The winner of the Ukrainian National Selection for Eurovision 2026, Viktoriya Leleka, known by her stage name LEL\u00c9KA, has spoken out for the first time about the criticism she has faced. Many Ukrainians are outraged, accusing her of being “detached from reality” and out of touch with the Ukrainian context.<\/p>\n
During her meeting with fans in a Kyiv bookstore, the singer admitted that the victory came as a surprise to her. She noted that she did not expect to win, as her rival, Jerry Heil, was much more popular. She recalls the moment the results were announced as an emotional shock when she learned that Yana Shemaeva had received fewer points. This led to a loss of touch with reality.<\/p>\n
“When I heard how many points she got… my perception just turned off. I no longer perceived the information. The first day after that, I felt an internal rejection of everything that was happening,” the singer shared.<\/p>\n
LEL\u00c9KA also emphasized that she is only beginning to realize her role in representing Ukraine on the international stage in Austria. She feels the pressure associated with responsibility to her country and its citizens.<\/p>\n
The singer also commented on the issue of “staying in context.” Since she has been living in Berlin since 2014, her statements have drawn criticism on social media. However, she emphasized that she does not understand how such a concept can be measured.<\/p>\n
“It is important to me that Ukraine exists. I cannot imagine my life without it. If it disappears, I will sing Ukrainian songs in exile. Without statehood for Ukraine, I will not know who I am. I am concerned that Ukrainian culture remains stronger,” she noted.<\/p>\n
LEL\u00c9KA believes that “context” has a different meaning for each person. She believes she can express her Ukrainian identity through volunteering, stage performances, and personal behavior.<\/p>\n
“I cannot evaluate, since I am in this process myself. I do not have a clear idea of \u200b\u200bwhat it means to be ‘in context’ for others,” the singer concluded.<\/p>\n
We also recall the scandal during the National Selection, where Ruslana was suspected of violating the rules. Earlier, information surfaced about possible legal consequences for “Suspilny” stemming from the situation with Polyakova’s producer.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The winner of the Ukrainian National Selection for Eurovision 2026, Viktoriya Leleka, known by her stage name LEL\u00c9KA, has spoken out for the first time about the criticism she has faced. Many Ukrainians are outraged, accusing her of being “detached from reality” and out of touch with the Ukrainian context. During her meeting with fans […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":31299,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-31295","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\n