Mariupol will host Eurovision in 2023, pledges Volodymyr Zelensky after Ukrainian win
Kalush Orchestra beat the 24 other finalists in a competition backdropped by the war in Ukraine
Stay updated with breaking news from Julia Vashenko. Get real-time updates on events, politics, business, and more. Visit us for reliable news and exclusive interviews.
Kalush Orchestra beat the 24 other finalists in a competition backdropped by the war in Ukraine
Frontman makes plea to free fighters still trapped beneath a sprawling steel plant in Mariupol
Ukrainian band Kalush Orchestra won the Eurovision Song Contest in the early hours of Sunday in a clear show of popular support for the war-ravaged nation that went beyond music. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy welcomed the victory, Ukraine's third since its 2003 Eurovision debut, and said “we will do our best” to host next year's contest in the hotly contested port city of Mariupol. He underlined “Ukrainian Mariupol,” adding: “free, peaceful, rebuilt!”
Ukrainian band Kalush Orchestra won Eurovision Song Contest on Sunday in a clear show of support for the war-ravaged nation that went beyond music.
The six-man band that mixes traditional folk melodies and contemporary hip hop in a purposeful defence of Ukrainian culture was the sentimental and bookmakers’ favourite among the 25 bands and performers competing in the grand finale.