Ukraine wins 2016 Eurovision song contest

Ukraine’s Jamala and her song 1944 won the 2016 Eurovision song contest final in Sweden’s capital city Stockholm on May 14.

The Ukrainian contestant was boosted into first place by viewers’ tele-vote after the initial country voting had Australia, competing in Eurovision for the second time after its 2015 debut, in first place.

Jamala’s song had been controversial, irking Russia because it arose from Stalin’s deportation of the Crimean Tatars.

In the final results, Australia ran second, with Russia in third place and Bulgaria in fourth. Host country Sweden was fifth.

Bulgaria’s Poli Genova was only the second contestant from her country to make it into the finals in the 10 times, counting 2016, that Bulgaria has competed in Eurovision.

In coming fourth, she outdid Bulgaria’s 2007 contestants, who ran fifth in that year’s Eurovision finals.

(Photo: Anna Velikova)

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