Culture
Jamala: “No politics in my ESC-song”
Ukraine will be at this year’s Eurovision Song Contest with the 32-year-old Krimtatarin Jamala represented. In the DW-Interview talks to the singer about her very personal song and the history of their people.
DW: With your song, “1944”, you will be on the 14. May for the Ukraine at the Eurovision Song Contest in Stockholm on the stage. It’s about the forced relocation of the Crimean Tatars to Central Asia in the Soviet Union under Stalin. Why did you select this song?
Jamala: I have recently released a new Album, the hot “breath”. And I wanted the song “1944” on it. But it somehow did not fit. When I learned that in Ukraine songs for the ESC to be searched, I thought: this is The time for this song is probably come. I knew, what I get into when I’m in my song so openly about my family and this tragedy tell. But I did not think that this would be a great story. I was a bit skeptical, as I at the Ukrainian selection contest have participated, because I had it already once (2011) tried. Everything initially seemed fine, but at that time there was a different decision. And yet this time I wanted to tell this story.
As they have over the forced resettlement of the Crimean Tatars?
Susana Jamaladinova in the national ESC-preliminary round in Kiev
This story has me first, my great-grandmother told my grandmother, my grandfather and father. As a child made me such sad stories nervous. With age I have understood what it is about, I’ve even felt, like people according to their origin can be assessed. I chose a song to write about, because it is a large, important and delicate issue. This is why I Text the truth to be told, the story of my great-grandmother. I have the song “1944”, because in this year everything began: The lives of my Relatives took a dramatic turn, but also my life, the lives of all Crimean Tatars. Since there are endless tall tales (about the alleged collaboration of the Crimean Tatars with the Nazis – editor’s note). Died my grandfather Jamadin – as well as all of the men großmütterlicherseits – in the Second world war. But this lie haunts the Krimtartaren until today.
If you would invite, in the Crimea act, would you do that?
Currently, this is unfortunately impossible. I would very much like to get my grandpa to see, is now 87. I even asked my father, he nothing to tell, else would grandpa namely cry and Worry. That hurts. I’m Worried about my relatives. I would like to the Crimea, see but now no way.
How will your Song from the ESC audience?
In the Russian state Duma holds one of her song for political and urges of the ESC organizers, the Text carefully to check.
This is simply ridiculous, because there is in this song, not politics. If you are in the Text, something Concrete would find threats or demands, then I can change it. But I’m sure that there is no such thing. I am completely calm, because I know it is: It is all spelled correctly and you have nothing to change.
What do you want the audience at the ESC surprise?
I would very much like my performance Europe like. I already think about the dress, it is a different dress than in the Ukrainian competition. It is a unique Show. With us, we think, a Show were bright lights and glittering balls. But that would be my song don’t fit.
Jamala (bürgerlich: Susana Jamaladinowa) is a Ukrainian singer and Krimtatarin. It is the Ukraine at the Eurovision Song Contest 2016 in Stockholm will be represented.
The Interview was conducted by Xenia Safronova.