Eurovision Sees Ukraine’s Kalush Orchestra Win, As Performers Take A Political Turn

Eurovision 2022 trophy earlier this month, has auctioned off the statue to support their country’s armed forces.According to the band’s Instagram story, they raised $900,000 after crypto group WhiteBIT made the high bid.“Friends, you are unreal. Thanks to everyone who donated and especially @whitebit_ua, they bought the trophy for $900,000,” the band shared.The crypto group also turned to social media to announce their auction win, explaining the funds will help buy drones for the Ukrainian armed forces, currently engaged in a war with Russia.“Today there was a drawing of two lots from Kalush Orchestra and the Charitable Foundation of Serhiy Prytula,” read a post on the crypto group’s page.

The Ukrainian winners of the Eurovision Song Contest have sold their trophy to raise almost $1M for the war effort.

Naman Ramachandran Ukraine’s Kalush Orchestra, popular winners of the 2022 Eurovision Song Contest, have raised $900,000 for their country’s military by auctioning their winners’ trophy.The auction for the crystal microphone trophy was conducted on Facebook on Sunday by Ukrainian TV presenter Serhiy Prytula.“You guys are amazing! We appreciate each and every one of you who donated to this auction and a special thanks to Team WhiteBIT who purchased the trophy for $900,000 and are now the rightful owners of our trophy. Glory to Ukraine! Glory to the Armed Forces of Ukraine,” Kalush Orchestra posted on Facebook on Monday.

Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross has performed another partygate u-turn by claiming Boris Johnson will have to quit after the war is over in Ukraine.

TURIN, Italy -- Ukrainian band Kalush Orchestra won the Eurovision Song Contest, a clear show of popular support for the group's war-ravaged nation that went beyond music.The band and its song “Stefania” beat 24 other performers early Sunday in the grand final of the competition. The public vote from home, via text message or the Eurovision app, proved decisive, lifting them above British TikTok star Sam Ryder, who led after the national juries in 40 countries cast their votes.Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy welcomed the victory, Ukraine's third since its 2003 Eurovision debut.

Eurovision entry Subwoolfer have shared a ‘Jolene’ parody about their time in Turin.The duo, who comically donned yellow wolf masks in this year’s tournament, were 50-1 to win in Italy with their track ‘Give That Wolf A Banana’.They finished the Eurovision Song Contest 2022 in 10th place with 182 points, some way off the winners, Ukraine’s Kalush Orchestra and UK runner up Sam Ryder.Now, to mark their time in Italy they have posted a video of themselves, which you can view below, goofing around in Turin performing a parody of Dolly Parton‘s famous hit ‘Jolene’.The clip sees the duo on the streets of the city, changing the lyrics of the track to: “These yellow ears beyond compare, we’re breathing in Italian air, we’re eating pizza almost every meal / We’re saving grandmas everyday, we ate a few along the way but Italian grandma skin is hard to peel,” before they declare: “Turin, Turin, Turin, Turin, we’re begging of you – join us to the moon.”Meanwhile, UK Eurovision runner Sam Ryder, has announced details of a new 2022 London show at brand new venue Outernet on November 24. Tickets for the event go on sale this Friday (May 20) at 9am here.In Ukraine meanwhile, their win was said to bring “incredible happiness” to a country under invasion by Russia.Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Instagram that the courage of the war-torn country “impresses the world” and congratulated Kalush Orchestra on their victory.He then went on to promise to host Eurovision in the future in a “free, peaceful and rebuilt” Mariupol, a city currently largely under Russian control.

TURIN, Italy -- Ukrainian band Kalush Orchestra won the Eurovision Song Contest, a clear show of popular support for the group's war-ravaged nation that went beyond music.The band and its song “Stefania” beat 24 other performers early Sunday in the grand final of the competition. The public vote from home, via text message or the Eurovision app, proved decisive, lifting them above British TikTok star Sam Ryder, who led after the national juries in 40 countries cast their votes.Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy welcomed the victory, Ukraine's third since its 2003 Eurovision debut.

The 2022 Eurovision Song Contest has come to a close!

Associated Press, were able to send their appreciation via Telegram: “Thank you to Kalush Orchestra for your support! Glory to Ukraine!”After their win, the six-member group, who blends traditional Ukrainian music with hip-hop, told reporter Samya Hafsaoui, “We want to say a big thank you to everyone who voted for us… Thank you to everyone for supporting Ukrainian culture and Ukrainian music. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.”The band were not able to travel together or even rehearse before performing the song at the semi-finals on May 10.

LIVE – Updated at 09:28The Eurovision 2022 final proved to be one of the liveliest and most competitive in recent memory. While the atmosphere was still good-humoured, the sheer quality of the 25 countries competing this year presented voters with some tough decisions. Ultimately, though, favourites Ukraine and their entry Kalush Orchestra were crowned the winners, leaving many to wonder if the country will be able to host the contest in 2023.

The Eurovision Song Contest’s participants are officially banned from making any political statements from the stage, either verbally or in their lyrics, but that didn’t stop Ukraine’s Kalush Orchestra.

Kalush Orchestra have shared a powerful video for ‘Stefania’, the song that won them last night’s (May 14) Eurovision Song Contest.The band triumphed over the UK’s Sam Ryder at the Turin ceremony, receiving a massive portion of the public vote.Following the performance, they have shared an official video for ‘Stefania’, which was shot in the cities of Bucha, Irpin, Borodyanka and Hostomel, all of which were bombed during the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine.At the end of the video, a message from the band reads:“This video was filmed in Bucha, Irpin, Borodyanka, Hostomel, cities near Kyiv that suffered the horrors of Russian occupation.“Dedicated to the brave Ukrainian people, to the mothers protecting their children, to all those who gave their lives for our freedom.“Every man, every woman, every innocent child.“The war in Ukraine has multiple faces, but it is our mother’s face that keeps our hearts alive in the darkest times.“Stand with Ukraine!”Watch the ‘Stefania’ video below:Speaking to NME this week, frontman Oleh Psiuk explained how their taking part was a “huge responsibility”, given the ongoing war with Russia.“To represent Ukraine in the international arena is always a responsibility, but to represent it during the war is just the highest responsibility possible,” he said.“The song [‘Stefania’] was composed and dedicated to my mother, but after the war the song has acquired lots of nuances because a lot of people are perceiving it as if Ukraine is my mother,” said Psiuk.

The results are in, and the winner of Eurovision 2022 has been revealed as Ukraine. Sam Ryder represented the United Kingdom, and it was clear from the off that he was going to score big as twelves were awarded continuously to the UK by countries across Europe. An elated Sam could be seen smiling as at the half way point of voting the UK were still leading with 195 points, but after all the votes were cast it was Ukraine's Kalush Orchestra who scooped the top prize.

Eurovision host Mika looked delighted as he posed for a backstage snap with Graham Norton at the Palasport Olimpico arena in Turin, Italy on Saturday. Singer Mika, 38, was seen grinning from ear to ear as he stood next to comedian Graham, 59, who does the commentary for the televised song contest.

Ukrainian band Kalush Orchestra won the Eurovision Song Contest in the early hours of Sunday in a clear show of support for the war-ravaged nation.

posted to his social media pages Saturday as the competition got underway.“I believe that, in the end, this word will be ‘Victory!'” he added — urging viewers to cast their votes for Kalush Orchestra, Ukraine’s representative in the 66-year-old international competition.The hybrid folk-rap band is heavily favored to win for “Stefania,” a tribute to frontman Oleh Psiuk’s mother.The long-running musical extravaganza has pitted acts representing the countries of the European Broadcast Union in a head-to-head battle of the bands since 1956.This year’s show, in Turin, Italy, saw 40 nations fighting for the coveted glass microphone.The competition is known for its over-the-top staging — and for launching the careers of superstars like ABBA and Celine Dion.