Key Points
- Ukraine is the first country to name the song it will be taking to next year's Eurovision Song Contest.
- Pop duo Tvorchi is hoping to achieve a second consecutive win for Ukraine at Eurovision.
- Australia is among 37 nations competing in the 2023 contest.
Pop duo Tvorchi will represent Ukraine in next year's Eurovision Song Contest.
Their song 'Heart of Steel' is the first song to be confirmed for the 2023 competition.
The pop song references the war with lyrics including the line "Don't be scared to say just what you think".
Dancers wearing gas masks and nuclear warning signs also featured in the live online broadcast of Ukraine's Eurovision selection contest featuring 10 acts.
The show was broadcast from a bomb shelter that had been transformed into a TV studio.
The Kyiv location had originally been the Maidan Nezalezhnosti metro station before Vladimir Putin's invasion forced people to convert it into a bomb shelter.
One half of the Tvorchi act, singer Andrew Hutsuliak said he was shocked to be named the winning act.
"We will try to do everything to present Ukraine with dignity," he said, adding the fan support has meant a lot.
"We didn't think we'd win but we want to say thank you to everyone who supported us, who listens to our music and who are fighting on the front line."
Singer Jeffery Kenny said he is thankful to be able to share music amid the war.
"I just want to say thank you Ukraine," he said on the live broadcast.
More acts and songs to be revealed
Ukraine's Kalush Orchestra won this year's contest, but due to the war zone challenges, the 2023 competition will take place in the UK city of Liverpool.
The grand final is scheduled for 13 May 2023.
Tvorchi are the fifth act to be confirmed for Eurovision 2023.
The act will be hoping to continuing Ukraine's track record of success.
Out of 17 appearances, the country has qualified for the final 16 times and won three times in 2022, 2016 and 2004.
Cyprus, Israel, the Netherlands and Slovenia have selected which artists they will send to Liverpool, but the songs have not been announced.
The 37 competing nations have until the end of March to name the artists and songs that will represent their countries.
