The song Ridnym will represent Ukraine in May

On Saturday 7 February, Ukrainian broadcaster Suspilne held the 2026 edition of their Vidbir competition. Ten songs competed for the trophy, with a jury vote and public vote deciding their fate.

At the end of the evening, Vidbir 2026 had its winner and Vienna 2026 now has its Ukrainian entry. LELÉKA will represent Ukraine at the 70th Eurovision Song Contest in May, with her song Ridnym.

Ridnym scored the maximum points with both the jury and the Ukrainian viewers watching at home.

In second place was the song LIGHTKEEPER by LAUD, while the third-place finish was awarded to an artist who has represented Ukraine at the Eurovision Song Contest before; Jerry Heil, and her song CATHARTICUS (prayer).

LELÉKA

LELÉKA is the music project of Victoria Leleka, which the artist founded in Berlin in 2016.

The singer and songwriter graduated from the Karpenko-Karyi Theatre University in Kyiv and initially went on to work as an actress at the Molodyi Theatre in the Ukrainian capital.

LELÉKA continued her education in music by obtaining a master's degree in composition in Dresden and at the Babelsberg Film University. Over the past ten years, she has released five albums, many more songs, and created soundtracks for the popular series And There Will Be People.

Vidbir 2026

The show was hosted by Ukrainian TV presenter Lesia Nikitiuk and host of Kyiv 2017 Timur Miroshnychenko. 

Broadcaster Suspilne had also prepared a stellar lineup of guest performers for the opening and interval acts, including Ukrainian acts: Ziferblat (ESC 2025), TVORCHI (ESC 2023), Jamala (ESC 2016), Zlata Ognevich (ESC 2013), Sofia Nersesian (JESC 2025), Artem Kotenko (JESC 2024), Anastasia Dymyd (JESC 2023) and more.

Moldova's artist for Vienna 2026, Satoshi, was also invited along to perform for viewers, singing his song for the 70th Eurovision Song Contest, Viva, Moldova!.

Ukraine at the Eurovision Song Contest

Ukraine has appeared on the Eurovision Song Contest stage 20 times since its debut in 2003.

Throughout those 20 appearances the country has won three times (2004, 2016 and 2022), finished in the Top 3 four more times, and landed in the Top 10 on a further six occasions.

Ukraine has qualified for the Eurovision Song Contest Grand Final on every occasion it has participated since the Semi-Finals began over two decades ago.