Ukraine`s star singer Ruslana won the Eurovision contest held last Saturday in Istanbul with her song Wild Dance. It was Ukraine's second appearance in the 49-year-old pop and rock festival, and it`s first victory in the pan-continental music gala.The performance included traditional instruments and a background with shooting flames. Dressed in costumes of fur and leather, reminiscent of the "Lord of the Rings" and wielding whips, the charismatic brunette and her dancers performed a dazzling mix of rock and folk music, inspired by ethnic traditions of highlanders in the Carpathian mountains.

Ruslana mustered 280 points from the televoting in the 36 participant countries, which, according to organizers, was the biggest voting event in the history of television. Her victory comes as a reward for a well-organised and costly publicity campaign, after touring 14 countries ahead of the contest to promote her tune. The win means that Ukraine will host the contest next year. The other winners include Zeljko Joksimovic from Yugoslavia (#2), and Greece's Sakis Rouvas (#3). Over 100 million viewers witnessed the contest, Reports EuroNews.

It is unknown, who designed Ruslana`s bizarre costumes, however the singer is said to use her own project ideas, which she shares with her husband, co-producer and co-author of her music and lyrics Alexander Ksenofontov. The couple came up with the idea of “Castle Tour”, to attract the public`s attention to the destruction of ancient castles in Ukraine. The theme for her last album bearing the same name as her award winning song Wild Dance, was the ancient culture of the Carpathian`s.

Istanbul, 15 May 2004