The video centers on female soldiers navigating ruins to rescue children. This shifts the "mother" figure from Psiuk's parent to "Mother Ukraine," protecting her people.
Directed by Max Ksjonda, the official video was filmed in April 2022 in the war-torn suburbs of Kyiv, including Bucha, Irpin, Borodianka, and Hostomel . kalush_orchestra_stefania_official_video_eurovi...
The song was written before the 2022 Russian invasion as an ode to Psiuk’s mother, also named Stefania. The video centers on female soldiers navigating ruins
By showing band members performing amidst shelled buildings, the video serves as a documentary-style message of what Ukraine looked like at that moment in history. The song was written before the 2022 Russian
The song won Eurovision 2022 with a record-breaking 439 televoting points , a landslide victory that signaled widespread European solidarity.
"Stefania," performed by Kalush Orchestra , stands as a landmark moment in Eurovision history. While it was originally written as a personal tribute to frontman Oleh Psiuk’s mother, the official music video , released on just after their victory—transformed the track into a haunting anthem of resistance and resilience for Ukraine.
The lyrics reflect nostalgia and a son's realization of a mother’s hardships. Phrases like "I'll always find my way home, even if all roads are destroyed" took on a literal, poignant meaning after the war began.