On Sunday, Russia protested the results of Saturday night's Eurovision Song Contest finals, in which Ukrainian singer Jamala won with a song about Josef Stalin's bloody 1944 mass deportations of ethnic Tatars — including Jamala's grandmother — from Crimea to Central Asia. Jamala, the stage name for Susana Jamaladinova, 32, beat Australia's Dami Im and Russian singer Sergey Lazarev, who won the popular vote but placed third when the popular tally from around Europe was added to the scores from the juries. Crimean Tatars, who opposed Russia's annexation of Crimea from Ukraine in 2014, celebrated the victory.
Eurovision entries can't be political, and Jamala insisted that her song, "1944," was not about politics. Lazarev's song, "You Are the Only One," is a catchy dance number, and he performed it using a set that allowed him to climb an LED backdrop and ride a virtual iceberg through space. On Facebook, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said mockingly that next year's winner would sing about Syria's "bloody" Bashar al-Assad, an ally of Russia. She even suggested some lyrics: "Assad blood, Assad worst. Give me prize, that we can host."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
-
Death of England: Closing Time review – 'bold, brash reflection on racism'The Week Recommends The final part of this trilogy deftly explores rising political tensions across the country
-
The Marriage of Figaro: 'lively' revival of Mozart's comedy 'zings along'The Week Recommends David McVicar's 'ever-fresh' production is back at the Royal Opera House
-
Last hurrah: have standing ovations gone too far?Talking Point The media loves measuring audience applause but default 'clapathons' are 'running riot through our theatres'
-
OJ Simpson, star athlete tried for murder, dead at 76Speed Read The former football hero and murder suspect lost his battle with cancer
-
Momofuku's 'Chili Crunch' trademark uproarSpeed Read The company's attempt to own the sole rights has prompted backlash
-
Kevin Hart awarded Mark Twain PrizeSpeed Read He is the 25th recipient of the prestigious comedy prize
-
Is Downton Abbey set to return for a final film?Speed Read Imelda Staunton reveals that a third movie may be in the pipeline
-
'Oppenheimer' sweeps Oscars with 7 winsspeed read The film won best picture, best director (Christopher Nolan) and best actor (Cillian Murphy)
-
'Rust' armorer convicted of manslaughterspeed read The film's cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was shot and killed by actor Alec Baldwin during rehearsal
-
The Beatles are getting 4 intersecting biopicsSpeed Read Director Sam Mendes is making four separate movies, each told from the perspective of one band member
-
Taylor Swift to Miley Cyrus: female artists dominate 2024 GrammysSpeed Read SZA, Phoebe Bridgers and Lainey Wilson were also among the winners at LA gala
