Well, anyone who has followed my Eurovision Special would have realised that this is from the wrong year. The thing is Måns Zelmerlöw hasn't released an official music video to "Heroes"; unfortunately, there is only a lyric video available. So that left me a little unsure of what to do. Then I remembered Jamala had released this video for her winning entry from Eurovision 2016, and I've been trying to find the time to review it. So today is as good of a day as any, but the today is the best day because it totally completes all my Eurovision blog posts. Watch Jamala perform "1944" amongst an intricate contemporary dance that raises goosebumps and gives chills. Absolutely amazing.
Jamala, full name Susana Jamaladinova, has released a lot of songs and albums. She has really embedded herself as a confident professional singer with amazing vocal ability. It's not much of a surprise that she did well in the contest, and she managed to win it even when the top was very competitive. She won the Ukrainian national final, after initially tying with second place. She represented Ukraine and won with 534 points. Due to a change of the points system, this marks the highest score of the Eurovision Song Contest, ever. There was controversy over the fact that she won because Australia won the jury vote, and Russia won the public vote; Ukraine came second in both and with a combined total, Jamala won overall. The song also gained a lot of controversy due to the potential political content of the song, however the Eurovision Broadcasting Union looked into this and claimed that the song didn't contain any political speech and therefore ruled that the song doesn't break any of the Eurovision rules. Jamala's song tells a story and it really packs a punch, definitely a worthy winner in my books. The song was written by Art Antonyan and Susana Jamaladinova. The song is in English and Crimean Tatar.
Directed by Anatoliy Sachivko, who was also the choreographer for this video; the music video interprets all the emotion Jamala expresses into the song, into an emotional contemporary dance that completely flows and presents the song in the most beautiful way.
Jamala proves that she can dance too, throwing in her ability to perform this song with full emotion. The video was set an abandoned military base: Pamir. Which is on top of Tomnatik mountain.
The weather plays an important part of this music video, I love the rain effect on the camera, as well as the tornadoes that affect the people dancing.
It's all shot under an undue expectation of emotion. There's dark depths to this video and the visual shows it off perfectly. The choreography is amazing and all the dancers manage to stand out and prove their worth.
There's not much else left for me to say. It's quite a battle, one they obviously can't beat and yet they show a strength in unity. It's completely intricate and easily displays the emotions found in the song.
Definitely one of my favourites from the 2014 contest. Mariya Yaremchuk was one of the first entrants to be announced for the Eurovision Song Contest 2014. Representing Ukraine she came sixth overall with 113 points. This song is definitely catchy, and it was well received. Mariya Yaremchuk performs in a dark room pouring her heart into the song for the video whilst lanterns cast light and shadow around the room.
Mariya Yaremchuk has been performing in Ukraine contests since 2012. First up was Holos Krainy (translated as The Voice of the Country, the Ukraine's version of The Voice), where she came fourth in the second season. Next, she took part in New Wave 2012, an international contest of young performers. She came third in the contest. Then, she attempted to represent Ukraine in the Eurovision Song Contest 2013 with a song called "Imagine". She came fifth in the national selection titled Evrobachennya 2013. A year later she tried again with this song and won the 2016 Ukraine national selection. Since coming sixth in Eurovision 2014, Mariya Yaremchuk has released a few singles under Марія Яремчук, hopefully, there's an album on the way. The song was written by Mariya Yaremchuk and Sandra Bjurman.
The music video is a pure performance piece, showing that Mariya Yaremchuk was meant to be on a stage singing her heart out.
Light effects definitely make this music video, the editors and the light technicians use the lanterns and the shadows to their advantage. Spotlighting the dancers whilst making Mariya Yaremchuk look amazing.
There's not a lot to say about this music video, Mariya Yaremchuk is stunning throughout. She performs with emotion whilst showing off her voice. There's no narrative and not a lot else to comment on. She connects with the audience through her vocals and her performance, igniting and teasing the viewers.
Zlata Ognevich, real name Inna Bordiuh, has tried to represent the
Ukraine in Eurovision a total of three times. This year she finally got
selected. She came fifth in 2009, and 2nd in 2010, this year she won
Evrobachennya, Ukraine's national selection. She obviously was eager to
represent her country, and in competing so many times, made her known to
the fans of Eurovision in the Ukraine. I just hope this isn't the end
for her.
"Gravity" was written by Mikhail Nekrasov and Karen Kavaleryan. The song definitely stands out, and it's one of those songs I end up singing along to and I don't realise it. The thing is, I don't think it would've done as well, if that giant, Igor Vovkovinskiy, didn't carry her in during her performance. I was hoping to see the giant in the music video, but there's no sign of him
The Ukraine came 3rd out of 26 countries. 214 points were awarded to Zlata Ognevich. 10 from Lithuania, 12 from Moldova, 10 from Spain, 8 from Belgium, 10 from Estonia, 12 from Belarus, 10 from Malta, 1 from Russia, 12 from Armenia, 5 from the Netherlands, 4 from Romania, 5 from the UK, 7 from Hungary, 3 from Denmark, 3 from Iceland, 12 from Azerbaijan, 8 from Greece, 5 from Italy, 1 from Norway, 8 from Georgia, another 8 from Ireland, 1 from Austria, 12 from Croatia, 10 from Cyprus, another 10 from Serbia, 7 from Latvia, 10 from Bulgaria and another 10 from Israel.
The music video is dream like. It's the sort of place I'd love to live, a place without a care in a world and everything is beautiful around me, guess I'll have to leave that to my dreams rather than searching for a floating bit of land in Space, where I could safely live.
There a narrative and performance piece. The narrative hasn't got an actual story to it, just that she awakens from a metal flower and looks wide-eyed at all the things on this floating piece of land.
There are various performance pieces, which stands out totally. She has such a presence when she sings that you are captured. She is also really beautiful, and I'm not the only one who thinks that, many people have commented on her looks, it may also be another reason why people become captured in her singing.
Various scenes stand out, such as when she is singing in that red dress, and when she is floating in the bubble with diamonds surrounding her. It's such a powerful video, and she didn't even need to do much.
Overall a song I can listen to again and again, but I think there was better songs in the competition this year. The music video is powerful, with the occasional direct translation of the lyrics, what with the birds which are mentioned in the song. however, it's is theatrical and dramatic, and draws many people in.
