Ukrainian star 'in love with Liverpool at first sight'

Kateryna Pavlenko of Go_A classes Liverpool as one of her favourite cities after performing here during the Eurovision Song Contest.

The Ukrainian singer led the Eurovision Village's This Is Ukraine showcase, a special line-up highlighting the nation's music and previous representatives. Kateryna will also perform at the Grand Final as part of the flag parade ceremony but she's still managed to soak up the Liverpool atmosphere despite her busy schedule.

The Shum artist told the Liverpool Echo how much she loved seeing the "high level" of Ukrainian representation around the city.

She said: "When we arrived in Liverpool, we felt that the atmosphere of this city contained the vibe of Ukraine. There are a lot of Ukrainian flags on the street. We are grateful that this year many artists are performing here and a lot of activity related to Ukraine. It is significant for us. Thank you for your support and the high level of the event.

"I fell in love with Liverpool at first sight. And for me, as a Ukrainian, I would very much like this connection to only grow stronger. Liverpool inspires me. I feel such incredible energy here. In just a few days, I could write new songs because they start playing in my head when I walk down the street and look at the details of this city. I think this city can inspire many people."

Go_A stormed the 2021 televote which catapulted their careers to a new level all over Europe. Since their Eurovision debut, they've been praised for setting a new standard for electronic music and have since become synonymous with eclectic and edgy performances.

Discussing the journey until now, Kateryna said: "Every time I feel hot feelings and emotions. Sometimes it's hard for me to hold back my tears. I'm just a girl from a small town who has been writing songs for many years and dreamed of singing them to someone one day. We are glad to see how people from other countries sing with us in Ukrainian, and even those who do not understand the words feel emotions."

The Eurovision village crowd went wild for Go_A, ushering in one of the busiest evenings over the contest period. She added: "I saw a lot of videos that people shot on the phone after the performance, and they were pleased. They danced and sang along with us, and it was beautiful.

"Liverpool is now one of my favourite cities. After the final, we will return home to Ukraine, but I know I will miss Liverpool. I hope one day I will come back again."

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