YUNA (Yearly Ukrainian National Awards) is Ukraine's premier national music awards ceremony, co-founded by Pavlo Shylko and Mohammad Zahur to recognize major achievements in contemporary Ukrainian music. The 15th edition took place on April 15, 2026, at the Palace "Ukraine" in Kyiv, with Artem Pivovarov winning three awards and the ceremony also honoring the 15 most influential Ukrainian artists of the past 15 years.
How YUNA Works
The awards follow a jury-based selection process:
- Eligibility: Works premiered between January 1 and December 31 of the previous year qualify. The 15th edition (YUNA 2026) covered releases from 2025.
- Jury: A panel of music industry experts evaluates nominees based on commercial success and cultural impact. Each jury member's profile is publicly available on the YUNA website, ensuring transparency.
- Categories: The ceremony presents awards across 14 categories, including Best Male Artist, Best Female Artist, Best Song, Best Album, Best Pop Group, Best Rock Group, Best Duet/Collaboration, Best Music Video, Best Concert Event, Best Song for a Film, Discovery of the Year, Best Hip-Hop Hit, Best New Version (Cover), and Best Artist Management.
- Ceremony: The awards are held annually at the Palace "Ukraine" in Kyiv. The 15th edition was hosted by Anatolii Anatolich, Masha Yefrosynina, and Pavlo Shylko, and broadcast on M1 on April 25, 2026.
The ceremony also features special projects. In 2026, YUNA honored the "15 Most Influential Artists in 15 Years," a jury-selected list that included MONATIK, Jerry Heil, TNMK, Artem Pivovarov, DOROFEEVA, Antitila, Bez Obmezhen, PIANOBOY, ONUKA, DakhaBrakha, and Jamala.
Real-World Example: YUNA 2026
The 15th YUNA ceremony took place on April 15, 2026, at the Palace "Ukraine" in Kyiv. Artem Pivovarov was the biggest winner of the night, taking home three awards: Best Male Artist, Best Concert Event (for 7 shows at the Palace of Sports), and sharing in the Best Song for a Film award.
Jerry Heil and Kazhanna each won two awards. Jerry Heil won Best Music Video for "Dodai Huchnosti (12 points)" and shared the Best Song for a Film award with MONATIK and Eugen Khmara for "Vymolyv" (from the film "Vidpustka Naoslip"). Kazhanna won Discovery of the Year and Best Hip-Hop Hit for "boy."
Alena Omargalieva won Best Female Artist. Drevo won Best Song for "Smaragdove Nebo." The Maneken won Best Album for "Nova Era." Ziferblat won Best Rock Group, and The Vusa won Best Pop Group. ADAM and Sasha Norova won Best Duet/Collaboration for "Au Au." TVORCHI won Best New Version for their cover of "Mila Moyа."
Awards were presented by Olympic champions Oleg Verniaiev and Olena Pidhrushna, actor Mykhailo Kukuiuk, actresses Dasha Tregubova and Anastasiia Tsymbalaru, singer ONUKA, conductor Maksym Husak, and businessman Mohammad Zahur.
At the 14th edition (YUNA 2025) held on April 23, 2025, Okean Elzy and MONATIK were the biggest winners with three awards each. Okean Elzy won Best Rock Group, Best Concert Show, and Best Album for "Toi Den." Jerry Heil and alyona alyona won Best Song and Best Duet for "Teresa and Maria."
Why It Matters for Independent Artists
YUNA is the only national music awards ceremony in Ukraine that recognizes the full spectrum of contemporary Ukrainian music. The jury-based system means nominations reflect industry recognition rather than pure fan voting, giving independent artists with strong artistic output a genuine chance at nomination.
The Discovery of the Year category specifically targets emerging talent. Recent winners include Kazhanna (2026) and Domiy (2025), both relatively new artists at the time of their wins. The Best New Version category, which recognizes cover songs, offers an accessible entry point for independent artists to gain recognition by reimagining classic Ukrainian songs.
Ukraine's music industry has grown significantly since 2022, with increased international attention on Ukrainian artists. A YUNA nomination or win can attract attention from international bookers, festivals, and labels. The Best Song for a Film category also bridges music and film industries, creating cross-industry opportunities.
If you are an independent Ukrainian artist, ensure your releases are available on all major streaming platforms and submitted for jury consideration. Build relationships with Ukrainian music media and radio stations. Use our Streaming Royalty Calculator to track your performance. Check the YUNA website for eligibility windows and submission guidelines.
Award Categories Explained
YUNA presents awards across 14 categories. Here is what each one recognizes:
- Best Male Artist: Awarded to the top male solo artist of the eligibility year.
- Best Female Artist: Awarded to the top female solo artist of the eligibility year.
- Best Song: Given to the single that defined the year in Ukrainian music.
- Best Album: Honors the best full-length album released during the eligibility period.
- Best Pop Group: Recognizes the top pop group or band.
- Best Rock Group: Recognizes the top rock group or band.
- Best Duet / Collaboration: Awarded to the best joint release between two or more artists.
- Best Music Video: Honors the best music video, with credit to the director.
- Best Concert Event: Given to the artist or team behind the year's best live concert or tour.
- Best Song for a Film: Recognizes the best original song created for a film soundtrack.
- Best New Artist (Discovery of the Year): Awarded to the top breakout artist.
- Best Hip-Hop Hit: Honors the top hip-hop track of the year.
- Best New Version (Cover): Given to the best cover or reimagining of an existing song.
- Best Artist Management: Recognizes the top management team or label behind an artist's success.
Notable Past Winners
YUNA has run annually since 2012. Here are winners from recent editions:
2026 (15th Edition, April 15, 2026)
| Category | Winner |
|---|---|
| Best Male Artist | Artem Pivovarov |
| Best Female Artist | Alena Omargalieva |
| Best Song | Drevo ("Smaragdove Nebo") |
| Best Album | The Maneken ("Nova Era") |
| Best Pop Group | The Vusa |
| Best Rock Group | Ziferblat |
| Best Duet / Collaboration | ADAM and Sasha Norova ("Au Au") |
| Best Music Video | Jerry Heil ("Dodai Huchnosti (12 points)") |
| Best Concert Event | Artem Pivovarov (7 shows at the Palace of Sports) |
| Best Song for a Film | Jerry Heil, MONATIK, and Eugen Khmara ("Vymolyv" from "Vidpustka Naoslip") |
| Discovery of the Year | Kazhanna |
| Best Hip-Hop Hit | Kazhanna ("boy") |
| Best New Version (Cover) | TVORCHI ("Mila Moyа") |
| Best Artist Management | Label Pomitni |
Artem Pivovarov, Jerry Heil, and Kazhanna each won 2 awards. Jerry Heil received 7 nominations, the most of any artist. The ceremony was interrupted for 80 minutes due to an air raid alert. It resumed after the all-clear.
2025 (14th Edition, April 23, 2025)
| Category | Winner |
|---|---|
| Best Male Artist | Artem Pivovarov |
| Best Female Artist | Kola |
| Best Song | alyona alyona and Jerry Heil ("Teresa and Maria") |
| Best Album | Okean Elzy ("Toi Den") |
| Best Pop Group | Adam |
| Best Rock Group | Okean Elzy |
| Best Duet / Collaboration | alyona alyona and Jerry Heil ("Teresa and Maria") |
| Best Music Video | MONATIK ("A shcho?") |
| Best Concert Event | Okean Elzy ("Toi Den" concert series) |
| Best Song for a Film | MONATIK ("Stari fotografii" from "Ia, Pobieda i Berlin") |
| Discovery of the Year | Domiy |
| Best Hip-Hop Hit | Parfeniuk ("Vrubai") |
| Best Artist Management | Monatik Corporation |
| Contribution to Ukrainian Music | Sky |
Okean Elzy and MONATIK each won 3 awards. They were the biggest winners of the night.
2024 (13th Edition, May 23, 2024)
| Category | Winner |
|---|---|
| Best Male Artist | Artem Pivovarov |
| Best Female Artist | Kola |
| Best Rock Group | Antitila |
| Best Song | Antitila |
| Best Music Video | Antitila |
| Best Duet / Collaboration | Zlata Ognevich and SHUMEI |
Antitila won 3 awards at the 2024 ceremony. It was held at the October Palace in Kyiv.
2023 (12th Edition, April 18, 2023)
The 2023 ceremony was held online due to the ongoing war. It featured only one category: Song of Indomitable Ukraine. The jury selected winners from a top-100 list of songs that defined the year.
Video Highlights
Eligibility and Submission Info
Eligibility period: Works premiered between January 1 and December 31 of the previous year qualify. The 15th edition (YUNA 2026) covered releases from 2025.
Who qualifies: Ukrainian artists and artists working in the Ukrainian music industry. Works must be originally released during the eligibility period.
Jury selection: A panel of music industry experts evaluates nominees based on commercial success and cultural impact. Each jury member's profile is publicly available on the YUNA website. There is no public fan voting.
Submission: There is no open public submission process. The jury identifies and evaluates eligible works. Artists and labels can bring releases to the jury's attention through industry channels.
Ceremony: The awards are held annually at the Palace "Ukraine" in Kyiv (when conditions allow). The 2024 ceremony was held at the October Palace. The 2023 ceremony was held online due to the war. The 2026 ceremony returned to the Palace "Ukraine" for the first time in 5 years.
Broadcast: The ceremony is broadcast on M1 and later published on the YUNA YouTube channel.
Related Resources
- Streaming Royalty Calculator - Track streaming performance that builds industry recognition
- Target Streams Calculator - Set streaming goals for awards eligibility
- 21 Ways Musicians Can Earn Income - Build revenue alongside awards strategy
- When and How to Hire a Music Manager - A manager can help coordinate awards submissions
- Performance Rights Organizations - Ukrainian PROs like UACAP collect royalties for YUNA-nominated songwriters
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