A song with power: Ukraine's Eurovision entry unites nation

Ukrainian band Kalush Orchestra’s upbeat, melodic entry to this month’s Eurovision Song Contest was written as a tribute to the frontman’s mother

TURIN, Italy -- Ukrainian band Kalush Orchestra’s upbeat, melodic entry for this month’s Eurovision Song Contest was written as a tribute to the frontman’s mother.

Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, it has become an anthem to the nation's war-ravaged motherland.

“Stefania” is the most-watched song on YouTube among the 35 national entries that will compete in the Eurovision Song Contest next week in Italy's northern industrial city of Turin. While some oddsmakers and data analysts have pegged others to win, the song by Kalush Orchestra is quickly becoming a sentimental favorite.

“I’ll always find my way home, even if all roads are destroyed,’’ Kalush Orchestra frontman Oleh Psiuk wrote in “Stefania.”