A few days before the start of the Russian war in Ukraine, the band Kalush Orchestra found out about their participation in the Eurovision Song Contest. The band won the competition on Saturday night. Now they have to go back to their homeland – and the male musicians to the war.
Almost forgotten, “Stefania” is a love song to a mother. He has not yet been able to speak to his mother, says the founder and singer of the Kalush Orchestra, Oleh Psiuk, after his triumph at the Eurovision Song Contest (ESC). But she texted him “that she’s really proud of me and really happy.”
Pride and happiness are what Psiuk and his bandmates wanted to inspire in their homeland suffering from Russia’s onslaught. In the days leading up to the grand finale in Turin, Italy, the men repeatedly spoke of a great deal of responsibility – and of wanting to ward off Russia’s attack on Ukrainian culture and music.
Despite being the clear favourites, the musicians were unsure of their victory. But when they got first place, Psiuk thought first of his countrymen. “This victory is for all Ukrainians,” shouted the rapper, holding the trophy.
Psiuk is not only the founder, but also the frontman of the Kalush Orchestra and visually a dazzling figure. In normal ESC times, the look would be the normal fun madness of the music competition, now the Kalush Orchestra closely accompanies the war at home.
Although the artists are forbidden from making political statements, at the end of his performance Psiuk pleaded for support for his homeland – for immediate support. His appeal should be spread everywhere so that the heads of government finally act, he said after the ESC victory.
As political as the Kalush Orchestra’s performance was, the song “Stefania” was actually not intended to be political. Psiuk wrote the winning title long before the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine began in February. “It’s a song about my mother,” says the rapper. They didn’t always have a good relationship. The song is the best thing he’s ever done for her.
Instead of being a hymn to the mother, “Stefania” is now also perceived as a song about the war because of one line. “I will always come to you, even if all roads are destroyed,” says the Ukrainian song, which musically mixes strong folkloric elements with rap.
Psiuk founded the group in 2019, when he was looking for comrades-in-arms on Facebook. Ihor Didenchuk, a multi-instrumentalist, and Vlad Kurochka, a dancer, answered. As a trio, they developed a mix of rap and folk with traditional Ukrainian music. The band grew and got more members – the Kalush Orchestra stuck to his style.
They only found out that they were allowed to start in Turin a few days before the Russian attack on their home country. Because in the Ukrainian preliminary round they only ended up in second place. But the winner had to withdraw after a trip to Russia-annexed Crimea became known.
Had it been strictly under martial law, the band members would not have been allowed to travel to Turin. Because men between the ages of 18 and 60 are currently not allowed to leave their homeland. The group received a special permit for the ESC.
This ends now. Psiuk says he will return on May 16th – Monday. The return day is his 28th birthday. As soon as he and his band are back, he wants to spend time with his girlfriend, his mother and his family.
For him, as for all Ukrainian men, what comes next will be dictated by the war at the moment. “We are ready to fight,” says Psiuk, who has to go to war with his bandmates from the ESC show stage.
