Eurovision 2023 could still be held in Kyiv, claim winners Kalush Orchestra
Kalush Orchestra have expressed hope that Eurovision 2023 could still be held in Kyiv.
Speaking on the red carpet at this year’s MTV EMAs ceremony, the group, who won this year’s edition of the contest in Turin, said that next year’s competition could proceed as normal by having the previous winners’ country hosting.
The UK placed second in this year’s contest and was subsequently asked in June to host Eurovision 2023. This decision came after organisers ruled that it wouldn’t be possible to provide the security and operational guarantees necessary to host the contest in Kyiv due to Russia invading Ukraine in February.
Last month it was announced that Liverpool had been chosen to host the contest.
Now, Kalush Orchestra’s lead singer Oleh Psiuk has told PA that he’s confident that Ukraine will host in 2023.
“This year our country will make the best artists, the best music, to win one more time,” Psiuk told PA via an interpreter at the EMAs ceremony in Dusseldorf, Germany. “So when we win the war, Eurovision 2023 could be in Kyiv.”
Psiuk also commented on the UK hosting Eurovision 2023 during the red carpet interview, saying that he hoped there would be elements of Ukrainian culture in the contest to honour their win.
“We are very grateful to the UK for helping to deal with this situation,” he said. “And of course we hope the UK can integrate some details of our culture – something that is important for Ukraine because we did our best last year.”
Kalush Orchestra also addressed their performance at the EMAs this weekend. “We feel a bit of pressure because it is so huge. We feel pressure to perform for Ukraine and today we would like everybody to show that the culture of Ukraine is so unique,” said Psiuk.
“‘Now [that] war and culture is one of our weapons, so today we are soldiers that present Ukraine’s culture,” he added.
Last week Kalush Orchestra released a new song called ‘Nasze Domy’ featuring the Polish rapper Szpak. According to the artists the track addresses “the pain and struggles felt in Ukraine while conveying a message of hope at its core”.
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Emma Wilkes
NME
