The Ukrainian band Go_A didn’t win Eurovision, but their song Shum did turn a lot of heads.
The song Shum by Go_A couldn’t carry Ukraine all the way in this years Eurovision. It could, however, carry them to the top of the Viral 50 – Global Spotify chart, a chart compiled from the data from one of the absolute biggest music streaming platforms.
The song has been listened to 6.5 million times on Spotify. Another version of the same song, also by Go_A, has been listened to 1.6 million times. The two versions are quite different, but carry the same beat.
Shum is the Ukrainian word for noise. In the video below, you can decide for yourself whether or not you think that the name suits the song.
If you have decided that it is in fact not noise, and you are in Kyiv, there are good news waiting for you. On Sunday the 30th of May, Go_A will play a concert at Vsi Svoi on 12 Desyatynna St.
Struggling with retention
Ukrainian culture as an export is very limited. Few Ukrainian artists have managed to get the attention of the international audience, and even when they succeed, keeping the attention has been a challenge.
In 2016, Ukrainian artist Jamala won the Eurovision Song Contest with the song 1944, but even though the song is 5 years old and won Eurovision, the song has only been listened to 11 million times.
The Eurovision winner from 2004, Ruslana’s song Wild Dances, have been listened to even less times. Also the silver medal song, that made it into internet culture, Dancing Lasha Tumbai by Verka Serduchka, have not had the same kind of success as Shum by Go_A.
It is of course still unsure, if Go_A will have enough momentum from the Eurovision Song Contest to launch an international career, which would be healthy for the Ukrainian export of music.
