaking parts of the country in 1956 and 1989 we’re also excited to bring the Eurovision Song Contest to German Switzerland for the very first time. Together with Host Broadcaster SRG SSR and the city of Basel we will create a spectacular celebration of music on the banks of the River Rhine that resonates far beyond the stage.’ Conradin Cramer, President of the Government of Basel said: ‘It is a great honour for Basel to be able to host the world’s biggest live music event! We are looking forward to this fantastic opportunity to present Basel to the world as a cosmopolitan city of culture in the heart of Europe. As an open city in the border triangle of Germany, France and Switzerland, we overcome borders of all kinds every day. This fits in perfectly with the Eurovision Song Contest. We are already looking forward to welcoming our guests from all over Europe: welcome to Basel!’

Eurovision 2025 in Geneva or Basel

Swiss broadcaster SRG has announced the final two candidates to host the 69th Eurovision Song Contest: Basel and Geneva. SRG has narrowed down the initial bids to these two cities. One of them will host the contest in Switzerland in May 2025, with the final decision to be made in late August. Cities had until the end of June to submit their bids based on a detailed list of requirements. Important criteria included arena facilities, public transport, sustainability, hotel availability, security, waste management, investment, event experience, and city support. A Eurovision Song Contest working group reviewed the bids from Basel, Geneva, Zurich, and Berne/Biel. This review involved both quantitative and qualitative criteria, as well as the cities’ commitment and creative ideas. The goal is to make Eurovision 2025 an unforgettable event. The accounting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) supervised the assessment of the bids. Following the recommendations of the working group, the ESC 2025 Steering Committee, led by SRG Director General Gilles Marchand, chose Basel and Geneva as the final candidates. Geneva, Commons.wikimedia.org Basel, Commons.wikimedia.org Switzerland will host the 69th Eurovision Song Contest in 2025 because of Nemo’s win in Malmö with the song “The Code,” which scored 591 points in the Grand Final, marking Switzerland’s third Eurovision victory.

Independent review of ESC: the results are in

Eurovision 2024 The 2024 Contest reached over 160 million people in 37 public service media markets. This was, however, a contest that will be reminded for other things. Several countries have added complaints about safety behind the scenes. Also, Dutch contestant Joost Klein was disqualified; a novum in the Eurovision Song Contest. Reason for the EBU to announce an independent review of the Eurovision Song Contest (ESC) 2024 in Malmö. Review and conclusion An industry expert led this review. They gathered feedback from various ESC stakeholders, including Heads of Delegation, ESC Reference Group members, and the EBU/ESC core team. Today, the EBU shares the conclusions of this review. Based on the findings, the EBU identified three key areas to focus on in the coming months. These areas aim to strengthen and protect next year’s Eurovision Song Contest and future events. The areas are: EBU Governance and Participation, Safety and Risk Management, and Audience Engagement, Fans, and Media. Actions already taken To keep up the momentum, the EBU appointed a task force of senior leaders. This team will oversee decision-making and changes in these areas. “The review also highlighted the need for a stronger leadership team to manage such a large event. We created a new role, ESC Director, reporting to the EBU Deputy Director General and Media Director. This role supports the Executive Supervisor, focusing on ESC production, delegations, member relationships, and daily production issues. The ESC Director will also oversee a new role called Head of ESC Brand and Commercial.” Decisions “Just six weeks after the 2024 Eurovision Song Contest, we made these decisions quickly to ensure the event’s future success. We are dedicated to ensuring that the Eurovision Song Contest continues to thrive. We aim to reassure participating broadcasters and millions of fans that we are committed to maintaining the success of this joyful event.” Development areas EBU Governance and Participation: Clarify decision-making roles within the EBU. Ensure diverse member opinions are heard. Define the responsibilities of the ESC Core Team. Outline the roles of Heads of Delegations and Participating Artists. Safety and Risk Management: Simplify and improve understanding of ESC rules. Strengthen crisis management protocols. Enhance security and cybersecurity measures. Ensuring a General-Audience Show and Broad Engagement: Increase collaboration with fan groups, influencers, and media. Build broader engagement and ensure the ESC remains a prime-time show for all ages.

Françoise Hardy passed away

This night, the sad news came to us that French singer Françoise Hardy passed away. Hardy represented Monaco in the 1963 Eurovision Song Contest with the song “L’amour s’en va”. Hardy, who was born on January 11 1944, signed her first contract with the record label Disques Vogue in November 1961. In April 1962, shortly after finishing school, she released her first album called “Oh oh Chéri.” The title song was written by Johnny Hallyday’s songwriting team. The song “Tous les garçons et les filles” became very popular and sold 2 million copies. She had long hair, usually wore jeans with a leather jacket, and played the guitar. Because of the success of “Tous les garçons et les filles” and her style, people in the mid-1960s called her ‘France’s answer to The Beatles.’ Hardy sometimes sang in English, Italian, Spanish, and German. In 1963, she represented Monaco at the Eurovision Song Contest with the song “L’amour s’en va” and finished in fifth place. She received the Grand Prix du Disque Académie Charles Cros award in 1968. In May 2000, she made a comeback with the album “Clair Obscur.” Her son played guitar, and her husband sang a duet with her called “Puisque vous partez en voyage.” Iggy Pop and Étienne Daho also took part in the album. Françoise Hardy was already ill for a long time. She was 80 years old.

Independent investigation into EBU and Eurovision 2024

An independent investigation will be started into the EBU. Insiders told Dutch TV-show RTL Boulevard about this earlier today, and the EBU has confirmed it. The investigation is being requested by the EBU itself after several complaints about an unsafe working environment at the last Eurovision Song Contest in Malmö, Sweden. The investigation will include interviewing the song contest delegations, anonymously if they prefer. Several countries like Ireland, The Netherlands, Switzerland, and Portugal reported an unsafe working environment behind the scenes. There were more than 13 complaints from different delegations after the song contest. The EBU has also confirmed the news. “The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) strives to continuously improve its services and events. To further strengthen the Eurovision Song Contest, we have asked an independent expert to review ESC 2024 in Malmö to share insights and lessons with the EBU’s governing bodies to support the ongoing improvement of this global event,” they stated.

Malmö Messages: Nemo: we need to talk to eachother

photo: EBU/Sarah Louise Bennett The Code After clinching victory at the Eurovision Song Contest for Switzerland with ‘The Code,’ Nemo joined the press conference to discuss their triumph. Nemo seemingly unraveled the mystery to winning Eurovision, securing Switzerland’s third win in the contest with their track ‘The Code,’ amassing a total of 591 points. We need to talk with each other Nemo, the contest’s first nonbinary victor, expressed their pride, highlighting the significance of the moment for both themselves and the broader nonbinary and gender fluid communities. They are optimistic about fostering greater empathy and understanding among people. They stated: “We need to talk with each other and I hope tonight can be a way of remembering that.” Grateful Fresh from their performance, Nemo shared their feelings of intense joy and gratitude. They remarked: “I’m mostly just really grateful for this experience and all the friends I’ve made along the way. This was one of the most queer representations we’ve seen at Eurovision which was amazing, I want to shout out all the other queer artists this year.” Nemo also mentioned the difficulty of finding spaces where they can fully express themselve. They advised other artists to focus on what truly matters to them and to create art that is meaningful. To consider Eurovision Nemo talked about ‘The Code’ as a distinctive and impactful song, enhanced by its presentation, extending thanks to their crew. The song emerged from a songwriting workshop where Nemo initially intended to write for others, until they were asked, “Would you consider going to Eurovision yourself?” Nemo added: “[Performing] a song where I speak about my story, having touched so many people and maybe inspired people to stay true to themselves, is the most insane thing that has ever happened to me.” Biel Nemo holds immense pride for their native city of Biel, expressing hope for hosting the contest there, despite its smaller size. They described Biel as a hub of creativity where uniqueness is celebrated and valued positively. They shared: “I’m sending so much love to everyone tonight and I’ll be back soon.”

Malmö Messages: Switzerland wins Eurovision 2024!

For the third time in history, Switzerland has won the Eurovision Song Contest. Nemo took the prize after an exciting voting. They were the clear winner of the jury vote. Other countries did better at the televote, but the number of points Nemo received were enough for a victory! As said, Switzerland won 3 times. The very first contest in 1956 was won by Lys Assia, in 1988 Celine Dion took the trophy home. These are the full results: Switzerland, 591 pts Croatia, 547 pts Ukraine, 453 pts France, 445 pts Israel, 475 pts Ireland, 278 pts Italy, 268 pts Israel, 375 pts Italy, 278 pts Portugal, 152 pts Greece, 126 pts Germany, 117 pts Luxembourg, 103 pts Lithuania, 90 pts Cyprus, 78 pts Latvia, 64 pts Serbia, 54 pts United Kingdom, 46 pts Finland, 38 pts Estonia, 37 pts Georgia, 34 pts Spain, 30 pts Slovenia, 27 pts Austria, 24 pts Norway, 16 pts

Malmö Messages: The Netherlands disqualified

photo: EBU/Corinne Cumming The Netherlands are disqualified and will not perform at the 2024 Eurovision Song Contest. That is what the EBU just said in this statement: The Dutch artist Joost Klein will not be competing in the Grand Final of this year’s Eurovision Song Contest. Swedish police have investigated a complaint made by a female member of the production crew after an incident following his performance in Thursday night’s Semi Final. While the legal process takes its course, it would not be appropriate for him to continue in the Contest. We would like to make it clear that, contrary to some media reports and social media speculation, this incident did not involve any other performer or delegation member. We maintain a zero-tolerance policy towards inappropriate behaviour at our event and are committed to providing a safe and secure working environment for all staff at the Contest. In light of this, Joost Klein’s behaviour towards a team member is deemed in breach of Contest rules. The Grand Final of the 68th Eurovision Song Contest will now proceed with 25 participating songs. AVROTROS, the Dutch broadcaster, is not amused and also made a statement: We have taken note of the disqualification by the EBU. AVROTROS finds the disqualification disproportionate and is shocked by the decision. We deeply regret this and will come to this later. We of Eurovision Universe agree on the statement of AVROTROS, as a person is not guilty until he is proven guilty. That did not happen yet. However, EBU have decided different.