"Shum" (Ukrainian: Шум, transl. "Noise") is a song by Ukrainian electro-folk band Go_A. It represented Ukraine in the Eurovision Song Contest 2021 in Rotterdam.[3][4] It is the second song sung entirely in Ukrainian to represent the country at Eurovision (the first being "Solovey" also by Go_A in 2020), but the first to compete in Eurovision due to the cancellation of the 2020 contest.
"Shum" | ||||
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Single by Go_A | ||||
Released | 22 January 2021 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 3:58 (original version) 3:02 (radio edit) 2:53 (Eurovision version) | |||
Label | Rocksoulana | |||
Songwriter(s) | ||||
Go_A singles chronology | ||||
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Alternative cover | ||||
![]() Eurovision version cover | ||||
Music video | ||||
"Shum" on YouTube | ||||
Eurovision Song Contest 2021 entry | ||||
Country | ||||
Artist(s) | ||||
Language | ||||
Composer(s) |
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Lyricist(s) | ||||
Finals performance | ||||
Semi-final result | 2nd | |||
Semi-final points | 267 | |||
Final result | 5th | |||
Final points | 364 | |||
Entry chronology | ||||
◄ "Solovey" (2020) | ||||
"Stefania" (2022) ► |
"Shum" qualified for the 2021 Eurovision final, where it finished in fifth place with 364 points. They were the runner-ups of the public vote, behind eventual winner Italy, with 267 points, including a maximum of 12 points from five countries.[5] The Eurovision version of the song took the lead in the global Spotify Viral 50 daily list on 24 May 2021, where it stayed until 1 June, and led the weekly list on the week of 27 May.[6] It entered the Billboard Global 200 on the week of 5 June, at position 158, becoming the first ever Ukrainian-language song to chart there.[7] On the same week, it peaked at number 80 on the Billboard Global Excl. U.S.[8]
Background
editThe lyrics of this song is a variation of Ukrainian folk songs which were sung in the "Shum" folk ritual.[9][10] The ritual involved a game and was performed in spring. According to some ethnographers, Shum refers to the god[9] or personification of the forest.[11] Etymologically, the name of the ritual probably comes from Proto-Slavic words šumъ ("noise") or šuma ("forest").[12]
Lead singer Pavlenko grew up in Northern Ukraine, and the song is inspired by the folklore of that region.[13]
Music video
editOn 22 January 2021, Go_A presented a music video for the song on the band's YouTube channel. Less than three weeks later, it reached 1 million views.[14] Pavlenko commented that the video was made with a phone camera and, despite the apparent pandemic theme, their intent was to just experiment and "shoot some funny video".[9] For the Eurovision version, they shot a new music video in a forest near the Chernobyl nuclear power plant.[15]
Eurovision Song Contest
editThe song was selected to represent Ukraine in the Eurovision Song Contest 2021 on 4 February 2021, after Go_A was internally selected by the national broadcaster UA:PBC. The previous year, they had won Ukraine's televised national selection. The semi-finals of the 2021 contest featured the same line-up of countries as determined by the draw for the 2020 contest's semi-finals. Ukraine was placed into the first semi-final, held on 18 May 2021, and performed in the second half of the show.
Eurovision version
editIn March, a new version of the song was released with a new music video. The original version was too long and borrowed lyrics from existing traditional songs, which is prohibited under Eurovision rules.[13] Pavlenko noted that the band struggled to cut the original version of the song to three minutes, so they decided to come up with a 'sequel'. Pavlenko explained that the original "Shum" was not written with Eurovision in mind and was intended for their concert tour after the cancelled Eurovision 2020. The purpose of the original track was to recreate the folk ritual at live performances with their audience.[16]
The new version of the song was adapted for Eurovision and is based on vesnianka folk songs. In Pavlenko's words, it was intended to have "more positive energy", since the original version, which is based on the folk ritual, is "a bit tense".[16]
Charts
editWeekly charts
editChart (2021) | Peak position |
---|---|
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[17] | 35 |
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[18] | 29 |
Czech Republic (Singles Digitál Top 100)[19] | 55 |
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[20] | 17 |
Germany (Official German Charts)[21] | 66 |
Global 200 (Billboard)[7] | 158 |
Greece (IFPI)[22] | 8 |
Iceland (Tónlistinn)[23] | 11 |
Ireland (IRMA)[24] | 37 |
Lithuania (AGATA)[25] | 3 |
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[26] | 19 |
Slovakia (Singles Digitál Top 100)[27] | 61 |
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[28] | 27 |
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[29] | 36 |
Ukraine Airplay (TopHit)[30] | 17 |
UK Singles (OCC)[31] | 59 |
UK Dance (OCC)[32] | 18 |
UK Indie (OCC)[33] | 8 |
US Hot Dance/Electronic Songs (Billboard)[34] | 20 |
US World Digital Song Sales (Billboard)[35] | 3 |
Year-end charts
editChart (2021) | Position |
---|---|
Ukraine Airplay (Tophit)[36] | 145 |
Chart (2022) | Position |
---|---|
Ukraine Airplay (TopHit)[37] | 141 |
Chart (2023) | Position |
---|---|
Ukraine Airplay (TopHit)[38] | 135 |
Release history
editRegion | Date | Format | Label |
---|---|---|---|
Various | 22 January 2021 | Self-released |
References
edit- ^ "Listen: Go_A release snippets of their three potential Eurovision 2021 entries...Selected song to be announced on Thursday". 3 February 2021.
- ^ "Ukrainian band Go_A present new song 'Shum' for Eurovision 2021 - KyivPost - Ukraine's Global Voice". 28 April 2021.
- ^ Kelly, Emma (11 February 2021). "Eurovision 2021: Who is competing in the Song Contest this year?". Metro. Retrieved 20 February 2021.
- ^ "Eurovision 2021 – Ukraine 🇺🇦 – Go_A – Shum". Eurovision France (in French). 6 February 2021. Retrieved 27 February 2021.
- ^ "Grand Final of Rotterdam 2021". Eurovision. Retrieved 23 May 2021.
- ^ "Spotify Charts". www.spotifycharts.com. Retrieved 3 June 2021.
- ^ a b "Billboard Global 200 Chart". Billboard. Retrieved 2 June 2021.
- ^ ""Вперше для україномовної музики": пісня "Шум" потрапила в американський чарт Billboard (фото)". Фокус (in Ukrainian). 2 June 2021.
- ^ a b c ""Порвали зелену шубу": про що насправді пісня "Шум" Go_A, яку Україна везе на Євробачення". BBC News Ukraine (in Ukrainian). 8 February 2021.
- ^ Smith, David (5 February 2021). "Ukraine: Can Go_A's "SHUM" go to Eurovision in its current form? Or will the folklore-inspired lyrics need to be re-written?". Wiwibloggs. Retrieved 15 March 2024.
- ^ Лідія Козар. Весняна обрядовість у виданні Б. Грінченка «Этнографические материалы, собр. в Черниговской и соседних с ней губерниях»: дохристиянські вірування і сучасний контекст. — Міфологія і фольклор, № 1 — 2012.
- ^ "ШУМ — ЕТИМОЛОГІЯ | Горох — українські словники". goroh.pp.ua (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 28 May 2021.
- ^ a b "Go_A "Shum" Lyrics in English - Ukraine Eurovision 2021". Wiwibloggs. 12 April 2021. Retrieved 29 May 2021.
- ^ Ten Veen, Renske (9 February 2021). "Ukraine: STB news programme reports that Go_A's "SHUM" will be revamped because of its folklore-inspired melody and lyrics". Wiwibloggs.
- ^ Бекстейдж кліпу Go_A для Євробачення-2021 ӏ HALLO, Євробачення. VLOG #1, retrieved 2 June 2021
- ^ a b "Прем'єра кліпу Go_A для Євробачення-2021 на Суспільному". UA:ПЕРШИЙ. 9 March 2021.
- ^ "Go_A – Shum" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 2 June 2021.
- ^ "Go_A – Shum" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 30 May 2021.
- ^ "ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Digital Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select 21. týden 2021 in the date selector. Retrieved 31 May 2021.
- ^ "Go_A: Shum" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat. Retrieved 31 May 2021.
- ^ "Go_A – Shum" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 28 May 2021.
- ^ "Official IFPI Charts – Digital Singles Chart (International) – Week: 21/2021". IFPI Greece. Archived from the original on 7 June 2021. Retrieved 7 June 2021.
- ^ "Tónlistinn – Lög" [The Music – Songs] (in Icelandic). Plötutíðindi. Archived from the original on 5 June 2021. Retrieved 3 July 2021.
- ^ "Official Irish Singles Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 28 May 2021.
- ^ "2021 21-os SAVAITĖS (gegužės 21-27 d.) SINGLŲ TOP100" (in Lithuanian). AGATA. 28 May 2021. Archived from the original on 28 May 2021. Retrieved 28 May 2021.
- ^ "Go_A – Shum" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 29 May 2021.
- ^ "ČNS IFPI". IFPI ČR. Note: Select SK SINGLES DIGITAL TOP 100 and insert 202122 into search. Retrieved 7 June 2021.
- ^ "Go_A – Shum". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 28 May 2021.
- ^ "Go_A – Shum". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 30 May 2021.
- ^ "Ukraine Airplay Chart for 2021-05-21." TopHit. Retrieved 28 May 2021.
- ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 29 May 2021.
- ^ "Official Dance Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 29 May 2021.
- ^ "Official Independent Singles Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 29 May 2021.
- ^ "Hot Dance/Electronic Songs Chart". Billboard. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
- ^ "Chart History – Go_A – World Digital Song Sales". Billboard. 2 January 2013. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
- ^ "City & Country Radio – Top Year-End Hits" (in Russian). Tophit. 2021. Retrieved 31 December 2021.
- ^ "Top Radio Hits Ukraine Annual Chart 2022". TopHit. Retrieved 30 December 2022.
- ^ "Top Radio Hits Ukraine Chart 2023". TopHit. Retrieved 1 January 2024.