She’s the Eurovision 2016 winner who suffered the indignity of a stage invasion during her performance of “I Believe In You” at the Grand Final last Saturday night.

And now Jamala has endured a further indignity, after being blamed for Ukraine’s 24th place result in the final by fellow national selection juror Konstantin Meladze

In a stinging attack on Ukraine’s second Eurovision winner, Meladze questioned her judgement in voting for O. Torvald and their song “Time” at the national final.

“She just liked it and voted, without taking into account the prospects for the Eurovision Song Contest,” he said on the Nabahani Verbazende TV show. “And I think that we need to think several steps ahead.”

Meladze went on to question her place on the panel altogether.

“Maybe we don’t need to put celebrities who are primarily thinking about their own reputations on the panel, and you need to put people who will really assess the readiness of the person, genre to participate in Eurovision.”

Despite the pointed comment, he didn’t blame the jury as a whole because they couldn’t reach a consensus on the best candidate for Ukraine at Eurovision 2017. He suggests fan-favourite Tayanna, who he voted for, would have performed better on stage.

JAMALA STRIKES BACK

The “Zamanyly” singer wasn’t about to take that accusation lying down though.

In her response, Jamala points out public votes were “taken into account” and said she has “nothing to apologize for”.

The reply also nodded to Jamala’s own surprise victory in 2016.

“Eurovision is a contest, there are no guarantees and the results are unpredictable. Everyone predicted the singer from Italy would win and it was won by Salvador. O. Torvald were worthy of the competition and in particular they were the only rock band, so they were different from all the other participants. I congratulate them on their great performance!”

Ukraine performed similarly poorly the last time they hosted the contest. GreenJolly’s track “Razom nas bahato”, which became an anthem of the Orange Revolution, finished 19th at the close of voting.

What do you think of Konstantin Meladze’s accusations? Should Jamala have voted differently? Or should he respect the combined decision? Let us know in the comments below!

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73 Comments
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IGC
IGC
6 years ago

errrr – who cares. Its the same every year – some country is unhappy about something. Get over it and move on – learn what can be learned – and look forward to next year.

Amor A
Amor A
6 years ago

This guy has some nerve. How could he blame her? She liked the song so she voted for it. That was her job! Tayanna is a good singer but had a regular basic ballad. I liked? Time and I wished it did better.

Geo
Geo
6 years ago

Mr. Meladze is right…. I didn’t see the jury logic voting for such a bad song instead of Melovin or Tayanna, two beautiful songs… Melovin was the televote winner but the jury gave him only 2 points, was that fair? Jamala should not forget what happened to her, she went on representing Ukraine thanks to the public, it was also a tie in 2016 when she participated. That’s why, if there’s a fault or someone to be blamed it’s the jury….

Pavel
Pavel
6 years ago
Reply to  Geo

Salvador also lost the popular vote in Portugal to Viva La Diva and look how it turned out.
Melovin is another Ivan’s “Learn To Fly”, would have been around 20th or smth
Tayanna would have been a bit higher, maybe 12th-15th.
Salto Nazad was the only authentic and fun contestant in this year’s Vidbir

iWonder
iWonder
6 years ago

They should’ve listen to the audience, the televoters.
Melovin would’ve done so much better.

Pavel
Pavel
6 years ago
Reply to  iWonder

Like what, 21st or 22nd.

Charli Cheer Up
Charli Cheer Up
6 years ago

Tayana would’ve performed better but still place in the bottom like Poland did this year because it wouldn’t have stood out in a sea of ballads this year. IMO Melovin would’ve placed Top 10 because his song was different and current but too bad juries didn’t give him a chance. All he had to do was revamp the song and improve on his diction.

Pavel
Pavel
6 years ago

Salto Nazad was the only right choice, look where all of the songs in their national languages and all of the fun-upbeat songs ended up.

Music is the key
Music is the key
6 years ago

Thankfully the great rock song Time won over I Love You…..that was REALLY an awful song, one of the worst NF-songs of the season.

nn
nn
6 years ago

Because her voting best song in Ukraine Gerlandine did went ro final(singer of song have armeniaancestry)

Mark
Mark
6 years ago

None of the songs in the Ukrainian pre-selection were any good

Zebb
Zebb
6 years ago

‘Nabahani Verbazende’ – I get that wasn’t an easy attempt, but it’s correctly when it’s ‘Nebachenne Evrobachennya’ (Unseen Eurovision).

My thought is that ‘Time’ is such an ordinary uninspiring pop-rock with least original break. Vocalist also barely fit zone when he should make it interesting and daring. Hard to save this for left scoreboard…

Stephen Podesta
Stephen Podesta
6 years ago

It seems now Eurovision has finished the real feelings come out, Jealousy, name blaming, what happened to Jamala since she won, they it seems tried to keep Jamala out of the spot light.
Jamala is a very good act and its funny how she has not received any awards for her Music, especially 1944 in Ukraine looking at her Bio discography can anyone enlighten me.

Mark
Mark
6 years ago

People don’tenjoy her music

Anton
Anton
6 years ago

It doesn’t say it on English Wikipedia but she has received awards in last year. Before Eurovision-2016 she won YUNA-2016 (the biggest music awards in Ukraine) in categories Best Solo Artist, Best Album (?????), Best Song («?????»), Best Duet («?????» – Andrii Khlyvniuk, Jamala, Dmytro Shurov); she also got Cosmopolitan Awards for being Inspiration of the Year. And in 2017 she received another attack of YUNAs for Best Solo Artist, Best Song («1944») and Best Duet («????????» – Jamala, DakhaBrakha). Info from Ukrainian Wikipedia

Anton
Anton
6 years ago
Reply to  Anton

There were supported to be names on Cyrillic in place of question marks. Here’s romanization as they go: Album ‘Podykh’, Song ‘Zlyva’, Duet ‘Zlyva’, Duet ‘Zamanyly’ 🙂

Patricia
Patricia
6 years ago

They were pretty ignorant that unless you’re Ireland, you’re not going to win Eurovision after winning it the previous year. And even Ireland suffered after winning consecutively in the 90s – now they can’t even make it to the finals! This judge who blamed Jamala should be thankful his country still manages to make it to the Eurovision finals despite his country performing poorly the year after it wins Eurovision.

Mark
Mark
6 years ago
Reply to  Patricia

Luxembourg and Israel both won back to back years in the 1970s.

R
R
6 years ago
Reply to  Mark

And Spain in the 60’s (well, this can be questionable since the 1969 contest had 4 different winners)

Richardinho
Richardinho
6 years ago

Off topic: When are Wiwibloggs going to put out another video?
It seems as if they’re coming back from Kiev on the Mega-bus.
Plus, please fix your servers as your website keeps going down. 🙁

Mark
Mark
6 years ago
Reply to  Richardinho

Did you mean Vengabus?

Aya Sato and Bambi
Aya Sato and Bambi
6 years ago

i think the problem was their performance BIG head staging in IEC looks scary and i haVE no ideal what is this. why didnt they just keep their nation semi final or NF performance staging.

God-Emperor
God-Emperor
6 years ago

I don’t think it was her. Usually eurofans have still many difficulties to accept diversity namely rock entries. Time is actually quite an ordinary rock song way behind the level of Midnight Gold (in the restricted group of my favourites in many years of watching Eurovision) but it’s still an attempt to celebrate diversity.
The complex against rock has to stop and hopefully plenty of other genres can join the contest asap and that can start right next year in Portugal!

Music is the key
Music is the key
6 years ago
Reply to  God-Emperor

I agree! Far too many ESC-fans dismiss rock….bad and limited musictaste!

Mark
Mark
6 years ago

I too believe when a jury member votes for a candidate that ends up last, he/she is in a way responsible for the result. Jamala should at least have a little bit of self-criticism but she’s too arrogant to do that

Amor A.
Amor A.
6 years ago
Reply to  Mark

How she should she be blamed and how is she too arrogant? In this competition all you have to do is depend on luck and chance. That’s all there is.

vf99
vf99
6 years ago

Maybe there is still some personal resentment towards Jamala because he wanted The hardkiss to win? Jesus he’s behaving like a stereotypical Eurovision fan during the national? final season

DyGh
DyGh
6 years ago

How can he even say that? First of all it’s a combined vote and second, she won it last year, give her some respect. Did he really expect to win again? Did he really expect to be able to host again? I don’t think so. They were very lucky they were even allowed to host as a country at war.

Alex
Alex
6 years ago

First of all, Jamala liked Tayanna no?

Also, it’s not her fault. Let’s remember the jury (Ruslana and that guy) supported Helpless and not 1944 which brought the victory to Ukraine.

Jamala is a very good coach and judge, she is talented and she can express her thoughts. Ruslana on the other hand is too much of herself. Why was she involved in the contest and was part of it?

Hermès
Hermès
6 years ago
Reply to  Alex

You’re mistaken. Ruslana was THE one backing Jamala with all her heart. Danilko (serduchka) was the one against 1944 saying it’s not for Eurovision, it’s too sad, nobody will understand, people want party. Ruslana was convinced Jamala could share her emotions on Eurovision stage and get people to understand and relate. You can dislike Ruslana all you want but give her credit on this one.

Alex
Alex
6 years ago

What a stupid accusation for Meladze to make, to say that Jamala cares more about her reputation than whoever represents Ukraine… seriously?

Tayanna’s song would not have stood out at all, either. At least O.Torvald’s song had an interesting instrumental.

Islanmir
Islanmir
6 years ago

It is not fair with Jamala at all! No one can predict who is going to win or who is going to be at last place. Maibe they should start to do a scheme of voting like ESC and ppl decide.

gavin
6 years ago
Reply to  Islanmir

I can predict UK, Spain or Germany will be last place next year and the following. I know these things

Jojo
Jojo
6 years ago

This guy is just bitter that his favorite to represent Ukraine wasn’t chosen, he probably wanted them to send someone with a more generic, safe, Eurovision-friendly pop song that would be more likely to get votes but doesn’t stand out much from what is usually sent to the contest. The judges could choose whoever they wanted to represent the country and I don’t see why he had to single out Jamala, since I’m sure she wasn’t the only judge. I thought Jamala was respected in Ukraine but apparently she isn’t. I mean usually it host countries don’t win anyway, this… Read more »

Anton
Anton
6 years ago
Reply to  Jojo

Jamala is one of the biggest stars in Ukraine at the moment. She was that already before ESC 2016 and she’s even bigger now. Of course, there are haters but she’s generally adored by the Ukrainian public. Meladze is just being, like you’ve said, very bitter

R
R
6 years ago

Worse than this, only that spanish Xavi…

Maria
Maria
6 years ago

People always need to blame someone! Cmon! Grow up. They deserved better but it’s no one’s fault.
So much hate. If people hate each other for little things, what we have to say about the world?

Maclaren
Maclaren
6 years ago

Though I am not Jamala’s fan, I have to admit that there seems to be an almost planned campaign against her ongoing in her home country. She was not allowed on the red carpet, she was not the opening act of Eurovision, somebody tried to make her feel embarrassed by arranging that naked-ass provocation on stage. What’s going on there? Did she incidentally piss of the political elite? Not showing enough of admiration for the president? Not waiving the flag on each and every occasion (hello, Ruslana)?

Zebb
Zebb
6 years ago
Reply to  Maclaren

‘What’s going on there?’ Moon’d journalist belongs to concurent tv-channel, one of most popular there. Tv actively participates in society, forming opinions about this or those political parties as they’re funded by affilated businessmen, so it does against some persons for whatever reasons. Obviously pro-russian and some left-winged powers will never accept Jamala’s effort and result in ESC.

Sasha
Sasha
6 years ago

Oh yes, she’s to blame for climate change also.

Charles
Charles
6 years ago
Reply to  Sasha

.. and for the laundry left at my washing machine I forgot to place on the drying machine … yes it’s all her fault!

Darth Thulhu
Darth Thulhu
6 years ago
Reply to  Sasha

Don’t forget world hunger, the refugee crisis, and the ongoing tensions between Armenia and Azerbaijan: Jamala’s Fault!

David S
David S
6 years ago
Reply to  Darth Thulhu

Don’t forget, she also shot JR!

R
R
6 years ago
Reply to  Sasha

Well, we now know whose fault was that some of the connections in 2015 from Vienna failed…

Thiago
Thiago
6 years ago
Reply to  Sasha

And for Le Pen losing the French election also ?

Amor A.
Amor A.
6 years ago
Reply to  Sasha

Also don’t forget ISIS!

Alex
Alex
6 years ago
Reply to  Sasha

Don’t forget about my flight delay today #JamalasFault

Darren
Darren
6 years ago

Ukraine sent O.Torvald simply because they wanted to ensure that they didn’t have to host next year. When did Ukraine ever send make vocalists? Rock? Rock also has a rather unlucky genre in Eurovision. It doesn’t normally do well (with the exception of Finland 2006 and Turkey 2010) Rock has failed at Eurovision on most occasions. If Ukraine really wanted to do well and retain their crown, they would have stuck with what they usually send to Eurovision. A beautiful diva singing a pop song OR a woman with a politically message. I think O.Torvald delivered the result Ukrainian television… Read more »

KennyESC
KennyESC
6 years ago
Reply to  Darren

UK 1997 won
Ireland I think 1993 also won
And Yugoslavia 1989 too

quince
quince
6 years ago

Meladze is a Georgian surname.
Russian bias perhaps?

Fatima
Fatima
6 years ago
Reply to  quince

Quite probably, he’s an important composer whose brother Valeriy, a huge pop star, is regarded as Russian even by Georgians. I know that well from being in Tbilisi and drawing blank stares in record shops when I mentioned his name. Anyway, isn’t it usual for host nations to bomb out. Look at 2004 and 2015, for instance.

Zebb
Zebb
6 years ago
Reply to  quince

He works both with ukrainian and russian singers and he’s well known for producing similar music for most of songs for 20+ years, often encrusting chorals with ethnic touch in pop.

Ant
Ant
6 years ago

Just ugh. It comes from the man who has intentionally voted Jamala down in the previous selection. If Ukraine sent something Meladze preferred, it wouldn’t have won in 2016. And now he questions other jurors’ credibility ?? lol

Astrelle
Astrelle
6 years ago
Reply to  Ant

Last year’s Ukrainian preselection contestants were strong enough to win Eurovision with a better staging (at least the Hardkiss or Sunsay were). And Jamala proved herself a biased judge after liking the nasty comments against Melovin in vk. As for this situation, I think, any juror panel should have more than 3 judges

Vlad
Vlad
6 years ago
Reply to  Astrelle

She didn’t like nasty comment, that was fake account.

azaad
azaad
6 years ago

This poor woman cannot catch a break, can she?

Polegend Godgarina
6 years ago

I feel like the Ukrainian result was more like, an intentional slap in their face from Europe. They went from victim to bully among most Eurofans.

Marc
Marc
6 years ago

Tayanna won jury in Ukraine. What are they talking about? hahah.
Televote didn’t like her enough.
Tayanna argument is pointless.

Melovin was the choice as he won the televote in Ukraine

Music is the key
Music is the key
6 years ago

I was really disappointed they places so low! ESC REALLY neds a LOT more rock…..and this year trhere were FAR TOO FEW rock songs. This song was melodic and catchy….and very well performaned. So I can’t understand the lack of cusses….ESC vopters just had BAD music taste in this case…this was innovative and quality…it was “real honest mucisc” as Salvdor woud say I think all the negative attention to Ukraine, the originaisation etc is to blame….because people found the winner lat year controversial, too political etc…..they payed the prise I can easly imagine Austria getting 0 points in 2015 was… Read more »

Darth Thulhu
Darth Thulhu
6 years ago

The problem with rock is the “not allowed to play instruments live” rule. Much of the skill and passion of a rock act is in the bassist and the guitar player and the drummer and the keyboarder Actually Doing Things That Matter.

Strip all that away, reducing the band to an unusual style of backup dancers, and it is very difficult for the singer, alone, to pull the act through. Lordi and maNga only managed as well as they did by also being novelty acts.

Ern
Ern
6 years ago

That’s the problem with juries … they do NOT vote for who is good, rather they vote for who they personally like.

We see this all the time with journalists who review the Eurovision songs. They say things like “I don’t like” or “it’s not for me.” Well, nobody cares if you personally like it.

Admittedly, opinions on what is good will differ. However, jurors should set their personal tastes aside and vote for objective quality …. which is why I’d vote for Portugal, even though I don’t like it.

Ethan1994
Ethan1994
6 years ago
Reply to  Ern

But you can’t vote for “objective quality” when your voting for music. There’s no such thing. That’s the whole point of voting; it’s SUBJECTIVE. Art in general is subjective, that’s why we have votes in this contest.

Jojo
Jojo
6 years ago
Reply to  Ern

I mean if you don’t like something at all, you’re most likely not going to vote for it even if it’s “objectively” good. Jamala voted for what she liked and thought stood out, instead of thinking about the song that would follow the perfect formula to win the contest. I think it was good that Ukraine sent something different instead of picking something just to win votes even if she thought it wasn’t that good. We all have different tastes in music anyway, we can say whether we like something or not in a critique. Reviews are not analytical reports,… Read more »

Jojo
Jojo
6 years ago
Reply to  Jojo

I mean you apparently would vote for it even if you didn’t like it but there is no rule that Portugal was objectively the best, even that’s just an opinion.

Efraim
Efraim
6 years ago

I think O.Torvald had a brilliant song but did a good-not-great performance of it, and in a night of several great performances, that resulted in them getting lost in the shuffle at the voting stage. And that, if anyone’s fault, it’s not the NF jury’s fault.

Melissa J
Melissa J
6 years ago

Host countries never do well (except Sweden for some reason).

jowncarlo
6 years ago
Reply to  Melissa J

Germany 2011, Azerbaijan 2012, and Denmark 2014 all finished in the top ten, too. 🙂

Efraim
Efraim
6 years ago
Reply to  Melissa J

The reason is Sweden is AWESOME 😛

Charles
Charles
6 years ago
Reply to  Efraim

AWESOME at recycling pop songs we have all heard before … but apparently nobody seems to be upset about that … it’s like “I’m not gonna bother to get my Math homework done, someone else will do it for me and I’ll still be shining though ,,,” Oh Björkmann … what syndrome that 1992 result left in your all these years …

Polegend Godgarina
6 years ago
Reply to  Melissa J

In the last decade alone:
Serbia 2008 – 6th place
Russia 2009 – 11th place
Germany 2011 – 10th place
Azerbaijan 2012 – 4th place
Sweden 2013 – 14th place

And last year Sweden came 5th, lower than Azerbaijan when they hosted. Bloop! 🙂

xoxoxox
xoxoxox
6 years ago

Thanks god we had at least one rock band. Can you imagine next solo pop woman? OMG! DIVERSITY!!! And Danylko aka Verka said, they were great and that he is proud Ukraine choosed them.

Darth Thulhu
Darth Thulhu
6 years ago
Reply to  xoxoxox

Yep. Musical genre diversity is also diversity. Thank heaven for even a taste of rock in the Grand Final.

Jo
Jo
6 years ago

why did the camera follow the moon-guy instead of being focused on Jamala?