Ukraine’s Kalush Orchestra seek to lift spirits at Eurovision

TURIN, Italy, Might 12 (Reuters) – Kalush Orchestra are aiming to “raise the spirits” of their fellow Ukrainians by using a wave of public assist to win the Eurovision Track Contest within the Italian metropolis of Turin on Saturday evening.

Their entry “Stefania”, sung in Ukrainian, fuses rap with conventional people music and is a tribute to frontman Oleh Psiuk’s mom.

The bookmakers have made it the clear favorite for the annual contest, which usually attracts a tv viewers of near 200 million, based mostly on the plight of Ukraine following Russia’s invasion in February.

“Any victory in any side is essential for Ukraine as of late, so successful the Eurovision Track Contest in fact would raise the spirits of so many Ukrainians whereas we do not have a lot excellent news as of late,” Psiuk informed Reuters in an interview on Thursday.

The band takes its identify from the Western Ukrainian metropolis of Kalush. It completed second within the nation’s nationwide tune contest however changed winner Alina Pash after controversy over a go to she made to Crimea in 2015, a 12 months after it was annexed by Russia.

“We’re right here to showcase Ukrainian tradition as a result of makes an attempt are being made as of late to kill Ukrainian tradition, and we wish to present that Ukrainian tradition is alive, it is distinctive, and it has its personal stunning signature,” Psiuk added.

One of many common band members has stayed behind in Ukraine to assist defend Kyiv, based on Psiuk, who added that he planed to return residence after Eurovision and resume work with a volunteer group looking for lodging and drugs for his compatriots.

“Even right here, outdoors Ukraine, we’re anxious about our members of the family that keep there, and also you get up each morning with out being positive whether or not everybody you’re keen on continues to be alive and the place one other missile might hit,” he added.

Russia, which says it’s conducting a “particular navy operation” in Ukraine, has been excluded from the competition this 12 months.

Italy is internet hosting after successful final 12 months with Maneskin’s rocky “Zitti e Buoni” (Shut Up and Behave).

The competition is determined by a mix of votes by the official jury and viewers from taking part nations.

Eurovision followers, converging on Turin for an occasion that mixes glitz, power and a good dollop of eccentricity, welcome the prospect to let their hair down.

“Eurovision is sort of a bridge to that ordinary life we had earlier than the battle began,” Vitalii Lirnyk, a member of the official Ukrainian Eurovision fan membership, stated in Turin.

“And possibly, for like a few minutes, for an hour a day, we are able to simply really feel secure and regular,” added Lirnyk, who has lived in the US for the previous few years.

Reporting by Tara Oakes and Cristiano Corvino in Turin; Writing by Keith Weir; Enhancing by Janet Lawrence and Alex Richardson

: .