The two semi finals of the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest have ended, and we have all 26 finalists of this year’s Contest. The Final is set to take place on Saturday in Liverpool, the UK city that’s hosting the Contest on behalf of last year’s winners – Ukraine. Ahead of the Final, the President of Ukraine, Mr. Volodymyr Zelensky, made a request to the EBU to appear in the Grand Final, and address the audience and the viewers of the Contest. The EBU has denied this request, and has come forward with a statement reasoning this decision.
The full statement is as follows:
The Eurovision Song Contest is an international entertainment show, and governed by strict rules and principles which have been established since its creation. As part of these, one of the cornerstones of the Contest is the non-political nature of the event.
This principle prohibits the possibility of making political or similar statements as part of the Contest.
The request by Mr Zelensky to address the audience at the Eurovision Song Contest, whilst made with laudable intentions, regrettably cannot be granted by the European Broadcasting Union management as it would be against the rules of the event.
The EBU has ensured from the moment it was agreed that the BBC would host the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest on behalf of Ukraine’s public broadcaster UA:PBC that Ukraine, its music, its culture, and its creativity would feature strongly throughout all three live shows.
No fewer than 11 Ukrainian artists, including last year’s winners Kalush Orchestra, will be performing, or featuring in either the Semi-Finals or Grand Final.
The brand artwork for the event was created together with a Ukrainian design agency and the incidental music featured throughout the show also composed in collaboration with Ukrainian musicians.
Additionally, 37 locations around Ukraine will feature in the “postcards”, short films that introduce each of the participating artists before they take to the stage.
We believe that this is the best way to reflect and celebrate Ukraine’s Eurovision Song Contest win and show we are United By Music during these hard times.
The Grand Final of the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest is set to take place on Saturday, starting at 9pm CET. Let us know who YOUR personal favorites are, by voting for up to five acts in our poll below:
- Finland - Käärijä - Cha Cha Cha 18%, 782 votes782 votes 18%782 votes - 18% of all votes
- Sweden - Loreen - Tattoo 9%, 384 votes384 votes 9%384 votes - 9% of all votes
- France - La Zarra - Évidemment 9%, 368 votes368 votes 9%368 votes - 9% of all votes
- Croatia - Let 3 - Mama ŠČ! 6%, 267 votes267 votes 6%267 votes - 6% of all votes
- Italy - Marco Mengoni - Due vite 6%, 242 votes242 votes 6%242 votes - 6% of all votes
- Germany - Lord Of The Lost - Blood And Glitter 5%, 227 votes227 votes 5%227 votes - 5% of all votes
- Austria - Teya and Salena - Who The Hell Is Edgar? 5%, 216 votes216 votes 5%216 votes - 5% of all votes
- Norway - Alessandra - Queen Of Kings 4%, 166 votes166 votes 4%166 votes - 4% of all votes
- Albania - Albina and Familja Kelmendi - Duje 4%, 158 votes158 votes 4%158 votes - 4% of all votes
- Belgium - Gustaph - Because Of You 4%, 155 votes155 votes 4%155 votes - 4% of all votes
- Israel - Noa Kirel - Unicorn 3%, 143 votes143 votes 3%143 votes - 3% of all votes
- Australia - Voyager - Promise 3%, 134 votes134 votes 3%134 votes - 3% of all votes
- Slovenia - Joker Out - Carpe Diem 3%, 113 votes113 votes 3%113 votes - 3% of all votes
- Poland - Blanka - Solo 2%, 95 votes95 votes 2%95 votes - 2% of all votes
- Cyprus - Andrew Lambrou - Break A Broken Heart 2%, 93 votes93 votes 2%93 votes - 2% of all votes
- Switzerland - Remo Forrer - Watergun 2%, 91 vote91 vote 2%91 vote - 2% of all votes
- Portugal - Mimicat - Ai coracao 2%, 87 votes87 votes 2%87 votes - 2% of all votes
- Estonia - Alika - Bridges 2%, 82 votes82 votes 2%82 votes - 2% of all votes
- Czechia - Vesna - My Sister's Crown 2%, 82 votes82 votes 2%82 votes - 2% of all votes
- Moldova - Pasha Parfeni - Soarele si luna 2%, 70 votes70 votes 2%70 votes - 2% of all votes
- Lithuania - Monika Linkyte - Stay 2%, 65 votes65 votes 2%65 votes - 2% of all votes
- Serbia - Luke Black - Samo mi se spava 1%, 56 votes56 votes 1%56 votes - 1% of all votes
- United Kingdom - Mae Muller - I Wrote A Song 1%, 55 votes55 votes 1%55 votes - 1% of all votes
- Spain - Blanca Paloma - EaEa 1%, 50 votes50 votes 1%50 votes - 1% of all votes
- Ukraine - Tvorchi - Heart Of Steel 1%, 45 votes45 votes 1%45 votes - 1% of all votes
- Armenia - Brunette - Future Lover 1%, 38 votes38 votes 1%38 votes - 1% of all votes
