Ukraine in the Eurovision Song Contest 2003

Ukraine was represented at the Eurovision Song Contest 2003 with the song "Hasta la vista", composed by Svika Pick, with lyrics by Mirit Shem-Or, and performed by Oleksandr Ponomaryov. The Ukrainian participating broadcaster, the National Television Company of Ukraine (NTU), internally selected its entry for the contest. The song was presented to the public on 21 March 2003. This was the first-ever entry from Ukraine in the Eurovision Song Contest.

Eurovision Song Contest 2003
Participating broadcasterNational Television Company of Ukraine (NTU)
Country Ukraine
National selection
Selection processInternal selection
Selection date(s)Artist: 13 February 2003
Song: 21 March 2003
Selected artist(s)Oleksandr Ponomaryov
Selected song"Hasta la vista"
Selected songwriter(s)
Finals performance
Final result14th, 30 points
Ukraine in the Eurovision Song Contest
2003 2004►

Ukraine competed in the Eurovision Song Contest which took place on 24 May 2003. Performing during the show in position 16, Ukraine placed fourteenth out of the 26 participating countries, scoring 30 points.

Background

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On 25 May 2002, the Ukrainian national broadcaster, the National Television Company of Ukraine (NTU), confirmed its intentions to debut at the Eurovision Song Contest in its 2003 edition after broadcasting the 2002 edition.[1] The broadcaster had previously planned to debut at the contest in 1993 and 1996.[2][3][4] NTU internally selected its debut entry for the 2003 contest.

Before Eurovision

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Oleksandr Ponomaryov (pictured in 2017) was selected to represent Ukraine in the Eurovision Song Contest 2003

Internal selection

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It was reported in October 2002 by website Esctoday that NTU had internally selected Oleksandr Ponomaryov to represent Ukraine in Riga.[5] Despite initially denying that an offer had been made by the broadcaster, Ponomaryov was confirmed as the Ukrainian entrant during a press conference on 13 February 2003.[6][7] On 14 March 2003, it was announced that Ponomaryov would be performing the song "Hasta la vista" at the Eurovision Song Contest.[8][9] The song, written by Svika Pick and Mirit Shem-Or, was selected from 52 proposals received by the singer and NTU from 20 composers worldwide.[7][10][11] Pick had previously written the Israeli Eurovision Song Contest 1998 winning song "Diva".[12] "Hasta la vista" was released on 21 March 2003.[13]

Promotion

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To promote "Hasta la vista" as the Ukrainian Eurovision entry, Oleksandr Ponomaryov performed during the Latvian Eurovision national final Eirodziesma 2003 on 1 February 2003.[14][15]

At Eurovision

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According to Eurovision rules, all nations with the exceptions of the bottom ten countries in the 2002 contest competed in the final on 24 May 2003.[16] On 29 November 2002, a special allocation draw was held which determined the running order and Ukraine was set to perform in position 16, following the entry from the United Kingdom and before the entry from Greece.[17] Ukraine finished in fourteenth place with 30 points.[18][19]

In Ukraine, the show was broadcast on Pershyi Natsionalnyi with commentary by reporter and television presenter Dmytro Kryzhanivskyi,[20][21] and radio DJ, producer and presenter Pavlo Shylko.[22][23] NTU appointed Liudmyla Khariv as its spokesperson to announce the Ukrainian votes during the final.[21]

Voting

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Below is a breakdown of points awarded to Ukraine and awarded by Ukraine in the contest. The nation awarded its 12 points to Russia in the contest.

References

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  1. ^ "Украина впервые стала участником конкурса "Евровидение"". www.segodnya.ua (in Russian). 2002-05-25. Retrieved 2023-11-16.
  2. ^ Šćepanović, Ivo (14 November 1992). "Za tri pjesme dvanaest natjecatelja" (in Croatian). Split, Croatia: Slobodna Dalmacija. p. 31. Retrieved 21 November 2022.
  3. ^ Vuković, Rozita (20 February 1993). "Kome povjerenje za Portorož?" (in Croatian). Split, Croatia: Slobodna Dalmacija. p. 55. Retrieved 21 November 2022.
  4. ^ Roxburgh 2020, pp. 255–260.
  5. ^ Bakker, Sietse (23 October 2002). "Oleksandar Ponomariov to represent the Ukraine". Esctoday. Retrieved 6 September 2022.
  6. ^ Opheim, Bjørn Erik (27 January 2003). "Oleksandar Ponomariov: "No offer received"". Esctoday. Retrieved 9 September 2022.
  7. ^ a b "Олександр Пономарьов представлятиме Україну на "Євробаченні-2003"" [Oleksandr Ponomaryov will represent Ukraine at Eurovision Song Contest 2003]. Detector Media (in Ukrainian). 13 February 2003.
  8. ^ "Ukraine". ESCKAZ - Eurovision Song Contest Knowledge from A to Z. 14 March 2003.
  9. ^ Rodrigues, Andre (13 March 2003). "Ponomariov to sing Hasta la vista in Riga?". Esctoday. Retrieved 6 September 2022.
  10. ^ Immonen, Martti (14 February 2003). "NTU received more than 50 songs". Esctoday. Retrieved 9 September 2022.
  11. ^ Borg, Luke (12 March 2014). "Malta/Ukraine: Ukrainian broadcaster chose Maltese song in 2003". Esctoday. Retrieved 9 September 2022.
  12. ^ Scharf, Isaac (14 August 2022). "Svika Pick, prolific Israeli singer-songwriter, dies at 72". ABC News. Retrieved 9 September 2022.
  13. ^ Opheim, Bjørn Erik (21 March 2003). "Ukraine: Hasta la vista online". Esctoday. Retrieved 9 September 2022.
  14. ^ Medinika, Aija (30 September 2003). "Latvian National Final on February 28, 2004". Esctoday. Retrieved 26 May 2022.
  15. ^ Наталия ЗАЯЦ (5 February 2003). "Филипп Киркоров помогает Александру Пономареву подобрать песню для конкурса «Евровидение»". fakty.ua. Retrieved 6 September 2022.
  16. ^ "RULES OF THE 2003 EUROVISION SONG CONTEST" (PDF). European Broadcasting Union. European Broadcasting Union. 20 November 2002. Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 April 2003. Retrieved 16 November 2013.
  17. ^ Bakker, Sietse (28 November 2002). "Draw to be made public Friday 17:00 CET". ESCToday.com. Retrieved 16 November 2013.
  18. ^ "Final of Riga 2003". European Broadcasting Union. Archived from the original on 7 April 2021. Retrieved 7 April 2021.
  19. ^ "Eurovision Song Contest : Ukraine 2003 : Olexandr, Hasta La Vista : ESC-History". Archived from the original on 9 October 2012.
  20. ^ "24 травня у прямому ефірі на Першому національному телеканалі транслюватимуть фінал «Євробачення-2003»". Detector Media. 16 May 2003. Retrieved 6 September 2022.
  21. ^ a b Polishchuk, Tetiana. ""Євробачення" — готовність № 1". The Day. Retrieved 4 March 2019.
  22. ^ "Украинская песня в ЕВРОвалюте: курс упал… на восток". Detector Media. Kievskiye Vedomosti. Retrieved 4 March 2019.
  23. ^ "DJ Паша: "У "Євробаченні" переможе темна конячка"". Vysokyi Zamok. Archived from the original on 4 February 2014. Retrieved 23 May 2013.
  24. ^ a b "Results of the Final of Riga 2003". European Broadcasting Union. Archived from the original on 7 April 2021. Retrieved 7 April 2021.

Bibliography

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  • Roxburgh, Gordon (2020). Songs for Europe: The United Kingdom at the Eurovision Song Contest. Vol. Four: The 1990s. Prestatyn: Telos Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84583-163-9.