KYIV, Ukraine (AP) 鈥� Even amid war, Ukraine finds time for the glittery, pop-filled . Perhaps now even more than ever.
Ukraine鈥檚 entrants in the 鈥� the female duo of rapper alyona alyona and singer Jerry Heil 鈥� set off from Kyiv for the competition on Thursday. In wartime, that means a long train journey to Poland, from where they will travel on to next month鈥檚 competition in Malm枚, Sweden.
鈥淲e need to be visible for the world,鈥� Heil told The Associated Press at Kyiv train station before her departure. 鈥淲e need to show that even now, during the war, our culture is developing, and that Ukrainian music is something waiting for the world鈥� to discover.
鈥淲e have to spread it and share it and show people how strong (Ukrainian) women and men are in our country,鈥� added alyona, who spells her name with all lower case letters.
Ukraine has long used Eurovision as a form of cultural diplomacy, a way of showing the world the country鈥檚 unique sound and style. That mission became more urgent after in February 2022. Russian President Vladimir Putin has denied that Ukraine existed as a distinct country and people before Soviet times.
Ukrainian singer won the contest in 2016 鈥� two years after Russia illegally seized the Crimean Peninsula 鈥� with a song about the expulsion of Crimea鈥檚 Tatars by Stalin in 1944. Folk-rap band took the Eurovision title in 2022 with 鈥淪tefania,鈥� a song about the frontman鈥檚 mother that became an anthem to the war-ravaged motherland, with a haunting refrain on a traditional Ukrainian wind instrument.
Alyona and Heil will perform 鈥淭eresa & Maria,鈥� an anthemic ode to inspiring women. The title refers to Mother Teresa and the Virgin Mary, and the lyrics include the refrain, in English: 鈥淎ll the divas were born as the human beings鈥� 鈥� people we regard as saints were once flawed and human like the rest of us.
Heil said the message is that 鈥渨e all make mistakes, but your actions are what define you.鈥�
And, alyona added: 鈥渨ith enough energy you can win the war, you can change the world.鈥�
The song blends alyona鈥檚 punchy rap style with Heil鈥檚 soaring melody and distinctly Ukrainian vocal style.
鈥淎lyona is a great rapper, she has this powerful energy,鈥� Heil said. 鈥淎nd I鈥檓 more soft.鈥�
鈥淏ut great melodies,鈥� alyona added. 鈥淪o she creates all the melodies and I just jump in.鈥�
Ukraine has been at the forefront of turning Eurovision from a contest dominated by English-language pop songs to a more diverse and multilingual event. Jamala sang part of her song in the Crimean Tatar language, while Kalush Orchestra sang and rapped in Ukrainian.
Ukraine鈥檚 Eurovision win in 2022 brought the country the right to host the following year, but because of the war the was held in the English city of Liverpool, which was bedecked in blue and yellow Ukrainian flags for the occasion 鈥� a celebration of Ukraine鈥檚 spirit and culture.
Thirty-seven countries from across Europe and beyond 鈥� including Israel and Australia 鈥� will compete in Malm枚 in two Eurovision semifinals May 7 and 9, followed by a May 11 final. Ukraine currently ranks among bookmakers鈥� top five favorites alongside the likes of singer Nemo from Switzerland and Croatian singer-songwriter Baby Lasagna.
Russia, a long-time Eurovision competitor, was kicked out of the contest over the invasion.
The Ukrainian duo caught a train after holding a news conference where they announced a fundraising drive for a school destroyed by a Russian strike.
The duo is joining with charity fundraising platform United 24 to raise 10 million hryvnia (about $250,000) to rebuild a school in the village of Velyka Kostromka in southern Ukraine that was destroyed by a Russian rocket in October 2022. The school鈥檚 250 pupils have been unable to attend class since then, relying on online learning.
Teacher Liudmyla Taranovych, whose children and grandchildren went to the school, said its destruction brought feelings of 鈥減ain, despair, hopelessness.鈥�
"My grandchildren hugged me and asked, 鈥淕randma, will they rebuild our school? Will it be as beautiful, flourishing, and bright as it was?鈥� she said.
From the rubble, another teacher managed to rescue one of the school鈥檚 treasured possessions 鈥� a large wooden key traditionally presented to first grade students to symbolize that education is the key to their future. It has become a sign of hope for the school.
Alyona and Heil have also embraced the key as a symbol, wearing T-shirts covered in small metal housekeys.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a symbol of something which maybe some people in Ukraine won鈥檛 have, because so many people lost their homes,鈥� Heil said. 鈥淏ut they鈥檙e holding these keys in their pockets, and they're holding the hope.鈥�
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This story has been corrected to show that Ukraine's Eurovision song is titled 鈥淭eresa & Maria."
Jill Lawless, The Associated Press
