Ruslana Lyzhychko wins Eurovision 2004 Grand Prix in Istanbul and earns Ukraine the right to host the 50th Eurovision Song Contest

Ukraine will long remember the sleepless night from Saturday to Sunday, as every Ukrainian who happened to watch the live Eurovision broadcast from Turkey on UT-1 television was overemotional. Ruslana’s victory has evoked a rare feeling of pride for our homeland and happiness for Ruslana, who has managed to prove that she is the best singer in the face of tough competition. Ruslana mustered 280 points, seventeen points ahead of a runner-up from Serbia and Montenegro, placing second, and 28 points ahead of a representative of Greece, who placed third. What a devastating victory! Millions of viewers cast their votes for Ruslana, while the finals on Saturday night were watched by some 170 million Europeans. All European countries, apart from Switzerland, voted by phone for Ukraine. It is noteworthy that Ruslana received the highest score (twelve points) thanks to the votes cast by viewers in Iceland, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Poland, Israel, Russia, and Turkey. Ruslana received a high score (8-10 points) from Sweden, Slovenia, and Portugal. Now, thanks to Ruslana’s dazzling and temperamental performance whole Europe can dance away to her chart breaker “Wild Dances”.

This year is only the second time Ukraine has appeared at Eurovision. Oleksandr Ponomariov, who represented Ukraine last year, placed only fourteenth. Yet her colleague’s experience proved useful for Ruslana. Now we are the first. Young and talented Ruslana has shown that the Ukrainian product can compete on the European market.

We believed in Ruslana but were worried if she would be able to walk away with the Grand Prix. It is no secret that in recent years the Eurovision Organizing Committee has been the target of numerous complaints of the contest becoming politically biased. For example, representatives of soon-to-be EU members would be often hand-picked to win the prize. As a result, the contest turned into a show of political curtsying. Eurovision Contest terms were modified this year, with the jury’s role reduced to the minimum and priority given to viewers’ preferences. The energetically charged motifs of “Wild Dances” with a dazzling arrangement have not left the Europeans indifferent. Ruslana managed to get a grip and not mind the technical shortcomings (sound left much to be desired on the stage of the Istanbul Abdi Ipek Н i Arena, according to numerous participants) and create so much drive that it became clear after her performance that Ruslana outshines all other contestants. Ukraine has made itself known, winning the support of common Europeans and forgetting about the smug EU officials.

Under the terms of the Eurovision Song Contest, held for the 49th time, the next contest is to be hosted by the winning country. The Eurovision Organizing Committee says it has already received applications for participation in the 50th Eurovision Contest from numerous countries. Moreover, Egypt, Jordan, South Africa, Japan, and the US have also expressed their wish to participate along with the Europeans.

“I am happy! Thank you all who have believed in me and helped me and thank you to all those viewers from different countries, who have cast their votes for ‘Wild Dances’,” Ruslana said speaking with The Day’s correspondent on the phone. “My victory at Eurovision is a victory of whole Ukraine. I am but one small chain link and believe that our country will enter Europe’s vast expanses. Ukraine is beginning to move ahead. We have a great history and culture. We must square our shoulders as soon as possible and show our potential. Many journalists have asked me, ‘What next?’ Believe me, I’m not wearing a crown on my head. I haven’t changed. I will continue to work even more, record songs, and appear in concerts, and will necessarily go on a concert tour of Europe. I would like as many listeners as possible to get to know our music. Talks are already underway on the next year’s contest in Kyiv. I am certain that Ukraine will stage the Eurovision 2005 Contest at the highest level.”

Immediately after the results became known, Ukraine’s President Kuchma sent his congratulations to Ruslana: “You have presented an unforgettable night to millions of Ukrainians. You have multiplied the glory of our country.”

“Ruslana’s victory is an example for a whole generation of young Ukrainians. If you work hard and persistently, you will succeed,” says ICTV General Director Oleksandr Bohutsky. “I have had mixed feelings about the contest. Ruslana was unparalleled, but, unfortunately, we didn’t hear too many interesting songs. The singer wrote ‘Wild Dances’ together with her husband and producer Oleksandr Ksenofontov, and I’m pleased that their work has been rated highly by the Europeans. Well done! A model creative family. I’m sure that they both will please us with their accomplishments on more then one occasion in the future. Thanks to Ruslana’s victory, millions of people have learned about Ukraine. Meanwhile, Lyzhychko, much like [heavyweight boxers] Klychko brothers and [soccer star] Shevchenko, has enhanced the positive image of our country. Last year in Riga, Ruslan Ponomariov was the first Ukrainian to open the doors to Eurovision. Meanwhile, Ruslana confidently entered this European house of singing.” “In Turkey, Ruslana was compared to our famous compatriot Roksolana,” says Ukraine’s National Television Company President Oleksandr Savenko. “She has won the hearts of both Istanbul residents and guests of the contest. As soon as she appeared anywhere, she would be immediately surrounded by a horde of fans. All wished her a victory, and her performance was not a disappointment. Today Ukraine is the first country in Europe. It’s a miracle! Ruslana has done more to enhance Ukraine’s image than dozens of ministries and departments. After the contest results were made known, the Ukrainian delegation was literally torn apart, with foreign journalists asking for details about Lyzhychko. Eurovision drew representatives of numerous recording companies and producers. Ruslana has been offered to go on concert tours and appear in televised and radio performances. Our singer in turn invited everybody to come to Kyiv for Eurovision 2005. There is not much time left for preparations, but I’m sure our song contest will be as good as those in Latvia or Turkey.”

“It was an incredible night for us all,” says composer Hennady Tatarchenko. “Even the television screen radiated tremendous energy the moment Ruslana went onstage. Her victory is a breakthrough into Europe. Well done! I exchanged phone calls with my colleagues until early in the morning. My friends in different districts said that Ruslana’s fans even let off fireworks in her honor.”

“I am proud to be Ukrainian. Meanwhile, I was thrilled for Ruslana even more than I was for myself at Eurovision 2003,” popular singer Oleksandr Ponomariov did not hide his excitement. “I didn’t even shave on May 12 to bring good luck to her. Ruslana stood out among all the contestants. She showed a miniature theater play titled ‘Wild Dances.’ After watching the dress rehearsal, I called Ruslana in Istanbul and suggested that she move a little less onstage, since the bad sound settings spoiled the overall picture. She heeded my advice, and if you compare the performances on May 12 and 15, her performance in the finals was more of a success. Despite the technical shortcomings blamed on the Turkish filming crew, our Ruslana was duly appreciated by the listeners, and she won the Eurovision Grand Prix. She proved the skeptics wrong, scoring 280 points out of the maximum 420.”

“Foreign politicians have made it clear for Ukraine that it is still a long way off from the European Union, while Ruslana has shown that there is nothing impossible,” says singer Mariya Burmaka. “Our country with its huge potential, represented by delicate Lyzhychko, has proven that Ukraine is not merely a European country, but one of the best.”

Ukraine has not hosted contests of the Eurovision level before. Staging the Eurovision Contest is an honorable yet quite difficult task. Although the winning country is allocated five million Swiss franks from the organizing committee fund, practice has shown that this amount is not enough to cover all costs. Ukraine will have to build or renovate a special concert hall, receive a horde of foreign media representatives, guests, and participants of the contest. However, this part is up to the state now. Ruslana has done her part. The news of Ukraine’s victory made headlines the world over, while Ukraine and Kyiv have received a wonderful opportunity to show themselves in 2005.