He’s the outrageous drag performer who gave Ukraine a second-place Eurovision finish in 2007. But now Verka Serduchka is under pressure from fans to take his new single “Make It Rain Champagne” to Eurovision 2020.
Verka released the single earlier this month — with the track coming in at a Eurovision-friendly 2:53. “Make It Rain Champagne” was also written by two Swedish songwriters: occasional national final contributor Andreas Öhrn and “Euphoria” co-writer Peter Boström.
However, things got interesting on a recent appearance on Ukraine TV show The Evening Premiere with Kateryna Osadchcha. There, Verka told the glamorous host that in case another Maruv-like scandal erupts around the Ukraine national final, “[his] song is, in principle, ready” for Eurovision.
On the show, Verka performed “Let It Rain Champagne” accompanied by a band, backing singers, dancers and his ever-present mother. They delivered an explosive performance which had the audience on their feet.
Some of Verka’s posse were wearing t-shirts reading “SEX / WORK / MAY” — a parody of an old Soviet-era phrase celebrating International Workers Day on 1 May. But we can’t help also thinking of May as the month of Eurovision.
Will Verka Serduchka represent Ukraine at Eurovision 2020?
This all screams Eurovision, but with Verka’s alter ego Andriy Danylko confirmed as a judge on Vidbir 2020 alongside Tina Karol, it seems unlikely that he could also compete in the Ukraine national final.
Another factor potentially holding back Verka from representing Ukraine is the Crimea clause. Following controversy with Maruv, participants in Vidbir 2020 must not have performed in the territory of the Russian Federation since 2014. They also can’t have entered Crimea “in violation of the legislation of Ukraine”.
Verka Serduchka performed in the Russian resort town of Sochi in 2015 — however, it has been his only appearance in Russia in the past 11 years.
Since his 2007 Eurovision appearance, Verka has kept busy. Most recently, he made an appearance at Eurovision 2019 as part of the “Switch Song” interval act, where he delivered his own take on Netta’s “Toy”.
Verka Serduchka – Make It Rain Champagne Lyrics
Make it rain champagne!
Sitting in the bathtub
Or riding on the train
Waiting at the bus stop
You gotta make it rain
Make it rain champagne!
Lonely in the desert
Or lost in space
You know it doesn’t matter
You gotta make it rain
Make it rain champagne!
Make it rain, make it rain
Make it rain, make it rain
Make it rain, make it rain
Make it rain champagne!
Make it rain champagne!
Make it rain champagne!
Dinner with your parents
Or out on a date
You know it doesn’t matter
You gotta make it rain
Make it rain champagne!
Going to the doctor
Or riding on a plane
You gotta keep on popping
You gotta make it rain
Make it rain champagne!
Make it rain, make it rain
Make it rain, make it rain
Make it rain, make it rain
Make it rain champagne!
Make it rain champagne!
Make it rain champagne!
We don’t need no umbrella
Grab a lady, grab a fella
All together we will make it rain
Make it rain champagne!
Make it rain, make it rain
Make it rain, make it rain
Make it rain, make it rain
Make it rain champagne!
(Repeat)
What do you think? Should Verka take “Make It Rain Champagne” to Rotterdam? Or should Ukraine send another act? Tell us your thoughts below!
send verka love it. good lively bop
send Verka that is excellent
No thanks. I think they should go for another song
The perfect New Year’s Eve song! This will defo be on when it’s the beginning of 2020! 😀 😀 😀
The main problem of this song is that Danilko’s English is very poor and in the mentioned TV show he sang with phonogram.
Enjoy and don’t try to be a Eurovision jury with this.
Well wiwibloggs has good taste though
Love Verka but this song is absolutely terrible and nowhere near as good as Dancing Lasha Tumbai.
Indeed it will not get a number 2 spot, you need a gyspy producer to get the same sound not a swedish one.
OMG! Khayat is confirmed his participation in Vidbir 2020! Yay!
He said the song will be out on early January, cant wait:))
He is Tina’ protege btw, so talented and unique young artist, and he speaks Arabic and English just perfect…swoon
Glad to see him back! He is amazing and very unusual singer for sure.
hope this time the host will not throw homophobic jokes about Khayat’ ‘too flamboyant’ look or about horrible attack that Khayat survived by local thugs , as i know after public outrage on social media the host did apologize to Andriy Khayat and to the viewers, really hope he has learnt his lesson
Hey NDR, can we please send this as our act from Germany? We need to start the decade with a success! 😉
why wiwibloggs posting this so called news after Andriy been officially announced as a first judge for Vidbir2020?
its obvious he is not gonna participate in NF next February … hype about nothing…ugh!
And I always and especially like your way of writing and chosen subjects Robyn. I appreciate your journalistic skills and work very much. Thank you!
Most novelty acts are really only meant for one shot at glory. Acts like Verka or the Babushkis really are only effective as a competing act one time, since by the second time you already know what the gag is. SunStroke Project is the exception that proves the rule.
Not sure. I think Verka’s comeback would be a complete success. Perhaps not when it comes to jury but it would do an impressive score with public for sure.
OMG, of course NOOO!!!! Please, Ukraine, send a perfect song not a trash like this. I love Verka so much, however this is not suitable for eurovision even for this year’s.
Please, organise the Vidbir 2020 and select the bestest song so we can vote for from Armenia.
Waiting for a great decision.
Love
Verka is amazing! But after placing second in 2007, I don’t know how effective it would be to send her again.
Personally, I want Freedom Jazz in Eurovision! “Cupidon” had so much fun and attitude <3
This is off topic but will S!sters not produce any more music together
This is not the most surprising thing I’ve ever heard. Didn’t we all call it back in May?
really? Good
Make It Rain Champagne,
2021 in Ukraine
The quality in Verka’s songs is far higher than in those screaming ballads in English. So I vote yes!
I feel Verka would either do worse a second time around or be like Sergey 2019, placing the same as first time.
Omg, please no. You’re part of history, cool, but don’t give us Rybak 2.0. Coming back with mediocre (at best) song and slaying juryvote because of name,
The song is so TRASH that it can do well, but Verka can’t participate in Eurovision., since he performed in Sochi in September 2018
it’s not a trash, it’s fun and joyful song
So basically Ukraine bans participants in Vidbir who perfomed in Russia, but allows Judges who have perfomed in Russia (Jamala, Andriy). Yeah it makes sense…
both Jamala and Andriy performed in Russia since 2014 only once in Sochy, both their contracts been concluded before annexation, they couldn’t refused it because they didn’t have enough money to pay off to Russian managers for cancelled concerts, since then they didn’t have any angageements or gigs in Russia.
What are you talking about???? Verka performed in September 2018 , 4 years after the annexation. The wife of the prime minister of Russia was there.
it’s a lie, link please
if you talking about private party of Igor Krutoy in Sochy, who is very close friend of Andriy and invited him as friend, yeah he sang there, but it wasn’t official public concert
https://youtu.be/TWXXMx0SXG4
https://youtu.be/ujCwOeaE8bI
yeah and Lazarev was there too, he posted on his Instagram how he loves and misses Andriy and how amazing that private party was, he also one of these rare Russian artists who never supported Putin’ regime and said that Crimea belongs to Ukraine ,also he always said that Jamala deserved her victory like nobody else.
I love Sergey :)))
There are links all over YouTube.
Press was everywhere and wife of Russian prime minister was there.
so what? it was private party anyway, not a concert, and it wasn’t Andriy who invited the guests it wasn’t his own party, why he should be responsible for any present guests on this event? lol
This would be BRILLIANT!
Scrap Vidbir, or take it away from Eurovision like A Dal and just send Verka!!!
Please Ukraine
Kazka ptobably will compete in Vidbir with ‘Palala’ or ‘”Your blood” song, can’t tell which I love more )
Im sure Verka is not gonna come back at ESC, at least not next year, Andriy is the best judge on Vidbir imho
Bless her. She’s already an icon, she shouldn’t be competing again but should be invited as an interval.
Why the dislikes though 😀 I mean she shouldn’t need to return as a competitor, just that.
Verka would be amazing <3
please not
hoping for Kazka with their new song : “Palala”
I don’t think “palala” is going to be their entry, they would have revealed it when they released the video imo
I think they’re going with “tvoyeyi krovi” (your blood) but i could be wrong
Anyway i just hope they will be part of eurovision 2020, they’re one of my favourite band in the world
interesting! We will see, they produce such great music so it almost doesn’t matter which song they’ll send since they are all great. Seriously they are soooo good!