As fighting continues across parts of Ukraine, its cultural industries remain committed to showcasing the nation's talents on the global stage.
By Creatives Unite Newsroom
October 27, 2023
Ukrainian broadcaster Suspilne has announced it received an unprecedented 389 songs for its 2024 Eurovision selection process, showing sustained creative output from artists in the country.
The public broadcaster revealed submissions had been received from 288 artists for its national final show Vidbir. An impressive 222 were solo singers, signaling the format has captured widespread interest from music industry figures.
Suspilne's music director Dmytro Shurov praised the "at least four definite hit songs, ten potential hits" among the entries. He also teased there were "several exciting comeback appearances" in the mix.
Over half - 57.5% - of songs received were primarily in the Ukrainian language, underlining its importance to cultural identity. English was the second most common language at 33%, 9% were bilingual and 0.5% were in other languages.
The longlist will be whittled down from these submissions, with around 20 songs unveiled on November 9th. Following auditions, 10 finalists will be decided by November 20th. An additional act will also be chosen via an online public vote.
After a difficult period for the nation's cultural sector, Vidbir is providing opportunities for recovery and new artistic directions. As one of the few major cultural events able to proceed normally this year, it has clearly captured significant interest.
The final is scheduled for February to coincide with the anniversary of Ukraine's historic 2022 Eurovision victory. Viewers and judges will then select the nation's act for next year's contest in Liverpool, in what promises to be a hotly contested selection.
