EUROVISION 2026: UKRAINE - LELÉKA WINS VIDBIR 2026 WITH RIDNYM

Ukraine's national final for Eurovision song contest 2026, Vidbir, has had its final and was won by

Ukraine is the only country that has managed to qualify every time they have participated plus they have won three times and been runner up twice in the past 20 participation. War or no war Ukraine is one of the Eurovision power houses no doubt.

In 2026 the selection followed already familiar path: Out of submitted 451 entries 15 were announced and invited for an audition where from nine made it directly to the final. The rest were put on an online vote and the winner Khayat was added to the final. Other familiar names made the cut as like last year's runner up Molodi, and two Eurovision veterans: Jerry Heil (3rd in ESC 2024 with Alyona Alyona) and Monokate (5th with Go_A in ESC 2021). Ad Olena Usenko, a member of The Elliens (6th in JESC 2021). Read more here

My favorite in the end was Laud with Jerry Heil even if her song doesn't quite fit into Eurovision stage I suppose. But still beautiful and maybe best staging. The winner.... I need some further listening and I didn't like the staging, I hope they come up with something better for Vienna.

The revamped version of the song was released March 9, 2026:

Final results (Jury + televote)

Valeria Force - Open our hearts (4 + 2) 6 8th

Molodi - Legends (2 + 4) 6 7th

Monokate - Tut (6 + 3) 9 5th

The Elliens - Crawling whispers (1 + 5) 6 6th

Laud - Lightkeeper (9 + 9) 18 2nd

Leleka - Ridnym (10 + 10) 20 1st

Mr. Vel - Do or done / + 6) 13

Khayat - Hertsy (5 + 7) 12 4th

Jerry Heil - Catharticus (Prayer) (8+ 8) 16 3rd

ShchukaRyba - Moia zemlia (3 + 1) 4 9th

Special Radio award went to Laud

OGAE Ukraine award went to Jerry Heil

Leléka is actually a German-Ukrainian folk jazz ensamble, or has Victoria Leléla gone solo in Eurovision? Either way the group Leléka was founded in 2016 in Berlin. Besides Victoria it includes Thomas Kolarczyk, Jacob Hegner and Povel Widestrand. They have collected various jazz awards and released their debut album in 2021 after two Eps in 2017 and 2019. Next albums came out in 2023 and 2025. In 2020 they wrote the music for historiacal There will be humans tv-series Enjoy some of their other song sbelow:

Comments

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FINLAND: REMEMBERING KIRKA

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Life after Helsinki 2007 Eurovision

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