Overnight Go_A have released the revamped version and music video of their 2021 Eurovision entry ‘SHUM' representing Ukraine.
The band were internally selected this year and ‘SHUM’ was selected internally by a jury panel. The jury consisted of the Eurovision 2016 winner Jamala, founder of ONUKA Yevhen Filatov, music producer and composer Ruslan Kvinta, UA:PBC board member responsible for television Yaroslav Lodygin, and UA:PBC board member responsible for radio Dmytro Khorkin.
The original version of 'SHUM', was close to the 4 minute mark, so the song was revamped to stick to the 3 minute time limit rule. They also reworked some of the production of the song as the original borrowed heavily for a Ukrainian folk song. The song had to be reworked to meet the requirements of the contest.
The song does however stay in Ukrainian.
The music video is stunning, recreating some of the elements from the original music video and this time showcasing a bird’s eye view of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, which closed down due to a nuclear accident in 1986 and due to radiation the plant now has an extensive exclusion zone.
Ukraine first made their debut at Eurovision in 2003. They went on to win the contest the following year with ‘Wild Dances’ by Ruslana. Ukraine won a second time in 2016 beating Dami Im’s ‘Sound of Silence’ when Jamala took out the trophy with ‘1944’. Ukraine have successfully qualified for every Eurovision final in every year they have competed, a track record they share with Australia.
Go_A will perform ‘SHUM’ in the second half of the first semi final along with Australia.