Ukrainian singer Jamala to perform new album for Eurovision

By HILARY FOX
Associated Press

LONDON (AP) — Ukrainian singer Jamala won the Eurovision Song Contest in 2016 with a song about the deportation of Crimean Tatars during World War II. Fast forward to this Eurovision week and she’s launching a new album, filled with more stories about her ancestors. “Qirim” expands on the connection Jamala felt with her heritage when she performed “1944” in the Crimean Tatar language seven years ago and took the continent’s top pop prize. The 14 tracks are traditional songs she found while playing part detective, part music historian. The singer spoke to The Associated Press from Liverpool while rehearsing to perform the album in its entirety with the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, as part of this year’s Eurovision celebrations.