Junior Eurovision 2024 Song Review: Ukraine “Here Me Now” Artem Kotenko

I’d like to start my next review blog with a disclaimer as this will be a review of my favorite entry of this year. Some of you may wonder near the end of the review why would I say some critical things of a song that I would label my personal winner so far? I review movies reviews on a personal blog and I have done it for thirteen years. I learned a long time ago even if I love a certain movie, I can’t deny the flaws if I’m going to critique. I have to speak about them in my review. As for Junior Eurovision songs, I’ll give an example. Even though I considered Armenia’s Yan Girls my personal winner from last year, I can also see a few reasons why some people may not like it. In fact I have often felt the biggest reason why it didn’t win is because some people could see it as an entry trying too hard to win.
Anyways on to my review of my favorite entry of this year and the favorite of many others.

UKRAINE
Song: “Hear Me Now (Dim)”
Performer: Artem Kotenko

To find Ukraine’s nineteenth straight entry into Junior Eurovision, the Suspilne network went through a lengthy audition process for the Junior Vidbir. 309 singers were interested. In the end, fifteen were picked for the first round, ten were picked for the second round and six were picked for the final. In the final broadcast September 22nd, six singers sang six songs written by either Yevhen Triplov or Svitlana Tarabova. Those who saw the Vidbir final will talk about how jam packed the songs and the talent were. Interesting how Junior Vidbir was already putting efforts into the staging of all six contestants and more than any other national final! In the end, it was 12 year-old Artem Kotenko who won for “Dim (Hear Me Now).” Since Junior Vidbir, the title was changed to “Hear Me Now” for Junior Eurovision but will return to “Dim” after the Contest.

The previous two Junior Eurovision entries were songs reflecting on the war. This entry is the third. It’s main message is about home as a place where one can find peace and belonging or a place of refuge. There are some lyrics that talk of the stress young Ukrainians are feeling during this time of ear and how home is to be a safe haven for all. Right now, this song is has the most energy of all the high energy songs entered. Artem really shows a wide range in his singing and his vocals will blow you away. He also shows great professionalism as a performer as he knows how to move thorough the song. I can see this song catching on with many young people.

JESC Chances: Right now it is poised as the frontrunner with having the most points on the ‘My Eurovision Scorecard’ app and ranking high on many YouTube videos ranking the JESC entries. It’s easy to see why with the quality of the staging and dancing, the energy of the song and Artem’s singing range. Some people who rank it among the top say this is an entry good enough for the main Eurovision. That’s also a reason why some can be turned off this entry. A lot of people have complained in the last ten years that JESC has gone from a contest of singing children to mini-adults. Artem risks being dismissed as one of those mini-adults. In addition, I’ve seen a lot of ESC/JESC frontrunners start with a lot of  ‘Winner hype’ early on, only for the hype to fade and for another song to win. Only time will tell if this song’s winner hype goes the distance.

Listen to Artem’s JESC 2024 song “Here Me Now”

LYRICS “Hear Me Now” Artem Kotenko

About Post Author

Jon Lewak

Jon Lewak is our correspondent from Canada. He likes to create lists of his favorites of the Contests and he also likes listening to interviews of what the stars have to say about their music and about their lives.

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