Life after Helsinki 2007 Eurovision

In the end they chose the best one, even if for a moment or rather all through the radio pre-vote the runner ups were leading but tonight's vote turned it to Malik's favor. I believe he will get more than 12 points .... Conchita Wurst was there, Jamala came and sung 1944 in complete silence and people standing up, and Emily forgot her lyrics and messed it all up  and got 7 televoting points Germany 12 points results: 1. Malik Harris - Rockstars (radio 90 + televoting 118) 208 2. Mael & Jonas - I swear to God (106 + 79) 185 3. Nico Suabe & team Liebe - Hallo Welt (63 + 94) 157 4. Felicia Lu - Anxiety (74 + 65) 139 5. Eros Atomus - Alive (53 + 70) 123 6. Emily Roberts - Soap (46 + 7) 

Jamala's Eurovision song contest 2017 final interval act may have been signed by the bare assed prankster but no such worries on her video for I believe in u. And she's really on top of the things as the video was shot in... Portugal! 

Alexander Rybak has made a fantastic violin version of Jamala's last year's Euroviison winner 1944. It underlines once again what a beautiful song it is.  Last night Jamala herself reperformed the song in the Eurovision song contest 2017 first semifinal with a new symphonic arrangement.

Better late than never, here it is finally: the video for the Eurovision song contest 2016 winner, Ukraine's Jamala and 1944 . Very suggestive simple one, that fits perfectly the mood of the song. Well done!

Jamala has been busy finishing her new album and today's the day it has been released. Simply titled 1944 as her Eurovision song contest 2016 winning song it includes 12 songs recorded over the past two years or so with several songs in English from her previous album(s). This is her fourth studio album following For every heart (2011), All or nothing (2013) and Подих (Podykh) (2015). Certainly not the typical Eurovision winner's album the song has Jamala's outstanding vocal acrobatics, interesting and original arrangements and rather electronic jazzy vibe with a lot of soul and a bit of blues and r'n'b and even funk and gospel. All in all much more enjoyable and international sounding than this blogger expected really. :-) Meanwhile Jamala has stood up for LBGTI rights and supports the Kiev Pride .  While waiting for the official video here's something else: Listen here

Jamala won the 2016 Eurovision song contest for Ukraine with her 1944 . Considering she did nearly zero promotion participating only at the Eurovision in Concert in Amsterdam, and being one of the very few entries not having a video clip one can once again underline that all that PR nonsense is rather useless, and all that matters is the performance on the night. And having a song that touches people televoting at home and the juries alike.  But the video clip is coming and they are working on it in various locations in Ukraine including Carpathian mountains. The weather seems to suck though......   

As soon as Ukraine's victory was clear the speculation started can Ukraine host it in 2017 considering country's political problems, ecomincal crisis and war with Russia. Jon Ola Sand handed the organisation to NTU in Stockholm last night and the first meeting is scheduled for next week. Both seemed very trustful that it will happen and will be a success.  Finnish Ilta-Sanomat got comment from Paul Jordan ak Dr Eurovision, expert and media commentator. He repeats Jon Ola Sand's belief that Ukraine can do it. The work starts next week and they will look for all options where in Ukraine and how the contest can be organized. Ukraine did it already once so they know what it takes. In 2005 the situation was also very difficult but they organized a great Eurovision. The plan is: Ukraine will organize Eurovision 2017. Crimean flags were flying among Ukrainian ones when Jamala returned home to a hero's welcome. 

Telegraph writes lenghty about the Russian reactions to be beaten by Ukraine.  While Ukrainians basked in their Eurovision win on Sunday, Russian officials and Kremlin-friendly media offered up a string of conspiracy theories to explain the win of Crimean Tatar singer Jamala, whose song “1944” was largely seen as a jab at the Kremlin. And some officials said Russia should boycott the song contest next year, if it is set to be held in Ukraine. The song contest took on major political overtones this year, as Ukraine's Jamala squared off against Russian singer Sergei Lazarev in a showdown that many Eurovision fans saw as a continuation of the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine. When Ukraine beat Russia 531 points versus 491, Russia's state-run media seemed to have a hard time coming to terms with it. Interviewing Lazarev after he came in third, Russia's state-run television channels presented him as the “champion,” apparently hinting that the official results d...

Jamala brought Ukraine it's second Eurovision song contest victory last night. But who is she? Susana Jamaladinova (32) aka Jamala is a spinto soprano who composes her on muic, and mixes jazz, soul, world music, r'n'b, classical and even opera. She was born in Kirghiz, then USSR from a Crimean Tatar father and Armenian mother. Stalin deported her family there - and that's what her winning song 1944 is all about. They had 15 minutes to pack up their belongings and were forcibly deported to Uzbekistan. Crimean Tatars received a very unfriendly welcome there as the Soviet propaganda already worked with the country’s residents. The family returned to Crimea after Ukraine's independance.  Now a similar story is happening to Jamala as she can’t visit Crimea where her 87-year-old grandfather lives. Her music school in Crimea even removed her portrait from the honoring display.  Jamala started singing publicly at the age of 15 and participated in many talent con...

The morning after. We see Ukrain's 1944 by Jamala has got the iTines wild and it has become the number one in Eurovision Tracker , too. This could be the first time an Eurovision winner hits #1 in Lao People's Democratic Republic, is it? :-) Other more exotic countries include Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Philippines. She does #10 in Sweden, #42 in Germany, #77 in UK and Australia charting in 34 countries. Australia is charting in 28 countries, Russia is in charts in 29 countries (#1 in Russia), Bulgaria in 24 (#1 in Bulgaria) and Sweden in 28 (#1 in Lithuania). A total of 36/42 songs are present in iTunes charts in various countries when writign this on Sunday morning. 1 Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Lao People's Democratic Republic 2 Belarus 3 Poland, Russia 4 Cyprus 5 Kazakhstan, Lithuania 8 Moldova 9 Malta 10 Sweden

Jamala is now at the winner's press conference. She starts telling she feels amazing and have no other words in English to describe it. Then she thanks the organizers and everybody for those three minutes. And everyone who voted for her. Everybody in her team who created the staging magic. The most important thing is to believe in yourself and what you are doing. If you talk or sing about truth, it will touch people. She hopes 1944 will have the same kind of power than Schiendler's list (soundtrack) Then she is declared the new queen of Crimean tatars by someone in the audience. Jamala hopes the next Eurovision will take place in Ukraine, not sure where but in Ukraine. She will be working on her new album soon. She has written a new song even today. It will be her 5th and they hope to have an interantional release for it. And then she's asked about LGBT rights and if they will be safe in Ukraine next year, sigh. Obviously, is the answer. Enter Jon Ola Sa...

Jamala from Ukraine is the worthy Eurovision song contest winner with her hauntingly beautiful 1944. Her jury votes were enough to keep the televoting winner Sergey Lazarev from Russia behind her. The clear jury winner Australia's Dami Im was only 4th with the televoting but secured her 2nd place when Poland's Michal Szpak was third, but did very bad with the jurors. Same are already blaming this is a political win, but have they listened the song? It's chillingly true and beautiful. This is Ukraine's second win following that of 2004 and Ruslana's Wild dances . Back then they had trouble organizing it, now it will be interesting to see how it goes this time.  To be updated.

Ukraine has a lot of issue to dela with their second rehearsal stating from Jamalaäs dress to special effects, lighting, camera angles and Jamala wasn't even satifeid with her own movements. But she met Loreen, visited ABBA museum and managed to rehearse well so all's good. Jamala's vocals are spot on and divine, and the emotion she oozes gives goosebumps and shivers. Can she really win with this somewhat difficult song? Maybe. Maybe not. But it would uite safe predict a top-3...?

Jamala is on stage with two backing singers. She hasn't yet decided which dress to wear but she's in blac today, with a new hairstyle. But that's not important she says, but the song. In the end of the performance in the backgroud there's a tree that symbolizes life and memory. As we know the song is about her grandmother but not only, it's to remember the roots. She enters the stage through a tunnel of moving clouds, the cebter floor is illuminated by imaginative flows of energy. It is said the press center fell silent during her performance, goosebumps and chills everywhere. This is a show stopper. Tasteful and beautiful, yet complex staging that works wonders. And of course we have Jamala's voice. Difficult to explain, amazing to watch as someone said. Some say this will give a run of their money for Russia or anyone else in the winning game. This blogger agrees. Jamala brought in a full house for her Meet & Greet. She loves real music, not empty song...