Introduction

• Participant(s): VAL
• Song: Da Vidna
  
• Writer(s): Mikita Naidzenau
• Composer(s): Vladislav Pashkevich & Valeria Gribusova
• Broadcaster:  BTRC
• Social media:       
• Team review: 

This year there has been another national final in Belarus called “Eurofest 2020” but there has not been a clear winner who was the favourite of both the juries and the Belarussian public, at the end the “lucky third” has made the race. The duo VAL could win the ticket to Rotterdam. Unfortunately, this year there won’t be a Eurovision Song Contest due to the worldwide Corona crisis. The national broadcaster BT has not stated that VAL have the chance to go next year.

The duo VAL (VAL Music Project) consists of Valeria Gribusova (vocals) and Vladislav Pashkevich (keyboard) which was founded in the year 2017. Their music style can be described mix of house, R&B, pop and hip-hop. Valeria is educated in song writing and dancing at the Belarusian State University of Culture and Arts and comes from Mogilev (born in 1995). Vladislav Pashkevich is a music producer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist. He has also produced the entry for Belarus in 2017 “Historyja majho zyccia” by Naviband and reached a 17th place in the Grand Final of Kiev.

VAL is working together with the producers of Tone Twins. The first single “Кто ты есть”  was released in 2016 and the first album В моей комнате in 2017.

Have a look at this song: Ветер во сне 

The unusual song “Da Vidna” means before dawn and sounds quite harmonic in the acoustic version. With a solid presentation on stage this would have place well in this year’s ESC. Something modern and unusual is always welcome at Eurovision.

History

• Debut: 2004
• Participations: 17
• Victories: 0
• Finals: 6
• Top 10: 1
• Chances for Top 10: 6%
• Chances for Final: 35%

For Belarus it would have been the 17th time in the Eurovision Song Contest, but due to the Corona pandemic the ESC has been cancelled. Even if Belarus has 17 songs by now, many TV viewers who are not watching Semi Finals on a regular basis, it will be delusory as Belarus has only been six times in the Grand Final so far in the past 17 years.

That’s due to the low chances Belarus has to qualify. Too many songs have been too unaccustomed for the Europeans, even if the composers try to make the songs as modern as possible. The majority of the high votes came from the friendly ex-Soviet neighbour countries.

The debut entry in 2004 “My Galileo” by Aleksandra & Konstantin made a 19th place but in the Semi Final only. In the short history of Belarus in the ESC there was one Top10 entry – the 6th place – “Work Your Magic” by Koldun in 2007. This song has been composed by the famous Russian ESC guru Philip Kirkorov. This makes a realistic chance of 35% for Belarus to reach the Grand Final and a chance of 6% for a top 10 position.

Last year Belarus’ entry “Like It” by Zena made a surprising and unexpected jump into the Grand Final in Tel Aviv and ended on the 24th position.

Biggest successes

• 1x 6th place
  “Work Your Magic” |Dmitry Koldun (Helsinki 2007)

Video Nostalgia

• “Love Me Tonight” | Angelica Agurbash
  Rank 13 (Semi Final), Kiev 2005
  
  
• “Hasta La Vista” | Ruslan Alehno
  Rank 17 (Semi Final), Belgrade 2008
  
  
• “Cheesecake” | Teo
  Rank 16, Copenhagen 2014