During the online chat held on TVR.by Nadezhda Misyakova announced that she will perform her song “Sokol” in Belarussian language during the final of Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2014. She sang in Belarusian at the National Final in Minsk, but studio version published on YouTube is recorded in Russian. She said she likes both versions, but Belarusian is her native language and she would like to use it to represent her country in the best way.

“Sokol” will be the first Belarussian entry for JESC after five years, as last time Belarusian was used in a song, along with Russian, was in 2008, when Dasha, Alina & Karyna sang “Sertse Belarusi”. The Belarusian entrants sang completely in their native language in 2003 and 2004, and then it was replaced by Russian. It’s worth to mention that Junior Eurovision Song Contest is the only EBU-connected contest where we can hear this language in songs, because all Belarussian entries from “adult” Eurovision were always written and performed in English, and Belarussian is yet to make a debut at Eurovision Song Contest.

Belarusian is the official language of Belarus, along with Russian, and is spoken abroad i.e. in Russia, Ukraine and Poland. According to a study done by the Belarusian government in 2009, 72% of Belarusians speak Russian at home, while Belarusian is spoken at home by only 11.9% of Belarusians. 29.4% of Belarusians can write, speak, and read Belarusian, while 52.5% can only read and speak it. According to the research, one out of ten Belarusians does not understand Belarusian.

You can listes Russian and Belarusian version of “Sokol” below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UY0ZMnaK4EQ