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ESC winner 2022: The Kalush Orchestra from Ukraine
Photo: Jens Büttner / dpa
Ukraine won the Eurovision Song Contest.
The group Kalush Orchestra prevailed on Sunday night in Turin, Italy, with the hip-hip-folk song "Stefania".
This fulfilled the expectations that the television audience would set a sign of solidarity in the midst of the Russian war of aggression.
Germany once again ended up at the bottom of the singing competition.
The singer of the Ukrainian band Oleh Psiuk dedicated the victory to the people of Ukraine.
"This victory is for all Ukrainians," said Psiuk in his first reaction.
(Read here an interview with frontman Oleh Psiuk about the special role of the Ukrainian band: "We have to be as useful as possible for our homeland.")
Twelve points from all corners
The TV viewers, who, as always, were allowed to vote on the victory, were decisive for the victory of the Ukrainians.
Half of the points come from national expert juries.
In this rating, the Ukrainians were still well behind fellow favorite Great Britain.
Sweden and Spain also got more points from the juries.
In the end, however, Ukraine was able to win the fan rating in almost all countries and get the maximum number of twelve points.
She won 439 points from the audience - a maximum of 468 points would have been possible from the television audience - and with a total of 631 points ended up well ahead of the British singer Sam Ryder, who got 466 points.
Malik Harris came last with his song "Rockstars".
The jury gave the 24-year-old zero points, the six-point final result came solely from the public votes.
"I know that you didn't score too many points, but it was still a nice evening," said the ARD singer.
For him it was “a totally crazy evening”.
Harris, who turned his guitar over at the end of his performance and stuck the Ukrainian flag and the word "Peace" on it, congratulated the ESC winners: "I'm really, really happy that Ukraine won because I I wished that."
In the wake of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, this year's Grand Prix was more political than it had been for a long time.
Russia had been excluded from the ESC because of the war.
At the end of their acclaimed performance, the Ukrainian musicians asked the world community for support.
Singer Psiuk said on stage: »I ask all of you: Please help Ukraine, Mariupol, help Azovstal - right now«, I ask all of you: Please help Ukraine, Mariupol and the people in the Azov steel mill - now.
According to the rules, "texts, speeches and gestures of a political nature" are prohibited on the ESC stage.
However, the organizers expressed understanding.
In Ukraine, the victory was greeted with euphoria.
»This is our common victory for our Ukraine.
This is a victory in memory of all those who perished,« said the presenter of public television, Timur Miroshnychenko: »We are victorious on the musical front and...«, said the presenter, then his voice broke, and he had to cry.
Zelenskyj congratulates and thanks
"Our courage impresses the world, our music conquers Europe!" President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on the Telegram news channel.
He also referred to the band's call to save the besieged port city of Mariupol.
»We are doing everything so that one day the Ukrainian Mariupol will welcome the participants and guests of Eurovision.
A free, peaceful, rebuilt one!” Zelenskyy wrote.
»I thank the Kalush Orchestra for the victory and everyone who voted for it!
I am convinced that our victorious chord in battle with the enemy is not far off.«
sak/dpa/AFP