UA: PBC, the Ukrainian national broadcaster, has published the longlist of candidates for Vidbir 2023.

The Ukrainian national broadcaster will be now evaluate the longlisted entries in the coming days and will hold special auditions with the competing candidates. Hereafter UA:PbC will whittle down the candidates further and select a set of finalists.

UA:PBC is set to announce the names of the lucky finalists by 17 November. The 2023 Ukrainian national final is scheduled to be held in a bomb shelter in Kyiv on 17 December.

Vidbir 2023 candidates

1. 2TONE
2. Angelina
3. DAYTON
4. Drevo
5. Elysees
6. DEMCHUK
7. FIINKA
8. Havkа
9. Jerry Heil
10. Iana Kovaleva
11. Kozak Siromaha
12. KRUTЬ
13. Lue Bason
14. Moisei
15. Olivan
16. OOHLA
17. Oy Sound System
18. SASHA
19. Seréen
20. sexnesc
21. Shy
22. SKYLERR
23. SOWA
24. Tember Blanche
25. Tery
26. TVORCHI
27. Victoria Niro
28. Vynohradova
29. Zetetics
30. Лилу45 
31. Макс Пташник 
32. Мія Рамарі 
33. Роялькіт 
34. Саша Фадєєва 
35. ТÓНКА 
36. Циферблат 

Dmitro Shurov (Vidbir 2023 Producer) says:

I am personally interested in Ukrainian music not freezing but developing in all directions so that our all possible music niches and styles have their heroes.

I believe that, in the current time of war and total uncertainty in the lives of musicians, this selection gains special importance: we are not only choosing those who deserve to represent Ukraine at the contest but also have an opportunity to hear a wide range of Ukrainian music that is being composed here and now, no matter what.

I am glad that I managed to motivate, inspire, nudge many musicians to create new songs and interesting ideas during the selection process. It was hard for many of them to start writing again, quite a few musicians are forced migrants or on the edge of changing their profession or even the survival. There musicians who are volunteering, fighting in the war.

Nevertheless, we have the longlist of 36 songs, featuring everything – from songs performed by their authors, dream pop, and rock to indie, rap, and folk.

There are certainly a few solid modern smash-hits that can rock any stage. All this shows how creative our nation is, how much we want to produce. I thank the public and Suspilne Ukraine for the trust to produce Vidbir musically.

I have been listening to this longlist in my car and hope that, after all the songs are published, you will be as well.

Ukraine in Eurovision

Ukraine debuted at the Eurovision Song Contest in 2003 and has achieved great results in the competition, having won the contest thrice (2004, 2016, 2022). The country has enjoyed extraordinary results in the competition: 3 victories (2004, 2016, 2022), 2 2nd placings ( 2007, 2008),  1 3rd placing (2013),  1 4th placing (2011), 1 5th placing (2021).  Ukraine is the only country which has never missed to qualify to the Grand Final since the introduction of the semi-finals in the competition.

Ukraine’s Kalush Orchestra won the 2022 Eurovision Song Contest in Turin with their entry ‘Stefania‘.

 

Source: UA:PBC
Photo credit: UA:PBC