Ukraine’s Eurovision 2026 representative faces a serious vocal cord injury after a Kyiv concert. Will Leléka recover in time to deliver “Ridnym” on stage in Vienna?
With less than two months to go, the Eurovision 2026 in Vienna, Austria is getting closer. Today (Sunday), deeply worrying news emerged for Ukraine: Leléka, the country’s representative with the song “Ridnym”, suffered damage to her vocal cords and experienced a loss of voice since performing her Eurovision entry at a concert held on February 16th in Kyiv. Will she be able to deliver her song properly on stage in Vienna?
A Half‑Minute High Note: The Vocal Crisis That Could Return in Vienna
For both Ukraine and the singer, this development is extremely alarming ahead of her appearance in the second semi-final of Eurovision, which will take place in less than two months, on May 14th. According to a report on the Ukrainian news programme “TSN”, the artist suffered a vocal “accident” while performing the most demanding part of her song: the sustained high note that lasts for no less than half a minute.
The severe damage to her vocal cords is a major concern for the singer. The injury could be a significant obstacle for Leléka, as the essence of her performance lies in those chilling, powerful high notes, which will be extremely difficult to execute if she does not fully recover and even if she does, there is genuine fear that the incident from the Kyiv concert could repeat itself on the Eurovision stage in Vienna. In an interview about the injury, the singer was asked whether she is worried that the vocal damage will affect her performance and that the mishap in Kyiv might happen again in Vienna: “I will hit that note! I just need to recover,” she said. With these words, the artist underlines that she is absolutely determined to meet the challenge
Preparations for Vienna Continue
The preparations must go on, and rehearsals for Eurovision are in full swing. Especially after such a serious setback, Ukraine is acutely aware that there is less than two months left until the decisive moment on Europe’s biggest stage, and this is certainly not the time to take the foot off the gas. In order to arrive as prepared as possible for this crucial performance, rehearsals must continue, and Leléka is pushing ahead with work on her Vienna performance with full force, hoping to return to full vocal capacity on stage very soon.
Vocal Health, Pressure and the Eurovision Narrative
Loss of voice is a well-known phenomenon among performers and can sometimes indicate the intense mental and physical pressure they face, particularly in the run-up to prestigious live shows watched by millions of viewers. Although the injury naturally raises serious concerns, in a certain sense it could even have a positive impact on Ukraine’s prospects at the upcoming contest: viewers at home, who account for around 50% of the final voting result, often tend to support artists who bring a compelling story of resilience to the stage. Judging by the singer’s statements and by the way she has chosen to confront the situation, she is demonstrating strong personal resilience and dedication to representing her country, qualities that may translate into significant popularity among media and audiences across Europe, who could rally around her in an even more emphatic way.
LELÉKA – Who Are You?
Leléka, whose full name is Viktoria Leléka, is a Ukrainian folk‑jazz singer. She leads a Ukrainian‑German ensemble of the same name, Leléka, with which she has released three studio albums and two EPs. The ensemble has received prestigious awards, including the Creole Global Music Contest in 2017, and the prize for Best Young European Band at the Burghausen Jazz Festival in 2018. In 2020, the ensemble created and produced the music for the Ukrainian historical television series “There will be people”. The group has continued to create and gain recognition, and in 2021 it won the “Band of the Year” award at the Deutscher Jazzpreis festival.
Ukraine at Eurovision 2026
“Ridnym” is the title of the song to be performed by Leléka, representing Ukraine at Eurovision 2026 in Vienna, Austria, in the second half of the second semi-final, which will be held on 14 May. The song was written by Viktoria Leléka, who also performs it, together with Adama Cefalu (Adama Cefalu). At this point, Ukraine is placed 9th in the betting odds.
The main message of the song is that precisely through confronting fear and transforming pain into joy, people can grow to new heights and lead the way home, much like trees that rise even higher after the storm.
Eurovision 2026: This will be Ukraine’s 21st 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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