Ukrainian band Kalush Orchestra’s upbeat, melodic entry to this month’s Eurovision Song Contest was written as a tribute to the frontman’s mother.
The band members mix break dancing with Hopak, a Ukrainian folk dance, in an energetic performance punctuated by Psiuk’s rap interludes.
“We ourselves show that Ukrainian culture and Ukrainian ethnic code exists,’’ Psuik said.
Psiuk and five bandmates, all men between the ages of 21 to 35, received special permission from Ukrainian authorities to travel to Turin to participate in Eurovision, traveling by land to Poland and then flying to Italy.
Kalush Orchestra is more than just a musical group.
The 6-month-old project takes its name from Psiuk’s hometown of Kalush, which is tucked in the Carpathian Mountains, south of the western city of Lviv.
After Russia’s Feb.