Between 2018 and 2020, Ruslan Kvinta acted as the main musical producer of Ukraine’s Eurovision selection Vidbir. But after three seasons, the composer and producer has told Fakty that he wishes to step down from this role.
The role of musical producer is vital in Vidbir as it determines the direction of the actual show. The musical producer is the main person responsible in selecting the entries for the live shows.
Ruslan Kvinta steps down as a Vidbir musical producer
Earlier this year, the producer was one of the five internal jury members to choose Go_A’s Eurovision 2021 song.
Nevertheless, in his interview with Fakty, Kvinta revealed it would likely be his last involvement in the contest. He said:
“I want to say that the topic of Eurovision is closed to me. I don’t want to further work with that contest, in principle. It’s already not interesting to me anymore. It’s a beautiful contest and a great experience, but it is very straining on one’s health and energy. I did three seasons and that’s enough.”
Ruslan Kvinta and Vidbir
The role of Vidbir’s musical producer has consistently been filled by established names. Ruslan Kvinta took over from well-known producer Konstantin Meladze after he stepped down in 2017.
Kvinta started his role in 2018 as a household name in his native Ukraine. Before that, he contributed to the success of many artists in his native country. He was particularly involved with the rise of Eurovision 2018 star ALEKSEEV, for whom he wrote “Pyanoe solntse” in 2015.
Currently, the composer has achieved local chart success with “Poruch”, a collaboration between two-time Vidbir contestants KAZKA and ALEKSEEV.
The producer was no stranger to Eurovision either, as he also wrote Mika Newton’s 2011 entry “Angel”. That song eventually finished fourth in Düsseldorf.
During Kvinta’s time as a musical director, he had to deal with a lot of small and large drama. In 2019, Vidbir winner MARUV was unable to agree a contract with broadcaster UA:PBC for participation in Eurovision, eventually resulting in the country’s withdrawal from the contest.
The selection procedure for Ukraine at Eurovision 2022 remains unknown. There is a question mark over whether Vidbir will be used again. Ukrainian public broadcaster UA:PBC produces Vidbir in collaboration with commercial station STB. In 2018, the two broadcasters announced that their collaboration would at least last until 2021.
Are you sad that Ruslan Kvinta plans to step down from his Eurovision and Vidbir activities? Who would you like to take over his role? Let us know in the comments below!
He is tired about pick artists? Joke! In three, two was repeated.
Maybe Ukraine will now send more mainstream songs. Wild Dances was brilliant. Verka was so much fun. Jamala won because of the sympathy vote, but the last few years the song choice was miserable. Go_A …. I rest my case. And when they did have a possible winner like Maruv they screwed up completely.
Wild Dances and Dancing Lasha Tumnbai were internal selected 😉
Miserable is your personal opinion. 🙂
Every song except 2020 won because of the name of the artist. Jamala, O’Torvald, Melovin, Maruv have big fan bases.
Real competition started only in 2020 and that was amazing! And don’t you dare say anything disrespectful towards Go_A! They make us proud of our country!
dancing lasha Tumbai wasn’t internally selected
Ah, i see now. But Verka had a huge fan base. So again, there was no competition.
Maruv screwed it herself. She put her Russian label before 200+ million Eurovision audience. With that label she had 0 percent chance to go to ESC in the first place. She never was an option.
He did a fantastic job. Vidbir sometimes get stained by its extracurricular dramas, but the quality of the entries has been very high since I started following it. And he wasn’t afraid of allowing out of the box things to compete.
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He will be missed! Vidbir was a great selection. I remember everyone saying how it will rival Melodifestivalen one day. Shame the show was plague with too much controversy.
i wont miss him, lets replace him with someone who knows how to treat artists fairly #justiceformaruv
A musical producer doesn’t have that kind of power.
He has nothing to do with the Maruv drama.
Maruv decided to stick with Russia and Russian label instead of getting 200+ millions audience at ESC. Get over it!
good riddance. for what he did to my idol the wonderful and spectacular maruv, he doesnt deserve such a good job
that I agree with. it was after all the broadcaster’s fault.
He was behind casting the artists and their songs as musical producer and not in running the show itself (executive producer).
If anything, he likely was who field Maruv into that year’s line-up when Tayanna withdrew.
why would he have invited maruv when there was clearly a problem with her from UAPBC?? they added her in last minute and then stole the victory from her.. he is totally at fault
Television shows have producers doing different things and don’t often share the same responsibilities. Major decisions are done by a singular executive producer who oversees the whole production of the show.
A musical producer doesn’t have that kind of oversight. Plus STB produces Vidbir, not UA:PBC
The problem with UA:PBC arose AFTER she won.
the problem existed before she was selected.. she was denied the right to represent ukraine because she had links to russia. it’s not like her relationship and career in russia wasn’t apparent before she competed
Many established Ukrainian artists have links in Russia as its music industry there is the biggest in Eastern Europe and many aom to nake it big there.
Alekseev is in a similar situation as it is already unlikely he could represent his own country after what happened with Maruv. Previously, it was still possible fo any Ukrainian artist to take part regardless, including Jamala.
She got the hype from Vidbir, come on!
But they must’ve checked her Russian label before election, here i agree with you. She had 0 chances to go to ESC in the first place.
Ukraines going for their first non qualification this year
Honestly agree. This is the first year I’ve seen Ukraine so much in the bottom 5 of top lists on YouTube. But, Ukraine might qualify if semifinal 1 turns out to be like what semifinal 2 was in 2018.
Ukraine may qualify with help of the decent number of voting allies (Belarus, Russia, Azerbaijan. Italy, Israel, Lithuania) and potenially favorable position in 2nd half. Though I also find this entry weak after all, good staging can definetely save the act. Also agree on the estimation of this semi, definetely not a bloodbath considering what we’ve seen to date.
In 2017, O Torvald didn’t get a lot of points either. I think it will be the same for Go_A.
The countries which you mentioned gave points to O Torvald.
Also, O Torvald also had the favorable potion to perform in the 2nd half (in the finale). So, whether Ukraine has vote buddies, that doesn’t matter.
ukraine will qualify. poland almost did, and should have technically qualified in 2019 with a much weaker but similar style of song. ukraine will be top 7 in their semi because of televoting
Ukraine is a banger. If it doesn’t q I will be shocked.
Nice joke
he did great! hope Ukraine continues to be great. btw Tayanna already expressed her wish represent Ukraine next year!
Hopes she finds the right song to finally manage. She’s a great artist and a very powerful person!