Slightly unexpected outcome in a unique setting...
TVORCHI are the Ukrainian choice for Liverpool 2023!
The first National Final of the 2023 season brought us ten entries performed in a bomb shelter next to one of the Kyiv metro lines, with the three artists returning to Vidbir topping the table. Out of the three, it was felt by most fans that one of KRUT' or Jerry Heil would be travelling to the UK in May as the 'host nation' representative. Even I thought that:
So the duo of Andrii and Jimoh Augustus Kehinde will be singing for Ukraine in Liverpool - let's hope that they don't suffer the same fate as GreenJolly (2005) and O.Torvald (2017), who both finished low for Ukraine when the nation hosted Eurovision.
"Heart Of Steel" was well staged and the duo are skilled performers, so it will all come down to who else is there at Eurovision next May. Winner vibes? None at all for me but I don't think that TVORCHI will disgrace their nation either. Overall, Vidbir 2023 was a triumph as far as the event itself was concerned - all the hosts were excellent, the jurors did their job well and the venue was amazing considering what was available in Kyiv at this moment. It had an underground club feel and Ukraine have set the bar high for all of the other National Finals to follow. The winners kicked off this week's show, which is well worth a listen...
And the playlist? Here you go:
"Heart Of Steel" - TVORCHI
"WHEN GOD SHUT THE DOOR" - Jerry Heil
"Replaying" - Iana Kovalova
"Dashuria Ime" - Arilena Ara
"Enemies" - Roxen & Selin
"Tick Tock" - Albina
"À Zéro" - Roberto Bellarosa
"Running Scared" - Ell & Nikki
"SloMo" (Eurovision edit) - Chanel
"SUPERG!RL" - Stefania
"Sleigh Ride" - Cliff Richard
"All I Want For Christmas Is You" - Cesár Sampson
"En jul med dig" - Sanna Nielsen
"Ætla ekki að eyða þeim ein" - Jóhanna Guðrún
"En magisk juletid" - Sonja Aldén
"Valkea joulu" - Mikko Leppilampi & Krista Siegfrids
"En dag när du blir stor" - Benjamin Ingrosso
"Nim Gwiazda Zgaśnie" - Tulia
"Komma hem till julen" - Carola
"O Hellige Nat" - Birthe Kjær
"Dan il-Milied" - Amber
"A MEZZANOTTE (Christmas Song)" - Ellettra Lamborghini
"Let Me Be The One" - The Shadows
You'll notice a second Vidbir entry up there at #2 on the list - that was because I set up a poll (very last minute) for Vidbir 2023, much in the same was as the polls for the FAVOURITE nation's entry. So here are the first National Final poll results:
Jerry Heil was a fair way ahead with 14 out of 33 votes - seeing that was all completed in 24 hours, I will do more polls for future National Finals if we have all the entries to listen to before that show. FiK was this week but none of the entries were available before the four day event, so a poll was really out of the question.
Sticking with all things Ukrainian, the new release for Iana Kovalova, "Replaying", was played on this week's show. She is a fan of the show, a talented singer-songwriter who has had one of her songs performed on a previous edition of Vidbir, and someone who has also participated in Swedish Idol - Iana sounds amazing in her new song and she will release an EP in early 2023.
Now I have listened to all of them and my top ten preferences based solely on the studio versions we have available are:
So Stefania's "SUPERG!RL" was the track played in his memory - my sincere condolences to his wife Andrea and two daughters Abi and Izy.
Show 229 will be the last show of 2022 and we already know the winner of Albania's Festivali i Këngës 61 PLUS the choice for Eurovision...AND THEY ARE DIFFERENT! Listen in on Tuesday 27th December to hear those two entries but until then, someone wants to wish you something...
Not only from Sir Cliff but me as well...
Have a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS!