Ukraine’s Eurovision 2026 representative, Leléka, held her first rehearsal in Vienna with the song “Ridnym”. Stay tuned for all updates from Austria.

The Ukrainian singer Leléka took to the Wiener Stadthalle stage today for her first set of rehearsals, as song number 12 in the second semi-final. It was clear from the very first moment that this was not a carbon copy of her performance from the Ukrainian “Vidbir”. The artist chose to present a refined and polished artistic vision for her song “Ridnym” (in English: “Relatives”), touching national emotional chords through the use of stunning visual elements.

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Ukraine’s First Rehearsal: More Details

The show opens with a clean, hypnotic image: LELÉKA walks along a bright white runway, making her way towards musician Yaroslav Dzus. The sounds filling the arena are those of the traditional bandura – a deep cultural tribute she insisted on bringing to the global stage, distilling the Ukrainian sense of “home” into a single musical moment.

From Tradition to the Modern Era

On the Eurovision 2026 stage in Vienna, Austria, the dynamics shift sharply as the first chorus ends. The lights in Vienna go out at once, leaving the singer in absolute darkness, focusing all attention on her presence and voice alone. This visual silence, however, is merely preparation for the next explosion; colors flood the stage during the vocal climax as the artist delivers her show, a moment expected to become one of the most memorable of this year’s performances.

The visual aspect of the show relies heavily on textures and movement. LELÉKA wears an impressive white ensemble consisting of a dress over trousers, layered with thin fabric fibers that react to her every move, creating a hovering effect. This motif extends to the giant LED graphics, where the fabric becomes a narrative element. Toward the end, the atmosphere becomes particularly dramatic and passionate: the white graphics turn into a vivid red, simulating a heavy theater curtain falling on the stage, leaving the audience with the feeling of a powerful and moving finale.