Vidbir 2025 was held on Saturday, February 8 in Kyiv. Ten acts with ten very distinct personalities competed for the chance to continue Ukraine’s extraordinary 100% qualification streak in the Eurovision Song Contest.
The show followed a format we have grown accustomed to in recent years: artists perform, receive feedback from a panel (that inevitably includes 2016 contest winner Jamala), and then gather in a small, secure space to receive their points. This year’s performances—recorded in an undisclosed location—took place on a larger stage than we have seen in Vidbir since Russia invaded the country in 2022. The close quarters of the “results bunker” remind the viewer that, despite the artists’ brave faces and the high calibre of their art, life is anything but normal in Ukraine after three years of brutal occupation.
The show began with Vlad Sheryf’s introspective power ballad “Wind of Change" and Abiye’s characteristically Ukrainian entry “Dim,” which speaks to the violation of borders in Ukraine broadly and in the context of sexual violence. Molodi were next with “My Sea”—a compelling homage to the Sea of Azov, off the coast of Russian-occupied Mariupol (the duo’s hometown). Future Culture changed things up with “Waste My Time” (and, spoiler, the voting public seemed to imply they had done just that); then, Masha Kondratenko—darling of My Eurovision Scoreboard and EurovisionWorld voters alike—gave a stunning performance of “No Time to Cry.” Khayat was next: a dark horse who showcased both his vocal and dancing abilities in the ever-dramatic “Honor.” Wildcard entry “Kultura” by Fiïnka celebrated culture and ancestry viewed through a Hutsul lens, and Krylata staged “Stay True” with an evocative interpretive dance. As memorable staging goes, Ziferblat (the penultimate act) stood out as well, with a veritable garden on stage to accompany “Bird of Pray”—a love letter to family members separated by war. Finally, DK Energetyk closed the show with the unique post-punk nostalgia of “Sil’.”
Badstreet Boys were hilarious, and Ruslana never disappoints, but JESC 2024 powerhouse Artem Kotenko was the true highlight of the voting interval. The thirteen-year-old, visibly moved, delivered a hard-hitting performance and a plea for Ukrainian freedom.
Back in the bunker, Vidbir inexplicably opted for a 10-9-8 voting system in place of the ESC-standard 12-10-8. Despite this, mental math was slow amongst the competitors as the hosts managed to create suspense where the numbers could not. Though Khayat took the top marks from the Ukrainian jury, it was televote winner Ziferblat who ultimately beat out close competitors Molodi and Masha to earn the Ukrainian ticket to Basel. And with that, Eurovision welcomes twins to the stage for a third consecutive year