Solovey (Go_A song)

2020 single by Go_A

"Solovey" (Ukrainian: Соловей, transl. "Nightingale") is a 2020 song by Ukrainian folktronica group Go_A. The song had to represent Ukraine in Eurovision Song Contest 2020, but the competition was stopped by the COVID-19 pandemic.[1]

"Solovey"
Single by Go_A
LanguageUkrainian
English title"Nightingale"
Released4 February 2020 (2020-02-04)
GenreFolktronica
Length2:55
Composer(s)
Lyricist(s)Kateryna Pavlenko
Go_A singles chronology
"Рано-Раненько"
(2019)
"Solovey"
(2020)
"Shum"
(2021)
Ukraine "Solovey"
Eurovision Song Contest 2020 entry
Country
Finals performance
Semi-final result
Contest cancelled
Appearance chronology
◄ "Siren Song" (2019)   
"Shum" (2021) ►

Background change

The musical genre of the song is folktronica, a mix between electronic dance music and folk.[2][3]

The song lyrics are about a girl, Katrusia (nickname for "Kateryna"), that lives in the Ukrainian countryside. She falls in love with a boy, Vaniusha (nickname for "Ivan"), but the mother does not approve it. The girl meets him at night and she asks a nightingale not to sing early, because the bird may wake up other people. Katrusia knows that their love is not possible and tries to forget him.[2][3]

The story is based on the singer Kateryna Pavlenko's personal story.[2][3]

The lyrics, all in the Ukrainian language, are in an iambic pentameter verse, the main metre in Slavic folk poetry and drama.[2]

Eurovision Song Contest change

On 22 February 2020, "Solovey" won Vidbir 2020 with 12 points, the highest number of points in Vidbir.[4] The winner song of that competition becomes the representative Ukrainian song for Eurovision Song Contest. However, on 18 March 2020, Eurovision was stopped before it started because of the COVID-19 pandemic.[1] Go_A then went to Eurovision Song Contest 2021 with "Shum".[5]

"Solovey" is the first song in the history of the Eurovision Song Contest to be fully in the Ukrainian language.[3]

References change

  1. 1.0 1.1 "Eurovision 2020 in Rotterdam is cancelled". Eurovision.tv. 18 March 2020. Retrieved 19 March 2024.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Ten Veen, Renske (15 April 2020). "Go_A's "Solovey" lyrics describe a love story in the Ukrainian countryside". Wiwibloggs. Retrieved 19 March 2024.
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 "2020 participants: Go_A". Eurovision.tv. Retrieved 19 March 2024.
  4. "Go_A will represent Ukraine in Rotterdam". Eurovision.tv. 22 February 2020. Retrieved 19 March 2024.
  5. "2021 participants: Go_A". Eurovision.tv. Retrieved 19 March 2024.