Ukrainian artist Maryna Krut, known for her bandura performances, hints at another attempt to represent Ukraine at Eurovision after previous near-successes. She reveals her sound already featured in a winning song.
Ukrainian singer and musician, specializing in playing the traditional bandura instrument, Maryna Krut, is not giving up on her dream of representing Ukraine in the Eurovision Song Contest, despite two previous unsuccessful attempts. In a new interview, she shared that she is considering another try, possibly as early as 2026, though scheduling conflicts might force a delay.
Krut, who previously competed twice in Ukraine’s national final, moved audiences with her powerful performances. In 2020, she secured third place with the song “99,” and in 2023, she came just one step from victory with the lyrical lullaby “Kolyskova,” finishing in second place.
In an interview with Ukrainian media, Krut revealed she is already working on a new song, although she has yet to decide when to make her next attempt:
“I’m not interested in the national final; I care about Eurovision itself. If it were possible to go straight to Eurovision without the national final, I’d be happy. I’d love to compete for the third time. As of now, my schedule for 2026–2027 is full. There’s a chance I won’t be available during the national final, but if the opportunity presents itself, I’ll go for it. There’s no song yet, but there’s already an idea.”
In the 2023 national final, Krut challenged the competition’s results. Losing by just one point to duo Tvorchi, she claimed that they violated the rules by multiplying their vocals using audio effects during the live broadcast. Ukraine’s national broadcaster investigated the matter but ultimately dismissed her claims.
Krut’s Sound Already Reached Europe
Though she has never officially appeared on the Eurovision stage, Krut now reveals for the first time that her bandura sound was indeed featured in the contest. She played on “Stefania” by Kalush Orchestra, the song that brought Ukraine victory at Eurovision 2022.
Ukraine at Eurovision 2025
“Bird of Pray” is the name of the song that was performed by Ziferblat, representing Ukraine in Eurovision 2025. Ukraine qualified for the final from the first semi-final of the contest and finished 9th overall with 218 points. Ukraine finished 6th in tele-votes and 14th in jury votes.
The Ukrainian result is their worst one since 2018.
Eurovision 2025: This was Ukraine’s 20th participation in the Eurovision Song Contest. Ukraine joined the competition in 2003 and has won it three times. Ukraine’s last victory was in Eurovision 2022 with the song “Stefania” performed by Kalush Orchestra.
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Avi Zaikaner is an editor-in-chief, content creator, commentator, and international expert on all things related to the Eurovision Song Contest. Avi has followed the contest for nearly 30 years, and for the past seven years has served as the founder and editor-in-chief of EuroMix, one of the top Eurovision websites in the world, with over 1.5 million users annually.
Since 2021, Avi has provided on-the-ground coverage of the Eurovision Song Contest from the press center in the host city, bringing readers exclusive firsthand experiences, professional analysis, and direct reactions from audiences, artists, and experts. His extensive experience and deep familiarity with the Eurovision world are reflected in every article, ensuring reliable, professional, and up-to-date information.
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