Why the band Antitela does not want to participate in Eurovision

Taras Topolya, the frontman of the popular Ukrainian band Antitela, revealed in a recent interview on the "(DE)MOTIVATION" podcast the reason why his group has never considered participating in the Eurovision contest. The musician stated that he is not ready to subject himself to aggressive criticism that could arise in the event of a failure on such a large-scale stage.

Eurovision as a political contest

According to Topolya, although Eurovision is an important musical platform, for Ukraine this contest has long become not only cultural but also political. The leader of Antitela emphasises that the results are influenced not only by musical qualities but also by the political situation. Each year, participation in the contest is accompanied by numerous political subtexts, which makes taking part in it extremely difficult for artists.

Risks for well-known Ukrainian artists

Topolya noted that many successful Ukrainian artists avoid participating in Eurovision precisely because of the potential negative consequences. In the case of low results, for example, finishing 10th or 20th, an artist risks facing sharp criticism and harsh accusations. In Topolya's opinion, established musicians with a high level of expertise do not want to subject themselves to such a risk, knowing that they could be "smear[ed] in the mud" for a poor performance.

For Topolya, participating in Eurovision is not only a musical competition but also a test of an artist's reputation.