Ukraine entry to launch Eurovision Song Contest 2014

Meanwhile, the United Kingdom's Children of the Universe by Molly will be the last song performed

Paul Jones

Published: Friday, 9 May 2014 at 2:02 pm

Share on facebook
Share on twitter
Share on pinterest
Share on reddit
Email to a friend

Ukraine’s Eurovision entry will be the opening performance at this year’s competition in Copenhagen on Saturday night.

The top billing could provide a morale boost for the Eastern European nation which is currently looking to international allies for help as it faces military incursions by Russia into the disputed region of Crimea.

Tick–Tock, sung by Mariya Yaremchuk, is ostensibly a pop song but contains the lyrics "They all know that you're mine/They can see we belong/Shelter me, you'll do fine".

Russia’s power ballad Shine – placed a safe distance from Ukraine's performance at number 15 in the running order – sees twins the Tolmachevy Sisters sing "Living on the edge/closer to the crime/cross the line a step at a time/... maybe there's a day you'll be mine".

A statement from Eurovision's organisers says "The running order was determined by the producers of show (DR) and approved by the EBU Executive Supervisor, Jon Ola Sand and by the Chairman of the Reference Group, Dr. Frank-Dieter Freiling.

More like this

"When discussing the running order deliberations, Executive Supervisor of the Eurovision Song Contest, Jon Ola Sand, said, 'for the second year in a row, the producers have come together to make the best possible running order for the Final of the Eurovision Song Contest. One thing is for sure; Saturday will be extremely exciting.'"

British Eurovision fans, meanwhile, will have to wait until the last of the 26 performances to hear Molly sing her entry Children of the Universe, which is currently tipped as fifth favourite by bookies – if that was reflected in its finishing position, it would be the United Kingdom's best result since Jade Ewen sang Andrew Lloyd-Webber's It's My Time in 2009.

The full running order for the Eurovision 2014 Grand Final