"Eurovision-2021" - we remember the performance of the Ukrainian band "Go_A" with the song "SHUM"

"SHUM" (or simply "Noise") is a song by the Ukrainian band "Go_A"Go_A", with which they represented their country at the Eurovision Song Contest 2021! The contest took place in Rotterdam, and as a result of the contest "Go_A" took fifth place in the final, scoring 364 points. This performance was the second in the history of Eurovision (if we take into account the song "Nightingale", with which "Go_A" were to represent Ukraine in the 2020but due to the pandemic, the whole thing was moved to the 2021...), performed entirely in Ukrainian... Many spectators noted the originality and individuality of the melody. The band members themselves emphasised that their creation represents "the awakening of life in a global sense" and serves as a tribute to Ukrainian culture....

About the song

В 2020 The band "Go_A" was supposed to perform at Eurovision with the song "Nightingale", but due to the pandemic the international contest was postponed to the 2021... This time the band opted for a more restrained style, performing the composition "SHUM"... Perhaps - this is one of the brightest songs of this year! The peculiar title and the performance itself refer us to Ukrainian folklore, only in electronic form... Vocalist Ekaterina Pavlenko uses a vocal technique reminiscent of a controlled scream that you won't soon forget... This is a dynamic electronic song with a pronounced folk groove and vocals, accompanied by a catchy melody played on the sopilka - a Ukrainian flute.

What is remarkable is that the song is based on the traditional Ukrainian "vesnyanka"! Vesnyanka were part of pre-Christian spring rituals associated with the beginning of spring and the approach of spring field work... Yes, this year Ukraine surprises, seduces and delights! By the way.: The lyrics of the song "SHUM" contain various typical folk agricultural and animistic motifs. The band members themselves describe the meaning as "to awaken and evoke spring and to hasten the awakening of all living things after winter":

"'SHUM' is the awakening of life in a global sense. For our ancestors, spring symbolised the awakening of life itself... We all see what we are doing to this world, to nature and life, and if we continue to do this, there will be nothing left for our children. And yet nature can exist without humans... well, you know. So for us, Noise is a call to look around and realise that we all have to make this world a better place. But we have to do it together. We call upon the spirit of Noise to wake up sleeping people and bring them joy and light..."

Speech

The song was written by two members of the band, Taras Shevchenko и Katerina Pavlenkoand belongs to the musical genre Folktronicawhich is a bit like techno and very much in line with the song that tends to succeed in the Eurovision Song Contest! As for the contest, it was a successful night for Ukraine and the band "Go_A" itself, as they not only put on a strong show, but also did enough to gain the points needed to qualify for the Eurovision Song Contest. top 5! For the first time in the history of Ukrainian participation in the contest, the band chose a song entirely in Ukrainian! Technically, it could have been the second Ukrainian song (remember about the composition of "Nightingale", which earned the band a win in the 2020 national selection!) However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 Eurovision Song Contest never took place...

A music video was also made for the song, which features the band and people from head to toe clad in protective gear, including hazmat suits and face masks:

"In 2021, this ancient tradition takes on a different meaning. In times of isolation and in full gear - we remind everyone and ourselves that one needs to be in community, feel part of something bigger and don't forget to rejoice! Our new release is dedicated to the integration of archaic into the present... We really wanted to pay homage to Ukrainian folklore and show that everything Ukrainian is cool, interesting and there is a lot to love about it! It's not something secondary and meaningless. We want to pay more attention to our culture and roots, after all, it's very important. We aim to pass on our love to the rest of the Ukrainian people..."

A bit about the band

"Go_A" is an electro-folklore band specialising in the modern retelling of traditional Ukrainian stories that have already been passed down from generation to generation, from mouth to mouth... The band's name means "return to the roots": the combination of the English word "Go" with the Greek letter "Alpha"symbolising the beginning of all things... The history of the band began in 2012: it was then, through bold experimentation, Taras Shevchenko и Katerina Pavlenko realised that Ukrainian folklore and electronic music are a perfect fusion... Today, the band has its own YouTube channel, to which is subscribed almost 100,000 users! With views of the music video for the song "SHUM" reaching over 5 million...