“I never expected such a result. I never expected first place,” said the 10-year-old singer, moments after her sensational victory. “I feel really excited. I can’t express myself.”

The whole night, she said, had been very tense.

“It was horrible waiting for the voting results. But I would like to thank all the countries that voted for me,” she said. “Performing was really cool and exciting. On one side, it was exciting, and other side there was a kind of fear. But the people here have been really kind and have helped me so much, so I didn’t worry too much.”

Kseniya hopes that people will heed the words of her song, ‘We Are Together’.

“I would like all of the countries in Europe and the world to be united in friendship,” she said. “I have a lot of thoughts about how there should be more friendship in the world. So I put them into the words of a song. We’re able to do a lot when we’re together. So let’s multiply the laughs, the smiles and the songs.”

One journalist asked her what she would do with her new-found wealth.

“I never heard anything about money!” she said. “But if you’re offering, I won’t refuse!”

She made sure she thanked the team that have helped her.

“I have a very good stylist. He has created this costume,” she said. “A lot of people were involved in the preparation of this performance. I would like to say thank you to everyone who helped – especially my coach, my choreographer and, of course, a lot of my relatives who were watching this show and were worried for me. I hope the whole of Belarus was watching me, in fact the whole of Europe. I thank them for their votes.”

What were her favourite memories of Belgium?

“My performance, the chocolate factory and the discos – and the victory! It’s a pity we have to leave tonight – otherwise I would stay a couple of days in Belgium,” she said.

She was also asked how she planned to celebrate.

“I haven’t any plans,” she said. “But I’m sure Mum will allow me to drink a little champagne. And we must have a disco.”

Kseniya finished by sending out an invitation to the people of Europe.

“I would like to add that you are all welcome to our country. It’s very beautiful and you must all come,” she said, before adding, “I still can’t belief what has happened. It just hasn’t sunk in.”