This year the competition gathered 16 participants from 14 countries. The show was broadcast live by the Ukraina TV channel, but on The Day of the third round, when public mourning was announced for the miners who died in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, viewing was only accessible on cable television and in the Internet. It will be recalled that the participants competed in three categories: Worldwide Hit, Countrywide Hit, and Original Song.
The jury awarded the first place and a 50,000-euro prize to the US singer Jayden Felder (341 points). It was only one point up on the Ukrainian singer Maria Sobko who came off second and received a 30,000-euro prize. The Russian group N.A.O.M.I. (previously known as Assorti) took third place, the New Wave website reports. Another representative of Ukraine, group The Kolia Serga, are on the 10th rung of the ladder. The Finnish trio Flute of Shame was awarded a special Alla Pugacheva prize – a Gold Star named after this singer and 50,000 euros.
“Our country was adequately represented at the Latvia contest,” poet Yurii RYBCHYNSKY told The Day. “Maria Sobko displayed a splendid vocal and good looks at the New Wave. The singer’s result is a success for her personally and for Ukraine as a whole. Second place is a high achievement. It is difficult to choose the best among such a large number of talented participants. All the performers were strong, no matter where they came from – Africa, the Americas, or Armenia…”
“Two is a good figure,” showtime.delfi.lv quotes Kyivan Maria Sobko as saying. “I need to work still harder. When I was singing my own song ‘I Love You’ in the third round, the Dzintari hall audience sang along with me because they had already heard this composition on various FM radio stations. It is important what will come next (after the contest), what music I will be bringing to audiences, and whether I will please them with new songs.”
