Belarus

VAL is a Belarusian band comprising Valeria Gribusova and Vladislav Pashkevich. VAL represented Belarus at the Eurovision Song Contest 2020 with “Da vidna”.

“Like It” is a song performed by Belarusian singer Zena. It represented Belarus in the Eurovision Song Contest 2019. The song was performed during the first semi-final on 14 May 2019, and qualified for the final, where it finished in 24th place with 31 points.

Mykyta Volodymyrovych Alieksieiev (born 18 May 1993), better known by his mononym Alekseev, is a Ukrainian singer and songwriter. He first began his career in 2014 after placing as a semifinalist on season four of The Voice of Ukraine. He subsequently released the single “Pyanoye solntse”, which went on to become a number-one hit throughout the CIS and kickstarted his music career. He represented Belarus in the Eurovision Song Contest 2018 in Portugal with his song “Forever”.

Naviband (stylised as NAVIBAND, until late 2016 also called NAVI) is a Belarusian indie folk band. The band was founded as a duo between singer/songwriter and guitar player Artsiom Lukyanenka and singer/songwriter Kseniya Zhuk (Lukyanenka), later also featured guitar player, producer Aliaksandr Tabolski, bass – Uladzislaŭ Čaščavik, drums – Uladzimir Beher, Yaroslav Tomilo as a sound engineer and manager. Originally founded in Minsk, they have been based in Warsaw since 2020. The band rose to fame with a primarily Belarusian-language repertoire, but have also performed several songs in Ukrainian. Naviband represented Belarus at the Eurovision Song Contest 2017 with “Story of My Life”, finishing in 17th place with 83 points.

Alexander Ivanov (born 29 October 1994), also known mononymously as Ivan, is a Belarusian-Russian singer. He represented Belarus in the Eurovision Song Contest 2016 with the song “Help You Fly”. Ivanov was also to represent Russia in the Intervision Song Contest 2015 but the contest never happened.

Maimuna Amadu Murashko (née Diko; Belarusian: Маймуна Амаду Мурашка (Дзіка); Russian: Маймуна Амаду Мурашко (Дико); born 28 May 1980), known professionally as simply Maimuna, is a Belarusian violinist who represented Belarus in the Eurovision Song Contest 2015 along with Uzari with the song “Time”.

Yuriy Alexeyevich Vashchuk (Russian: Юрий Алексеевич Ващук, Yuriy Alekseyevich Vashchuk, Belarusian: Юрый Аляксеевіч Вашчук, Juryj Aliaksiejevič Vaščuk; born 24 January 1983), better known by his stage name Teo, is a Belarusian singer, songwriter, and television presenter. Teo showed passion for music early in his childhood. He won his first music competition at the international contest “Scilla”, and his first major competition on the television program “Zornaya Rostan”. Teo won the Belarusian national song contest and represented Belarus at the Eurovision Song Contest 2014 with the song “Cheesecake”.

Alyona Lanskaya (Belarusian: Алена Ланская, Romanized: Alena Lanskaja; Russian: Алёна Ланская, Romanized: Alyona Lanskaya; born 7 September 1985) is a Belarusian singer. In 2011, she won the Slavianski Bazaar Contest in Vitebsk. Alyona represented Belarus in the Eurovision Song Contest 2013 in Malmö, Sweden with the song “Solayoh”, qualifying from the semi-final of the competition and placing 16th in the final by scoring 48 points.

Litesound is a Belarusian pop rock band formed in 2005 by brothers Dmitry and Vladimir Karyakin. In 2010, they released their debut album Going to Hollywood. Two years later, in 2012, the band was chosen to represent Belarus in the Eurovision Song Contest, performing the song “We Are the Heroes”. As of 2018, they released their second studio album Litesound.

Belarus was represented at the Eurovision Song Contest 2011 with the song “I Love Belarus”, written by Evgeny Oleynik and Svetlana Geraskova, and performed by Anastasia Vinnikova. The Belarusian participating broadcaster, Belarusian Television and Radio Company (BTRC), internally selected its entry for the contest. Anastasia Vinnikova and the song “Born in Byelorussia” were initially announced as the Belarusian entry on 28 February 2011, however the song was reworked and retitled as “I Am Belarusian”. The song was later disqualified and the replacement entry, “I Love Belarus”, was announced on 14 March 2011.

3+2 represented Belarus at the Eurovision Song Contest 2010 with “Butterflies”, finishing in 24th place with 18 points. Publicly documented information about the artist’s later career is limited.

Petr Petrovich Elfimov (Belarusian: Пётр Елфімаў, Pyotr Yelfimaŭ; born 15 February 1980) is a Belarusian singer, musician, songwriter and arranger, music producer, actor. He holds a title of Master of Art Criticism and serves as associate professor in the Department of Variety and Jazz Singing at Institute of Modern Art. He’s the voice and the face of the project ELFIMOV, as well as groups Grand Courage and METHEORA. Petr Elfimov represented Belarus at the Eurovision Song Contest 2009 with “Eyes That Never Lie”, finishing in 13th place with 25 points.

Ruslan Fyodorovich Alekhno (Russian: Русла́н Фёдорович Алехно́, Ruslan Feodorovich Alekhno, Belarusian: Русла́н Фёдаравіч Аляхно́, Ruslan Feodaravich Alyakhno; born October 14, 1981) is a Belarusian-Russian singer who rose to popularity after winning Narodniy Artist – 2, the Russian version of Pop Idol. Alekhno received the Medal of Francysk Skaryna in 2019. Ruslan Alekhno represented Belarus at the Eurovision Song Contest 2008 with “Hasta la Vista”, finishing in 17th place with 27 points.

Dmitry Aleksandrovich Koldun (Belarusian: Дзмітры Аляксандравіч Калдун, Dzmitry Kaldun; Russian: Дмитрий Александрович Колдун; born 11 June 1985) is a Belarusian pop singer. Koldun rose to fame through his participation in several Russian television talent shows. In 2006, he won the sixth season of Fabrika Zvyozd. He acquired further fame when he represented Belarus in the Eurovision Song Contest 2007 with “Work Your Magic”.

Angelica Anatolyevna Yalinskaya (Russian: Анжелика Анатольевна Ялиньская, romanized: Anzhelika Anatol’yevna Yalin’skaya; Belarusian: Анжаліка Анатольеўна Ялінская, romanized: Anzhalika Anatoĺjeŭna Jalinskaja; born 17 May 1970), better known as Angelica Agurbash (Russian: Анжелика Агурбаш; Belarusian: Анжаліка Агурбаш), is a Belarusian singer and former model best known internationally for representing Belarus at the Eurovision Song Contest 2005.

• Aleksandra Kirsanova: She graduated from the Belarusian State University of Culture and Arts. In the duet, she functions as the lead vocalist, vocal coach, arranger, and composer. She is a multi-instrumentalist who plays the ocarina, block-flute, harp, piano, and percussion.
• Konstantin Drapezo: He began playing the guitar at 12 years old. He serves as the duo’s primary guitarist, arranger, and co-composer.

• The Early Covers: Initially, they did not write original music. Instead, they performed jazz, blues, and country cover songs, usually sung in English.
• Developing their Sound: They soon began blending traditional Belarusian folk music with modern pop, country, and rock arrangements, shaping their distinct ethno-fusion style.
• The Big Break: In 2000, they won second prize in a national TV contest for young, talented performers. Their prize was free recording studio time courtesy of the National State Teleradiocompany of Belarus. This allowed them to record their very first professional tracks, launch their formal music career, and eventually release their debut album, Za likhimi za marozami, in 2001.