To Be Free (Alyosha song)

"To Be Free" is a song composed by Alyosha (as O. Kucher), written by Dr. Peter Boganavich Chykaliuk and his daughter Carrie Chykaliuk and performed by Alyosha, and was to represent Ukraine at the Eurovision Song Contest 2010 in May 2010 in Oslo, Norway. The song was selected on 20 March from twenty songs, all performed by different artists.

Pre-history

On 17 March 2010 the National Television Company of Ukraine (NTU) announced that a new national final would be held.[1] After the first chosen participant Vasyl Lazarovych with the song "I Love You" was canceled.[2]

National final

On 18 March, NTU announced 20 artists selected out of 67 submissions to progress from the auditions phase. The line-up included the previously selected artist Vasyl Lazarovych.[3] NTU announced the 20 selected songs and their songwriters on 19 March, as well as releasing clips of the 20 competing songs.[4][5]

The national final was held on 20 March. Two Days before the submission deadline from the EBU.

Alyosha performed last, winning the national final with a two-point gap.[6]

Replacement song

After the national final on 20 March, allegations were made that the song "To Be Free" plagiarized the Linda Perry and Grace Slick song "Knock Me Out" which had been published two years before its entry in the national final. NTU stated in a press release that they would conduct an investigation over the issue.[7]

The new song "Sweet People" was submitted on 24 March.

References
  1. Murray, Gavin (17 March 2010). "Ukraine: National Final on March 20th". ESCToday. Retrieved 4 April 2010.
  2. Hondal, Victor (17 March 2010). "NTU holds press conference at 16:00 CET". ESCToday. Retrieved 4 April 2010.
  3. Hondal, Victor (18 March 2010). "Ukrainian 20 finalists selected". ESCToday. Retrieved 18 March 2010.
  4. Montebello, Edward (19 March 2010). "Ukraine: 20 Finalists previewed". ESCToday. Retrieved 19 March 2010.
  5. "20 National Final participants" (in Ukrainian). NTU. Archived from the original on 23 March 2010. Retrieved 19 March 2010.
  6. Murray, Gavin (20 March 2010). "Ukraine sends Alyosha to the Eurovision Song Contest". ESCToday. Retrieved 4 April 2010.
  7. Murray, Gavin (22 March 2010). "Ukraine: NTU investigating Eurovision 2010 entry". ESCToday. Retrieved 22 March 2010.


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