The Eurovision 2025 national final season has seen yet another artist withdrawal, this time coming from Ukraine. TESLENKO, who had previously been in contention as a wildcard act for Vidbir 2025, withdrew from consideration on 27th December.
A season of artist withdrawals
The Eurovision 2025 season has been characterized already by a rash of artist withdrawals and, in some cases, replacements, from national finals. Already, artists from Malta, Albania, and Croatia have withdrawn and been replaced from MESC, Festivali i Kรซngรซs, and Dora respectively, while in Montenegro the initial national final winner Neonoen withdrew days after winning Montesong and were replaced by Nina ลฝiลพiฤ.
No reason for TESLENKO’s withdrawal has been announced at this time, but Suspilne’s statement makes clear that the withdrawal was initiated by the artist and his management. He will not be replaced in the wildcard list; the remaining ten songs will fight for a place in Ukraine’s final show.
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, and is one of only two countries (the other being recently-returned Luxembourg) to maintain a perfect semifinal qualification streak.
In 2024 alyona alyona and Jerry Heil represented Ukraine in Malmรถ with their song “Teresa and Mariaโ. 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.
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, this year consisting of Jamala, GO_A’s Kateryna Pavlenko, and Serhiy Tanchynets, frontman of the band BEZ OBMEZHEN.
What do you think of TESLENKO’s withdrawal? What about this emerging trend in 2025’s national final season? As always, let us know what you think by commenting below. Also, be sure to follow โThat Eurovision Siteโ on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, Threads and Bluesky for all things Ukraine at Eurovision 2025!
News Source: Suspilne
Photo Credit: TESLENKO
Rory Gannon 
Giwrgos Oiko