Things may be quiet as we wait for details on Eurovision 2022 (including a host city), but things are heating up in the world of Junior Eurovision! Ukrainian broadcaster UA:Kultura announced last week that it will hold a national final to select its entrant for JESC 2021.
What We Know Ukraine’s JESC National Final
Ukraine previously confirmed their participation in Junior Eurovision 2021 back in June, and more details have now emerged about their artist and song selection process.
According to suspilne.media, a televised national final will take place on October 23rd. This will be the first national final Ukraine has used to select its JESC representative since 2017, when Anastasiya Baginska and her song “Ne zupyniay” earned the ticket to that year’s contest. Representatives since then have been chosen by an online vote in combination with a professional jury.
Further details, including the announcement of the competing artists and songs, are still to come.
Ukraine’s History at Junior Eurovision
Ukraine has participated in every Junior Eurovision Song Contest since its debut in 2006 with Nazar Slyusarchuk’s “Khlopchyk Rock’n’Roll”, which finished in 9th place. Ukraine won the contest once in 2012 with Anastasiya Petryk’s song “Nebo”, which earned 138 points.
Anastasiya’s sister Viktoria Petryk earned second place at the 2008 contest with her song “Matrosy”, as did Sofia Tarasova in 2013 on home soil with “We Are One”. In addition to hosting the contest in 2013, Ukraine also played host to JESC for the 2009 contest.
Most recently, Ukraine finished 7th at the 2020 contest; Oleksandr Balabanov earned 106 points with his song “Vidkryvai (Open Up)”. Every act that Ukraine has put forth at JESC has been sung wholly or in part in Ukrainian.
What do you think of Ukraine’s announcement? Are you excited to see them return to a live national final? Let us know in the comments or on social media. Be sure to follow ‘THAT Eurovision Site’ on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
News Source: suspilne.media
Photo Source: EBU / Thomas Hanses
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