Ukrainian national broadcaster, Suspilne, has disclosed that the legendary first winner of Ukraine in the Eurovision Song Contest, Ruslana will be performing in the Grand Final of this year’s contest. Ruslana won the contest in 2004 with the song “Wild Dances”.
Ruslana
In an Instagram post last week, it was very obvious that the first Eurovision winner of Ukraine, Ruslana, was questioning why she was not invited to join this year’s contest, but later last week the Ukrainian national broadcaster, Suspilne, confirmed that Ruslana was invited to join the 2023 contest.
The actual statement of Suspilne was the following:
“The BBC together with the European Broadcasting Union are organizing Eurovision 2023 in consultation with Public Broadcasting. On the initiative of Public Broadcasting, Ruslana, the winner of the Eurovision Song Contest 2004, was included in the program of the competition. We know for sure that the singer and her team know about these plans, and what is more, they have already made the necessary preparations.
For today, we can only emphasize that Ruslana will perform in a number of formats that will take place before and during the Eurovision Song Contest in Liverpool, in particular in the final of the contest. As far as we know, the BBC intends to include Ruslana in the Eurovision 2023 final.
Ruslana’s victory in 2004 was a symbolic event for the entire country and initiated high standards of representation of Ukraine at the contest for almost 20 years , inspired subsequent participants to new victories. So, of course, Ruslana’s participation in the show held on behalf of Ukraine is important and justified.”
Ukrainian Eurovision in the United Kingdom
Last week Ukrainian Ruslana took to social media to discuss that she was not invited to be part of the 2023 contest in Liverpool, United Kingdom. Ruslana is the first ever Eurovision winner of Ukraine back in 2004; the country won when they participated for the second time in the contest. Ruslana not being present during a Ukrainian contest organized in the United Kingdom would indeed be strange.
Ukrainian stars that are featured in Eurovision 2023
Below you can find a list of Ukrainian stars that are going to feature in the Eurovision Song Contest 2023, either as a presenter or performer.
- Julia Sanina: Host of the Contest, performer in Semi-Final 1
- Alyosha (ESC 2010): Performer in the interval of Semi-Final 1
- Mariya Yaremchuk (ESC 2014): Performer in the interval of Semi-Final 2
- OTOY: Performer in the interval of Semi-Final 2
- Zlata Dziunka (JESC 2022): Performer in the interval of Semi-Final 2
- Kalush Orchestra (Eurovision 2022 Winners): Opening act of the the Grand Final
- Go-A (ESC 2020 & 2021): Performers during the Flag Parade of the Grand Final
- Jamala (Eurovision 2016 Winner): Performer during the Flag Parade of the Grand Final
- Tina Karol (Eurovision 2006): Performer during the Flag Parade of the Grand Final
- Verka Serduchka (Eurovision 2008): Performer during the Flag Parade of the Grand Final
Eurovision 2023
The Eurovision Song Contest 2023 will take place on May 9th, 11th, and 13th 2023 in Liverpool, United Kingdom. 37 countries will compete for the crown. This year’s Eurovision Song Contest will be a joint venture, since last year’s winner Ukraine cannot organize the contest on home soil because of the ongoing war with Russia.
