Heart of Steel (Tvorchi song)

"Heart of Steel" was written by Jeffery Augustus Kenny (real name Jimoh Augustus Kehinde) and composed by Andrii Hutsuliak, both members of Tvorchi.^[1] Hutsuliak and Kenny first met each other as university students in 2016 and formed Tvorchi two years later. The duo wrote "Heart of Steel" during the defense of Mariupol, specifically the Azovstal steel plant by Ukrainian soldiers in spring 2022.^[2][3] Online, they saw numerous videos of the defenders; the duo knew that the situation was bad, but Hutsuliak said he saw "strength, confidence, and that they were unbreakable like all of Ukrainians," inspiring them to write the song.^[4][5] The duo also said that the song warns about the dangers of nuclear warfare, stating in an interview that the duo alluded to the purpose of the Eurovision Song Contest's creation as one of the inspirations for the song, with Hutsuliak saying, "we looked into the past of this contest. [The Eurovision Song Contest] was created after the Second World War to unite Europe. Today, while some are playing with nuclear threats, our people with steel hearts are protecting all of Europe."^[6]

The song has a message of not giving up in the face of adversity, with a powerful beginning to symbolize the message.^[7] Kenny also said that the core messages of the song are strength, courage, and bravery.^[8] The song also meant an actual "heart of steel" that was worn down by trials and difficulties, with a "broken non-standard intoxicating rhythm" detailing the state of when you smile despite everything.^[9] In an interview with NPR, Hutsuliak said, "[We're] trying to say the Ukrainians will fight no matter what 'til the end, which is peace, [...] so we just want to show they have hearts of steel. They don't have, like, brittle spirits. No, they're very strong, mind and body." In the interview, Kenny said that the duo applied for Eurovision at the last minute and did not expect to win, choosing "Heart of Steel" because of the emotions they put into it. In December, ahead of the national selection, the duo started practicing and rewriting the song, choosing their outfits and choreography and hiring a team for the technical aspects.^[3]

The song was released along with other Vidbir 2022 songs on 17 November 2023, being one of the 10 shortlisted from nearly 400 entries.^[10] Directed by Ruslan Makhov, the official music video for the song presented a portal between reality and an afterlife, with the band saying that humanity chooses what awaits them in the future. The video symbolizes different things: strength of spirit, a new beginning, and a fatal end.^[7] In an interview with Ksenia Ivas of Suspilne, Hutsuliak said that "he [Ruslan Makhov] is a very talented person, and it was most important to us that he felt the song the way we created it [the music video]".^[11] The video also contained visuals of volcanoes and earthquakes to tell the "story of pain", according to Kenny.^[12] On 18 April, Tvorchi was set to perform unannounced at a Ukrainian rail station to promote a drive to buy incubators for premature babies run by United24, but air raid sirens due to a shelling postponed the show. The show eventually continued.^[13] "Heart of Steel" was revamped on 9 March for Eurovision.^[14] To further promote the song, Tvorchi participated in the Barcelona Eurovision Party on 25 March,^[15] Israel Calling on 3 April,^[16] and Eurovision in Concert on 15 April as the final act added to the lineup.^[17][18]

Doron Lahav of ESC Beat ranked the song 20th out of the 37 entries in Eurovision 2023, stating that the production was "too rich" and that, although their voices combine in the studio version, it would be hard to do in the live performance; Lahav added that, with a song like this, the live performance needs to be "sharp and convincing."^[19] A ranking containing reviews from three BuzzFeed editors ranked the song 15th overall, earning a total of 20 out of a possible 30 points; the editors commented that the song was "refreshing" and could easily enter global pop stations but was hard to describe.^[20] The song was ranked 21st by Vulture's Jon O'Brien, describing the entry as "unlikely" to follow the path of Ukraine's previous winners, adding that the song is likely to garner a strong sympathy vote despite it not being "particularly stirring."^[21] National Public Radio's Glen Weldon gave "Heart of Steel" an honorable mention in his top ten, stating that the previous win "cast a long shadow, one that this year's entry, a much more conventional, contemporary Eurovision song, never quite crawls out from under," but added that the song contained "nice harmonies and a defiant message" and could do well in the grand final.^[22]

The Guardian's Ben Beaumont–Thomas included the song in his "14 songs to listen out for at Eurovision 2023" list, stating that with the "funkily bumping Flume-esque beat" and the "themes of stubborn resolve and self-definition," the cheers "will also be deafening" when the duo begin their performance.^[23] Patrick Freyne of The Irish Times described the song as "cyborg-themed industrial pop."^[24] Yulia Sanina, a jury member from Vidbir, said that she liked new Ukrainian music and genres and stated that the beginning is phenomenal, but the chorus was missing something.^[25] Harrison Brocklehurst of The Tab ranked "Heart of Steel" 6th out of all Eurovision 2023 songs, describing it as "Ukraine’s party in Liverpool’s house" with a "breezy, The Weeknd-esque coolness" that made it sound new and modern.^[26]