From Estrada Vocal Contests to Media Formats

Abstract

The purpose of the article is to comprehensively investigate the evolution of Ukrainian estrada vocal music, tracing its journey through the transformations of national and international vocal contests, as well as key media formats over the past decades. We aim to identify how these changes have influenced vocal performance style, aesthetics, and the ways artists interact with their audience. The research methodology is based on a historical and culturological approach and systemic analysis. This approach allows for a deeper understanding of the transformation of both national (‘Chervona Ruta’, ‘Song Vernissage’, ‘Volodymyr Ivasiuk Contest’) and international (‘Eurovision’, ‘The Voice of Ukraine’, ‘The Voice Kids’, ‘X-Factor’) vocal contests, as well as their impact on estrada art. Research methods include the analysis of archival materials, media content, and the socio-cultural processes that shaped the Ukrainian estrada landscape. The scientific novelty of this work lies in the systematic and comprehensive analysis of the evolution of Ukrainian estrada vocal music, which is traced for the first time from its emergence and development within the context of national festivals to its contemporary integration into television reality shows. The study comprehensively analyses, for the first time, the impact of these contests and media formats on the formation of professional criteria and the mechanisms for the emergence of new stars on the Ukrainian estrada stage. It also reveals how the interaction between artists and their audience has changed due to the evolution of the media landscape, from traditional concert performances to interactive reality show formats and digital platforms. Conclusions. The article argues that estrada vocal contests played a fundamental role in the establishment and development of the Ukrainian estrada vocal school. In the initial stages, national festivals such as ‘Chervona Ruta’, ‘Song Vernissage’, and the ‘Volodymyr Ivasiuk Contest’ served as primary platforms for discovering talent, forming professional standards, and popularising Ukrainian-language songs, which contributed to the development of the Ukrainian music industry. With the advent and evolution of television, and subsequently global media formats such as ‘Eurovision’, ‘The Voice of Ukraine’, and ‘X-Factor’, a significant transformation occurred in both the contests themselves and the career paths of estrada vocalists. These international projects transformed vocal competitions into large-scale television reality shows, where not only vocal talent but also charisma, media appeal, camera presence, emotional delivery, and the participant’s personal story became crucial. Furthermore, the evolution of media formats significantly changed the mechanisms for the emergence of new stars and the interaction between artists and their audience, shifting from traditional formats to digital platforms and social networks. This transformation highlights the flexibility and continuous capacity of Ukrainian estrada to innovate, while remaining an important element of national culture.