Vidbir
Alt nameNatsionalnyi vidbir
or Natsvidbir
GenreSong contest
DeveloperStarlight Production
(2016—2020, 2023, 2025—)
Former:
1+1 Production (2024)
Friends Production (2022)
Open theme"The Feeling" by Jason Tarver and Louise Dowd (2016–2020)
CountryUkraine
LanguageUkrainian
Num seasons10
Num episodes21
LocationSTB Studios, Hostomel (2016)
Palace of Culture "KPI", Kyiv (2017–2020)
NAU Center of Culture and Arts, Kyiv (2022)
Maidan Nezalezhnosti metro station, Kyiv (2023)
National WWII History Museum, Kyiv (2024)
ChannelSTB (2016–2020)
Pershyi (2016–2022)
Suspilne Kultura (2023–2026)
First aired6 February 2016
Last airedpresent
RelatedJunior Vidbir

Natsionalnyi vidbir (Ukrainian: Національний відбір, nɐts⁽ʲ⁾ioˈnɑlʲnɪj wid⁽ʲ⁾ˈbir; meaning "National selection"), informally known as Vidbir, is a Ukrainian musical competition originally organized by Suspilne and STB, which determines the Ukrainian representative at the Eurovision Song Contest. In late August 2021, it was announced that the two broadcasters had terminated their partnership, and that Suspilne was looking for a new selection format for the Eurovision Song Contest 2022, thus bringing an end to the original concept for Vidbir.[1] In October 2021, Suspilne announced that the 2022 edition of Vidbir would be organized by it alone under a new format.[2]

In the first year of the show, the local record by SMS voting was set by receiving 344,268 unique votes, 37.77% of which supported Jamala,[3] who eventually became the winner of the Eurovision Song Contest 2016.

Winners

Table key
1
Winner
2
Second place
3
Third place
Upcoming
YearArtistSongAt Eurovision
FinalPointsSemiPoints
2016Jamala"1944"15342287
2017O.Torvald"Time"2436colspan="2" data-sort-value="-9999"
2018Mélovin"Under the Ladder"171306179
2019Maruv"Siren Song"colspan="4" [a]
2020Go A"Solovey"colspan="4" [b]
2022Alina Pash"Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors"colspan="4"
2023Tvorchi"Heart of Steel"6243colspan="2" data-sort-value="-9999"
2024Alyona Alyona and Jerry Heil"Teresa & Maria"34532173
2025Ziferblat"Bird of Pray"92191137
2026Leléka"Ridnym"92216174

Cast

Over the 10 editions of Vidbir, 14 music experts have been on the jury, two of them won Eurovision: Ruslana in 2004 and Jamala in 2016. Jamala is the only member of the Vidbir cast who has participated in every edition, as a contestant in 2016, as a jury member in 2017—2019 and 2022—2025, as an interval act in 2020, and as a music producer in 2026. Several participants have had different roles in different editions of Vidbir. Julia Sanina was a participant in 2016, a jury member in 2023 and a presenter in 2024. Tina Karol was a jury member in 2020 and 2022, as well as a music producer in 2025. Kateryna Pavlenko is the winner of Vidbir 2020, host of the 2023 edition, one of the jurors of 2025 edition, and a participant in the 2026 edition. Starting from 2023, the participants of the expert jury are selected through the Ukrainian e-governance app Diia.

Key:

Judge / Host / Music producer / Showrunner
Competed as a contestant
Judgecolspan=13 text-align:center;| Vidbir
2016201720182019202020222023202420252026
Andriy Danylkocolspan="5"colspan="2"colspan="1"colspan="2"
Konstantin Meladzecolspan="2"colspan="8"
Ruslanacolspan="1"colspan="8"colspan="1"
Jamalacolspan="3"colspan="1"colspan="4"colspan="1"
Yevhen Filatovcolspan="2"colspan="2"colspan="5"colspan="1"
Tina Karolcolspan="4"colspan="2"colspan="4"
Vitaliy Drozdovcolspan="4"colspan="1"colspan="4"colspan="1"
Yaroslav Lodygincolspan="5"colspan="1"colspan="4"
Julia Sanina[c]colspan="5"colspan="1"colspan="3"
Taras Topoliacolspan="6"colspan="1"colspan="3"
Serhiy Tanchynetscolspan="7"colspan="2"colspan="1"
Kateryna Pavlenkocolspan="4"[d]colspan="3"colspan="1"
Zlata Ognevichcolspan="9"colspan="1"
Kostyantyn Tomilchenkocolspan="9"colspan="1"
Hostcolspan=13 text-align:center;| Vidbir
2016201720182019202020222023202420252026
Oleksandr Pedancolspan="1"colspan="9"
Dmytro Tankovychcolspan="1"colspan="9"
Serhiy Prytulacolspan="1"colspan="4"colspan="5"
Masha Efrosininacolspan="5"colspan="1"colspan="2"colspan="1"colspan="1"
Timur Miroshnychenkocolspan="5"colspan="5"
Zlata Ognevichcolspan="6"colspan="1"colspan="3"
Kateryna Pavlenkocolspan="4"colspan="1"colspan="1"colspan="2"
Julia Saninacolspan="6"colspan="1"colspan="2"
Vasyl Baidakcolspan="7"colspan="2"colspan="1"
Lesia Nikitiukcolspan="9"colspan="1"
Music producercolspan=13 text-align:center;| Vidbir
2016201720182019202020222023202420252026
Konstantin Meladzecolspan="2"colspan="8"
Ruslan Kvintacolspan="2"colspan="3"colspan="5"
Mykhailo Koshovyicolspan="5"colspan="1"colspan="4"
Dmytro Shurovcolspan="6"colspan="2"colspan="2"
Tina Karolcolspan="8"colspan="1"colspan="1"
Jamalacolspan="8"colspan="1"
Showrunnercolspan=13 text-align:center;| Vidbir
2016201720182019202020222023202420252026
Natalia Franchukcolspan="5"colspan="1"colspan="1"colspan="3"
Oleksiy Honcharenkocolspan="5"colspan="1"colspan="4"
Volodymyr Zavadyukcolspan="7"colspan="1"colspan="2"
German Nenovcolspan="8"colspan="2"

Editions

Editions overview

Color key

YearPremiereFinalContestantsEpisodesWinnerRunner-upThird place
20166 February 201621 February 2016183Jamala
"1944"
The Hardkiss
"Helpless"
Sunsay
"Love Manifest"
20174 February 201725 February 2017244O.Torvald
"Time"
Tayanna
"I Love You"
Mélovin
"Wonder"
201810 February 201824 February 2018183Mélovin
"Under the Ladder"
Tayanna
"Lelya"
Kadnay
"Beat of the Universe"
20199 February 201923 February 2019163Maruv
"Siren Song"
Freedom Jazz
"Cupidon"
Kazka
"Apart"
20208 February 202022 February 2020163Go A
"Solovey"
Khayat
"Call for Love"
Krutь
"99"
202212 February 202281Alina Pash
"Tini zabutykh predkiv"
Kalush Orchestra
"Stefania"
Wellboy
"Nozzy Bossy"
202317 December 2022101Tvorchi
"Heart of Steel"
Krutь
"Kolyskova"
Jerry Heil
"When God Shut the Door"
20243 February 2024[e]111Alyona Alyona and Jerry Heil
"Teresa & Maria"
Ziferblat
"Place I Call Home"
Mélovin
"Dreamer"
20258 February 2025101Ziferblat
"Bird of Pray"
Molodi
"My Sea"
Masha Kondratenko
"No Time to Cry"
20267 February 2026101Leléka
"Ridnym"
Laud
"Lightkeeper"
Jerry Heil
"Catharticus (Prayer)"

2016

The final took place on 21 February 2016. The six entries that qualified from the semi-finals competed. The winner, "1944" performed by Jamala, was selected through the combination of votes from a public tele-vote and an expert jury. Ties were decided in favour of the entries that received higher scores from the public tele-vote.[4] "1944" is the first Eurovision Song Contest song to feature lyrics in the Crimean Tatar language. 382,602 votes were registered by the tele-vote during the show.[5] In addition to the performances of the competing entries, 2016 Irish Eurovision entrant Nicky Byrne performed the 2016 Irish entry "Sunlight" as a guest.

R/OArtistSongJuryTelevoteTotalPlace
PercentagePoints
1Brunettes Shoot Blondes"Every Monday"13.40%126
2NuAngels"Higher"35.94%255
3The Hardkiss"Helpless"621.11%5112
4Jamala"1944"537.77%6111
5Sunsay"Love Manifest"418.20%483
6Pur:Pur"We Do Change"213.58%354

2017

Final took place on 25 February 2017. Special guests included Alma, Manel Navarro, Tamara Gachechiladze, Naviband, and Kasia Moś.

R/OArtistSongJuryTelevoteTotalPlace
PercentagePoints
1Salto Nazad"O, mamo!"111.35%346
2Mélovin"Wonder"231.22%683
3O.Torvald"Time"525.57%5101
4Illaria"Thank You for My Way"47.43%155
5Tayanna"I Love You"616.69%4102
6Rozhden"Saturn"37.73%254

2018

Final took place on 24 February 2018. Special guests included Mikolas Josef and Madame Monsieur. 179,455 unique votes were received from SMS and App voting.

R/OArtistSongJuryTelevoteTotalPlace
PercentagePoints
1Kadnay"Beat of the Universe"318.61%583
2Tayanna"Lelya"616.62%4102
3The Erised"Heroes"26.48%136
4Laud"Waiting"411.56%264
5Vilna"Forest Song"112.92%345
6Mélovin"Under the Ladder"533.81%6111

2019

The final took place on 23 February 2019 with special guests Lake Malawi and Bilal Hassani. More than 167,500 unique votes were received from SMS and app voting. Maruv was declared the winner after receiving the most votes among the six finalists. On 26 February 2019, three days after the final was aired, Ukraine withdrew from the Eurovision Song Contest 2019 after Maruv and were unable to reach an agreement on her participation in the contest as a result of controversy.[6][7]

R/OArtistSongJuriesTelevoteTotalPlace
1Freedom Jazz"Cupidon"64102
2Yuko"Galyna guliala"4155
3Maruv"Siren Song"56111
4Brunettes Shoot Blondes"Houston"2354
5Kazka"Apart"3583
6Anna Maria"My Road"1236

2020

R/OArtistSongJuryTelevote (SMS) / AppTotalPlace
PercentagePoints
1Krutь"99"519.90%493
2Jerry Heil"Vegan"17.00%126
3Go A"Solovey"625.43%6121
4David Axelrod"Horizon"311.30%255
5Khayat"Call for Love"420.93%592
6Tvorchi"Bonfire"215.44%354

Following the cancellation of the Eurovision Song Contest 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Go A was internally re-selected to represent Ukraine in the , this time with the song "Shum".[8][9]

2022

R/OArtistSongJuryTelevote (SMS) / AppTotalPlace
VotesPercentagePoints
1[f]Cloudless"All Be Alright"13,4104.81%457
2Michael Soul"Demons"21,2391.75%138
3Our Atlantic"Moia liubov"51,6052.27%276
4Barleben"Hear My Words"42,7403.87%375
5Kalush Orchestra"Stefania"631,63444.66%8142
6Roxolana"Girlzzzz"35,0347.11%584
7Wellboy"Nozzy Bossy"75,6427.96%6133
8Alina Pash"Tini zabutykh predkiv"819,53527.58%7151

Following controversy regarding her travel history, Alina Pash's status as a legitimate participant, and therefore winner, of Vidbir was challenged, which resulted in her participation being ceased by Suspilne as well as her withdrawal. The runner-up, Kalush Orchestra, was chosen as the Ukrainian entrant for the Eurovision Song Contest 2022.

2023

R/OArtistSongJuryPublic vote (via Diia)TotalPlace
VotesPoints
1Moisei"I'm Not Alone"15,393677
2OY Sound System"Oy, tuzhu"52,496278
3Demchuk"Alive"73,9364115
4Jerry Heil"When God Shut the Door"845,6579173
5Fiinka"Dovbush"611,1097134
6Krutь"Kolyskova"1033,6148182
7Tember Blanche"Ya vdoma"23,411359
8Angelina"Stronger"32,4241410
92Tone"Kvitka"44,681596
10Tvorchi"Heart of Steel"954,04110191

2024

In this edition, the public determined a wildcard entry through an online vote.[10] During the show, aired on 3 February 2024, the voting app crashed, causing the voting window to be extended to the following day.

R/OArtistSongJuryPublic vote (via Diia)TotalPlace
VotesPoints
1Yaktak"Lalala"6107,22710164
2Ingret"Keeper"815,2382106
3Nazva"Slavic English"214,8521311
4Anka"Palala"519,183498
5Drevo"Endless Chain"416,235379
6Alyona Alyona and Jerry Heil"Teresa & Maria"10723,29711211
7Mélovin"Dreamer"982,8389183
8Skylerr"Time Is Running Out"338,177697
9Ziferblat"Place I Call Home"1164,2768192
10Yagody"Tsunamia"762,2697145
11Nahaba"Glasss"123,5935610

2025

The final was held on 8 February 2025 with many veteran Ukrainian Eurovision performers as guests, including Alyona Alyona, Jamala, Jerry Heil, Kalush, Kateryna Pavlenko, Mélovin, Ruslana, Tina Karol, and Tvorchi. Artem Kotenko and Svitlana Tarabarova also performed "Hear Me Now," which finished in third place at Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2024.[11][12]

R/OArtistSongJuryPublic voteTotalPlace
VotesPoints
1Vlad Sheryf"Wind of Change"12,3021210
2Abiie"Dim"25,595359
3Molodi"My Sea"770,8859162
4Future Culture"Waste My Time"52,338278
5Masha Kondratenko"No Time to Cry"862,4398163
6Khayat"Honor"1044,2996164
7Fiїnka"Kultura"652,8587135
8Krylata"Stay True"411,726487
9Ziferblat"Bird of Pray"990,39010191
10DK Enerhetyk"Sil"319,556586

2026

R/OArtistSongJuryPublic voteTotalPlace
VotesPoints
1Valeriya Force"Open Our Hearts"48,571269
2Molodi"Legends"213,515468
3Monokate"Tut"612,902396
4The Elliens"Crawling Whispers"116,003567
5Laud"Lightkeeper"937,8639182
6Leléka"Ridnym"1060,05010201
7Mr. Vel"Do or Done"717,5226134
8Khayat"Hertsy"519,0077125
9Jerry Heil"Catharticus (Prayer)"835,7218163
10ShchukaRybа"Moia zemlia"36,4461410

Ratings

YearSemi-FinalFinalRef.
FirstSecondThird
20169.7%10.3%13.5%[13][14][15]
201710.6%8.8%8.2%9.1%[16][17][18][19]
20189.0%11.3%rowspan="3"13.9%[20][21][22]
201910.8%11.1%13.1%[23][24][25]
202010.7%10.4%13.3%[26][27][28]
2022colspan="3"3.83%[29]

Notes

  1. ^ Ukraine withdrew from the Eurovision Song Contest 2019 after Maruv and Suspilne were unable to reach an agreement on her participation in the contest as a result of controversy.
  2. ^ The 2020 contest was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
  3. ^ Runner-up of Vidbir 2016 as a lead vocalist of The Hardkiss.
  4. ^ Won Vidbir 2020 as a lead vocalist of Go A.
  5. ^ Voting extended to the following day due to a crash in the voting app.
  6. ^ Due to technical issues during the first performance, Cloudless had to perform their song again after all the other songs.

References

  1. ^ Mori, Yevheniy (30 August 2021). "Суспільне мовлення завершує співпрацю з СТБ в проведенні нацвідбору на Євробачення" (in Ukrainian). suspilne.media. Suspilne. Retrieved 24 September 2021.
  2. ^ "Суспільне самостійно проведе Нацвідбір Євробачення. Оголошено конкурс на телеверсію" (in Ukrainian). suspilne.media. Suspilne. 8 October 2021. Retrieved 9 October 2021.
  3. ^ "Results of the SMS voting on Vidbir 2016" (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 23 Feb 2018.
  4. ^ Omelyanchuk, Olena (21 February 2016). "Jamala will represent Ukraine in Stockholm!". eurovision.tv. European Broadcasting Union. Retrieved 21 February 2016.
  5. ^ "СТБ возьмет на себя все затраты по участию Джамалы на «Евровидении-2016»" (in Russian). stb.ua. STB. 23 February 2016. Retrieved 24 February 2016.
  6. ^ "Никаких гастролей по России: MARUV поставили условие для участия в Евровидении-2019". Lifestyle 24. 24 February 2019. Retrieved 24 February 2019.
  7. ^ "Ukraine's Maruv wins Eurovision national selection, sparking controversy (VIDEO)". Kyiv Post. 24 February 2019. Retrieved 24 February 2019.
    "MARUV have been set a number of conditions, among which no touring in Russia" (in Ukrainian). Ukrayinska Pravda. 24 February 2019. Retrieved 24 February 2019.
  8. ^ "Ukraine: UA:PBC confirm GO_A as Eurovision 2021 act". ESCToday. 2020-03-22.
  9. ^ Smith, David (22 May 2021). "Go_A will release Eurovision version of "SHUM" on 9 March". Wiwibloggs. Retrieved 22 May 2021.
  10. ^ "Суспільне розпочало Національний відбір на Євробачення-2024" [Suspilne has started the National Selection for Eurovision 2024] (in Ukrainian). suspilne.media. Suspilne. 2023-08-30. Retrieved 2023-08-30.
  11. ^ Stephenson, James (23 January 2025). "Ukraine: Vidbir 2025 Songs Released, Running Order Confirmed". Eurovoix News. Retrieved 24 January 2025.
  12. ^ Horlach, Polina (2025-02-06). "Відкриття фіналу нацвідбору-2025: на глядачів чекає виступ від 9 представників України на "Євробаченні" різних років" [Opening of the final of the 2025 national selection: the audience will be treated to a performance by 9 representatives of Ukraine at Eurovision of different years] (in Ukrainian). Suspilne Kultura. Retrieved 2025-02-07.
  13. ^ "Игры с долей. Кто запустил новый сезон, тот проиграл... сериалам на "Украине"". Archived from the original on 2024-12-08. Retrieved 2019-02-15.
  14. ^ "Игры с долей. Куда ведет "Лестница в небеса"". Archived from the original on 2023-04-08. Retrieved 2019-02-15.
  15. ^ "Игры с долей. Как СТБ и Плюсы обошли "Украину". И при чем тут футбол". Archived from the original on 2025-05-16. Retrieved 2019-02-15.
  16. ^ "Игры с долей. СТБ начинает и не выигрывает". Archived from the original on 2025-02-10. Retrieved 2019-02-15.
  17. ^ "Игры с долей. Новый сезон на Плюсах и взлет ICTV". Archived from the original on 2025-05-16. Retrieved 2019-02-15.
  18. ^ "Игры с долей. Новая "Лига смеха" и новая жизнь "пацанок"". Archived from the original on 2025-02-09. Retrieved 2019-02-15.
  19. ^ "Игры с долей. В бой за рейтинги вступает "Новый канал""
  20. ^ "Игры с долей. Нацотбор на "Евровидение" и олимпийский рывок "UA: Перший"". Archived from the original on 2024-12-04. Retrieved 2019-02-15.
  21. ^ "Игры с долей. Фигуристы, футболисты и "Евровидение"". Archived from the original on 2024-12-04. Retrieved 2019-02-15.
  22. ^ "Игры с долей. Новый сезон на "Новом канале"". Archived from the original on 2025-02-10. Retrieved 2019-02-15.
  23. ^ "Игры с долей. Порошенко - на «Украине», Медведчук - на «112». И Нацотбор на «Евровидение-2019»". Archived from the original on 2024-12-05. Retrieved 2019-02-15.
  24. ^ "Игры с долей. Парад сериальных премьер". Archived from the original on 2024-12-04. Retrieved 2019-02-21.
  25. ^ "Игры с долей. Эксперимент "Украины", финал Нацотбора на "Евровидение" и неудачи "Нового канала"". Archived from the original on 2025-02-10. Retrieved 2019-03-01.
  26. ^ "Телерейтинги: нацотбор на "Евровидение"". 11 February 2020.
  27. ^ "Телерейтинги: сериал "Не отпускай", двойная доза "Вещдока" и "Смертельное оружие"". 18 February 2020.
  28. ^ "Телерейтинги: финал нацотбора". 26 February 2020.
  29. ^ Mori, Yevheniy (2022-02-13). "Фінал Нацвідбору переглянули понад 2,5 млн глядачів на каналі UA: ПЕРШИЙ" (in Ukrainian). suspilne.media. UA:PBC. Retrieved 2022-02-13.