After Saturday’s first semi-final in Ukraine’s Vidbir 2020 ended, judges Andriy Danylko and Vitaliy Drozdov discussed the show on the YouTube show SLUH.

Unlike semi-finals in past years, the Vidbir judges and the televoting public seemed to agree with one another this time. Both picked the same top three to go through the final of the country’s Eurovision 2020 selection, with both also awarding eight points to the semi-final winner Krutь.

As per tradition, the judges responded to comments and questions posed on social media in relation to their own comments and the show in general.

Ukraine’s Vidbir 2020 jury talk semi-final one

What a Eurovision song should be like

The jury is tasked with finding the best song. But they do not look for  entries that match a particular image or tick certain boxes. They search for a certain spontaneity or a song that speaks to their souls, rather than to their brains.

Drozdov said: “Imagine if we had all artists singing ponderous ballads with long gowns and wind machines. Is that not thought out either? It should rather be bright.”

Danylko adds: “I am slightly against. I am not of the old order, but I am in favour of the act being unusual and that it calls for certain emotions. When Lordi won Eurovision, they changed the status quo. Unusual acts can win.”

To that, he also says: “When Ruslana won, they all came in with drums the following year. Every single year, each country tries to copy the winner of the past year. That’s why there is a professional jury, who can balance out this phenomenon to its maximum extent.”

On Jerry Heil’s “Vegan”

During the broadcast, Vitaliy Drozdov disagreed with Andriy Danylko on Jerry Heil‘s entry “Vegan”. While the man behind Verka Serduchka doubted the quality of the entry, Drozdov came in to defend her. He described the song as part of the “drive of the new generation”. Eventually, Danylko only awarded Jerry five points, his fourth place.

Danylko said: “I judge the track. Even when I have to say something about the performance, I should say something about the song. Because Eurovision is after all about the song.”

Drozdov interjected, saying: “It’s about the song and the performance”.

Danylko concluded: “That’s clear. But without the song, there is no performance.”

Do they miss Jamala?

The Vidbir jury panel has changed consistently throughout the years due to scandals and fights. As a result, Andriy Danylko is been the only judge that has sat on the jury since the show’s inception in 2016. In the last two editions, Andriy Danylko sat alongside Jamala and Evhen Filatov, who were changed for Tina Karol and Vitaliy Drozdov for 2020.

“I was comfortable with Ruslana, with Konstantin Meladze, with all of them… I am nice person (smiles). I don’t know how it happened that I am the only one who’s left here,” answers Danylko.

Ukraine’s Vidbir 2020 semi-final one televoting results

Ukraine’s broadcasters STB and UA:PBC also released the percentage each contestant got from the televoting. The voting was carried out via SMS and the free Teleportal.

  1. Krutь with “99” – 22.69%
  2. Go_A with “Solovey” – 18.11%
  3. Jerry Heil with “Vegan” – 16.28%
  4. Cloudless with “Drown Me Down” – 14.75%
  5. Gio with “Feeling So Lost” – 8.84%
  6. Katya Chilly with “Pich” – 8.44%
  7. [O] with “Tam, kudy ya ydu” – 5.46%
  8. Assol with “Save It” – 5.43%

What do you make of the results of the semi-final one of Vidbir 2020? Do you agree with the comments from Andriy Danylko and Vitaliy Drozdov?

Follow all of our Ukraine Eurovision 2020 news.

12 Comments
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Ana
Ana
4 years ago

Lol, that guy saying that ”Vegan” represents the voice of the new generation is like those old people discovering Facebook 10 years after everybody got already tired of it and feeling so hype. Being vegan is nothing new or fresh, not to mention that the song is written terribly and the performer cant sing. Those bloggers/youtubers that go to ESC need a reality check. Youtube is trash, people watch this trash for free and don’t care about the quality of it. ESC is a huge live TV event where actual proffesional singers compete. Your dumb youtube hype doesn’t worth much… Read more »

James
James
4 years ago
Reply to  Ana

And yet we go to Youtube to watch ESC performances.

jeicjsjf
jeicjsjf
4 years ago
Reply to  Ana

bilal didn’t sing bad at all. maybe try some positivity, you’ll like it :))))

Ana
Ana
4 years ago
Reply to  jeicjsjf

Me being positive or not doesn’t make his dinging better, he was on a karaoke level and that’s a fact. Also my positivity levels don’t change the fact that 99% of the ”youtubers” are tallentless people who are being over hyped because they make free content and people are bored and have low standards for stuff they watch while they poo.

Bugo
Bugo
4 years ago

Tina Karol was so careful not to make harsh critique among the artists. She was really nice and helpful during the first semi. Though I think she has changed masively after her Eurovision participation as if she’s a brand new person now – more professional and (again) helpful among others.

Thomas
Thomas
4 years ago

Really like Go-A an it is very apparent that this year could be really anyone with Vibir, an Ukraine is giving us quality entertainment. Hopefully it stays drama free this year.

Film
Film
4 years ago

lol. that Verka has some nerve, doubting the quality of the song Vegan while his song was not better.

Lulu
4 years ago

They need a complete new system and get rid of that silly verka

stan culture
stan culture
4 years ago

The Ukrainian selection this year makes me kinda nervous. I have nothing against Ukraine as a country, but the broadcaster really messed up last year, let’s hope that was a one time thing.

Bruno
Bruno
4 years ago
Reply to  stan culture

so far so good )

Berta
Berta
4 years ago

Danylko is the best)))

Peter KDVF
Peter KDVF
4 years ago
Reply to  Berta

For giving Go-A (with the coolest song in the competition!) the highest points!