A young boy and girl, symbolizing the strong bond between the UK and Ukraine, expressed their happiness after performing a dance number on stage to inaugurate the first semi-final of Eurovision.
The event, held at a packed Liverpool Arena on Tuesday evening, saw ten performances selected to advance to the grand final on Saturday. Josh Carslin, aged 10, described the experience as “incredible” while 11-year-old Angelina Oleschuck, who is half-Ukrainian, expressed that even though she was somewhat nervous, she felt honoured to represent Ukraine.
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The schoolgirl, who resides in Dudley in the West Midlands, remarked that she was warmly welcomed and hoped to give a sense of hope to those in Ukraine, even amid the ongoing conflict. Despite feeling slightly apprehensive, she found the crowd to be welcoming and the atmosphere to be lively.
Josh, who hails from Lydiate in Sefton, Merseyside, shared that the electric energy of the crowd and atmosphere at the event was fantastic. According to him, the experience was akin to holding one’s breath the entire time, and the entire ordeal felt surreal.
Josh also noted that Eurovision had already released a video featuring him and Angelina, which had garnered plenty of attention on social media. He jokingly added that he was going to receive even more likes now that he had become a “superstar.”
Josh and Angelina had been selected after submitting self-filmed audition videos. Josh, who prefers street dance, admitted that he was surprised to be chosen since the dance style did not match his preferences. After the excitement of the evening, it was time to return to normalcy for both children. Josh stated that he had his SATs to prepare for.
