NTU, the host broadcaster for the 2017 contest, announced the semi finalists for their national final. Some famous names were missing, including last years runners up The HardKiss, finalists Nu:Angels and former Junior Eurovision participant Viktoriya Petryk.
NTU announced the semi finalists online. The head of the jury, music producer Konstantin Meladze gave the following statement as the semi finalists were being unveiled:
Last year, the high standard have been set, which cannot be lowered. We chose artists, focusing on not only the quality of their music, fresh and promising material, but also on a variety of styles, sounds and even epatage, because the national selection should represent the whole palette of modern Ukrainian music. During 4.5 months [..], we have been able to select very interesting performers, the level of which may even exceed last years semi finalists. Among them are very famous musicians, but as well as those for whom it is the first step on the road to fame.
– Konstantin Meladze, Georgian/Ukrainian music producer and head of the Ukrainian jury
The semi finalists are as follows:
- Arsen Mirzoyan
- Mila Nitich Мила Нитич
- Vitaly Kozlovsky Виталий Козловский
- AGHIAZMA aghiazma
- Salto Nazad САЛЬТО НАЗАД
- Green Gray Green Gray Official
- Rozhden Rozhden Anusi
- Vivienne Mort Vivienne Mort
- Pauschie Trusy
- Anastasia Prudius Anastasia Prudius
- Tayanna Tayanna I love You
- Detach Detach
- O.Torvald O Torvald
- Illaria Illaria Group
- KADNAY
- Roman Veremeychik Roman Veremeychik and band Lumiere
- MamaRika Singer MamaRika
- Laliko
- MeLovin BigHouse MeLovin
- Letay
- Panivalkova Panivalkova
- SKAY СКАЙ / SKAY
- Monochromea Rock-Band Monochrome sound
- Kuznetsov, who was the winner of the online wildcard round, with 11820 votes.
In the 2016 national selection, which was conducted by STB and UΛ:Pershiy, brought victory to Ukraine. Now Ukrainian and European viewers are awaiting for a high level national selection show in the result of which we will choose the best artist and the most vivid and memorable performance.
– Victoria Romanova, Deputy director general of NTU, and Executive producer of the 2017 contest in Kiev.
The draw for the three semi finals will take place in Kiev on Friday 20th January. This is when each act will be allocated which semi final they will be in, as well as starting positions. The dates for the live shows in Kiev are as follows:
- Semi final 1: Saturday 4th February
- Semi final 2: Saturday 11th February
- Semi final 3: Saturday 18th February
- Grand Final: Saturday 25th February
Tickets for the first 3 semi finals can be purchased here on karabas, while the Grand Final tickets will go on sale at a later date.
Controversies within the Ukrainian national selection
In 2016, Viktoriya Petryk, former Junior Eurovision participant for Ukraine, became a part of the controversy after enlisting the help of famous Swedish songwriters Ylva and Linda Persson. All members of the jury accused Viktoriya of paying them to write a song for her. Since then it has been disputed and confirmed by both parties, that no money ever exchanged hands for “Overload”, the song that Viktoriya ended up performing.
In the 2017 edition, the Ukrainian secret service was called in to monitor the online wildcard voting. Two acts ended up having their votes anulled. These acts were Kuznetsov and Aghiazma, the two names which have been included in the semi final line up. Kuznetsov appealed to STB, his votes were annulled and he re-entered into the race. His song was re-discovered on the voting system.
The band has now reacted to their exclusion from the Ukrainian wildcard selection, and provided the following statement exclusively to ESC Daily:
There was a problem on the web site of Eurovision, that’s why the votes were anulled. Zombie Dogs is one of our favourite songs, but it is too long for the contest and can not be made shorter because it looses it’s charm. So we have chosen another great song that is even more energetic and full of passion – we will anounce it soon – it suits this contest perfectly.
– Aghiazma, talking exclusively with ESC Daily
Ehm
Naming HardKiss in the title only is a bit weird if you dont spent more than one line of text on them.
The Kuznetsov and Aghiazma part is a bit difficult to understand.