Ukraine has mixed results at Junior Eurovision over their lengthy history, with one win under their belt. Hoping to deliver a strong result is Olena Usenko with her tune, ‘Vazhil’.
Anita:
Song + Vocals
Looking back at the nation’s history, it’s clear that Ukraine loves a belter. Whether it’s an upbeat pop number or a big ballad, the vocals are always at the forefront. This year’s entry is a perfect demonstration of that, with Vazhil one of the bigger power ballads of the year.
The song itself is strong, however my biggest issue with this entry is the vocals. Olena has a strong voice, but at times it’s quite nasal. That tone is one that I don’t really get on board with, and for that reason, it’s limited my chances of really enjoying the composition. The highlight of the song is the stripped back first verse, where Olena has great control and shows true emotion through her delivery. I don’t love the melody of the choruses, and wish that the first chorus wasn’t as intense to help with the build of the song.
Performance + Act
While I personally don’t love Olena’s vocal tone, it’s clear that she is a natural performer. The emotion really comes through her performance, and her movement comes across as very natural. This is a huge positive for Ukraine, as it will be a big part of the visual performance. It would not surprise me to see a similar performance to the national final. Olena will likely be alone on stage, and with a good light show, this could look great on camera.
Conclusions
While I’m personally not the biggest fan of the track, I have to acknowledge that this has a lot of potential. A top 10 finish is certainly possible, especially as it is one of the more powerful ballads this year.
Rating
5/10
Dennis:
Song + Vocals
I think Ukraine has one of the better singers of the competition in 2021. It is an advantage that we are already able to see and hear her do a live performance. Vocals were spot on at the national final winning performance. The song is a power ballad with a build-up to make Olena stand out with her qualities.
Performance + Act
Olena gives one of the more adult performances of the show and makes a serious impression. At the national final the song was staged in a similar way we see ballads being performed at Vidbir or Eurovision. It gives it a professional appeal, but personally it always feels a bit off when this is being done at Junior Eurovision. The execution is very strong though.
Conclusions
Ukraine has one of the better performances of this year and one of the strongest ballads in the field. To me it lacks that tiny surprising element to make it truly stand out and be a contender for victory, which it could have been. Another point of doubt is the very mature nature of the song and performance. Everything is staged and performed like we are watching the adult version of Eurovision. Result wise that hasn’t been a problem before and the contest has evolved from their starting years.
Rating
8.5/10
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