The race to find Alyona Alyona & Jerry Heil’s successor is on, as Ukraine’s public service broadcaster Suspilne outlines the 8th of February as the tentative date for Vidbir; Ukraine’s Eurovision selection.
A tentative date
Suspilne has earmarked between the 4th and 7th of February for rehearsals, with the show expected to be broadcast on the 8th. Due to the security situation and the effects of martial law, Suspilne will record one of these rehearsals in the event a live broadcast cannot be held. This backup recording only affects the performances of the participants, with the jury and intervals not expected to be recorded.
At present it is not known who will participate at Vidbir 2025; with Suspilne revealing that they expect somewhere not in excess of 10 participants. Former Ukrainian Eurovision entrant Tina Karol acts as the producer for this edition of the contest. A few months ago Suspilne outlined the rules of the contest.
Prior to this year’s national final season we outlined how we’d reform Ukraine’s selection process. You can read our thoughts here.
What is Vidbir?
Informally known as “Vidbir”, Ukraine’s national selection has been around since 2016, when it picked a Eurovision winner–Jamala’s “1944”–right off the bat. It’s a small selection with generally between six to ten entries competing each year, and is traditionally held in February. Vidbir features a three-person jury panel, and this year an online vote as well.
Ukraine’s Eurovision Journey
Ukraine is one of the most successful countries to participate in the Eurovision Song Contest. The country has scored nine top-five placements, with an extra four top-ten finishes. Ukraine won the Contest three times – in 2004, 2016 and 2022 respectively. Ukraine made history for being the first ex-Soviet country to win the Contest more than once.
In 2024 alyona alyona and Jerry Heil represented Ukraine in Malmö with their song “Teresa and Maria”. The duo finished in 3rd place, scoring 453 points – of which 146 points came from the jury, whilst the remaining 307 points came from the televote.
Are you excited for this year’s Vidbir? As always, please let us know what you think by getting involved in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow ‘That Eurovision Site’ on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, Threads, tumblr, and Bluesky for more information about Eurovision 2025!
Photo Credit: Sarah Louise Bennett / EBU
News Source: Suspilne
Giwrgos Oiko