Uliana Olgina Advances to Eesti Laul 2026 Final
Ukrainian vocalist Uliana Olgina has secured a place in the final of Estonia's national selection contest, Eesti Laul 2026, with her song 'Rhythm of the Nature'. The final of the competition, which selects Estonia's entry for the Eurovision Song Contest, will be held on February 14, 2026. Now based in Estonia, Olgina has shared details of her musical journey, her education in both Ukraine and Estonia, and the creation of her entry.
The Musical Journey of Uliana Olgina
Uliana Olgina is a Ukrainian singer who first gained recognition through her participation in the show 'The Voice. Kids'. Her musical training began early; she studied piano for nine years at a music school. She also competed in events at the Leontovych Music College in Vinnytsia, trained at the Zorya studio in the same city, and performed at the Chervona Ruta festival at the age of 14.
At 15, she enrolled in a music college in Khmelnytskyi, where she studied for two years. Subsequently, in July 2018, she moved to Estonia. There, she entered the Georg Ots Tallinn Music College to study classical singing. Concurrently, she also joined the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre in Tallinn, specializing in jazz singing, and completed her master's degree at the academy in 2025.
The song 'Rhythm of the Nature' was written a year and a half before being submitted to Eesti Laul. It was composed during a House of Europe composer camp in Viljandi, Estonia, with co-writers Ariana Arutyunyan and Ero. The lyrics are in both Ukrainian and Estonian, with Olgina refining the track in September 2025. She is the first Ukrainian in Eesti Laul's history to perform a song featuring the Ukrainian language.
Reflecting on her experience, Olgina noted: 'I didn't know Estonian at all. People met me halfway.'
She added: 'I don't have a producer. I do everything myself with my husband.' Uliana Olgina continues to build her music career, successfully blending the cultural traditions of both her homeland and her adopted country.
Olgina's participation in Eesti Laul 2026 is a significant event not only for her career but also for cultural exchange between Ukraine and Estonia. The Eesti Laul contest is known for its openness to diverse musical styles, providing a platform for artists from various backgrounds and fostering integration. By singing in Ukrainian, Olgina underscores the importance of maintaining national identity within an international artistic context.