Eurovision Song Contest Kyiv 2017

CELEBRATE DIVERSITY KYIV 2017 Eurovision Song Contest.

Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine, hosted the 2017 Eurovision Song Contest.

With nearly three million inhabitants, Kyiv is amongst the top-10 of most populous cities in Europe. Founded over a thousand years ago around the banks of the Dnipro river, Kyiv is also one of the continent’s oldest cities.

Kyiv is sister cities with the capitals of seven other participating countries; Baku (Azerbaijan), Bratislava (Slovakia), Chisinau (Moldova), Riga (Latvia), Tbilisi (Georgia), Vilnius (Lithuania) and Warsaw (Poland).

The city’s most famous landmark is the Monument of Independence, which stands tall on Maidan square.

Did you know...

• Kyiv hosted the Eurovision Song Contest for the first time in 2005; • The mayor of Kyiv is former professional boxer Vitali Klitschko; • Kyiv hosted the final of the Euro2012 football tournament, where Spain won a 4-0 victory over Italy.

To learn more about Kyiv, must-see tourism spots and information about public transportation, visit Visit Kyiv.

Kyiv weather in May • on 13 May. Source: DMI

eurovision.kyiv/host-city

The 2017 Eurovision Song Contest will take place in Ukraine’s capital city, Kyiv, which previously hosted the competition in 2005, as well as the Junior Eurovision Song Contest in 2009 and 2013. The right to host the 2017 Eurovision Song Contest came after Jamala won the 2016 edition in Stockholm with her song 1944.

42 countries will compete in the 2017 Eurovision Song Contest including Romania and Portugal who are returning to the competition after a year’s absence. The 2017 contest will be a special one for Austria, Denmark and the United Kingdom which are celebrating the 60th anniversary of their first participation in 1957.

Kyiv was announced as Host City in September 2016 following a competitive city bid process.

The decision was made after six candidate cities originally presented their bids to the Organising Committee of the 2017 Eurovision Song Contest; Kharkiv, Kherson and Lviv, Kyiv, Dnipro and Odesa. The committee and representatives from the EBU then reviewed and inspected the final city hopefuls and declared Kyiv the winner. The International Exhibition Centre, the venue for the contest, has capacity for up to 11,000 spectators.

The show First Semi-Final Tuesday, 9 May, 2017, 22:00 Second Semi-Final Thursday, 11 May, 2017, 22:00 Grand Final Saturday, 13 May, 2017, 22:00 Location International Exhibition Centre, Kyiv, Ukraine

eurovision.kyiv/shows

For the first time ever, three men hosted the Eurovision Song Contest; Oleksandr Skichko, Volodymyr Ostapchuk and Timur Miroshnychenko.

Oleksandr and Volodymyr took on the role of stage hosts and welcomed the international audience during each of the three shows. They also introduced upcoming acts, guided viewers through the show, and took on the important role of revealing the results. Timur oversaw proceedings from the Green Room, where the artists sat after their performances and awaited the exciting results of the competition. From there he captured the emotions and tensions of the event for the viewers at home.

Oleksandr Skichko Oleksandr Skichko has become a household name in Ukraine through his hosting of popular TV shows such as Wake Up, Star Way and Sing Like A Star.

He began his career in entertainment aged 15, and also went on to appear as a semi-finalist on Ukraine’s Got Talent where he won the hearts of millions of Ukrainians with his parody act.

Volodymyr Ostapchuk Volodymyr Ostapchuk has enjoyed extensive experience of live shows through his involvement in the entertainment programme Morning with Ukraine, as well as presenting Shopping Goddess and Style Icon.

He has had roles as a professional voice artist, including voicing the character of Hans in the Ukrainian version of Disney’s animation Frozen.

Timur Miroshnychenko Timur Miroshnychenko is a life long fan of the Eurovision Song Contest and has hosted numerous Ukrainian national selections, and both editions of the Ju-

nior Eurovision Song Contest that have taken place in Kyiv (2009, 2013). He has also provided Ukrainian commentary for the Eurovision Song Contest, Junior Eurovision Song Contest, Eurovision Dance Contest, and Eurovision Young Musicians.

More recently Timur hosted the Semi-Final Allocation Draw which took place in January in Kyiv. In total he has worked on 30 Eurovision projects in his twelve years of working in television. Outside of Eurovision, Timur has presented the live youth talk show Studio 5, as well as the educational programme How Is It Made?

Ahead of the 2017 competition, Jon Ola Sand, Executive Supervisor of the Eurovision Song Contest, said: «We are thrilled at the prospect of having three hosts for this year’s contest. This will be the first time that Eurovision has had three male hosts in its sixty-two year history, and Oleksandr, Volodymyr and Timur have a proven track record of combining humour, improvisation, and professionalism in their routines. I’m confident that they will provide much entertainment for viewers in May.»

eurovision.kyiv/presenters

The 2017 Eurovision Song Contest will take place at Kyiv’s International Exhibition Centre.

The International Exhibition Centre (IEC) is the biggest expo building in Ukraine, combining three premium-class pavilions, offering some 58,000 square meters of floor space, including 28,000 square meters of exhibition area. For shows like the Eurovision Song Contest, it has a capacity of roughly 11,000 spectators.

The IEC opened its doors in 2002 and is located at 15 Brovarskoy Avenue, close to metro station Livoberezhna, at the east bank of the Dnipro river.

Website: http://www.iec-expo.com.ua/en/

eurovision.kyiv/venue

New to the Eurovision Song Contest, or feel the need to refresh your memory?

Or are you an undercover time traveller from the 1800s, wondering what this is all about? Here we explain to you how it works. In a nutshell.

This year in May, 42 countries will each send one musical act to Kyiv, Ukraine, where the 62nd Eurovision Song Contest will take place.

Each participating broadcaster that represents their country has chosen their performer (maximum six people) and song (maximum three minutes, not released before 1 September, 2016) through a national televised selection, or through an internal selection.

Each country is free to decide if they send their number-one star or the best new talent they could find.

They have to do so before mid-March, the official deadline to send in entries.

The winner of the Eurovision Song Contest will be chosen through two Semi-Finals (9 and 11 May) and a Grand Final (13 May).

Traditionally, six countries are automatically prequalified for the Grand Final. The so-called ‘Big Five’ — France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom — and the host country.

The remaining countries will take part in one of the two Semi-Finals. From each Semi-Final, the best ten will proceed to the Grand Final. This brings the total number of Grand Final participants to 26.

Curious about last year’s Grand Final? Enjoy the show!

Each act must sing live, while no live instruments are allowed.

After all songs have been performed, each country will give two sets of 1 to 8, 10 and 12 points; one set given by a jury of five music industry professionals, and one set given by viewers at home. Viewers can vote by telephone, SMS and through the official app.

To keep things fair, you cannot vote for your own country.

Only those countries who take part in the respective Semi-Final vote, along with three of the six pre-qualified countries. Which countries take part and vote in which Semi-Final is determined by the so-called Semi-Final Allocation Draw in late January.

In the Grand Final, juries and viewers from all 42 participating countries can vote again, after the 26 finalists have performed.

Once the voting window has closed, the presenters will call upon spokespersons in all 42 countries and ask them to reveal their jury points live on air.

Next, viewers’ points from all 42 countries will be added up, and revealed from the lowest to the highest, culminating into a climax that will eventually reveal the winner of the 62nd Eurovision Song Contest.

The winner will perform once again, and take home the iconic glass microphone trophy. The winning country will traditionally be given the honour of hosting next year’s Eurovision Song Contest.

eurovision.kyiv/how it works

Jamala, the winner of the 2016 Eurovision Song Contest has expressed her hopes for the upcoming competition in Ukraine. Speaking exclusively to Eurovision.tv she reflected on her journey since Stockholm and revealed her plans for the coming year.

It’s been over six months since Ukraine’s Jamala won the 2016 Eurovision Song Contest in Stockholm with the song 1944. What followed was a whirlwind of concert tours and media appearances. «My life really changed when I won the Eurovision Song Contest», said Jamala.

«It was like craziness, but in a good way!»

«My story, my win, proved that if you are very clear, very honest with your audience, you will win. The song was full of emotions and the people in the arena, on their sofas, in bars, in restaurants, all over the world, they felt it and understood me. I am the happiest person in the world because my music and my lyrics were understandable».

Earlier this week the EBU gave Kyiv the green light to host the 2017 Eurovision Song Contest, Jamala explained that for Ukraine, it’s a matter of national pride: «I am happy that we will have Eurovision in Ukraine, in Kyiv. I think it is very important for our country, especially nowadays. I think we can change the subject a little bit, we were famous for our political issues, our war, but Ukraine is a country that is full of really talented people.

I hope we can do the best we can to host Eurovision fans in our country».

Jamala’s schedule shows no signs of slowing down; she’s continuing to produce new music and next year will be a judge of The Voice of Ukraine. She also revealed that she is engaged and plans to get married in spring next year!

eurovision.kyiv/ Jamala’s hopes for the future

Jamala - 1944 - Live at the first semi-final of the 2017 Eurovision Song Contest Jamala won the Eurovision Song Contest in 2016 in Stockholm with the song 1944. At the first semi-final of the 2017 Eurovision Song Contest she brought a brand new version of 1944 to the stage.

eurovision.kyiv/ Jamala - 1944

Blanche City Lights (Belgium)

Slavko Kalezic Space (Montenegro)

Lindita World (Albania)

Norma John Blackbird (Finland)

Diha Skeletons (Azerbaijan)

LuĂ­sa Sobral Amar Pelos Dois (Portugal)

Demy This Is Love (Greece)

Tamara Gachechiladze Keep The Faith (Georgia)

Kasia Mos Flashlight (Poland)

eurovision.kyiv/First Semi-Final. 9 May, 2017, 22:00

Sunstroke Project Hey Mamma (Moldova)

Svala Paper (Iceland)

Martina Bárta My Turn (Czech Republic)

Artsvik Fly With Me (Armenia

Omar Naber On My Way (Slovenia)

Hovig Gravity (Cyprus)

Robin Bengtsson I Can’t Go On (Sweden)

Triana Park Line (Latvia)

Isaiah Don’t Come Easy (Australia)

Jamala - Zamanyly - Interval Act - First Semi-Final - 2017 Eurovision Song Contest

eurovision.kyiv/ Jamala’s-zamanyly

Tijana Bogicevic In Too Deep (Serbia)

Nathan Trent Running On Air (Austria)

Jana Burceska Dance Alone (F.Y.R. Macedonia)

Claudia Faniello Breathlessly (Malta)

Ilinca ft. Alex Florea Yodel It! (Romania)

OG3NE Lights And Shadows (The Netherlands)

Joci Pรกpai Origo (Hungary)

Anja Where I Am (Denmark)

Brendan Murray Dying To Try (Ireland)

eurovision.kyiv/Second Semi-Final. 11 May, 2017, 22:00

Valentina Monetta & Jimmie Wilson Spirit Of The Night (San Marino)

Jacques Houdek My Friend (Croatia)

JOWST Grab The Moment (Norway)

Timebelle Apollo (Switzerland)

NAVIBAND Historyja Majho Zyccia (Belarus)

Kristian Kostov Beautiful Mess (Bulgaria)

Fusedmarc Rain of Revolution (Lithuania)

Koit Toome and Laura Verona (Estonia)

IMRI I Feel Alive (Israel)

Ruslana - It’s Magical - Interval Act at the Grand Final of the 2017 Eurovision Song Contest Ruslana won the 2004 Eurovision Song Contest in Turkey with the song Wild Dances.

At the 2017 Eurovision Song Contest, she performed her song ‘It’s Magical’ as one of the interval acts in the Grand Final

eurovision.kyiv/Ruslana - It’s Magical

Verka Serduchka and her mother were a part of the first Semi-Final of the 2017 Eurovision Song Contest in Kyiv.

Verka Serduchka (Ukraine)

O.Torvald Time (Ukraine) eurovision.kyiv/Grand Final. 13 May, 2017, 22:00

Alma Requiem (France)

Manel Navarro Do It For Your Lover (Spain)

Francesco Gabbani Occidentali’s Karma (Italy)

Levina Perfect Life (Germany) eurovision.kyiv/Grand Final. 13 May, 2017, 22:00

Lucie Jones Never Give Up On You (United Kingdom)

Onuka feat. NAONI Orchestra - Megamix Interval act - 2017 Eurovision Song Contest Grand Final

NAVIBAND Historyja Majho Zyccia (Belarus)

Nathan Trent Running On Air (Austria)

OG3NE Lights And Shadows (The

Sunstroke Project Hey Mamma (Moldova)

Joci Pápai Origo (Hungary)

Francesco Gabbani Occidentali’s Karma (Italy)

Anja Where I Am (Denmark)

Salvador Sobral Amar Pelos Dois (Portugal)

Diha Skeletons (Azerbaijan)

Jacques Houdek My Friend (Croatia)

Isaiah Don’t Come Easy (Australia)

Demy This Is Love (Greece)

Manel Navarro Do It For Your Lover (Spain)

eurovision.kyiv/Grand Final. 13 May, 2017, 22:00

JOWST Grab The Moment (Norway)

Lucie Jones Never Give Up On You (United Kingdom)

Hovig Gravity (Cyprus)

Ilinca ft. Alex Florea Yodel It! (Romania)

Levina Perfect Life (Germany)

O.Torvald Time (Ukraine)

Blanche City Lights (Belgium)

IMRI I Feel Alive (Israel)

Robin Bengtsson I Can’t Go On (Sweden)

Kristian Kostov Beautiful Mess (Bulgaria)

Artsvik Fly With Me (Armenia)

Alma Requiem (France)

Kasia Mos Flashlight (Poland)

Portugal’s first ever winner of the Eurovision Song Contest, Salvador Sobral, was welcomed home as a hero on Sunday. Thousands gathered in Lisbon’s Humberto Delgado Airport to greet the victorious team.

Salvador Sobral’s victory in Kyiv is not just another Eurovision Song Contest winner. Portugal debuted in the contest in 1964 and in more than 50 years the country had never reached the Top 5, achieving their best placing in 1996 when Lúcia Moniz ranked 6th with O Meu Coração Não Tem Cor. With their 49th entry, Amar Pelos Dois, the country achieved what had never been done before, not only finishing in the Top 5 for the first time ever and winning the competition by a landslide, setting a new record for points along the way.

It must have felt weird for Salvador when he was welcomed home like this in Lisbon last Sunday as, when asked in the press conference after his victory if he would become a national hero in Portugal, he replied: «Me the national hero of my country? I want to live a peaceful life, maybe there will be some fuss at the beginning, but if I thought of myself as a hero of Portugal it would be a bit weird.»

The winning songwriter, Luisa Sobral, who is none other than Salvador’s sister, was very touched upon their arrival in Portugal: «I couldn’t control myself and cried like a baby when I saw this sea of people. It is so good to see that art also moves people this way.»

She followed with a message of gratitude: «Thank you very much to all who came to greet us, to all those who cheered for us, to our fellow musicians who sent us beautiful messages, and to the Portuguese broadcaster, RTP, for always having defended our song tooth and nail.»

Luísa has a baby son and proudly claims that one day she can tell him: «Do you know that your mum and your uncle won the Eurovision Song Contest?»

Salvador Sobral given a hero’s welcome in Portugal Thousands of people greeted Eurovision winner Salvador Sobral at Lisbon airport when he arrived back from Kyiv.

You can watch the video on the website of Portuguese broadcaster RTP. The victory is big news in Portugal, it’s the first time that the country has won Eurovision after more than 50 years of participation. eurovision.kyiv/Salvador’s journey home to Portugal

Jamala - I believe in U - Interval Act at the Grand Final of the 2017 Eurovision Song Contest

The official website of the Eurovision Song Contest https://eurovision.tv Photo, Design, Prepress Yuriy Priyatselyuk, http://photo.yudgyn.com