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
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.
Videos
Jamala - 1944 (Official Music Video) PREMIERE!!!
LIVE - Jamala - 1944 (Ukraine) at the Grand Final of the 2016 Eurovision Song Contest
