Jamala from Ukraine has completed her second rehearsal at Eurovision 2016 — and everything about this screams winner. From the staging to the costume to the overall mood of the song, Jamala has stamped her place as one to watch.
The performance hasn’t changed significantly from the first rehearsal. However, Jamala has opted for another dress, replacing the simple black number from the first rehearsal with a navy dress, pieced together with very flattering draping. The dress itself has caused a divide amongst the press – many prefer the black as it better suits the mood of the song. The navy gown is seen as a bit more uplifting. Depending on your interpretation of the song, that may be a more fitting tone to strike.
Another important difference comes during Jamala’s big note toward the end. The tree that grows from her feet and up the back LED wall now takes the colours blue and yellow, which are the colours of the Ukrainian flag. Strange coincidence or provocative statement? We’ll let you decide.
Ukraine: Second rehearsal at Eurovision 2016
Jamala: Interview after first rehearsal
Ukraine: Press conference after first rehearsal
READ ALL OF OUR EUROVISION REHEARSAL REVIEWS
Photo: Eurovision.tv (EBU)
Th? ESC voting is always a political game. What happens now? Obama (wtf ? yes yes Obama) pulls ahead Ukraine to reduce voices destined for Russia. As a result France will win.
I love Jamala! I am glad she is 2nd now in the bookies and I will be rooting for her to win!
I HATE IT’S SO NEGATIVE. ABSOLUTELY NOT FOR ESC .
Manne, of course you have panic, enjoy it to the fullest extent 🙂
you even forgot your nickname you usually post the same rant here again and again.
Ukraine are nr 2 on the bet. Russia and Ukraine in the topp. Thats awful. The 2 wordt song this year. They cant sing, and can winn ESC 2016. I have panic
GermanQR,
I agree, neighbors often vote for each other and I hope one day they will vote for a song. the other issue is song attractiveness for everyone. I have noticed that south and eastern people like dancing, sunny pop/folk songs while northern countries can enjoy some soft rock, country or something stylish but w/o many bells and whistles. we’re too different, grew up on different types of music, and its hard to impress someone in 3 minutes.
Hi Oxana, thank you for your kind words, no problem whatsoever, no offense taken. I wasn’t referring specifically to Spain. I think all Western European countries have been harmed by voting from the East, and the Eastern European diaspora and ethnic enclaves ensures a large number of votes are given to weak entries from Eastern Europe year after year. Nordic countries enjoy lots of goodwill from the East, too. I’m not sure why. I agree with you about music from Spain. Spain is firmly in the Latin sphere, musically, our artists seek their success across the pond, and often they… Read more »
@Mark Dowd: Western as in Geography, not Culture… the Nordics are in Northern Europe. By Western Europe I mean countries located in the West of Europe, sorry about not being clear enough in my post. To your list I’d add Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Switzerland and Italy.
Molly’s entry was deserving of a Top 10, not an early elimination at the semifinal, in my opinion.
This one will be remembered even if it comes last
@ Paul
I do know about nazism… My country was occupied by them, my mother (she was born in 1944) survived a bomb as a baby or I even wouldn’t be writing this… If I had the talent, I might write a song about it.
@GermanQR, I’m sorry for addressing you with the wrong message if you’re Spanish. If about Spanish entries, I can tell what East haven’t voted for its entries before. Its not political thing, it’s language and song style thing. We do not understand Spanish, we do not completely understand your music style. That’s why Spain scored low with East Europe. You’re looking for political excuse where it’s simply song issue. This year you seems to be got the point and sending Barei – she’ll get more love than your previous entrants, I’m sure.
Paul… and the previous years? And the other countries in the block? Noone cant deny the neighbouring voting in the exsoviet block
@We love stars, flowers and blue and red leds
Russia’s voting results last year:
12 – Italy
10 – Belgium
8 – Sweden
I don’t see their neighbours there
Maybe a favourite with the bookies, but not sure it’s got enough to gather votes across the board. It’s pretty niche. Appreciate the sound quality of the clip is not the best but it’s hard to understand the English. The scratchy wailing may put others off…and she needs to watch her wardrobe…5 secs in and she seemed to trip on her outfit. If you can see through the hype you realise there are better songs than this.
Mark… France, Spain, Italy and Portugal not good songs in the last years? Give us a break! Each of them have several excellent contributions (not all) which were always underrated and didnt even get one miserable point from Eastern countries whereas the were voting neighbouring trash. Dont discuss about it, it’s obvious to most of us. Southern countries don’t make such a neighbouring block as Scandinavian, Balkan and exRussian do.
Though I love the song, her and her show, this song should not win guys for many obvious reasons. Let’s place it 2nd and Russia minimum 3rd! And guys from Eastern countries, either you stop voting for neighbours or further measures will be taken before other countries such as Spain, Italy or Malta start withdrawing the contest. We lost already some on the way. Dont mean to be rude ir offend anyone, but it is true that since you entered it has become too political and based on blocks: Scandinavian, Valcan and Russian. Let’s stop this and really vote for… Read more »
German QR: you must be be new to Eurovision? Ireland’s consistently good entries? Dustin the Turkey, Molly 2015, Ryan Dolan??? “No western country has won since Eastern European states were let in”….Denmark (twice), Norway, Sweden (twice), Germany…….or are these not western? If your definition of “western” is UK/Ireland/France/Germany/Italy/Spain/Portugal then the answer is simple….the songs have not been good enough. You can’t dupe the voters and the juries.
No way this is going even close to the top 5 ! It’s gonna be top ten in the jury vote and the televote will bring her down (I don’t see this getting more than 70-80 points) , Dami is a stronger contender IMO
@Bis
Hysterical is about Jamala!
Oh come on … one of the worst songs that Ukraine ever entered with.
@Paul or Pavel or whatever troll you are. Yes, indeed – you should stop politicizing this. Your anti-Ukrainian rant is exaggerated and hysterical.
@Bis
I don’t care what you think. It’s my personal opinion. Stop politics at ESC!
@ Paul. The trolling factory that hired you should stop paying you. You are so over the top that you are doing your employer a disservice 🙂
Regardless of the result, the Ukraine has managed to produce a serious piece of art here. Someone said this was not memorable, I disagree. This might be the most remembered song of this contest.
Oops. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gxaPAffMMPw
Another example, also from Portugal. One of the best ballads EVER in the festival. Ended in 18th place. A truly beautiful, memorable song topped in the final standings by at least 15 pieces of crap truly embarrassing to listen to. And Italy? Raped time after time after time. Ireland? Lucky to qualify to the final ever since the East joined even if their quality has been consistently excellent.
Hi Oxana, dear, thanks for proving my point: Eastern Europeans have brought a nasty political tinge to the festival. Nothing in your post is other than political.
I wish you had addressed the points I raised before zeroing in on my nickname.
I’m from Spain. Germán is my NAME. I hope to God you don’t feel like Spain is a country that ever did you wrong but even if you do, please, please don’t bring it up. It’s way beside the point.
GermanQR,
I beg your pardon, isn’t your nation helped to create that “family drama” and to ruin our country why plotting with Soviet Union and killing tens of millions people?
don’t like to hear voice of people who want to cure their wounds from what you have been done to them? then turn back time and rebuild Ukraine, return 10 millions of Ukrainian lives you took. and we wont have a bitter feeling about our family history.
I find this a terrible entry. Horrible music, horrendous chorus, terrible, obvious lyrics, negativity, political implications, obvious exploitation of family drama. I’m just sick and tired of the politics Eastern Europe has brought into the contest. It was bad enough before that. Of course Eastern European countries each enjoy 80 points right out of the gate. No western European country has won since they were allowed in (except for arguably Germany) as voting has become ridiculously political. Some countries can never hope to come close to top 10. Examples abound, but Portugal’s Senhora do Mar in 2008, by FAR the… Read more »
Maclaren,
yes, she did. there’s nothing special in it. she kept distant and haven’t touched anything new.
Dani,
why you’re telling it to me? tell it to Russian trolls in this thread. how about that freak who told that Crimea is their and will be their and Russian pigs will come for a Donbass soon, while calling me names? maybe you’re one of them? pretending there’s nothing happens, poor Russian, blah-blah?
If Russian pigs dare to bully me, I’m not going to tolerate it. GOT IT?
Great staging but feels out of place in modern music industry. But from the second rehearsal videos in the past few years, the ones with 40 – 50% dislike-to-like ratio won the contest.
About the dislikes for Russia, some might be political, but I swear I just find the song terribly annoying, specially at the end from ‘thunder’on. And that overworked stage! Please something dynamic and simple to win this year, without screans and too many visual effects!
@Oxana
“too bad you can’t read Russian ESC community comments under Jamala video, they are hating and the hate is BIG!”
Yeah, unlike your loving and supporting comments towards anything Russian.
I was told that today Jamala gave an interview to ESCkaz in Russian language (I hope they will put subtitles or something to follow). I thought it’s s great gesture of stepping over politics (definitely extra kudos to Jamala for doing so).
Oxana, so much hate for Russia, I can tell! Music should stand over politics, just deal with it, okay?
Personally I don’t see Ukraine as hot favorite but I respect all the effort and work artist do to make it shine, like Jamala or Israel and even Russia.
Best of luck to the all contestants and let’s have a party on Saturday night, peace ^^
Wooow! So powerful and such a great voice. Blue and red again! But I cant see this being a memmorable winner heard on all the radios all over Europe. Deserves top 5 for sure. Let’s see the rehershals of France and Spain tomorrow. I totally dislike Sweden this year and Australia is so boring and repetitive! And Russia, please not! I can imagine all the wooos at the Arena if Russia wins.
No wonder Estonians gave to Russians name “tyblia” with is shortened from Russian ‘you, bitch!’. when something does not meet Russians’ expectation, they’re getting aggressive and dirty mouthed. They think it’s a sign of their power, but it really looks hysterical. keep it on, put all of your emotions on line!
who knows, maybe Russia will fail to qualify from semi…
I cannot listen to this the whole 3 minutes. Makes my ears bleed. This is sooo annoying!
@wiwi,
you should ban userwith nick “F* you” in Russian right under my comment. you’re blessed you can’t understand Russian, this dude is full of sh*t.
So mean, dude, relax
Oxana, DA IDI TU NAHUI SO SVOIM SALOM. KRIM NASH BIL I BUDET NASH . ESHE I DONBAS ZABEREM POGODI
We have a winner. Outstanding and emotional.
Perfection! Only thing I can say is I preferred her look and dress from her national final. She’s going to be very high up the board on Saturday night. Wow!
HEro, don’t sleep tonight. stock on coffee and sedative drugs. what if Ukraine will move to the top in bets while you sleep?
/evil laugh/
Ukraine has been already disqualified because of a “political undertone”.
Watch this 🙂 https://youtu.be/BLRzCc4He4o
too bad you can’t read Russian ESC community comments under Jamala video, they are hating and the hate is BIG! it’s on the sidebar of wiwibloggs under VK partners, if you want to have fun and can translate 🙂
Jamala is an outstanding performer and this staging is amazing and probably the best this year. The song is very powerful. I think that this navy-blue dress is more effective than the first one.
She sings like an incised pig. This howling is not too convincing to me. France will win!