The Hardkiss, perhaps the hottest musical act in Ukraine at the moment, have today released “Helpless”, their track for Ukraine’s Eurovision 2016 national selection.
The band will compete in the first semi-final on February 6 and ahead of that they took the time to send wiwibloggs and our partners at OGAE Ukraine a delightful little message. “We are very glad to participate in the Ukrainian semi final for the Eurovision Song Contest,” front-woman Julia Sanina says. “Our song is called ‘Helpless’ but it’s about power and love.”
Interestingly, they wrote the song a few years ago, but have only decided to present it publicly now. They tell us that they see the song as an experiment — and one with very powerful energy.
It’s doused in mystery and has a swirling, intoxicating effect. Julia’s rich vocals really smoulder and the expensive production help showcase her power. On Saturday you won’t just hear it live — you will feel it, especially when she switches to Ukrainian toward the end.
“Helpless” — The Hardkiss
Why we love The Hardkiss
Ukraine: Voting Procedure and rules
Today is momentous for another reason, as Ukraine’s STB clarified some details of the voting procedure and rules and regulations.
As we previously reported, Ukrainians will have one-hour to vote after all the performances have finished.
In each semi final the jury — that’s Konstantin Meladze, Ruslana and Andrij Danylko — will rank the nine songs in order. Their top pick receives nine points, their second pick receives eight points, etc. In the event of a tie, the televote breaks it.
STB will not charge televoters for their SMS votes. Only fees from their mobile operator will apply.
The show will follow a one-vote-per-phone-number rule.
You will be able to see the televoting results on www.stb.ua immediately after the show.
Unlike in Belarus and Malta, the winning act may not replace their song for Eurovision. Tweaks, we presume, are fine.
Perfect song. Nobody wants next Ukrainian diva with pop like every year. Ukraine should show something different, not different for Ukraine, but different for whole Eurovision. That’s what everyone expects now. Interesting band with unusual image and huge stage show. And their music is very original. We have winner, others can go home. THE HARDKISS!
amazing song, full of feeling. choose this ukraine and you have a real chance of winning it all in stockholm. good luck from romania!
I love it! Really dark, moody and interesting, just what we need.
If the stage performance is what I THINK it could be, the possibilities for the Hardkiss could be enormous. I can imagine what this performance would sound like with a rock guitar dominating the chorus.
Hardkiss is definitely on my top 3 for the Ukrainian NFs this year along with Viktoria Petryk and Anastasia Prikhodko. The three seem to be the only ones who are seriously aiming to slay it on the Ukrainian NFs or even in the Eurovision if one of them made it up to there. Hardkiss could definitely land Ukraine a Top 3 Eurovision finish with their attempt to choose a genre that Ukraine does not usually send, no doubt!
A little disappointing. I was expecting more!
I love it
It’s not, it’s not me, it’s Jamala. Yeah baby!
Jamala’s song is just A R T. Top 10 for sure.
Both The Hardkiss and Jamala have potentially winning songs, and yet there is even more goodness to come from others in Ukraine’s National Final! This is astonishing. I’m genuinely in awe.
Both Jamala and The Hardkiss have great entries, this will come down to who has a better performance.
I would of liked a slightly more aggressive/rock vibe to it like in other songs of theirs, but I think the song was written to be more understood to the larger ESC audience. They knew not everyone likes rock and this was a smart way to blend the two. I hope they win!
PURE ART I AM IN HEAVEN
I like it, but I LOOOOOVE Jamala !!!!
https://soundcloud.com/mamamusicnet/nuangels-higher-official-audio-eurovision-2016
That’s awesome ! potential top 5 here.
A nice ballad! Not bad but nothing special for sure.if that wins the selection I won’t be surprised if it is going to be the first that Ukraine will not qualify to the final.
I prefer Jamala too. I hope they choose her, even if it probably means she will have to change the title of the song due to the historical references.
Hardkiss is way over the top while Jamala sounds much more distinctively ukrainian.
Such a shame that so many people have a bad taste. The song is really genius and it literally makes me cry and gives me goosebumps. The vocals are amazing
Potential winner with good staging, one of the best national final attempts yet.
I was looking forward to listening this song, but I’m dissapointed right now… A lot of Ukranian entries this year are about peace, it’s okey but I was expecting something more from Ukraine. Especially, I thought The Hardkiss song would bring a huge show as they’ve done with other songs and It’s still an okey song, but now I’m hopeless. As I said yesterday, Ukraine had an ESC winner, no more tbh.
I find Hardkiss’ effort nothing special, a song isn’t good simply because it’s different than the others.
Jamala’s song on the other hand is breathtaking, it transports you to the Eastern plains immediately. If she can do that live it’s a really strong entry.
Helpless would definitely be one of the more interesting Ukrainian entries. Ukraine usually proudly sends cheap girls with too much make-up on, and I hardly can’t discern them from professional hookaz. So I applaud Ukraine for this not yet official choice to ESC. It is a guaranteed Top 5, mostly thanks for being from Ukraine. If smug Western jurors don’t kill it, it could be a serious contender for the win.
For my personal taste it is too Gothic and my Ukrainian number 1 Zlata is not at all in danger to get thrown off her throne.
Winner. Right here. What an A M A Z I N G song. I am loving it! This will get a LOT of attention between your boring Mans´ Clones and Swedish written Zzzfest, Kiev 2017? It will at least be top 3 for sure.
Both “Helpless” and “1944” are AMAZING! Ukraine can easily win it all with good live performances of those songs. Good luck!
It’s very “The Hardkiss” but I doubt it qualifies as a Eurovision material. I think a lot of people are expecting that the band will perform a song similar to “Tony, Talk!” or “Make-Up”
I was so much lucking forward to listening their song. I love their previous tracks but this is a HUGE disappointment.
A depressive ordinary ballad that goes nowhere and will be lost among 25 entries.
>It sounds like an Eurovision winner.
Is it a joke? The song is awful.
Jamala beats The Hardkiss easily
Front-woman`s name is Julia Sanina, not Sedinova.
LOVE IT!!!!
Sounds like something Ukraine or Russia would have sent back in the 00’s
Disappointed is all I can say.
Bring back Gaitana or Zlata!
Both The Hardkiss and Jamala’s songs are amazing wow I expect great things from my favourite ESC country 😀
Jamala’s song is also now out: https://soundcloud.com/jamala/1944a I’ve only listened to each once but neither feels like a winner, although both feel like staging could go a long long way to change that. I definitely prefer Jamala’s, although I was always going to, her voice just pierces through me. Helpless feels like a story of grief; 1944 feels like an honest expression of grief. Both are slow and neither has a ‘moment of epic’, but both can change that on stage. Helpless: 7/10 – I’d be OK with this winning, but they have much better songs than this. 1944: 8.5/10… Read more »
Great song. It sounds like an Eurovision winner.
The song is so unusual and unexpected from them 😮 It reminds me of “Birds”, also sometimes “Love is Dead” by Ruth. Anyway, this doesn’t sound like anything we heard before on eurovision stage, so I really want them to win!
Besides that, I would mention song of Jamala that is equally strong.