Ukraine band favored in Eurovision Song Contest final

By COLLEEN BARRY
Associated Press

MILAN (AP) — Ukrainian band Kalush Orchestra and its members’ folk-hip hop anthem to their war-torn nation is the oddsmaker’s favorite to win the Eurovision Song Contest. Twenty-five bands are set to compete Saturday in the grand final of the annual songwriting contest, an event intended to celebrate diversity and promote friendship among nations. It’s being held in Turin, Italy. Last year, 183 million people watched the televised competition. Ukrainians who live in Italy say Kalush Orchestra’s participation in the hugely popular contest spotlights Ukrainian culture while providing a platform to keep global attention focused on Russia’s war in Ukraine. Kalush Orchestra’s entry, “Stefania,” was written before the war but has become an anthem to the motherland.