Today, the rehearsals for Eurovision 2026 continue in Vienna. Countries rehearsing on Day 4 include Cyprus, Latvia, Denmark, Australia, Ukraine, Albania, Malta and Norway. The fifth to rehearse today is Ukraine’s LELÉKA
What did we learn about Leleka’s staging?
The performance begins with a simple but symbolic image. A white pathway stretches across the stage, guiding LELÉKA forward towards her musician, who accompanies her on a traditional instrument.
One key moment stands out during a major vocal peak, where the staging shifts to emphasise both the power of the note and the emotional release behind it.
Costume plays into that evolution as well. LELÉKA appears in an all-white look with layered fabric elements that move with her, adding texture to the performance. This material becomes part of the storytelling, echoed in the visuals around her.
By the final moments, the tone becomes dark. The colour palette shifts dramatically, closing the performance with a striking visual transition that feels almost theatrical.
Photos from the first rehearsal should be up about 24 hours after it finishes. We’ll update this article when they’re out.
Who is LELÉKA?
LELÉKA is the stage name of Viktoriia Leleka, a 35-year-old singer and composer born in Shakhtarske. Music and performing have been key to Viktoriia’s life, having trained at one of Kyiv’s most prestigious universities dedicated to the performing arts. She then moved to Berlin, where she honed her craft as a jazz singer. She also set up her own band, also named LELÉKA, which has released three albums since first forming in 2016.
LELÉKA will participate at Eurovision 2026 with her entry “Ridnym”, which was co-writen by LELÉKA, as well as Adama Cefalu, Jakob Hegner and Yaroslav Dzhus.
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 2025, Ziferblat represented Ukraine in Basel with their song “Bird of Pray”. The band finished in 9th place, scoring 218 points – of which 60 points came from the jury, whilst the remaining 158 points came from the televote.
What do you think of “Ridnym”? Are you excited to see what LELÉKA will do in Vienna? As always, let us know what you think by commenting below. Also, be sure to follow “That Eurovision Site” on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, Tumblr, Threads and Bluesky as we gear up for Eurovision 2026!
News Source: EBU
Photo Credit: Olga Zakrevska