Jamala

Good afternoon, dear readers! Today we would like to tell you about the life and work of one of the most famous Ukrainian singers, Jamala. Her real name is Susana Alimovna Jamaladinova. She was born on August 27, 1983 in Osh, Kyrgyz SSR. She is 172 cm tall. She performs songs in various genres such as jazz, soul, funk, folk, pop and electro. She also takes part in opera productions and movies. Her most famous projects are winning the Eurovision Song Contest 2016 with the song “1944”, participating in the vocal show “The Voice” as a judge, and roles in the films “The Guide” and “Polina”. If you want to know more about this incredible woman, then read on!

Childhood and family

Jamala was born to a Crimean Tatar father, Alim Jamaladinov, and an Armenian mother, Galina Tumasova. Her great-grandmother and her children were deported from Crimea in May 1944, but her father always dreamed of returning to his historic homeland.He succeeded in 1989, when the family moved to the village of Malorechenskoye near Alushta.Jamala has two younger sisters, Natalia and Nadia.

Since childhood, Jamala has loved music and singing. She learned to play the piano at a music school in Alushta and also participated in various children’s competitions.At the age of nine, she recorded her first album with children’s and folk Crimean Tatar songs.At the age of 14, she entered a music school in Simferopol, where she studied classical and opera vocals.

Education

After graduating from the music school, Jamala continued her education at the Tchaikovsky National Music Academy of Ukraine in Kyiv, where she received a master’s degree in opera vocal performance with honors.

Career

Jamala began her professional career in 2001 when she formed the jazz band Tutti with her classmates from college. She also sang in the Dudaryk choir and performed at various festivals and concerts. In 2005, she became the lead singer of the Beauty Band, which performed popular hits in jazz arrangements.

In 2009, she won the New Wave international competition in Jurmala, where she impressed the audience and the jury with her powerful voice and emotional performance. This was the beginning of her solo career, after which she released her debut album “For Every Heart” in 2011. This album featured songs in English, Ukrainian, Russian and Crimean Tatar, as well as duets with such famous artists as Dmitry Shurov, Oleg Skrypka, Andriy Khlyvnyuk and others.

In 2011, she also took part in the national selection of Ukraine for the Eurovision Song Contest with the song “Smile”, but came in second place after Mika Newton. In 2013, she tried her hand at this contest again with the song “A Drop of Blood”, but did not make it to the final.

In 2013, she also made her acting debut, playing the lead role in the film The Guide, about the life of Ukrainian filmmaker Oleksandr Dovzhenko. In 2014, she starred in the Franco-Belgian film Pauline, about a dancer who runs away from her husband to Ukraine.

In 2015, she released her second studio album “Breath”, which featured songs in Ukrainian and Crimean Tatar, as well as collaboration with the band DakhaBrakha.

In 2016, she again took part in the national selection for the Eurovision Song Contest with the song “1944”, which tells about the deportation of Crimean Tatars in 1944. This song caused a lot of discussion and controversy, especially from Russia, which considered it politicized and anti-Russian. However, Jamala claimed that her song was a personal story of her family, not a political statement. Jamala won the national selection and represented Ukraine at the Eurovision Song Contest in Stockholm, where she also won with 534 points.It was Ukraine’s second victory at this contest after Ruslana in 2004. The song “1944” was highly praised by critics and listeners, as well as various awards such as the Marcel Bezençon Award, Eurostory Award, Cosmopolitan Award and others.

In 2017, she released her third studio album “Wings”, which featured songs in Ukrainian, English, Crimean Tatar and Arabic, as well as collaborations with such artists as Jah Khalib, alyona alyona, Morphom, Vanek Foundation, Koloah, D. Marin, U. Bekirov, Vakula, Tayanna and others. This album was dedicated to the themes of love, freedom, peace and diversity. Jamala also took part in the opening and closing of the Eurovision Song Contest 2017 in Kyiv, where she performed her songs “1944”, “Lured” and “I Believe in U”.

After the birth of her son Emir Rahman in March 2018, Jamala devoted herself to motherhood and family, appearing on screen only as a judge on The Voice.In October 2018, she released the single “Wings”, which became the anthem of the Ukrainian team at the Invictus Games in Sydney.In November 2018, she took part in the charity concert “Defenders of Ukraine” in Kyiv, where she performed the song “Zlyva”.

In 2019, she continued her music career by releasing the singles “Sweet Punishment”, “I Love You”, “Who Else but You” and “Confused”. She also starred in the movie Zakhar Berkut, about a Ukrainian hero who fought against the Mongol invasion in the 13th century. In September 2019, she performed at the Atlantis Festival in Odesa, where she presented her new program Wings.

In 2020, she released the singles “Dyhai”, “Ochi” and “Fiolovi”. She also became a judge on The Voice. Children” and “The X Factor”. In November 2020, she took part in the Music of Victory concert in Kyiv, where she performed the song “Eternal Love”. In December 2020, she released her fourth studio album, Wings. Christmas Collection”, which featured songs in Ukrainian, English, Crimean Tatar and Arabic, as well as collaborations with artists such as Alexander Ponomarev, Antonina Matvienko, Alexander Xenofontov, Alexander Irvanets, Alexander Bozhik, Alexander Lazarev, Alexander Lysenko, Alexander Malyshev, Alexander Sklyar, Alexander Starostenko, Alexander Tkachenko, Alexander Shevchenko, Alexander Shlyakhov, Alexander Yaremenko, Alexander Yatsenko.

In 2021, Jamala released the singles “Ex”, “One”, and “Sama”. She also became a judge on The Voice and Eurovision. National Selection”. In May 2021, she took part in the Music of Victory concert in Kyiv, where she performed the song “Wings”. In June 2021, she performed at the Atlantis Festival in Odesa, where she presented her new program “Wings. Summer”.

Achievements

 

It is:

• She was the winner of the international competition “New Wave 2009” in Jurmala, where she impressed the audience and the jury with her powerful voice and emotional performance.
• She is the winner of the 61st Eurovision Song Contest 2016 in Stockholm, where she represented Ukraine with the song “1944”, which tells about the deportation of Crimean Tatars in 1944. This song was highly praised by critics and listeners, as well as various awards, such as the Marcel Bezençon Award, Eurostory Award, Cosmopolitan Award and others.
• She was awarded the title of People’s Artist of Ukraine by the President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko in May 2016 for her significant contribution to the development of Ukrainian culture and art, and for raising Ukraine’s profile in the world.
• She has won many prestigious music awards, such as the Golden Firebird, Golden Gramophone, M1 Music Awards, YUNA, Golden Cranberry, Golden Lion, Golden Microphone, Golden Globe, Golden Grammy, Golden Disc, Golden Eagle, Golden Bear and others.
• She is the author of seven studio albums, which include songs in English, Ukrainian, Russian and Crimean Tatar, as well as collaborations with such artists as Igor Tarnopolsky, O. Kolyadenko, E. Filatov, A. Khlyvnyuk, D. Shurov, O. Sanin, M. Papernik, O. Barko, DakhaBrakha, Cape Cod, Jah Khalib, alyona alyona, Morphom, Vanek Foundation, Koloah, D. Marin, U. Bekirov, Vakula, Tayanna.
• She is an actress who starred in the films The Guide, about the life of Ukrainian director Oleksandr Dovzhenko, and Polina, about a dancer who runs away from her husband to Ukraine.

Conclusion

Jamala – is an extraordinary person who managed to make her dream come true. She is a talented singer, actress, composer, judge, mother and citizen. She is an example of strength, will, courage and love for her country, people and culture. She is the voice of Ukraine, which is heard and respected all over the world. She is Jamala.

We hope you found our article on Jamala’s biography useful and interesting. We would like to share with you a few quotes from Jamala that reflect her views on life:

• “I have always believed in myself, in my strength, in my capabilities. I have always believed that everything I do is done with love and with my heart.”
• “I like being myself. I don’t want to be someone else. I don’t want to copy anyone. I want to be original.”
• “Music is my language, my way of communicating with people. I express my thoughts, my feelings, my emotions through music.”
• “I love my country, my people, my culture. I am proud to be a Ukrainian, a Crimean Tatar, an Armenian. I believe that this is my strength, my peculiarity, my diversity.”

Thank you for your attention and admiration. We wish you a good day and a great mood.