Jamala, the winner of the 2016 Eurovision Song Contest has expressed her hopes for the upcoming competition in Ukraine. Speaking exclusively to Eurovision.tv she reflected on her journey since Stockholm and revealed her plans for the coming year.
It's been over six months since Ukraine's Jamala won the 2016 Eurovision Song Contest in Stockholm with the song 1944. What followed was a whirlwind of concert tours and media appearances. "My life really changed when I won the Eurovision Song Contest", said Jamala. "It was like craziness, but in a good way!"
"My story, my win, proved that if you are very clear, very honest with your audience, you will win. The song was full of emotions and the people in the arena, on their sofas, in bars, in restaurants, all over the world, they felt it and understood me. I am the happiest person in the world because my music and my lyrics were understandable".
Earlier this week the EBU gave Kyiv the green light to host the 2017 Eurovision Song Contest, Jamala explained that for Ukraine, it's a matter of national pride:
"I am happy that we will have Eurovision in Ukraine, in Kyiv. I think it is very important for our country, especially nowadays. I think we can change the subject a little bit, we were famous for our political issues, our war, but Ukraine is a country that is full of really talented people. I hope we can do the best we can to host Eurovision fans in our country".
Jamala's schedule shows no signs of slowing down; she's continuing to produce new music and next year will be a judge of The Voice of Ukraine. She also revealed that she is engaged and plans to get married in spring next year!
