Go_A Ukraine Solovey Eurovision 2020

The Wiwi Jury — our in-house panel of music unprofessionals — continues to rate and review the 41 songs that had been selected for Eurovision 2020. Next up, we take a look at the winner of Ukraine‘s Vidbir 2020 Go_A and their song “Solovey”. Did we enjoy this birdsong? Read on to find out!

Go_A – “Solovey”

“Solovey” reviews

Åri: Now my second-favourite of ESC 2020, I had such a hard time accepting this as a favourite in the beginning. When you’re not familiar enough with the song, it’s a lot of screaming and random folk elements squished together. Then, it gets stuck in your head. For me, this process started the day after it won Vidbir. I memorised the lyrics by heart and started enjoying every second. It’s got the same lyrical theme as Finland 2017 and the same vocal style as Poland 2019 but the powerful electro-folk instrumentals win my heart. I’m curious to see what Go_A have in store for 2021.

Score: 9.5

Esma: I’d like to blame my lack of understanding but ‘’Solovey’’ just isn’t my cup of tea. I like the instrumental part of this song, but the vocals have turned me off. The song is too complex and there is too much happening. The chorus baffles me — I am waiting for an uplifting moment and it is simply not coming. However, I appreciate Go_A’s effort for creating a folklore aesthetic. Without a doubt, ‘’Solovey’’ is an original song.

Score: 4.5

Renske: “Solovey” is a song that not many will get, but those who get it know it is an extremely cleverly written song. Combining classical folk elements of Ukrainian poetry with modern-day music is no easy feat, but Go_A pull it off. This does not only show that they are extremely artistic, but also that they are extremely talented.

Score: 8.5

Robyn: I kind of like “Solovey” but a lot of the time it feels like there’s too much going on with the song. Weirdly, the strongest parts of the song are the quiet musical interludes, rather than the full-on bits where vocals and different instruments battle for supremacy. There’s a lot of potential here, but the finish product doesn’t quite get there.

Score: 6.5

Tom: I love Eastern European folk music and Go_A certainly serve up some proper Ukrainian folk goodness with a modern twist. It’s clearly not for everyone but you cannot deny its originality. The verses are definitely stronger than the chorus — I would have been more satisfied with a drop or something a bit more uplifting.  I understand they wanted their costumes to have a modern aesthetic but I just wished that they were wearing something a bit more traditional with a modern flavour, in keeping with the song to make it more authentic. Either way, Go_Ukraine!

Score: 8

 

Go_A – “Solovey”

In the Wiwi Jury we have 22 jurors but only have room for five reviews. The remaining scores are below:

Angus: 5

Antranig: 5.5

Barnabas: 7

Bernardo: 4

Calvin: 6.5

Deban: 3

Florian: 8

Jonathan: 7.5

Lucy: 7

Luis: 8

Natalie: 6.5

Oliver: 10

Pablo: 6.5

Ron: 7

Sebastian: 3

Tobias: 6

William: 7.5

We have removed the highest and lowest scores prior to calculating the average. This is to remove outliers and potential bias. We have removed a low of 3 and a high of 10.

Wiwi Jury verdict: 6.6/10

What do you think of this song? Share your own score and review below!

See all our Eurovision 2020 reviews and rankings

30 Comments
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Josh Sterling
Josh Sterling
3 years ago

I will give a 6.5/10 for this

ESCFan2009
ESCFan2009
3 years ago

Ukraine – 2/10 (39th/41)

Shanfa Chai
Shanfa Chai
3 years ago

I hope Go_A could come up with something as good as “Solovey” for ESC 2021.

This song is great already. Thank goodness for Ukraine for deciding to send Go_A again.

Briekimchi
Briekimchi
3 years ago

I like this song but I don’t love it. Along with many others, it’s the vocals I find off-putting. Like Poland last year, it’s interesting for about half the song but without some sort of vocal variety, it’s just too much to take across three minutes. The song itself doesn’t compensate for this as it is pretty full-force throughout its duration. I think it could’ve made just as much impact and been a better overall package had it been a minute shorter in length.

HĂŠctor
HĂŠctor
3 years ago

I’ve always enjoyed a mix of traditional and modern music. The song would fit in any soundtrack of those medieval strategy videogames. The problem for me here is her voice, too strident. I prefer low-pitched voices. But I’m always glad to have something different in Eurovision. 1. Switzerland – Gjon’s Tears – RĂŠpondez-moi (9.25) 2. Australia – Montaigne – Don’t break me (8) 4. Romania – Roxen – Alcohol You (8) 5. Spain – Blas CantĂł – Universo (8) 7. Bulgaria – Victoria – Tears Getting Sober (7.5) 11. Italy – Diodato – Fai rumore (6.75) 13. Slovenia – Ana… Read more »

Zelenovi
Zelenovi
3 years ago

This is one of these rare Eurovision songs where I genuinely don’t care where it would have finished or who likes it. I love it and I’ve listened to it a hundred times already. Thank you Go_A for bringing this into our lives!

Mia
Mia
3 years ago
Reply to  Zelenovi

Absolutely agree.

Muhammad Rafeh
Muhammad Rafeh
3 years ago

I’m not surprised with deban, he didn’t like it in the Vidbir video, too bad he’s missing on this masterpiece.

Muhammad Rafeh
Muhammad Rafeh
3 years ago

This song is amazing! It was my favorite this year. I do get why people don’t like this song because they think its ‘screaming’ buy I totally disagree. I really thought it would end up higher in the jury rankings because they’re ‘professional’ and would understand it much better.

Polegend Godgarina
Polegend Godgarina
3 years ago

ukraine’s first song of this kind in their eurovision history, and also the only song of its kind in this edition. traditional and contemporary at the same time, which isn’t easy to achieve. bonus point for the fact that the singer looks like a literal solovej!

Mia
Mia
3 years ago

I see Trinity from Matrix too 😀

Purple Mask
Purple Mask
3 years ago

The music of this song is very good. I like how the trad instrumentation and melodies are set to modern beats. I really love the change-up at the end to half-dubstep; inspired. Sadly, I’m not a fan of “white voice” singing, so overall this one is outside my personal Top 10. But I do appreciate the music, nevertheless.

Markus
Markus
3 years ago

I really like this entry a lot, the singing and also the aesthetic, mainly in black and red. I prefer when Ukraine comes with this kind of entries instead like last year with Maruv’s vulgar porno pop song, which I didn’t like at all.

Stephanie
Stephanie
3 years ago

This is for me one of the best entries of this year!!!

Adres
Adres
3 years ago

My favourite. Katya’s vocals are impactful, but in a good way. The flute is hypnotizing and the beat makes me feet tap. Performance in Vidbir Final was close to perfection.

Idksmth
Idksmth
3 years ago

Ukraine being bold and out there again. I love it. An ethnic song mixed with modern elements and production together. Her voice is similar to Tulia’s style of singing but I think this has more appeal than them because it’s a more unusual and more modern and more unheard of. I feel like the staging would need rework to make this song more accesible and more visually interesting but even with this staging it is amazing. I love Ukraine doing things their own way and this even if to some wasn’t the best choice in Vidbir this year, this is… Read more »

Odysseas
Odysseas
3 years ago

Ukraine being original again. So nice seeing them sharing their culture. The song is really good, classic traditional. Vocals are really good too, love the “white singing”. With a right staging, it could be in top 10.

Overall:8.5/10 (12th)

Mia
Mia
3 years ago

I really love this genre, combination of folk, electronic and rock sounds, but it’s very risky to do it because results often can be over the top or even worse tacky circus of stereotypes which I absolutely despise. Go_A is doing it in the right way, you can feel sincere respect for traditional sounds, but not stucked in the past at the same time, perfectly blending good elements of both “worlds”. Katya’s vocal is hypnotising and performance of the band is absolutely amazing, it’s in my playlist from the start. I absolutely love their live shows, which I find on… Read more »

Mr X
Mr X
3 years ago

Ukraine 7/10

Skiwalko
Skiwalko
3 years ago

The name of the band – Go_A – means “return to the roots”. And they do indeed incorporate old folk tunes and tales into their entry, in an impressively artful and electrifying manner at that. “Solovey” is a daring and uncompromising song that “attacks” the listener with a spate of agressive, intense, piercing and robust sounds. You may fall in love with that musical storm, you may find it insufferably annoying – “Solovey” doesn’t leave anyone indifferent, and that, in my opinion, deserves a lot of admiration. 7/10

Colin
Colin
3 years ago

UKRAINE – It’s like an unusual lovechild of Blackbird and Fire of Love and I absolutely love it! Both modern and traditional, dark and light, Solovey really brings something different to the contest. It uses the forbidden love narrative to serve as a sort of a folk legend. It really feels like a tale transferred through generations. While it has some quite dark undertones, it also gives us hope that this love might work. Instrumental is fascinating, combining traditional flute with contemporary electronic sounds. Ukraine has always been fairly good in the contest, but this must be one of their… Read more »

Thanos
Thanos
3 years ago

Sorry I just can’t stand this song, I find it just annoying, although I do recognise the fact that it has an ethnic background. Reminds me so much of Tulia from last year which was my last year’s last place. My top so far: 1. Switzerland 2. Italy 3. Romania 4. Bulgaria 5. Croatia 6. United Kingdom 7. Norway 8. — 9. -–10. Denmark 11. Russia 12. Australia 13. Albania 14. Finland 15. Israel 16. Ireland 17. Moldova 18. Estonia 19. — 20. –21. Belgium 22. — 23. Poland 24. Georgia 25. Czech Republic 26. — 27. Slovenia 28. France… Read more »

Roelof Meesters
Roelof Meesters
3 years ago

What! Only a 6.6?? This is just excellent. Every Eurovision should have an entry like this and I’m so glad that Ukraine is singing fully in Ukrainian for only the first time. This would have been fantastic on the live stage and this entry even further solidifies Ukraine as my absolutely favourite Eurovision country. This is my 2nd fave behind Israel, and it has definitely earned it’s place in my playlist. 10/10

From Czech Republic in love with Ukraine
From Czech Republic in love with Ukraine
3 years ago

I absolutely agree

Emily
Emily
3 years ago

It’s great to see a song fully in Ukrainian and I absolutely love it. For me it stands out from a lot of the other more up-tempo songs (+ the end few seconds are my favourite part) and I’m glad that Go_A are coming back next year. I can’t wait to see what they’ll do for 2021.

Mia
Mia
3 years ago
Reply to  Emily

I listened “Zhalmenina” which they sang at Pre-Party Spain, I like it even more that Solovey, they can go with more metal sounds and I’m in 😀

Kosey
Kosey
3 years ago

9. Ukraine – 8.5/10 – a mysteriously floaty flute-driven introduction leads into a striking and powerful ethnic vocal which entwines itself perfectly with the electronic beat. A captivating and intoxicating performance builds to a satisfyingly dramatic conclusion, even if it is a shame the rockier elements were toned down in the revamp. There is a lot to like here.

Colin
Colin
3 years ago
Reply to  Kosey

My 4th! One match found! Two to go…

Paul
Paul
3 years ago

This is very much a shower rather an a grower. I loved it when I first heard it but after a while I got bored of it. Maybe it’s even a shrinker….

Ashton
Ashton
3 years ago

I love this song. Ethnic folk-pop perfection.