UA:PBC, the Ukrainian national broadcaster has confirmed the 2019 Vidbr jury.

The 2019 Ukrianian national selection, Vidbir, will be jointly organized by the Ukrainian national broadcaster UA:PBC and private tv channel STB.

Eugene Filatov, Jamala (Ukraine 2016/Eurovision winner)and Andreiy Danilko (Verka Serduchka/Ukraine 2007) will be back on the Ukrainian national selection’s jury panel next year.

Ms. Natalia Franchuk (Head of Eurovision national selection/STB) says:

We are pleased with this jury and we still do not see the need to change it. All of our judges are professional, each one of them is strong in his/her judgement, and they are perfectly complementary. Their ratings and the difference in their views on the best song create excitement and a field for a heated debate. This year, something new is waiting for us, and our jury members will be unanimous in choosing the winner.

Ruslan Kvinta will be once more the musical producer of the show, whilst Serhiy Prytula will host the national selection yet again.

About Vidbr 2019

The 2019 Ukrainian national selection will consist of a total of three shows which will be simultaneously broadcast on UA:PBC and STB. All three shows will be held at the Kyiv’s Palace of Culture, KPI.

• 09/02/2019- Semi-final 1
• 16/02/2019- Semi-final 2
• 23/02/2019- Grand Final

The 2019 Ukrainian national final has been set on 23 February 2019. The 2019 Ukrainian ESC entry and hopeful will be determined via public/jury deliberation.

The 2019 Vidbir participants are expected to be unveiled by 20 January 2019.

Ukraine in Eurovision

Ukraine debuted at the Eurovision Song Contest in 2003 with Oleksandr Ponormayov‘s Hasta la vista, and has won the competition twice in 2004 (Ruslana) and 2016 (Jamala). The country has hosted the contest twice in its majestic capital Kyiv in 2005 and 2017.

Ukraine is one of the most successful countries in the Eurovision Song Contest and has so far not missed out competing in the Grand Final. The Eastern European nation has competed in Europe’s favourite television show every year since its debut with the exception of 2015 when the country withdrew from the competition.

The Ukraians have made it 9 times in the top 10 of the leader board in their 15 ESC participations, including 2 victories ( 2004, 2016), 2 2nd placings (2007, 2008), 1 3rd placing (2013) and 4th placing (2011).

In 2018 Ukraine selected its Eurovision act via its epic national selection Vidbir, Melovin was crowned the winner and won the golden ticket to Lisbon with his entry Under the ladder, achieving a 17th place in the Grand Final.