Ukraine has a score of talent shows, but no awards in the likes of American Grammy to celebrate the best of the best. To fill in the gap, Yearly Ukrainian National Award, or YUNA, will be launched in the capital by the end of the year.
The idea belongs to the owner of ISTIL Group and Kyiv Post publisher Mohammad Zahoor and Pavlo Shylko, better known as DJ Pasha, who will host and produce the show.
“Ukraine is a singing and music country, but there is still no music award,” said Zahoor on Oct. 27. “Ukraine is ready for such an award now.”
Organizers assured that YUNA will be transparent, fair and prestigious.
“The point of the award is to stimulate Ukrainian musicians and singers to create a better product to win YUNA,” explained Shylko. “It will help improve the quality of Ukrainian music.”
Shylko and Zahoor said that YUNA will stay out of politics.
“It will always be YUNA, not YANU,” said Zahoor with smile, alluding to the first part of President Viktor Yanukovych’s surname.
The jury will include television and print editors, program managers and media critics – “those experts, who don’t create music but use it professionally in their work for no less than five years.”
The final list is yet to be announced, but the names of American journalist and writer Fred Bronson – famous for his appearances on American Idol singing contest – and David Stark, the founder of music magazine Songlink International, have already been announced. They will cast votes only in three out of 10 categories due to the lack of local knowledge and understanding of the lyrics.
“The first YUNA is supposed to be special. It will resurrect all of Ukrainian music in the 20 years of its independence,” said Shylko.
All Ukrainian singers are eligible to participate, apart from one.
Zahoor’s wife, singer and actress Kamaliya, won’t be eligible for contest. “We decided to cut her out to prevent all possible questions and suspicions,” said Zahoor.
The first ceremony is scheduled for Feb. 8 in Palats Ukraina with a live broadcast on Inter TV channel.
Feb. 8, 7 p.m., Palats Ukraina, 103 Velyka Vasylkivska St., 247-2303. Tickets: Hr 200-1750
Kyiv Post staff writer Alyona Zhuk can be reached at [email protected]
