1944

General Information

Performed by

Jamala

Composer(s)

Jamala

Lyricist(s)

Art Antonyan Jamala

Language(s)

English, Crimean Tatar

Eurovision

Year

2016

Country

Ukraine

Conductor

--

Semi-Final Position

2nd

Semi-Final Points

287

Final Position

1st

Final Points

534

Preceding and Following Songs

Preceding	Following
Tick-Tock!	Time

1944 was the Ukrainian entry at the Eurovision Song Contest 2016 in Stockholm performed by Jamala. Ukraine missed the previous contest due to political and financial reasons. The song tied for first place in the 2016 Ukrainian final with the band The Hardkiss, but won by virtue of winning the televote in the tiebreaker.

After its release, this song has come under fire by Russian politicians, and various fans due to its political influences (which is against the official rules of the contest); the song is about Josef Stalin deporting Crimean Tatar people from Crimea to Central Asia.

The chorus in Crimean Tatar are words that Jamala has heard her grandmother say to her about her childhood in Crimea.

It qualified from the second semifinal in 2nd place. In the final, it was performed 21st following Latvia and preceding Malta. At the close of voting, it was declared the winner with 537 points despite finishing 2nd in both the jury and the televote, the first win under the new scoring system and Ukraine's first win since Ruslana in 2004.

Lyrics[]

When strangers are coming...
They come to your house,
They kill you all
and say,
We’re not guilty
not guilty.

Where is your mind?
Humanity cries.
You think you are gods.
But everyone dies.
Don't swallow my soul.
Our souls

Yaşlığıma toyalmadım
Men bu yerde yaşalmadım
Yaşlığıma toyalmadım
Men bu yerde yaşalmadım

We could build a future
Where people are free
to live and love.
The happiest time.
Hard time

Where is your heart?
Humanity rise.
You think you are gods
But everyone dies.
Don't swallow my soul.
Our souls

Yaşlığıma toyalmadım
Men bu yerde yaşalmadım
Yaşlığıma toyalmadım
Men bu yerde yaşalmadım

Vatanima toyalmadim

I did not enjoy my youth
I was not able to live in this place
I did not enjoy my youth
I was not able to live in this place

I did not enjoy my youth
I was not able to live in this place
I did not enjoy my youth
I was not able to live in this place

I did not enjoy my homeland

Eurovision Song Contest 2016
Participants
Semi Final 1
Sandhja • Argo • Lidia Isac • Freddie • Nina Kraljić • Douwe Bob • Iveta Mukuchyan • Serhat • Sergey Lazarev • Gabriela Gunčíková • Minus One • Zoë • Jüri Pootsmann • Samra Rahimli • Highway • Greta Salóme • Deen & Dalal ft. Ana & Jala • Ira Losco
Semi Final 2
Justs • Michał Szpak • Rykka • Hovi Star • Ivan • Sanja Vučić • Nicky Byrne • Kaliopi • Donny Montell • Dami Im • ManuElla • Poli Genova • Lighthouse X • Jamala • Agnete • Young Georgian Lolitaz • Eneda Tarifa • Laura Tesoro
Final
Amir • Jamie-Lee Kriewitz • Francesca Michielin • Barei • Frans • Joe & Jake
Songs
Semi Final 1
Sing It Away • Utopian Land • Falling Stars • Pioneer • Lighthouse • Slow Down • LoveWave • I Didn't Know • You Are The Only One • I Stand • Alter Ego • Loin d'ici • Play • Miracle • The Real Thing • Hear Them Calling • Ljubav je • Walk On Water
Semi Final 2
Heartbeat • Color of Your Life • The Last of Our Kind • Made of Stars • Help You Fly • Goodbye (Shelter) • Sunlight • Dona • I've Been Waiting For This Night • Sound of Silence • Blue and Red • If Love Was a Crime • Soldiers of Love • 1944 • Icebreaker • Midnight Gold • Fairytale • What's The Pressure
Final
J’ai cherché • Ghost • No Degree of Separation • Say Yay • If I Were Sorry • You're Not Alone

Eurovision Song Contest
Editions
1956 • 1957 • 1958 • 1959 • 1960 • 1961 • 1962 • 1963 • 1964 • 1965 • 1966 • 1967 • 1968 • 1969 • 1970 • 1971 • 1972 • 1973 • 1974 • 1975 • 1976 • 1977 • 1978 • 1979 • 1980 • 1981 • 1982 • 1983 • 1984 • 1985 • 1986 • 1987 • 1988 • 1989 • 1990 • 1991 • 1992 • 1993 • 1994 • 1995 • 1996 • 1997 • 1998 • 1999 • 2000 • 2001 • 2002 • 2003 • 2004 • 2005 • 2006 • 2007 • 2008 • 2009 • 2010 • 2011 • 2012 • 2013 • 2014 • 2015 • 2016 • 2017 • 2018 • 2019 • ~~2020~~ • 2021 • 2022 • 2023 • 2024 • 2025 • 2026
Countries
Albania • Andorra • Armenia • Australia • Austria • Azerbaijan • Belarus • Belgium • Bosnia and Herzegovina • Bulgaria • Croatia • Cyprus • Czechia • Denmark • Estonia • Finland • France • Georgia • Germany • Greece • Hungary • Iceland • Ireland • Israel • Italy • Latvia • Lithuania • Luxembourg • Malta • Moldova • Monaco • Montenegro • Morocco • The Netherlands • North Macedonia • Norway • Poland • Portugal • Romania • Russia • San Marino • Serbia • Serbia and Montenegro • Slovakia • Slovenia • Spain • Sweden • Switzerland • Turkey • United Kingdom • Ukraine • Yugoslavia
Winning Songs
Refrain • Net Als Toen • Dors, mon amour • Een beetje • Tom Pillibi • Nous les amoureux • Un premier amour • Dansevise • Non ho l'età • Poupée de Cire, Poupée de Son • Merci, Chérie • Puppet on a String • La, La, La • Boom Bang-a-Bang • Vivo Cantando • Un jour, un enfant • De Troubadour • All Kinds of Everything • Un banc, un arbre, une rue • Après Toi • Tu Te Reconnaîtras • Waterloo • Ding-a-Dong • Save Your Kisses For Me • L'Oiseau et l'enfant • A-Ba-Ni-Bi • Hallelujah • What's Another Year • Making Your Mind Up • Ein bißchen Frieden • Si la vie est cadeau • Diggiloo Diggiley • La Det Swinge • J'aime La Vie • Hold Me Now • Ne Partez Pas Sans Moi • Rock Me • Insieme: 1992 • Fångad av en stormvind • Why Me? • In Your Eyes • Rock 'n' Roll Kids • Nocturne • The Voice • Love Shine a Light • Diva • Take Me To Your Heaven • Fly on the Wings of Love • Everybody • I Wanna • Everyway That I Can • Wild Dances • My Number One • Hard Rock Hallelujah • Molitva • Believe • Fairytale • Satellite • Running Scared • Euphoria • Only Teardrops • Rise Like a Phoenix • Heroes • 1944 • Amar pelos dois • Toy • Arcade • Zitti e buoni • Stefania • Tattoo • The Code • Wasted Love
Specials
Congratulations: 50 Years of the Eurovision Song Contest • Eurovision's Greatest Hits • Europe Shine a Light
Aspects of Eurovision
Commentator • EuroClub • Eurovision Village • Executive Supervisor • Flag Parade • Grand Prix • Green Room • Head of Delegation • Interval Act • National Final • National Jury • Official Rules • Opening Ceremony • Pre-Parties • Pre-Song Postcards • Reference Group • Rest of the World Vote • Running Order Draw • Semi-Finals • Scoreboard • Spokesperson • Televoting • Voting Systems
Miscellaneous
Big Five • Curse of 43 • Curse of Number Two • Curse of Green • Douze Points! • ESCRadio Awards • ESC Top 250 • Eurovision Again • Eurovision National Broadcasters • Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga • Founding Seven • LGBT visibility • Lynda Woodruff • Marcel Bezençon Awards • Nul Points • OGAE • Records • Stand-ins • The Reorder Board • Tie Situation • Top Scoring Songs • Voting Diaspora • Winner's Curse • Withdrawn Songs • You're a Vision Award

Trivia[]

The visuals for Jamala's stage performance were created by the multimedia group Front Pictures. In 2018, they auditioned for the 13th season of America's Got Talent, making it all the way to the semifinals as a double wild card act.
It is one of two songs to win performing out of the 21st slot in the running order, the other being The Code in 2024.

1944

Lyrics[]

Trivia[]

Videos[]