On Saturday evening MARUV was crowned as the champion of the 2019 Vidbir national selection with her Siren song and should have therefore been looking forward to representing Ukraine at the 2019 Eurovision Song Contest.

However, Ukraine have decided to make a political statement from this competition and at the Vidbir the artists were grilled about any association they may have had with Russia in the past. In the winner’s case, MARUV, she has performed in Russia and is quite popular and even had some tour dates in March lined up there. She is also signed to the Russian branch of Warner Bros records.

Unfortunately, today it has been decided that MARUV will not now represent Ukraine at the 2019 Eurovision Song Contest. Both parties, MARUV and STB/UA:PBC could not come to a mutual agreement over terms and conditions to take part. It sounds like MARUV was virtually forced out as the terms were mostly impossible. Although, MARUV has always stated her loyalty to Ukraine.

It was even rumoured, and this cannot be confirmed here, that Jamala (one of the judges at VIDBIR and of course winner of the 2016 Eurovision Song Contest) stated that 1944 was indeed about Crimea! If this is proved true then why can’t Jamala be stripped of her title!! They do this in many sporting events such as athletics, etc.

ESC Covers does not like to write anything controversial but in this case POLITICS should not be allowed at Eurovision!! Our thoughts are with MARUV and we wish her lots of luck in the future and maybe one day she will be on that Eurovision stage in a better “political” climate.

Let us look at MARUV again and her WINNING song from the 2019 Vidbir.

Source: ESC Covers – photos@ESC Covers; STB/UA:PBC