Introduction

• Participant(s): MELOVIN
• Song: "Under the Ladder"
  
• Writer(s): Mike Ryals
• Composer(s): MELOVIN
• Broadcaster: UA:PBS
• Social media:    
• Team review: 

Last year we witnessed the 62nd Eurovision Song Contest from Kiev, what a great and unforgettable show it was. The Ukrainians are still hungry for more. This year they have also put a lot effort into a great national final called “Vidbir”. The lucky winner was the 21-years-old singer Melovin with the special looks – a bright eye and the song “Under The Ladder”. Even if there was another favourite Tayanna, Andriy Danylko alias Verka Seduchka accused that it was sung playback, hence Melovin could win with one point in the lead.

Kostyantyn Mykolayovych Bocharov was born in Odessa in 1997 and is gifted singer. His artist name is a combination of Halloween and Alexander McQueen the British fashion designer, who Melovin is a big fan of. He participated in talent shows like X Factor Ukraine and Ukraine Got’s Talent. In 2017 Melovin came third in the national final with the song “Wonder”.

The electro pop song “Under The Ladder” is radio-friendly and modern. He will also get support of the stage designer Konstantin Tomilchenko, who was responsible for the breath-taking stage design of Jamala’s winning entry “1944”. The Ukrainian entry is about bravery, not to let you bow from difficulties to reach your goals and dreams. We all have to live our lives with the twist of unpredictable circumstance, so take it with joy and love. This is another strong entry from last year’s host country Ukraine.

History

• Debut: 2003
• Participations: 16
• Victories: 2
• Finals: 14
• Top 10: 9
• Chances for Top 10 placing: 60%
• Chances for Final: 100%

Like no other country the Ukraine belongs to the most successful countries in recent history. In the short history, which all started in 2003, Ukraine could win two times, they always qualified for the Grand Final and there were nine Top10 rankings including two big victories. The Ukraine is participating for the 15th time at the Eurovision Song Contest this year in Lisbon. Kiev has proved as a great host country for a second time.

The debut year was 2003 when “Hasta la vista” by Olexandr reached a 14th rank. Only one year later, lovely Ruslana impressed Europe with her “Wild Dances”, she won the ESC immediately with her sweeping energy and great and unique choreography. After that Kiev hosted the 50th anniversary contest – a wonderful show indeed. Having the Eastern European countries in the ESC has been criticised a lot in those years as other Western European countries suffering from low rankings and felt disadvantaged. But the new and bigger contests has brought wonderful songs with a lot of new inspiration to the contest. So it’s a truly benefit to open the contest to more and more countries. This has paid off a lot. Last year’s entry “Time” by O. Tovald has only received 36 points and reached the 24th place.

Biggest successes

1x 1st place

• Ruslana | Wild Dances (2004)
• Jamala | 1944 (2016)

2x 2nd place

• Verka Seduchka | Dancing Lasha Tumbai (2007) 
• Ani Lorak | Shady Lady (2008)

1x 3rd place

• Zlata Ognevich | Gravity (2013)

Video Nostalgia

• “Hasta La Vista” | Oleksandr, Rank 14, Riga 2003 
• “Be my Valentine! (Anti-crisis Girl)” | Svetlana Loboda, Rank 12 (Final), Moscow 2009 
• “Be My Guest” | Gaitana, Rank 15 (Final), Baku 2012