Rap band Kalush Orchestra will represent Ukraine in the singing competition in May. On the lists of betting companies, the band is bet on the winner.
15.3. 17:27 • Updated March 15th. 17:28
Singing soloist of the Ukrainian Kalush Orchestra Oleh Psiuk carries its own card in the fight against Russia, Reuters reports.
He has set up a group of twenty volunteers in western Ukraine to help those affected by the war by providing them with medicine and assistance in escaping the war.
His girlfriend, on the other hand, makes fuel bottles, or Molotov cocktails. However, the war has driven the couple far apart.
“He’s 300 miles away and we can’t meet because it would be very dangerous,” Psiuk told Reuters.
The situation in Ukraine also takes the lead in rejoicing that the band is Ukraine’s official representative at Eurovision Song Contest and even a pre-favorite winner of the entire competition.
In fact, in the Ukrainian qualifiers, the victory was taken Alina Pashbut his way to the singing competition was cut short by the fact that he was charged with an illegal visit to the Crimean peninsula in 2015.
The victory could bring Eurovision Song Contest to Ukraine
Psiuk says the song has become a wartime national anthem in Ukraine.
– Whatever the circumstances, I will try to be in Ukraine’s favor. Even if the war is over at the time of the Games, it will not be easy, because a lot of time will be needed to rebuild everything. The land is in ruins.
The representative of Ukraine last won the Eurovision Song Contest in 2016, just two years after the Russian occupation of Crimea. The winning song was presented at the time Susana Jamaladinovawho himself was a Crimean Tatar.
If Ukraine wins the competition this year, the country would have to hold a competition similarly next year.
The soloist of the Kalush Orchestra sees the Eurovision Song Contest as an opportunity to raise awareness of the situation in Ukraine.
– If you think the same could not happen in your country, then there are no guarantees. We thought it couldn’t happen to us. That’s why this needs to end as soon as possible, Psiuk tells Reuters.
The Eurovision finale has been one of the world’s most spectator-gathering events on television. The competition will be held in Turin, Italy on May 14 and can be seen in .
Russia is excluded from the competition.