Ukrainian Eurovision royalty Jamala has changed tempo with her latest release — the upbeat, English-language single “The Great Pretender”.
A world away from the breaking beats power ballad that won her the Eurovision crown in 2016, Jamala has changed course with great effect. What starts off seductive and slow soon morphs into a synth-pop number, showcasing Jamala’s incredible vocal range. True to form she laces it all with subtle musical references to jazz, funk and even 70s disco.
In the video, which she released today, we see a newly blonde Jamala looking like a cross between Lady Gaga and a sequinned 80s siren dancing in an empty auditorium. But she’s not the only one experiencing transformation. The video also features the story of a young man fighting his inner demons to become a silver-studded, red-lipped woman.
It’s a statement on living your best life on your own terms, but also a solemn meditation on the pain people so frequently suffer without anyone else ever knowing. As Jamala sings: “No one can really understand, you look so whole but you pretend.”
The song comes from her fifth studio album, Kyrla (Wings), which was released on the 12th of October.
“The Great Pretender” lyrics — Jamala
Bright room, dark shades
Smokey eyed, no shame
You wish you could explain
Broken hearts, silly dreams
That help you to believe
This insanity
Begging a smile if they all knew
What you are going through
You’re the great pretender
Your game, your strain
Clean up your communication
You have died inside
No one can really understand
You’re not that whole but you pretend
No one can really understand
You’re not that cold but you pretend
Can you still play the game your way
You’re the great pretender
Heavy brow, crack a smile
Live your life, you’re numb
There is no sensation
Feel weak, falling deep
Crave to be free
Just wanna feel like a woman
Bright room, dark shades
Smokey eyed, no shame
Oh you, you wish you could explain
Broken hearts, silly dreams
That help you to believe
This insanity
No one can really understand
You look so whole but you pretend
No one can really understand
You’re not that cold but you pretend
No one can really understand
You look so whole but you pretend
No one can really understand
You’re not that cold but you pretend
Can you still play the game your way
You’re the great pretender
What do you think? Are you enjoying Jamala’s transition from ballad goddess to dancefloor diva? Would you like to hear her sing more upbeat anthems? Leave your comments down below!
Love her new album. I’m glad she’s going back to singing fun and upbeat songs again like in her early material, For Every Heart. The world deserves to know the real Jamal. Not just that sad girl who sang 1944!
Jama who??
She is amazing! One of the best ESC winner!
My favourite winner so far…she really elevated ESC to higher level
Jamala is very talented.
BUT, looking back, I don’t think she should have won that year. Maybe 3rd place, but Australia and Russia were stronger entries.
The only good thing about Australia’s entry was Dami Im’s vocals. The song itself was generic ballad. About Russia, it was all about the amazing staging. The song was too generic and we already had similar winner in 2015 anyway. So the only logical choice for win was Ukraine. Nice staging, perfect vocals and a song with an important message.
Ukraine was my pick for the win but I knew that it would be a blackhorse in the competition. I didn’t wanna see Russia winning that year though. The numbers we’rent simply there.
She won fare and square. Russia had no musical contribution what so ever. it was a pure staging performance. the song is outdated and blad. Australia featured a very good song, but very predictable and Eurovision-y in the bad sense of it. a song that talks about love, starts quietly and finishes loud and high. Jamala won fare and square. not only 1944 is a great song with real emotions and interesting, even mystical composition, it’s different and creative, the song wasn’t written and composed only to win Eurovision or “to crack the Eurovision formula”. Jamala is a real musician… Read more »
You are all sort of right. Neither of those three should have won that year. 😛
As an Aussie, I’d’ve loved to see Dami win – but Jamala deserved it. 1944 was the best song of the year, Sound of Silence certainly wasn’t. Both are brilliant singers, but one entry had more depth and that was the one that won.
Jesus, it has been 2½ years. Get over it.
I’m glad Jamala won over those two highly overrated songs.