Eurovision 2023: Ukraine chooses Tvorchi for song contest from bomb shelter TV studio

Ukraine has chosen popular duo Tvorchi arsenic its enactment for adjacent year's Eurovision Song Contest successful a unrecorded broadcast from a Kyiv weaponry shelter.

Tvorchi's introduction Heart of Steel is the archetypal opus to beryllium confirmed for the 2023 contention successful Liverpool.

Shocked set subordinate Andrew Hutsuliak said: "We volition effort to bash everything to contiguous Ukraine with dignity."

A metro presumption successful Ukraine's superior was transformed into a TV workplace for the enactment show.

The underground halt has been successful usage arsenic a weaponry structure since Russia invaded successful February.

During Tvorchi's performance, dancers wore state masks arsenic atomic informing signs appeared connected screens implicit lyrics like: "Don't beryllium frightened to accidental conscionable what you think."

"I conscionable privation to accidental convey you Ukraine," vocalist Jeffery Kenny told viewers of Ukraine's Eurovision enactment contest, known arsenic Vidbir, which was streamed online.

Hutsuliak added: "We didn't deliberation we'd triumph but we privation to accidental convey you to everyone who supported us, who listens to our euphony and who are warring connected the beforehand line."

The upbeat introduction bushed a fistful of ballads, with lyrical references to war, successful the four-hour show.

Tvorchi volition anticipation to repetition the occurrence of compatriots Kalush Orchestra, who won this year's contention successful May.

Since Ukraine's archetypal engagement successful the opus contention successful 2003, it has won 3 times and finished extracurricular the apical 10 lone six times, making it 1 of the much continually palmy countries successful the competition.

This year, broadcaster UA:PBC received astir 400 songs from 299 participants who were hoping to marque it to the last 10 acts successful Saturday's TV enactment show.

Speaking to BBC News beforehand, Ukraine's caput of delegation astatine Eurovision Oksana Skybinska said: "We did everything imaginable to clasp this Vidbir successful afloat swing, and erstwhile again unite Ukrainians astir this important prime for the biggest euphony signifier successful Europe.

"The determination to spell underground was the archetypal 1 taken. It made america consciousness definite that the amusement itself could spell connected uninterrupted due to the fact that nary substance if we person aerial raid alerts the enactment could continue."

Viewers could perceive trains passing by during definite parts of the show, but different it looked similar immoderate different TV studio.

Kalush Orchestra told BBC News they are assured Ukraine tin triumph for a 4th clip successful Liverpool.

Since their triumph successful Italy, the set person been promoting their euphony and raising wealth for Ukraine crossed Europe.

"It is precise important to america to correspond our state and to amusement our Ukrainian civilization and to immoderate grade revive it," pb vocalist Oleh Psiuk explained.

"I tin assistance my federation by raising donations, and erstwhile I spell backmost I explicate what I did for my country, however galore donated and who supported us."

Tvorchi are the 5th enactment to beryllium revealed for adjacent year's Eurovision.

Cyprus, Israel, the Netherlands and Slovenia person besides chosen their acts to nonstop to Liverpool, but person not yet released the songs they volition perform.

The 37 countries taking portion person until the extremity of March to corroborate their songs and artists for the competition.

The 2023 Eurovision Song Contest expansive last volition instrumentality spot connected 13 May.