Leleka reveals Eurovision 2026 left her in heavy debt, with unpaid production costs and an uncertain financial future.
Ukraine’s Eurovision 2026 representative, Viktoria Leléka – known to fans simply as Leléka – has revealed the enormous financial burden and debt she incurred following her participation in the Eurovision Song Contest. The singer admitted that the extensive investment in production, artistic direction, and staging left her with significant financial obligations, and that she has still been unable to repay everyone who worked on the project.
The High Cost of Representing Ukraine
Taking part in the Eurovision Song Contest requires a substantial financial commitment from both artists and delegations. Beyond the participation fee paid by the national broadcaster, artists are often required to cover the costs of flights, accommodation, costumes, and the professional teams accompanying them throughout the contest.
In Ukraine’s case, where the country continues to face the challenges of an ongoing war, securing sponsorships and funding for cultural projects has become particularly difficult. As a result, much of the financial burden falls directly on the participating artists themselves.
The total cost of a Eurovision campaign is often estimated to reach hundreds of thousands of euros. According to reports in the local media, Leleka shared that representing Ukraine came at a tremendous personal cost, and that she is still working to close the financial gap and repay members of the team who supported her throughout the demanding Eurovision season.
A Dream That Comes at a Price
Despite the financial challenges, many artists continue to view Eurovision as one of the most important international career opportunities available. Ukraine’s experience highlights the extraordinary commitment many performers make to represent their country on one of the world’s biggest entertainment stages, even when the personal and financial cost is immense and recovery may take months or even years.
“I don’t understand where I’m supposed to live”
Leleka had already spoken publicly about a deeply personal crisis during an interview at the end of May. For six months during her Eurovision preparations, Leléka lived in Kyiv in a small apartment belonging to a close friend, who kindly let her stay for free. However, now that the glitz and glamour of the contest are over, the singer is forced to confront harsh realities regarding her finances and living situation.
Speaking to BBC News Ukraine, she burst into tears while describing her current state of mind:
“I am currently going through a separation from my second husband… I just hope I will get a chance to take a breath. To find my bearings and figure out how and where I can earn a living, and where I can rent an apartment. This situation is affecting me drastically.
Just now, on the train ride here, I cried for half the journey because I simply don’t understand where I am supposed to live. I feel like a migratory bird. I have this feeling that throughout my entire life, I haven’t built any foundation for myself because I’m not a normal person – I live and breathe art. I have never had anything stable, anywhere.”
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 that was performed by Leléka, who represented Ukraine at Eurovision 2026 in Vienna, Austria. Leléka finished 9th in the grand final with 221 points. The song was written by Viktoria Leléka, who also performs it, together with Adama Cefalu.
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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Ofek Jerassi is an Israeli reporter, editor, content creator, and commentator, specializing in the Eurovision Song Contest. He has developed his extensive expertise since childhood, becoming a close follower of the contest. For the past three years, he has served as a writer and editor for EuroMix—Israel’s largest Eurovision website and one of the world’s leading platforms in the field, with over 1.5 million users annually.
Ofek covered Eurovision 2025 on-site in Basel from the press center in the host city, providing EuroMix readers with firsthand experiences, professional analysis, and exclusive reactions from the audience, artists, and experts. His in-depth knowledge and broad familiarity with the Eurovision world are evident in every article, ensuring reliable, professional, and up-to-date content.
In his personal life, Ofek is a medic and avid traveler. He writes out of a genuine love for Eurovision, placing strong emphasis on credibility, professional commentary, and presenting a diverse range of opinions.
