Jamala (Susana Jamaladinova) is a Ukrainian singer, composer, and actress of Crimean Tatar descent, the possessor of a deep, flexible voice with a unique blend of jazz, soul, and ethnic and academic traditions.
World recognition was brought to her by her victory at Eurovision 2016 with the piercing song “1944” — about the tragedy of the deportation of the Crimean Tatar people by the Stalinist regime, a history her own family lived through. Jamala's performance became not only an artistic but a powerful civic statement that resounded around the world. After the start of the full-scale war, Jamala became one of the voices of Ukraine in the world, telling of her country and culture. Her work is an example of how personal and national memory is transformed into great art.
