The Ukrainian music project "Star Factory" (Fabryka Zirok) is undergoing a major overhaul and is returning to screens in a new format. According to the entertainment outlet Styler (a RBC-Ukraine project), the first two episodes of the new season are entirely dedicated to castings: viewers will see the candidates' performances, their personal stories, the reactions of the professional team, and the first decisions on who will continue on the project. The first casting episode is already available to watch on the SWEET.TV platform and on YouTube, allowing the audience to familiarize themselves with the show at their convenience. The press-service footage shows a judging panel of seven members seated at a long table in a dark studio location with professional lighting equipment in the background.
Casting as the Main Narrative of the First Episodes
Unlike the classic structure of "Star Factory," where viewers were immediately immersed in the competitive performances of the factory contestants, the new season builds its dramaturgy around the selection process itself. The first episode features not only the vocal and stage numbers of the candidates but also their emotions before and after meeting the team. One of the participants, who happened to perform first, confessed that he felt "a very great responsibility and a very great honor" and intended to "give it his all so as to be worthy, in the judges' eyes, of taking part in this project." For other candidates, by contrast, talking with the jury helped them overcome their nerves and open up.
A Military Indie-Pop Performer and a "New Generation" on Camera
Among the casting participants is a Ukrainian Armed Forces serviceman and indie-pop performer Vitaliy Zeleny, with the callsign "Haki." In his own words, he came to the selection because he "missed music a lot and really doesn't want to lose the musician inside himself." Zeleny said he had dreamed of "Star Factory" even several years before the new season was announced: "I talked with my friends and kept telling them how much I wanted to get on 'Star Factory,' how much I wanted to perform, to learn. I need to seize my chance now." The team also paid special attention to one of the candidates — a young woman whose name has not yet been revealed. The project's director Badayev noted her individuality: "There is nothing old about her; she is a completely new generation, and maybe that is exactly the kind of person I am looking for on 'Star Factory.'" Another candidate impressed the jury so much that the head of SWEET.TV Originals and Big Entertainment Shows, Volodymyr Zavadyuk, publicly offered to make an exception for her and immediately inform her that she had passed the selection, even though the casting rules are formally the same for everyone.
Viewer Voting and the Charity Mechanism
At the end of the castings, the professional team will select 11 factory contestants, while the name of the 12th participant will be decided by the audience. After the first episode, voting will open for several candidates who did not advance further; after the second casting episode, viewers will be able to finally settle on a favorite. The voting mechanics include a charity component: to confirm a vote, the viewer contributes a symbolic 1 hryvnia, and SWEET.TV adds another 9 hryvnias on top. Thus, 10 hryvnias from each recorded vote are directed to the Superhumans Center, in particular to the work of the department that helps Ukrainians restore their hearing. This element turns the choice of the 12th participant into an act of not only entertainment but also social participation.
Recognition of the Format and the Context of the Move to SWEET.TV
According to Volodymyr Zavadyuk, the first episode received a favorable assessment from a representative of the Star Academy format rights holder: "The Star Academy format expert noted how cool and modern the project looks, and said that he is proud of our work in Ukraine even during the war." The context of the show's move to a new platform is clarified in an exclusive interview with Zavadyuk in the RBC-Ukraine outlet, where he also discussed the termination of cooperation with the 1+1 TV channel — the historic home of "Star Factory." Moving the project to SWEET.TV means a change of media environment: from linear television to a streaming ecosystem with a hybrid access model (platform + YouTube). The big broadcasts featuring the factory contestants' performances, stage productions, costumes, and sets will begin on September 18, 2026.
Contradictory Data
No significant discrepancies in dates, figures, or key facts were found in the provided sources. All four sources (Styler/RBC-Ukraine, Interfax-Ukraine, Obozrevatel, RBC-Ukraine) agree that the project is launching on SWEET.TV, that the first episodes are dedicated to castings, and that the big broadcasts will begin on September 18. The only nuance: the Styler article mentions that the "Star Academy format expert" assessed the project, whereas the other sources emphasize the premiere date and the sale of tickets to the filming. This difference in emphasis does not create a factual contradiction but reflects different angles of coverage of the same event.
