Ukrainian rap and folk band Kalush Orchestra won the Eurovision
Song Contest on Saturday, as
European viewers and juries delivered a symbolic,
pop culture endorsement of solidarity behind Ukraine in its defense against
Russia’s invasion.
اضافة اعلان
After 80 days of fighting that has forced millions from their
homes, brought ruin to cities and towns across
Ukraine’s east, and killed tens
of thousands, the band won an emotional victory for Ukraine with a performance
of “Stefania,” a rousing, anthemic song. Written to honor the mother of the
group’s frontman, Oleh Psiuk, the song has been reinterpreted since the war
began as a tribute to Ukraine as a motherland.
The song includes lyrics that roughly translate to, “You can’t
take my willpower from me, as I got it from her,” and “I’ll always find my way
home, even if the roads are destroyed.”
Kalush Orchestra had been considered a favorite, traveling with
special permission to bypass a martial law preventing most Ukrainian men from
leaving the country, according to Suspilne, the Ukrainian public broadcasting
company. This week, the band brought a semifinal audience in Turin, Italy, to
its feet.
The band’s victory illustrated how
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine
has unified Europe, inspiring a wave of weapons and aid deliveries for Ukraine,
pushing countries like Sweden and Finland closer to NATO, and bringing the EU
to the verge of cutting itself off from Russian energy.
And it underscored just how sweeping Russia’s estrangement from
the international community has become, extending from foreign ministries
through financial markets and into the realm of culture. After Russia invaded
Ukraine in February, organizers barred Russian performers from the event,
citing fears that Russia’s inclusion would damage the contest’s reputation.
Eurovision, the world’s largest and possibly most eccentric live
music competition, is best known for its over-the-top performances and its
star-making potential — it helped launch acts like ABBA and Celine Dion to
international fame. But as a showcase meant to promote European unity and cultural
exchange, it has never truly been separate from politics, though the contests
rules forbid contestants from making political statements at the event.
In 2005, Ukraine’s entry song was rewritten after being deemed
too political, because it celebrated the Orange Revolution. When Dana
International, an Israeli transgender woman, won in 1998 with her hit song
“Diva,” rabbis accused her of flouting the values of the Jewish state.
Ukraine also won the contest in 2016 with “1944,” a song by
Jamala about Crimean Tatars during World War II. It was also interpreted as a
comment on the Russian invasion of
Crimea, which took place two years earlier.
And in 2008, when Dima Bilan, a Russian pop star, won Eurovision
with the song “Believe,” President Vladimir Putin weighed in promptly with
congratulations, thanking him for further burnishing Russia’s image.
Russia began competing in the song contest in 1994, and has
competed more than 20 times. Its participation had been a cultural touchstone
of sorts for Russia’s engagement with the world, persisting even as relations
worsened between Putin’s government and much of Europe.
Before the final Saturday, several bookmakers had said that
Ukraine was by far the presumptive favorite to win. Winners are determined
based on votes from national juries and viewers at home.
War has necessitated other adjustments. The Ukrainian
commentator for the show, Timur Miroshnychenko, has been broadcasting from a
bomb shelter. A photo posted by Suspilne showed the veteran presenter at a desk
in a bunkerlike room, surrounded by computers, wires, a camera and eroding
walls that revealed patches of brick underneath. It was not clear what city he
was in.
The bunker had been prepared to prevent disruptions from air
raid sirens, Miroshnychenko told BBC Radio 5 Live. He said Ukrainians loved the
contest and were “trying to catch any peaceful moment” they could.
“Nothing is going to interrupt the broadcast of Eurovision,” he
said.
Read more Music
Jordan News
.jpg)
.jpg)
