Well done for managing to explain those early 10s Ukrainian selection debacles Adam, I certainly wouldn't have been able to!

 

As an interesting kind of synthesis between the 2nd chapter of the story and what we'd been discussing prior to that, I think if Verka had won in 07 then there would maybe have been enough of a push to bring back the re-introduction of the juries a year earlier and, although it's never been 100% confirmed, it's widely believed that Russia didn't even make the top 5 of the 08 backup jury and that they really loved Shady Lady meaning it probably would have been the winner under a 50/50 system. So Ukraine could have been going into 2017 with as many as four winners if it weren't for that one Serbian Lesbian.

Hero would have been higher too under that system I guess (possibly low top ten?) Considering Charlotte only got to the final anyway thanks to the jury push out of the semi-final.

"Shady Lady" was THE song that turned me from casual (but CONSISTENT) Saturday night viewer only, to the concerning obsessive of today. I remember downloading it the next day and feeling a bit dirty for playing a Eurovision track on repeat. It remains one of my faves.

 

"Anti-Crisis Girl" was my deux for 2009. 2010 was terrible (wasn't 2010 terrible, period?). Back on track for 2012 and following years were well above average.

The 08-10 run was really something. I liked 'Sweet People' a lot for being a little bit demented and nothing needs to be said about 08 and 09. I don't think I can think of a song that feels more robbed in the 21st century than 'Shady Lady' aside from perhaps '7th Wonder'. It's a very special song. 'Angel' was admittedly dire but Ukraine can never go toooooo long without throwing out a mess.

 

Really interesting trivia about the selections, Adam! I am happy to have learned something new today.

2012: Gaitana - Be My Guest

15th with 65 points

Gaitana's Eurovision experience can be summed up in two words: jury save. Winning the national final despite losing the televote by almost 2,000 votes (irrelevant really when 1st place got 21 points, 2nd place 20 points etc. no matter the margin of victory), she received a perfect jury score of 70/70 in Ukraine. She would go on to be rescued by the juries again in the semi final, where she placed 3rd. However, the televoters of Europe were even MORE unimpressed with 'Be My Guest', coming second last, only beating that Georgian atrocity. Unfortunately, her 15th place finish in Baku is Ukraine's second worst result ever, something I feel is highly unjust as it's a bit of a bop!

 

2013: Zlata Ognevich - Gravity

3rd with 214 points

The Ukrainian national final for 2013 got off to rocky start, after Oksana & Maxim who performed first, immediately withdrew their entry live on stage! Something which would not be topped until the German national final chaos of 2015! Zlata won the Ukrainian ticket to Malmö comfortably, getting a perfect score with the juries and winning the televote by almost 7,000 votes to second place Eduard Romanyuta who was on his third consecutive attempt to represent his country. He would go on to have "success" elsewhere. Zlata and her giant would go on to give Ukraine its fourth top 3 finish at Eurovision.

 

2014: Mariya Yaremchuk - Tick-Tock

6th with 113 points

As Ukraine underwent more political turmoil at the start of 2014, its slayage at Eurovision continued. Of course not without a touch of controversy at the national selection. Several of the other competitors complained to NTU, that their phone lines were blocked during the live final, whilst Mariya Yaremchuk's remained open. Nothing came of these allegations and Mariya went ahead to compete in Copenhagen. Ukraine opened the show with their giant hamster wheel, just one of the many Ukrainian staging tricks to be featured in 'Love Love Peace Peace' last year. Despite going on first, Mariya managed to take Ukraine to the top 10, with many western media outlets managing to point out her beating Russia as well.

 

2016: Jamala - 1944

1st with 534 points

Ukraine's broadcaster took a break from the contest in 2015, due to financial and political reasons. They made their comeback with a revamped selection process, with Ruslana and Verka Serduchka sans drag appearing on the jury panel. Jamala sailed through the first semi final and won the final in a tiebreak with The Hardkiss, after receiving the maximum amount of points from the televote. The entry immediately gathered international media attention, with many western outlets claiming it to be dig at Russia after the annexation of Crimea. Indeed members of the Russian parliament, called on the EBU to disqualify the song as its selection was intentionally designed to offend Russia. The EBU rejected this and gave the song the go ahead to compete in Stockholm. '1944' was not a immediate favourite to win by the fans or bookies, however this all changed when rehearsals got underway and the staging for the song was revealed. Despite not winning either the jury vote or televote, her combined points were enough to see her ahead of Australia and Russia and Jamala sealed Ukraine's second win at the contest, giving them the right to host in 2017. It's a notoriously marmite entry and winner, you either love it or hate it. Me, I absolutely adore it and I still get goosebumps when I watch the performance. Absolutely the right winner.

 

O.Torvald have the honour of representing Ukraine on home soil in just a few weeks when this year's contest takes place in Kyiv. How will they fare in relation to Ukraine's previous entries? And what is your favourite Ukrainian entry ever?

1. Wild Dances

2. Shady Lady

3. 1944

4. Gravity

5. Tick-Tock

6. Sweet People

7. Angel

8. Dancing Lasha Tumbai

9. Be My Valentine!

10. Show Me Your Love

11. Hasta La Vista

12. Razom Nas Bahato

Absurdly high quality in the last few years, even more so since their break. 1944 is already going down as a classic winner for me (partly because I love historical/political touches, partly because it's a beauty). I hope Time doesn't completely disgrace them because it's awesome, it gives me For Real vibes in terms of host entry style and that did well although this is of course several years later - maybe a nice 12th?

 

1. Wild Dances

2. 1944 (gonna be that person, but both their winners have been among the best of the 21st century, when they win, they win big)

3. Gravity

4. Dancing Lasha Tumbai

5. Time

6. Angel (I must be one of the few fans of this, I really like it)

7. Tick-Tock

8. Be My Valentine

9. Razom Nas Bahato

10. Shady Lady

11. Sweet People

12. Hasta La Vista

13. Be My Guest

14. Show Me Your Love

 

people calling me out for only finding Shady Lady 'quite good' in 3, 2, 1...

Oh I forgot Gaitana :')

 

1. Wild Dances

2. Shady Lady

3. 1944

4. Gravity

5. Tick-Tock

6. Sweet People

7. Be My Guest

8. Angel

9. Dancing Lasha Tumbai

10. Be My Valentine!

11. Show Me Your Love

12. Hasta La Vista

13. Time

14. Razom Nas Bahato

YAY at the Show Me Your Love hate *.*

1. 1944

2. Wild Dances

3. Shady Lady

4. Be My Valentine!

5. Dancing Lasha Tumbai

6. Gravity

7. Show Me Your Love

8. Be My Guest

9. Tick-Tock

10. Razom nas bahato

11. Sweet People

12. Angel

13. Hasta la Vista

 

don't @ me about '1944' being the best here. I'd shove 'Time' in 9th on this list but will need to see the final stage show in Kyiv to properly judge.