Andrei Danilko and Ruslana join Ukrainian selection jury

26 January 2016 at 19:33 CET

Ruslana and Andrei Danilko (Verka Serduchka is his alter ego) Photo: STB

In the 2016 Ukrainian national selection, Andrei Danilko will for the first time enter the Eurovision Song Contest scene without impersonating his alter ego, Verka Serduchka. He will be one of the expert jurors alongside Konstantine Meladze and Ukraine's one and only Eurovision Song Contest winner to date, Ruslana.

"I think the choice of the jury members is not just correct, it's in fact the only right one", comments head of jury Konstantin Meladze. "In the 12 years of Ukrainian Eurovision Song Contest participation, Ruslana and Andrei have yielded the best results: Ruslana won in 2004 with Wild Dances, and Andrei Danilko, impersonating the image of Verka Serduchka, came second in 2007 with Dancing Lasha Tumbai."

In the past, Verka Serduchka has given us many precious and priceless moments connected to the Eurovision Song Contest. Thus it will be interesting to see how Andrei Danilko will act when his is not performing as his alter ego.

You will be able to witness these moments during this year's Ukrainian national selection: In the two semi-finals, on February 6th and 13th, and in the final, on February 21st.

The best of Verka Serduchka

Of course, most TV viewers will remember Verka Serduchka for the performance of Dancing Lasha Tumbai in the 2007 Eurovision Song Contest. Watch it below!

Verka Serduchka meets Conchita Wurst

The 2014 Eurovision Song Contest in Copenhagen has set the scene for one truly magical encounter: In a very unexpected moment, Verka Serduchka and Conchita Wurst met backstage! In our interview, you can learn more about one of the biggest stars of Ukraine - and we are talking about a real star here, the one on Verka Serduchka's head. It weighs 8 kilos, can you imagine?

Check out our video below (switch on the captions to get English subtitles).

Verka Serduchka - always with her mum

As you can see, Verka Serduchka has always visited the Eurovision Song Contest with her mum. Not just in 2014, also a few years back: Just one year after her Eurovision Song Contest participation, Verka Serduchka returned to join the artists in Belgrade in 2008. Our team met her backstage. Re-read our interview below and learn more about this very special personality.

Ruslana joins the show

After having been part of many national Eurovision Song Contest selection juries all over Europe, Ruslana is proud to join the expert jury in her home country for the first time. She is still one of the biggest stars of her country, and a well-known European personality.

Watch her winning performance of Wild Dances in the 2004 Eurovision Song Contest again below!