Ukraine: UA:PBC kicks off preparations for Vidbir 2020

by Sanjay (Sergio) Jiandani 1,553 views

UA:PBC, the Ukrainain national broadcaster, has announced its plans for the fortchoming 2020 Eurovision season. Ukraine will be yet again  selecting its Eurovision act and entry via its traditional national Vidbir which is set to be held in February. The submission window for Vidbir 2020 is open as of today.

UA:PBC and STB will be yet again co-organizing the 2020 Ukrainian national selection- Vidbir. The national selection will be hosted by Sergey Prytula whilst Ruslan Kvinta will be the musical producer of the shows.  Natalia Franchuk will be the the creative producer of the national selection.

Vidbir 2020 Agenda

  • 08/02/2020- Semi-final 1
  • 15/02/2020-  Semi-final 2
  • 22/02/2020- Vidbir Grand Final

The 2020 Ukrainian Eurovision entry and act will be selected on  Saturday 22 February in Kyiv. All three live shows will be broadcast live on UA:PBC 1 and STB.

New rule implemeted

Following this year’s controversy with Vidbir 2019 winner Maruv the rules and regulations for Vidbir 2020 have been updated as stated by UA:PBC:

This year’s selection will take place with the updated rules: with conditions for restricting the performances of  the competitors in Russia. From now on the participant of the national selection can be a performer or a team, who has not performed in a concert in the territory of the Russian Federation since 2014, and does not plan or announce it during the competition and  the Eurovision final, and who has also not entered the territory of Crimea in violation of the legislation of Ukraine.

Mr. Zurab Alasania (UA:PBC CEO) says:

Eurovision is a special song contest, because it is not only about music, it is about being able to represent your country in the world. That is why it is important for us, as the Public Broadcaster of Ukraine, to organize the selection together with STB in such a way that the representative of Ukraine is not only a talented and bright artist, but also one who fully understands this responsibility, shares the position and values ​​of Ukrainian society and is ready to follow the rules competition; one who can best represent our country in the international arena.

Ms. Lyudmila Semchuk ( STB Managing Director) says:

STB has always guaranteed artists and viewers a fair choice of the best, most powerful song that can represent Ukraine on the international stage of Eurovision. Preserving the image of the National Choice as the nation’s premier music event, a contest with a transparent voting system – this is what we set out to do four years ago, and we clearly follow this rule today.

After last year’s finale, we seriously considered what changes are needed to make our country present at Eurovision every year. Together with our colleagues from the Social, we held a number of meetings to develop all necessary amendments to the Rules, and this year we plan to pay special attention to the selection of the representative of Ukraine.


In 2020, UA: PBC, will financially support the winner of Vidbir during the pre ESC preparations, trip and the Eurovision Song Contest.

If you wish to compete in 2020 Ukrainian national selection you can submit your application here.

STB and UAPC have published the rules and regulations for Vidbir 2020.

The costs of casting and television part of the national selection are borne by STB.

Ukraine’s withdrawal in 2019

In 2019 Ukraine selected its Eurovision act via its epic national selection Vidbir, Maruv was crowned the winner and won the golden ticket to Tel Aviv with her entry Siren Song. Unfortunately neither Maruv or Ukraine participated at the ESC in Israel this year.

Maruv’s election as the 2019 Ukrainian Eurovision hopeful led to a controversial frenzy which marred the 2019 Ukrainian national final leading to the artist’s refusal to sign a contract with the Ukrainian broadcaster in order to represent Ukraine and ultimately decline participating in the competition under the conditions set by UA:PBC.

The two acts who placed 2nd (Freedom Jazz) and 3rd  (Kazka)  also declined UA:PBC’s invitiation to fly to Tel Aviv. Hence after all the controversy surrounding the 2019 Ukrainian national final UA:PBC decided  to withdraw from the competition in Tel Aviv.

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 and 2019 when the country withdrew from the competition.

The Ukrainians 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).