Ukraine Wins at Eurovision 2022

Following its victory at the 2021 Eurovision Song Contest, Italy hosted the 66th edition of the event this year at the Palasport Olimpico Arena in Turin, where the two semi-finals and the final were presented live on May 10, 12, and 14, respectively. Sam Ryder is a free-spirited vegan singer from Essex, UK, with over 12 million fans on TikTok. His unconventional “Space Man” came second in the competition. Latvia’s Citi Zēni sang “Eat Your Salad,” with the message that being meat-free and eco-friendly is attractive.

The winner of this year’s contest was the folk-rap group Kalush Orchestra from Ukraine, consisting of seven male members between the ages of 21 and 36. The band takes its name from Kalush, the hometown of its frontman Oleh Psiuk. Kalush Orchestra’s winning song was “Stefania,” an ode to mothers written as a tribute to Psiuk’s mother.

While Psiuk wrote part of “Stefania” for his mother before the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the song has become an unofficial anthem for the nation since the hostilities began, with the “mother” now representing the war-ravaged motherland. The song is undoubtedly Ukrainian as it incorporates old Ukrainian melodies and features the unique sound of a traditional Ukrainian woodwind instrument called a telenka, played by the band’s lead singer Tymofii Muzychuk. It also features Hopak, a Ukrainian folk dance.

Along with bringing fame to the band’s motherland, Psiuk has also organized a network of volunteers to help people in Ukraine who are in need of transport or shelter. All the band members returned to Ukraine after the contest. Psiuk said, “We feel a big responsibility. It’s very important for us to be as useful to the country as possible. We want to represent our country decently.”

In accordance with Eurovision’s tradition, the winning country will host next year’s contest. On this note, Ukraine President His Excellency Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, “We will do our best to one day host the participants and guests of Eurovision in Ukrainian Mariupol. Free, peaceful, rebuilt!”