The first round of the Eurovision contest semifinals in the Azerbaijani capital, Baku, ended on May 22 with musical groups from Russia, Albania, Moldova, Romania, Spain, Denmark, Cyprus, Greece, Iceland, and Ireland advancing to the final on May 26.
The next semifinal round is set for May 23. Russia's representatives the Buranovskiye Babushki" (Buranovo Grannies) performed "Party for Everybody" in their native Udmurt language.
One of the elderly ensemble's members – Mariya Tolstukhina – said in Baku that the group was full of energy and enthusiasm for their performance.
"We would blast off for space except our cows and chickens wouldn’t fit in the rocket," she said.
Residents of the Russian village of Buranovo, where the group hails from, reportedly gathered in the local club to watch the event and cheer for the elderly sextet.
An estimated 125 million people worldwide are expected to watch the contest.
Based on reporting by ITAR-TASS and IFX Rus