Who is Erika Kolesnichenko? Meet Ukraine’s representative at Junior Eurovision 2026

Malta is preparing to become the epicentre of European children’s music. The Malta Fairs & Conventions Centre (MFCC) in Ta’ Qali (Malta) will host the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2026 on Saturday 24 October. The Mediterranean island is ready to welcome the 16 delegations competing for victory. Malta is once again taking charge of organising the European contest, for the third time in its history.

The Eurovision stage will be filled with talent, excitement and music as Junior Eurovision 2026 takes place. The 16 young participants will have the opportunity to perform their entries and fulfil one of their greatest dreams: representing their countries before viewers around the world. As it approaches its first quarter-century, the Junior Eurovision Song Contest will once again take place under the slogan “United By Music”, reaffirming the spirit of unity that defines the competition. This time, there is an added attraction: an invitation for us to join in the great Maltese “festa”, where music, tolerance and diversity are essential parts of the show.

With the big event drawing ever closer, the time has come to focus on its stars and discover the details of each of the 16 entries competing for the coveted crystal microphone. For many of them, what began as a dream in front of the television is about to become a reality on the Junior Eurovision stage.

This time, we explore the biography and professional career of Erika Kolesnichenko, Ukraine’s representative at the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2026. The young artist secured her ticket to Ta’ Qali after winning Ukraine’s National Selection. Her victory opened the doors to the contest, where she will fly her country’s flag with “NE kolyskova (NOT a lullaby)”.

How did her journey towards Junior Eurovision begin? What made her fall in love with music? What are her biggest dreams? And what does the song she will perform on the Ta’ Qali stage mean? Through her story, we get to know young Erika Kolesnichenko, who is taking part in this 24th edition, a little better.

Meet Erika Kolesnichenko: an animal lover with a taste for extravagant transformations

Despite her young age, Erika Kolesnichenko has already built a career far beyond that of most children her age. Her charisma and a talent worthy of a professional musician will help her perform “NE kolyskova (NOT a lullaby)”, written by Svitlana Tarabarova.

Erika comes from the city of Bila Tserkva. Her father, a law graduate, left behind his suit and his legal career to devote himself to farming, while her mother, Yana Kolesnichenko, currently works as a yoga teacher.

The young singer has been studying singing since the age of six. She took her first musical steps with a guitar, singing songs with her friends; from there, music hooked her and everything else followed.

Erika has three passions: music, theatre and horse riding. She loves striking transformations that leave room for the most outlandish make-up and the most original, flamboyant looks. She has already played characters such as Cruella, Maleficent, Mary Poppins and Moana.

She leads a very active life. She rides and has her own horse, Oski, with whom she spends a good part of her free time. Although she lives in a flat, her great companion is kept at her father’s farm, where she visits and looks after him regularly.

At home, she also lives with two huskies, Khasia-Kovbasia and Hani. The first joined the family as a present for Erika’s sixth birthday. The younger one, Hani, who arrived later, never leaves her side. Her bond with her dogs is so close that Erika herself has said they resemble her in many ways.

Her musical training and career

At just six years old, Erika Kolesnichenko began her musical training at the Bila Tserkva Art School No. 5, named after Serhiy Tomashchuk, where she has never stopped learning and growing as an artist and singer. Her singing teacher, Galina Belogur, has guided and supported her through much of her development.

Alongside her musical studies, the young artist has taken part in numerous theatre productions. Erika loves playing villains and enjoys experimenting with very striking and unusual make-up.

A career full of awards and stages

Since 2021, Erika Kolesnichenko has performed at numerous singing festivals and music competitions in Ukraine and abroad, building up a list of achievements that has little to envy from many adult artists. These are the most notable milestones of a career that has given the young Ukrainian her poise and charisma on stage:

• February 2022 and 2023: first prize two years in a row at the “Conquer the Stage: International Arts Festival”.
• April 2023: first place at the “International League of Music Talents” competition in Vilnius (Lithuania).
• March 2025: first place at the national singing competition “Talented Country”, where she met Artem Kotenko, Ukraine’s representative at Junior Eurovision 2024.
• May 2025: first place at the “Rainbow over the Tisza” International Song Festival in Khust.
• June 2025: took part in the “Dity Help Music 2” festival.
• December 2025: performed at the lighting of her city’s New Year tree.
• December 2025: performed at the local military hospital.
• March 2026: took part again in “Talented Country” (Talanovyta Kraina), where one of the jury members was Olga Neka, backing singer for Verka Serduchka.
• May 2026: returned to the “Rainbow over the Tisza” International Festival of Contemporary and Folk Song.

The road to Junior Eurovision 2026: victory in Ukraine’s National Selection

Once registration closed, a committee led by music director Svitlana Tarabarova selected 15 young artists. On Sunday 26 July, they took part in live auditions held at the Respublika Park shopping centre and the Neopolis theme park in Kyiv, designed to recreate the conditions of a performance on the international Junior Eurovision stage.

The jury then chose 10 participants for the “star school” (Zirkoviy Shkoli), held in Bukovel. There, the young singers received acting lessons, vocal coaching and intensive stage preparation for the following rounds. Erika’s vocal ability and stage presence earned her one of the six places in the televised national final. The finalists then took part in two draws: one assigned each singer a songwriter, either Svitlana Tarabarova or alyona alyona, and the other decided the running order.

The final was originally scheduled for 13 September, but it was postponed to Saturday 26 September because of the worsening security situation in the country. A professional jury (50%) and the public vote (50%) decided the result. Zlata Solonenko topped the jury vote and Erika won the public vote; the two finished level on points, and the public vote broke the tie in Erika’s favour.

Discover “NE kolyskova (NOT a lullaby)”, Erika Kolesnichenko’s entry representing Ukraine at Junior Eurovision 2026

“NE kolyskova (NOT a lullaby)” was written by Svitlana Tarabarova. The song invites listeners to be brave and unique. Inspired by K-pop, it reminds us, through a powerful rhythm and melody, that life is not a dream and that we need to move and take action.

Lyrics to “NE kolyskova (NOT a lullaby)” by Erika Kolesnichenko, Ukraine’s entry at Junior Eurovision 2026

Enjoy all the Junior Eurovision 2026 songs in the ESCplus playlist on Spotify:

Ukraine at the Junior Eurovision Song Contest

Ukraine has taken part in the Junior Eurovision Song Contest since Bucharest 2006 and has not missed a single edition since, achieving notable successes that have placed it in the Top 10 on many occasions.

On its debut, Nazar Slyusarchuk with “Khlopchyk Rock ’n’ Roll” finished 9th with 58 points. The following year, in Rotterdam 2007, Ilona Galitska and “Urok Hlamuru” matched that position.

The war that is ravaging the country has not stopped the Ukrainian public broadcaster from keeping its passion for music alive. Ukrainian television also continues to choose its representatives through national selections open to all young talents in the country.

Ukraine has one victory to its name. In Amsterdam 2012, Anastasiya Petryk and “Nebo” swept the board with 138 points.

It has also finished second twice, in Limassol 2008 and Kyiv 2013, with Viktoria Petryk (Anastasiya’s sister) and Sofia Tarasova respectively. By contrast, in Minsk 2010, Yulia Gurska with “Miy Litak” finished last, with just 28 points, the only time Ukraine has done so. Kyiv has hosted Junior Eurovision twice, in 2009 and 2013, making it one of the few European cities to have staged the contest more than once.

In recent years, in parallel with its great success at the Eurovision Song Contest, Ukraine has consistently remained in the Top 10. At the 20th edition, held in Yerevan (Armenia) in 2022, Zlata Dzyunka and “Nezlamna (Unbreakable)” finished 9th with 111 points. In Nice 2023, Anastasia Dymyd represented the country with “Kvitka”, earning a commendable 5th place with 128 points. In Madrid 2024, Artem Kotenko with “HEAR ME NOW” improved Ukraine’s results further, climbing to 3rd place with 203 points.

At the most recent edition, in Tbilisi 2025, Sofia Nersesian and “Motanka” came close to victory, finishing 2nd with 177 points. She was 6th in the national juries’ vote but won the online vote, a first for Ukraine.

After brushing with success last year, Ukraine now hopes to go one better with Erika Kolesnichenko and “NE kolyskova (NOT a lullaby)”, and to repeat the victory that Anastasiya Petryk achieved in 2012 with “Nebo”.