This evening, Suspline Kultura held the final of the National Selection where Anastasia Dymyd with her song “kvitka” was chosen to be the next flag bearer to participate in the 21st edition of Junior Eurovision. Together with the Ukrainian delegation, Dymyd will be competing with 15 other fellow contestants for the small crystal microphone in Nice, France.
Under the inspiring slogan “Dream Bravely!”, the programme has been broadcast simultaneously on the Suspilne Kultura TV channel, on the Suspilne Kultura website, the junior.eurovision.ua website, and the official Eurovision Ukraine Facebook pages and YouTube channel. Finally, presenters Timur Miroshnychenko and Anna Tulyeva announced the winner of the gala, Anastasia Dymyd , after an exciting vote where the poise, vocal control and stage presence of the young artist managed to win out over her opponents.
The final voting process, which determined who will represent Ukraine at Junior Eurovision 2023, followed the same pattern as in previous years, with 50% voting by the public and 50% by a professional jury. The jury panel (chosen by popular vote), determined half of the final score, with Ihor Kondratyuk, Jerry Heiland ALYONA ALYONA giving their votes, leaving Anastasia Dymyd in second place.
Regarding the public, the song performed by Anastasia reached the first position of the popular vote. Here is a summary of the final results of the gala:
The course of the final
The show was characterised by a catchy rhythm and a high level of vocals from the contestants. The contestants were introduced to the audience through short postcards showing their hobbies and their short journeys in the Ukrainian music industry.
Afterwards, and after defending the song on stage, the young artists shared their impressions and emotions with the jury, who were very friendly and welcoming. Alyona Alyona, Jerry Heil and Ihor Kondratyuk showed their enthusiasm for the boys and their performances throughout the gala, and even sang a short piece of each of the competing songs.
During the voting time, there were performances by judges Jerry Heil and Alyona Alyona. Vasya Demchuk, a member of the expert casting committee for the Ukrainian Junior Eurovision shortlist, also sang her latest single live.
Before the countdown, the seven finalists together with Anastasia Belibova, (the programme’s musical director) performed a solemn ballad singing for peace and freedom, at the end of their performance, singers, presenters and jury paid their respects to the people who have suffered from the war with a few seconds of silence. The Ukrainian representative of the last edition of Eurovision Junior, Zlata Dziunka made an appearance and sang the song with which she came ninth ” Nezlamna”
Despite some small sound problems, where some voices from the jury area have crept in, the staging did not disappoint, and the Ukrainian delegation, with the means they had available due to the war period they are suffering, managed to frame and set the scene perfectly for each of the performances.
Polina Babiy ” Universe ”
Written and composed by Polina Babiy.
Duration: 2:50 min
Polina, has defended her song to perfection. The staging recreates the bottom of the ocean, just like our Melani in Eurovision Junior 2019, however, at the end of the performance, a big sun appears, framing the presence of the artist and culminating the highlight of the performance. Numerous light effects enhance the staging and the play of the cameras. The costumes are sober and very elegant, in keeping with the theme that the young Ukrainian performs.
Anastasia Dymyd “kvitka ”
Written and composed by Svitlana Tarabarova.
Duration: 2:51 min
The second artist to perform on the Ukrainian pre-selection stage, Anastasia Dymyd , opted for a very striking costume inspired by the colours of the Ukrainian flag. Accompanied by four dancers, the youngest singer of the pre-selection group showed a lot of charisma on stage. A very colourful and avant-garde performance to go with the idea and theme of the song.
Anastasia Belibova ” Strong ”
Written and composed by Anastasia Belibova.
Duration: 2:53 min
Anastasia has shown great professionalism and poise on stage. Her gestures and expressions have been measured to the millimetre and the staging has enhanced the prominence of the little artist. Neon white and black tones flooded the screens and the singer’s own wardrobe. A modern bet for a powerful and well interpreted ballad.
Denys Hryschuk ” Dance ”
Written and composed by Svitlana Tarabarova.
Duration: 2:40 min
Denys ‘ performance starts with him inside a big mobile, he is accompanied by two very charismatic dancers. Colourful backgrounds and very modern costumes for a very lively song reminiscent of the Tic-Toc app. The jury highlighted the charisma and the presence of the little singer on stage.
3ʼbeauties ” Power of Love”
Written and composed by Svitlana Tarabarova.
Duration: 2:35 min
Spectacular vocal performance of the group 3ʼbeauties with their song ” Power of Love”. Costumes in shades of blue inspired by superheroes. The backdrops project images that refer to power and the lighting in purple tones enhance the performance. The staging ends with the image of the three of them and a flaming phoenix in the background.
The chosen song
Kvitka
Anastasia Dymyd “kvitka ”
Written and composed by Svitlana Tarabarova.
Duration: 2:51 min
“kvitka” (Ukrainian Lyrics)
Колихала мати донечку Настюшу Колихала і співала про квітку цілющу Квітка, квітка - мамина лебідка Квітка, квітка - най, на щастя діткам Квітка, квітка - час летить так швидко Квітка, квітка - на щастя діткам Квітка, квітка Квітка, квітка Квітка, квітка Квітка, квітка - на щастя діткам Love will win - I know It's time for your magic Find yourself in this world And stop this tragedy Сонечко сідає Зорі пишуть вірші Мамо, втомлені очі Зацілулую твої Піднесу до небес посміхатимешся Квітка в серці назавжди залишається Квітка, квітка - мамина лебідка Квітка, квітка - най, на щастя діткам Квітка, квітка - час летить так швидко Квітка, квітка - на щастя діткам Квітка, квітка Квітка, квітка Квітка, квітка Квітка, квітка Find yourself in this world And stop this tragedy, stop this tragedy, stop this tragedy, stop this tragedy Квітка, квітка - мамина лебідка Квітка, квітка - най, на щастя діткам Квітка, квітка - час летить так так швидко Квітка, квітка - на щастя діткам Квітка, квітка Квітка, квітка Квітка, квітка - мамина лебідка Квітка Квітка, квітка - на щастя діткам Квітка, квітка
“Flower” (English Lyrics)
Mother rocked her daughter Nastia, She rocked her and sang about a healing flower. Flower, flower, mother's swan, Flower, flower, for the happiness of children, Flower, flower, time goes by so fast, Flower, flower, for the happiness of children. Flower, flower, Flower, flower, Flower, flower, Flower, flower, for children's happiness. Love will win, I know it, It's time for your magic, Find yourself in this world And stop this tragedy. The sun sets, The stars write poems, Mama, your tired eyes, I kiss them. I'll raise to heaven, You'll smile, The flower stays in the heart forever. Flower, flower, mother's swan, Flower, flower, for the happiness of children, Flower, flower, time passes so fast, Flower, flower, for the happiness of children. Flower, flower, Flower, flower, Flower, flower, Flower, flower. Find yourself in this world And stop this tragedy, stop this tragedy, stop this tragedy, stop this tragedy. Flower, flower, mother's swan, Flower, flower, for the happiness of the children, Flower, flower, time goes by so fast, Flower, flower, for the happiness of the children. Flower, flower, Flower, flower, Flower, flower, mother's swan, Flower, flower, for the happiness of the children. Flower, flower.
The composer behind the winning song is Svetlana Vasylivna Tarabarova, who was born on 26 July 1990 in Kherson. The award-winning Ukrainian pop singer and songwriter has built a prolific career, marked by numerous national hits. Among her outstanding songs are “ДООБРЕ З ТОБОЮ” (Well With You) and “МАНІФЕСТ” (Manifesto).
The singer has also expressed her interest in participating in the senior Eurovision contest. In 2016, the same year Jamala won with her song “1944”, Svetlana performed in the first semi-final of the Ukrainian pre-selection Vidbir with her song “Never Again”. Despite her performance, she failed to qualify for the final, finishing in fourth place, with 6 points from the audience and 6 points from the jury.
The winner
Anastasia Dymyd
Nine-year-oldAnastasia Dymyd, despite her young age, has participated in numerous music competitions and has gained a lot of experience in her short career as an artist. The Ukrainian singer is a powerful and charismatic performer on stage, and this has resulted in a massive vote from the audience and the jury. A clear example of the little singer’s vocal power is her performance at the “Black Sea Festival 2023”.
Anastasia, born in the small corner of Goshiv, located in the Ivano-Frankivsk region, has a clear goal: to spread joy through her innate musical talent. With an unwavering belief that her voice can leave an indelible mark on the hearts of those who have the privilege of listening to her, Anastasia stirs emotions that linger in the memory.
She considers her Ukrainian heritage as her source of power, a constant source of inspiration and a source of pride. Nastya dreams big: she aspires to become an outstanding singer recognised worldwide. To achieve this goal, she works tirelessly to improve herself and explore different facets of music. She is convinced that the creative process is not only an artistic manifestation, but also a path of constant personal growth.
She considers her Ukrainian heritage as her source of power, a constant source of inspiration and a source of pride. Nastya dreams big: she aspires to become an outstanding singer recognised worldwide. To achieve this goal, she works tirelessly to improve herself and explore different facets of music. She is convinced that the creative process is not only an artistic manifestation, but also a path of constant personal growth.
Ukraine at Junior Eurovision
Ukraine has had an impressive record at the Junior Eurovision Song Contest over the years. They have achieved outstanding performances, such as Anastasiya Petryk ‘s resounding victory with her song “Nebo” in 2012. They have also taken second place in the 2008 and 2013 editions, as well as a fourth place with Darina Krasnovetska in 2018 and a fifth place in 2009, among five other occasions when they placed in the top 10.
Despite these successes, they have also faced difficult moments in the competition, such as their last position in 2010 with the song “Miy litak” performed by the young Yulia Gurska, as well as their worst historical performance in 2019, when they placed 15th with Sofia Ivanko and her song “The Spirit of Music”.
On a total of 12 occasions, Ukraine has made it into the top 10 in the competition. Two years ago, they took sixth place at Junior Eurovision with Olena Usenko ‘s performance of her song “Vazhil”, which was one of their best results in a long time.
Last year, at the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2022 in Yerevan, Ukraine was represented by Zlata Dzyunka with the song “Unbreakable”. During the selection process, the young singer stood out as the jury’s favourite, while her closest competitors, Sofia Artemenko and DJ Polinka, were the public’s favourites via online voting. Both entries ended up tied, but the final decision rested in the hands of the jury, who cast individual votes to determine the winner, with the victory going to Little Zlata Dziunka. In the end, the winner of the pre-selection was awarded a ninth place in the Junior Eurovision 2022 Final.
Junior Eurovision 2023
The Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2023 will take place on Sunday 26 November in the beautiful coastal city of Nice, France, under the inspirational theme “Heroes”. This event promises to offer a series of exciting surprises and unforgettable moments.
For this year 2023, the competition has chosen the South of France as its location, specifically the “Palais Nikaia”. This majestic venue, also known as the “temple of music“, opened its doors to the public on 4 April 2001 and boasts an impressive surface area of more than 9,000 square metres. The Palais Nikaia is the perfect venue to host the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2023, which promises to be a show full of glitter and young talent.
France, with two victories on its record at this event, has the honour of hosting the 21st edition of this children’s festivalthat has been gaining popularity year after year among young audiences. Junior Eurovision has given visibility to new talents in the world of music, and France is excited to be the host country.
French broadcaster, with its experience in organising Paris 2021, is committed to delivering a high standard of entertainment and maintaining the characteristic quality of Junior Eurovision. The aim is to make this 21st edition a “unique and unrepeatable” festival. France Télévisions will do its utmost to organise Junior Eurovisionat an exceptional level.
In 2022, the city of Yerevan, capital of Armenia, hosted the contest for the second time in its history, having previously been the host in 2011. On that occasion, France surprised by taking victory with the performance of Lissandro and his song ‘Oh Maman! His charisma and energy catapulted him to the top of the contest, captivating both the national juries and online viewers, earning a total of 203 points and the coveted crystal microphone.
France is looking forward to once again hosting this competition that celebrates music, friendship and diversity, putting Europe’s young talents in the spotlight. The question on everyone’s mind is: who will be the lucky youngster to win the little crystal microphone this year? We will know the answer at the end of November.