Ukraine’s Selection Kicks Off! First Qualifiers Known

The Ukrainian national selection began this weekend, with eight of the 24 acts performing for only two spots in the final.  Each heat will feature eight acts, and each heat will only have two qualifiers, meaning the final will be between six acts. The songs are judged by a jury consisting of Jamala, Andriy Danylko (aka Verka Serduchka) and Konstantin Meladze as well as with a televote. The vote is combined to decide which acts will qualify to the final, and which act will eventually go on to represent Ukraine on home ground.

Here are the 8 acts which performed last night:

1. SKAI – All My Love For You

2. Roman Veremeychik & Lumiere – Make it Real

3. Monochromea – Blue Bird

4. Laliko – Sugar Whisper

5. Salto Nazad – O, Mamo!

6. MamaRika – We Are One

7. Tayanna – I Love You

8. Arsen Mirzoyan – Geraldine

The two qualifying acts were:

• Tayanna

• Salto Nazad

Tayanna received the second highest jury points and the highest amount of televotes, meaning she came in at 1^st place. Salto received the highest amount of jury votes, and the third highest in the televote which combined to make him the second qualifier.

Also during the show there were performances from Georgian representative Tako Gachechiladze as well as Belarusian act NAVI, who performed their upcoming Eurovision entry as well as a Belarusian version of 1944, which left Jamala emotional from the jury desk.

Are you happy with Ukraine’s choice?