There’s a song contest in Europe – Eurovision. Not too popular, mostly for the beginners, but in Ukraine it’s taken seriously and the choice who to send to the contest is quite challenging. For example in 2004 (the year of Pomarancheva Revolutsiya) instead of sending a normal Ukrainian Star singer with nice looks and a strong voice Ani Lorak they squeezed the Grynzholy band into the local competition and made them win. Of course guys with Che Guevara stolen music never won a thing. So, the stars.
1. Ruslana
Photo Credit: Sasha Colic
Ukrainian pop singer, pianist, conductor, dancer, producer, an ex-Verkhovna Rada deputy and a public figure of course. She’s singing in her own specific style that should be classified somewhere in between pop, folk, ethno, dance and electronics. Hutsul spirits are smoothly infiltrated into her songs, both lyrics and music. Being totally non typical she was greatly popular in Ukraine, especially in the Western and Central Ukraine, though her work has always sort of niché.
In 2004 her PR team prepares the mass attack at the Eurovision, studies the rivals, prepares promo tours, does all the prearations possible and finally Ruslana goes to the Eurovision. Her features o the contest were: salo&horilka on the press conference, teaching the press to play trembita (hutsul musical instrument), breaking the scene on the rehearsal and imparting a wild drive with her “Wild dances” to the public. And she did win.
2. Verka Serduichka
Photo Credit: escmalta
A comic image of an extremely cheerful somewhat rude middle-aged Ukrainian backwoodswoman with enormous bosom created by Andriy Danylko. Verka was first presented to big audience in 1993 and became extremely popular in Ukraine after the TV program “SV-show” which Andriy hosted as a conductor Verka Serduichka. Later Andriy Danylko aka Verka Serduichka started singing songs of his own writing. These are very simple songs “za zhyzn” (about life), sometimes arrogant, sometimes funny, sometimes sad, all a bit naïve and very open-hearted. They gained popularity in Russia, Belarus and other former USSR republics as best of the best for village weddings.
One of these daring songs “Lasha tumbai” was brought to the Eurovision in 2007. The main intrigue was if Danilko was going to sing “Russia goodbye” instead of “Lasha tumbai”. Noone could distinguish it afterwards, though on the rehearsals he regularly switched the versions to create scandal around. Now, after the smashing press conference where he comes with a plate saying “Photo with a star – 5$”, wearing beautiful silvery star on the head and having created much fun around himself, Danilko finally sings! It was FA-BU-LOUS!
Unfortunately the bottle of champagne we had in our fridge to drink for the victory of Verka Serdiuchka is still there and there is no more Ukrainian star to be compared with these two – one who did it and the one who almost did it!
