1944

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

Eurovision Song Contest 2016
Artists	Semi Final One: 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 Two: 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 Grand Final: Amir • Jamie-Lee Kriewitz • Francesca Michielin • Barei • Frans • Joe & Jake
Songs	Semi Final One: 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 Two: 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 Grand Final: J’ai cherché • Ghost • No Degree of Separation • Say Yay • If I Were Sorry • You're Not Alone

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.

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