Kalush Orchestra, Ukraine’s entry to the 2022 Eurovision Song Contest, arrived in Israel on Monday to participate in a four-day pre-Eurovision event alongside dozens of other competitors, the band’s first foreign appearance since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in late February.
The Ukrainian public broadcaster, Suspilne, and the Israeli public broadcaster Kan announced on Sunday that Kalush Orchestra would take part in “Israel Calling,” an annual event inviting Eurovision acts to visit Israel before the competition, set to culminate in a concert in Tel Aviv on Thursday evening.
The six members of the musical act received special permission to leave Ukraine amid the ongoing conflict, as men of military age are currently banned from exiting the country. Kalush Orchestra is considered a heavy favorite to win the 2022 song contest, shooting to the top of the betting odds charts following Russia’s invasion, reflecting the heavy geopolitical considerations that often dominate voting at the singing competition. Russia has been banned from participating in this year’s contest.
If Ukraine finishes first at the Eurovision competition in Turin, Italy, in May, it will win the right to host the 2023 contest. Israel most recently won in 2018, and hosted the 2019 competition in Tel Aviv.
“The band Kalush Orchestra, the representatives of Ukraine at the Eurovision Song Contest 2022, have decided that the best they can do for the country now is to support Ukraine with their performance and through communication with the European audience,” Suspilne wrote on Sunday.
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“We want to show the world community Ukrainian music, our spirit and how unbreakable we are. We really need support in this difficult time,” the band said, according to the Ukrainian public broadcaster.
Ukraine #Eurovision contestant – Kalush Orchestra – will raise funds to rebuild Ukrainian cities damaged by #Russia #war on their Eurovision tour. I filmed them in Lviv and asked about one of them serving in the army and others – doing volunteering. Watch it on @BBC_ua #Калуш pic.twitter.com/yP41WTtzsT
— Viktoriia Zhuhan (@uziaka) April 2, 2022
Kalush Orchestra will join more than 20 other Eurovision entrants for the “Israel Calling” event, which includes a several-day tour across Israel and a concert at the Menorah Mivtachim Arena in Tel Aviv on Thursday.
Members of the band will sit down with Ukrainian refugees in Jerusalem on Tuesday, and also meet with Ukraine-native Jerusalem Affairs Minister Ze’ev Elkin, following a tour of Jerusalem organized by the ministry. The Ukrainian public broadcaster said that Kalush Orchestra will be collecting donations at the concert on Thursday to support the restoration of damaged infrastructure and property in Ukraine.
“We thank the organizers in Israel for the invitation and we look forward to meeting the community of Eurovision,” said Oleh Psiuk, the founder and frontman of Kalush Orchestra, in a statement from Suspilne. “This support that we feel is incredibly important for us and the entire country.”
Last month the European Broadcasting Union, which organizes the competition, said it would exempt Kalush Orchestra from the requirement to record a live on-tape performance, and would allow it to submit an earlier recording if it was unable to make it in person to Turin.
On Saturday, members of the band gathered together and performed in Lviv, in western Ukraine, for the first time since Russia invaded. Psiuk noted that it was the first time they were able to rehearse and perform together in person in close to six weeks, and announced that the band would in fact be appearing live in Turin.
“At a time when the world’s attention is focused on Ukraine, our way to help is to tell about the war in Ukraine and to communicate with the European audience through our work,” the band wrote on Instagram. “Yes, we can officially declare! The Kalush Orchestra is going to Turin Eurovision 2022 to perform live.”
Pop star Noa Kirel confirmed at a press conference on Wednesday that she would be representing Israel at the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest.
Kirel was selected last month by the Kan public broadcaster to compete on behalf of Israel next year. But immediately following the announcement, she expressed public hesitation about taking part, saying that she would have to fully consider the offer before making a final decision.
On Wednesday, Kirel told reporters that she had decided to accept the opportunity to compete at the Eurovision next year.
“With all of Israel behind me, I am embarking on this journey to bring great pride to this country,” Kirel said. “Thank you for this incredible honor… I am already starting today to work [on my Eurovision performance], and as you know about me, to work hard. Cross your fingers and fasten your seatbelts!”
Kirel said that she received the phone call informing her she had been selected to compete while sitting in the back of a cab in Warsaw.
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“It started with shock, I took a deep breath, and by the third second I was already imagining myself on that insane stage with hundreds of millions of viewers while representing my beloved country,” she said.
Noa Kirel performs on stage during the 70th Miss Universe Competition on December 13, 2021 in Eilat. (Benjamin Askinas/Miss Universe)
Despite her hesitations, Kirel said, “I am moving forward with full faith. Like everywhere in the world I have performed — whether in IDF uniform or on the biggest stages in the world — I have always felt proud to represent my country.”
The 2023 competition will be held in the UK, with the host city to be decided at a later date. Ukraine’s Kalush Orchestra took home the win at the 2022 contest in May, but the European Broadcasting Union, which organizes the contest, admitted that the war-torn country would not be able to host next year, as is traditional for the winning country.
In a break from previous years, Israel will be sending a seasoned performer to the contest, after relative newcomers had been selected to compete via reality TV show each year since 2015. This time, Kan convened an internal selection committee that picked Kirel, noting that they were looking for someone with both talent and experience.
According to Kan, Kirel was the committee’s first choice, winning its unanimous support out of a list of 78 contenders made up of chart toppers and proven musical acts.
At the press conference on Wednesday, Kirel said it was not yet decided how Israel’s song for the 2023 contest will be selected.
“Everything is being done in cooperation with Kan, but, yes, I will have artistic freedom to represent myself the way I want,” she said. “They are relying on me and I am relying on them — but it’s too early to talk about how the process will happen.”
Singer Noa Kirel holds a press conference in Tel Aviv on August 10, 2022, announcing her participation in the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest. (Avshalom Sassoni/FLASH90)
Reports have circulated in recent weeks that the singer had demanded full artistic freedom over the song choice before agreeing to participate, although Kirel denied there had been any sort of negotiation about her decision.
She admitted Wednesday that she had to “put my ego aside” to make the decision to compete, knowing that she could potentially finish in a poor position.
“I put my ego aside, I put my fears and the risks aside,” she said. “I don’t know if I’ll do well or not, but if I don’t take the chance, I’ll never know… of course it’s scary, and there’s always politics involved.”
“From the first day of my career,” she added, “I have taken risks. That’s part of my career, but I’m putting the fear aside and focusing on the fact that I am representing my country on this enormous stage.”
Kirel noted that she will likely have to answer questions about Israel’s actions, as politics often play a role in the purportedly apolitical competition. “I am aware that they will ask me about Israel in interviews, and I consider it a great honor,” she said. “I will do my research and I will arrive with accurate answers.”
Kirel, 21, is one of Israel’s most famous current pop singers, known for her hit singles “Pouch,” “Million Dollar” and “Tikitas.” She is regularly in demand at events across the country and the subject of intense paparazzi coverage. Kirel completed her IDF service earlier this year after serving as part of its “talent track,” performing for troops and pursuing a career at the same time.
Israel has won the Eurovision four times: 1978, with Izar Cohen’s “A-ba-ni-bi,” 1979 with Milk and Honey’s “Hallelujah,” 1998 with Dana International’s “Diva,” and 2018 with Netta Barzilai’s “Toy.”