Ukrainian national finals never come without drama. This year’s controversy involves two of the big favourites going into Sunday night’s final: SunSay and Jamala. Both songs may breach the Eurovision rules, stoking fear among their many fans that they could be disqualified further down the road. On the eve of the final, let’s look at the furore surrounding “Love Manifest” and “1944”
Sunsay – “Love Manifest”
After winning the second semi-final last weekend, SunSay’s “Love Manifest” has come under quick scrutiny from the Eurovision masses. It would appear that the song has been performed in some form on numerous occasions since the start of 2015. One such video was uploaded to YouTube in February 2015. As per the Eurovision rules, this would make “Love Manifest” invalid to participate. Of course, there have been times when officials made exceptions to this rule. Anouk’s “Birds”, for instance, debuted on the radio years before it was submitted to Eurovision. The fact that SunSay has performed the song multiple times and to different audiences — in contrast to one isolated incident on Dutch radio — may land him in trouble with the EBU.
The song has obviously not been disqualified from the Ukrainian selection yet. The rules do allow some scope, but would this be pushing the limit to some degree? If SunSay were allowed to compete with “Love Manifest”, it may raise the question of whether the rules need to be looked at and followed more strictly.
Jamala – “1944”
Jamala’s “1944” has ignited the “too political” spark for many people. Whilst this may be a valid argument, it isn’t what we’re looking at quite yet. Instead, the issue with “1944” seems to be that the Crimean Tatar lyrics have been plucked straight out of another source.
The lyrics of the chorus — “Yasligima toyalmadim, men bu yerde yasalmadim” — is strikingly similar to the text in the traditional Crimean Tatar song “Ey, güzel Kirim”. The only difference between the two songs is that the lines are flipped. The meaning stays the same though: “I couldn’t spend my youth there, because you took away my peace”. It’s a powerful statement, but is this too much a copy of the “source material”? It might be a drama too much should “1944” be selected in tonight’s final.
What do you think about these controversies? Should either song be disqualified if they were to make it to Eurovision? Let us know in the comments below and on our Twitter page.
@Luther x do you have some specific version of brain? which words in song do you consider as political? name it. which words? the word “kill” or maybe “guilty”? or maybe it’s “my soul”? go on, showcase your brain at its best!
Ukraine should choose another song because this one will be disqualified. Anyone with a brain knows the rules. politics is not allowed in the Eurovision. These Ukrainians are making fool of themselves once again.
@AnesBosna “The difference about Anja and SunSay, is that Anja’s song was performed once in a concert, and as I recall, there is no video or audio of the song out there before September 2015. SunSay’s song on the other hand has even been released, and even shown on youtube, in September 2014 (and on). It’s two completely different types of situations.” Exactly! There is a huge difference. Even i can sing something in a shower and then post it on Youtube. But giving a concert – that is a real commercializing. Of course, there would be no video only… Read more »
I’m sure The Hardkiss won this contest. But politics will send Jamala
Well Jamala won!
Jury fix the win for Jamala, Sun Say only 3 rd with juries thanks to Ruslana and Verka, third member gave Sun Say his maximum points.
If Jamala dont win the televote, she wili be thank to Verka and Ruslana.
OK, IT’S TIME FOR THE TRUTH. WHY EBU INCREASES NUMBER OF POINTS IN FINAL OF ESC? FOR PEOPLE, THAT THEY COULD THINK, THAT EVERYONE IS GOOD. They want to deceive people by telling that everything is good, although this is not true! They are ultimate bastards!
@Robyn Gallagher
”You” is not the same as Wiwibloggs. I talked about people generally.
@David Who link to broadcaster live stream on youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQ12CrTEJaw this article is a bit misleading. Ukrainian Jury can disqualify SunSay (Danilko and Ruslana told by internal rules for NF this song is not valid, they can “close their eyes” or do per rules – we’ll see on results) on Jamala 1944 Jury only suggested that song name can be a bit of a problem for ESC, and Danilko only asked how to translate Crimean Tatar words in song. There’s no issues or allegations that Crimean Tatar words are from folk song as stated in this article. I wish someone… Read more »
Poor Victoriya her song was written by swedish producers and was never performed before.. I hate these things so much!
judges said EBU clarified the situation and allowed SunSay to perform if win
I think you missed a trick by not calling this article “Dramala”
Where is the so called “hit-potential” in Jamala’s “1944”. I can’t see it or hear it! 😀
Jamala and only Jamala will take them back to the Top 5! She has to win tonight and I think that the EBU will see the lyrics as too disparaging against the other song!!
Just hoping for Hardkiss to win. Sure Jamala’s song is different and it seems people like it, but I worry Ukrainians are voting heavily for it just for its lyrics and implied meaning.
First time no final for Ukraine with Jamala.
Better live link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f2N7nlTmCFk
Ukraine’s final live:
http://vsetv.net/stbua.html
jamala’s song is as political as dancing lasha tumbai
not a huge deal
@mawnck OMG you’re right!
Here is the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KwXBwXR1Jhs
Perhaps Eurovision listened to our feedback after the TERRIBLE sound problems we had trying to watch the Austria final through Octoshape!
EBU must disqulifed Jamala if she win, because her song is 100 % politic and break EBU rules no poltics in Eurovision .
Thanks Anthony!
@David Who
The official site is using the YouTube link. It appears they’ve become just as disenchanted with the Octoshape Infinity player as the rest of us have. (Let’s hope so anyway.)
Does anyone have the YouTube link for the Ukraine final yet? (Or is everyone just using the eurovision site?) Thanks.
For those who say that SunSay has broken the rules.
https://twitter.com/majakiosse/status/699597230857129984
Pretty sure The Ark (Sweden 2007) had the line ‘Mortal with the potential of a superman’ Which was taken from another song. And if Don’t Deny (sorry Face the Shadow) could compete last year then 1944 should be allowed to. As for sunsay they have clearly broken Eurovision rules. Anouk performed just a small section of birds on the radio and Anja’s song was perform to a small group of people and wasn’t uploaded to YouTube. Their song was uploaded to YouTube for all to see (or should I say hear) and was technically released before the EBU limit. And… Read more »
@Katy, All 6 songs will be revealed during Ken Bruce Show, which starts at 9:30 GMT tomorrow morning .
Jamala borrowed **two lines** from a **traditional song**?
Come on, Wiwibloggs. You KNOW better than this. Stop trying to stir up the rabble for clicks.
Does anyone know what time the (Eurovision You Decide) songs are being revealed on radio 2 tomorrow?
@AnesBosna
Nope. It hasn’t been commercialized, he only sang it in a couple of gigs so I don’t see any problem. And as I said NTU wouldn’t allow a song that breaks the rules take part in their national selection. They must have checked it.
@Racoon
The difference about Anja and SunSay, is that Anja’s song was performed once in a concert, and as I recall, there is no video or audio of the song out there before September 2015. SunSay’s song on the other hand has even been released, and even shown on youtube, in September 2014 (and on). It’s two completely different types of situations.
The argument debated here is more the fact that Jamala has used lines similar to “Ey, güzel Kirim”. A process that is done in almost every song – all songs eventually samples parts of another, whether it be the melody or lyrics. If anything, it’s just a traditional song that doesn’t exactly have rights attached to it, hence her ability to use those lyrics!! The political side to the song isn’t 100% directed at Russia, because should she have to change the title of the song, it will become relatable to all people who have become displaced due to war… Read more »
It’s so funny. Anja did the same as SunSay with Never Alone and nobody said nothing because you liked the song. But now you see Love Manifest as a threat for Jamala or The Hardkiss and you are trying to disqualify him. If the song is still on the national final It’s because Love Manifest is eligible. The NTU is not stupid. Don’t be hypocrite.
I don’t care about these 2, Helpless is my winner!
I already knew Sunsay wouldn’t be able to enter with Lovemanifest, but 1994? Is it so political? The hardkiss with Helpless is kinda a good song for Ukraine, with great staging it will be a top 10 for Ukraine!
Best to let this one play out. This evening’s Ukraine final will be amazing whatever happens. 🙂
Sorry guys, but your translation is wrong. As a Turk with Crimean Tatar origins, I can assure you that “Yasligima toyalmadim, men bu yerde yasalmadim” means “I could not enjoy my old days, I could not live in this land”
Sorry but people are afraid Sunsay can eventually win with Jamala and that’s why this article has been written… I think that Ukraine’s Comitee must have knowledge from EBU that his song may be in competition, otherwise they would be stupid to put in this Final so much risk of compromitation…
No problem for Jamala though.
The Sunsay has the big problem….but who cares? jamala should win.
Nothing wrong with them, same thing happened with Never Alone and it was totally K. Also, we’re in 2016, almost everything has been written or it already exists, claiming combining words as plagiarism sounds pathetic to me.
“Voda” by Elitsa Todorova (Bulgaria 2007) was inspired by a traditional Bulgarian song and had several same lines as I remember (I hope I’m right lol) and the “bridge” to the last chorus in Kalomira’s “Secret Combination” is a rip-off of another Greek song called “Piga se Magisses” by Glykeria.
So in Jamala’s case I don’t see a problem because of the lyrics… On the other hand with SunSay we have to wait and see what the EBU will say.
noticed that jamala is missing in this list
is she disqualified ? http://www.oddschecker.com/tv/eurovision/ukraine-eurosong/winner
You shouldn’t have written this for Jamala, because this is a minor incident, and this verse can be either modified or kept, while Sunsay’s song brings here some reasons to disqualify him.
The Hardkiss to win!
One Ukrainian journalist sent a request to the Ukraine’s Organising Committee considering Love Manifest. They said they had known that the song had been performed before, they studied the case thoroughly and they were sure it was still eligible to compete. They said it had not been commercially released (it was uploaded not to his official youtube channel). Plus, it has completely new English lyrics (except chorus) and musical arrangement.
As for Jamala, that one line can be easily changed.
What , lol ???? Lie from Moldova s selection is a plagiarism from Romanian traditional song, and nobody saw that he stole the lyrics from Romanian song that is very very old , and put it in their song lol 😛