Ukrainian Eurovision winner: Who is Jamala?

Singer Jamala, whose real name is Susana Jamaladinova, was known for her harsh criticism of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. It was revealed that Jamala, who was accused of "spreading false news about the Russian armed forces", was put on the wanted list in recent weeks.

Russian news sources reported that Jamala was wanted due to her posts about the Bucha massacre in Russia in 2022. With the start of the occupation, Jamala took refuge in Turkey with her two children, and her husband stayed behind to fight the Russians.

Susana Alimivna Jamaladinova (born 27 August 1983), known professionally as Jamala, is a Ukrainian singer. She represented Ukraine and won the Eurovision Song Contest 2016 with her song "1944". In 2017, 2018, 2019, 2022 and 2023 she served as a judge at Vidbir, the Ukrainian national selection for the Eurovision Song Contest. In November 2023, Russia added Jamala to its wanted list.

The 40-year-old singer, who currently lives in Australia, responded to the arrest warrant with an emoji on social media.

Jamala Biography

• Jamala's real name is Susana Jamaladinova. Ukrainian singer, songwriter and actor.
• She was born in 1983 in Osh, Kyrgyzstan, during the Soviet Russian regime. She moved with her family to her father's hometown, Crimea, in the late 1980s.
• She graduated from the Tchaikovsky National Music Academy in Ukraine as an opera singer.
• She sings songs in Ukrainian, Crimean Tatar, Russian and English.

Jamala participated in the 61st Eurovision Song Contest held in Stockholm, Sweden, in 2016 with the song "1944", about the Crimean Tatar exile and the tragedy of her grandmother, and represented Ukraine in the competition.

Jamala, who won the competition with 534 points, shot the video for the song at an abandoned military base on Mount Tomatik, at an altitude of 1,565 meters, in the Chernovtsi region of Ukraine.

Thanks to her first-place win, Jamala, who made the history of Crimea, which had been hidden for years, known to a large group of people, was given the title of "People's Artist of Ukraine".

The artist became a goodwill ambassador of the United Nations (UN) International Organization for Migration in 2017.

Jamala, who called for anti-war and support for Ukraine on her social media account at the start of the Russia-Ukraine war, also shared pictures from her difficult journey with her children with her followers.

The successful commentator also shared a part of the song "1944", which won her first place in Eurovision, with her followers, combining it with the latest images in Ukraine, with the message: "We need the support of the whole world. This war must end as soon as possible. Stand by Ukraine."

March 2022

The singer who took refuge in Turkey from Ukraine

Crimean singer Jamala, who went to her sister living in Istanbul after a long journey, said, "I am at home, but my country is now under bombardment. All people are in danger. My wife, father-in-law, relatives, and friends all stayed there."

Referring to the reasons why she went to Turkey after leaving her country, the singer said, "I also feel a part of Turkey. I feel a part of Turkey because there are similarities in language, religion, and culture with Turkey, and of course, I have my family and family here." "I couldn't even think of another country because I have a sister," she said.