Ukraine withdraws from Eurovision 2019

27 February 2019 at 18:35 CET

Vidbir 2019 UA:PBC

After broadcaster UA:PBC was unable to come to an agreement with the top 3 from their national selection for the 2019 Eurovision Song Contest; MARUV, Freedom Jazz and KAZKA, they have unfortunately decided to withdraw from the competition this year.

On Monday, it was announced that Vidbir 2019 winner MARUV would not represent Ukraine this year, and over the course of Tuesday and Wednesday it became apparent that the second and third placed entrants also were not able to come to an agreement with Ukrainian broadcaster UA:PBC. Read more..

UA:PBC on Ukraine's withdrawal

"The Eurovision Song Contest is an opportunity for every country to showcase itself in an international area, and for each performer to act as an ambassador of their country and win fans from around the world. But the national selection this year has drawn attention to a systemic problem with the music industry in Ukraine – the connection of artists with an aggressor state with whom we are in the fifth year of military conflict. Whilst for some, these links are acceptable, for others it causes indignation and unacceptance. Given the current sitation, and following Ukrainian law on public broadcasting, as well as conditions of excessive politicization of the national selection process, UA:PBC has decided to withdraw from the 2019 Eurovision Song Contest."

Official EBU statement

“Each participating broadcaster is responsible for the selection of their act for the Eurovision Song Contest in accordance to the rules set out by the European Broadcasting Union. It is with sadness that the EBU can confirm that Ukraine’s broadcaster UA:PBC has informed the EBU that, following further discussions, they have made the difficult decision to withdraw from the 2019 Eurovision Song Contest. There will be further discussions between the EBU and UA:PBC on this matter but we hope to see them again in 2020. However, for now, we look forward to what is already shaping up to be a fantastic event in Tel Aviv in May.”

Vidbir 2019

The final of Ukraine's national selection took place on the 23rd of February in Kyiv. MARUV, Freedom Jazz, KAZAK, Brunettes Shoot Blondes, YUKO and ANNA MARIA performed their entries and were judged by the Vidbir jury Andriy Danylko, aka Verka Serduchka, 2016 Eurovision Song Contest winner Jamala and Yevhen Filatov from the popular group Onuka.

The jury results accounted for 50% of the total (first number) and the audience vote (second figure) for the other 50%. Added up, this was the outcome:

MARUV - Siren Song (5 + 6 = 11)
Freedom Jazz - Cupidon (6 + 4 = 10)
KAZKA - Apart (3 + 5 = 8)
Brunettes Shoot Blondes - Houston (2 + 3 = 5)
YUKO - Galyna Guliala (4 + 1 = 5)
ANNA MARIA - My Road (1 + 2 = 3)

Ukraine in Eurovision

Ukraine first entered the Eurovision Song Contest in 2003 and rapidly became one of the most successful countries in the competition, never failing to qualify for the Grand Final. In these fifteen years, two of their entries have become winners. Ruslana became Ukraine’s first Eurovision winner in 2004 and the contest was held in Kyiv the following year. After a year away from the contest in 2015, Jamala brought Ukraine back to Eurovision and secured the nation’s second victory in 2016 taking the competition to their capital again in 2017.