With just one day to go until Ukraine chooses its representative for this year’s Junior Eurovision Song Contest, Viktor Knysh, director of the show, has explained the process behind the show and what viewers can expect to see.
Final preparations are currently underway for the final, which will take place in the Artek International Children’s Centre in Puscha-Vodytsia in the northwest of Kyiv. The contestants are currently rehearsing daily to perfect their stage presentations. The production team are working on visual backdrops for each entry, which is typically done by storyboarding after watching rehearsals. The visuals are then created, keeping in mind as to how they would look on television. Costumes are sewn and props are selected as required. Knysh remarks that the production team tell the participants’ parents to remind their children to listen to every recommendation of the film and production group, so as to avoid improvisation on the night. Knysh also stated that entries are geared more towards a Ukrainian audience and the winning entry may have to be changed to suit a wider European audience.
Knysh has also revealed that a former Junior Eurovision entrant will appear during the show and hopes that this artist will show themselves in a new way, marking a new creative direction. Performers from Georgia, this year’s host country, are expected to take in the interval, as Georgian culture is very popular in Ukraine. They will perform Georgian songs alongside this year’s contestants. Other special guests include Ukrainian artists and a Ukrainian dance group who will perform traditional Georgian dance.
The national final will be the first live broadcast from Artek since it moved to Kyiv. The centre was originally based in Crimea but the staff were moved to a new site in Bukovel after the Russian annexation of Crimea. The original site remains open and was used for the last two Russian Junior Eurovision selections.
The winner will be chosen by a jury (50%) and public voting (50%). However, a special prize will also be awarded by the Artek audience to one contestant. Knysh describes it as a unique audience, as it is made of children from all over the country, proportional to the population of each oblast.
The national selection will be broadcast on August 25 at 16.30 CET on UA:Pershyi. The ten finalists that will compete to become the next Ukrainian Junior Eurovision representative are:
- Veronika Kovalenko – “In My dream”
- Sofia Lozina – “I believe”
- Sofia Bondarenko – “Music of your soul”
- Darina Halycka – “Angels”
- Duet Hilarmurchuck – “Where are you and me”
- Sofia Shkidchenko – “Yodeley”
- Polina Ryzhak – “On your way”
- Anastasiya Baginska – “Do not stop”
- Fedir Sklyarenko – “Come on, sing”
- Nina Boikova – “Dream is near”
Source: UA:PBC
