You're reading: Jamala’s ‘1944’ to represent Ukraine at Eurovision

Late on Feb. 21, Ukraine chose jazz singer Jamala to be the country’s representative for this year’s Eurovision Song Contest.

After delivering a wonderful performance of
her own song called “1944,” Jamala became the winner of the national final’s
qualifying round for Eurovision 2016 that will be held in May in Stockholm,
Sweden.

The song “1944” is dedicated to both her
personal family drama and to the tragedy of other Crimean Tatars deported from
their homes in Crimean peninsula on Joseph Stalin’s order on May 18, 1944.

The Ukrainian opera and jazz singer, 32, whose
real name is Susana Jamaladinova, received 37 percent of viewers’ 382,000 votes
delivered by sms-voting.

After the show, Jamala reacted emotionally to
her victory. “I am very tired but I am very happy. I believe that I can tell
the things about Ukraine that Europe still does not know,” Jamala said in her
interview to BBC after her performance on Feb.21.

It did not come easy for Jamala to win the
opportunity to present Ukraine at the Eurovision. She gained her Eurovision
ticket in a harsh struggle with her main opponent – the progressive-pop band
The Hardkiss. The Hardkiss received 6 out of 6 points from the jury panel, and
5 out of 6 points from TV viewers through sms-voting. And Jamala received 5 out
of 6 possible points from the jury and 6 out of 6 possible points from
sms-voting, which brought her victory as she had more points from TV viewers
than the Hardkiss.

Jamala’s other rivals in final selection were
indie rock bandBrunetts Shoot Blondes, pop duo NeAngely, fusion fank reggae
band SunSay and Pur:Pur, an indie pop band.

Ruslana, a jury member and a 2004 Eurovision
Song Contest winner gave Jamala the highest point. “This is absolute
originality. This is the suffering Ukraine that we are now. If you go (to the
Eurovision Song Contest), I know that you will be able to win,” Ruslana said
after Jamala’s performance.

Forced deportation

Jamala’s relatives along with more than
230,000 Crimean Tatars suffered forced deportation to Central Asia. Nearly
100,000 of the deported Tatars died from starvation and disease on the journey
while in exile. Crimean Tatars started returning to their homeland only in late
1980s. Living in the Russia-occupied peninsula since March of 2014 Crimean
Tatars now face harassment and persecution from the self-proclaimed Crimean
authorities.

Mustafa Dzhemilev, a Ukrainian lawmaker and a
prominent Crimea Tatar leader believes that Jamala will raise the issue of
occupied Crimea onto a new level. “I am confident that Jamala will present with
dignity our country at the Eurovision. I believe that the whole world will know
about ‘1944’,” Dzhemilev wrote on his Facebook page on Feb. 21.

Some judges did not share everyone’s
enthusiasm for “1944.” One of the jurors, Andriy Danylko, known for
his drag character Verka Serduchka who represented Ukraine at the Eurovision
Song Contest in 2007 and won second place, said that some may regard
“1944” as a political provocation.

Still many are gladdened by Jamala’s victory,
and call the singer in social networks “the most worthy” Ukrainian
representative on Eurovision Song Contest. Facebook user Vita Polishchuk is one
of hundreds of Ukrainians who wrote greetings on Jamala’s Facebook page. “For
me it is the best song and the performer is the most worthy to present
Ukraine,” she wrote.

This is Jamala’s second attempt to win the
right to present Ukraine at the Eurovision, the annual televised song
competition held since 1956. In 2011, she took part in the national selection
but lost her nomination to pop singer Mika Newton after a controversy over
juggling with votes.

At the Eurovision Song Contest, Jamala will
compete in the second semi-final even on May 14 against performers from 18
European countries.
Overall 43 countries will participate in this year’s song contest.