1944 — song written and composed by Art Antonyan and Jamala, originally performed by Jamala at the 2016 Eurovision Song Contest
Jamala's '1944' won the 2016 Eurovision Song Contest for Ukraine with 534 points, drawing global attention to the Soviet-era deportation of Crimean Tatars.
Key Facts
- Eurovision score
- 534 points
- Contest year
- 2016
- Representing country
- Ukraine
- Music video release
- 21 September 2016
- Guardian ranking
- 3rd best Eurovision winner in history
- Languages used
- English and Crimean Tatar
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
Jamala was moved by the personal history of her grandparents, who were endangered by Stalin's forced deportation of Crimean Tatars in 1944—a violent ethnic persecution that resulted in numerous deaths and the displacement of an entire people from their homeland.
Ukrainian musician Jamala performed '1944' at the Eurovision Song Contest 2016, a song she co-wrote with Art Antonyan. Blending English and Crimean Tatar lyrics, the piece depicted the Stalinist persecution of Crimean Tatars and functioned as what Jamala described as a musical memorial.
The song won Eurovision 2016 with 534 points, bringing international recognition to Ukraine and renewed public awareness of the Crimean Tatar deportations. Critics later ranked it among the greatest Eurovision winners, with The Guardian placing it third in history.
Work
1944
The song drew global attention to the Soviet deportation of Crimean Tatars and is critically ranked among the greatest Eurovision-winning songs, praised for its melancholic blend of English and Crimean Tatar vocals.