Ukrainian singer Jamala has started a world tour with her new album “Qırım”. At the beginning of the concert in Liverpool, she spoke about another crime committed by the terrorist country against Ukrainian citizen Leniya Umerova. The occupiers kidnapped her in December 2022 and since then have been illegally detaining her on the territory of the Russian Federation under permanent administrative arrest on false charges.

Lenia left for the occupied Crimea when she learned about her father’s cancer. However, during these 5 months, she did not manage to see her family. In connection with these new oppressions of Ukrainian citizens, in particular representatives of the indigenous Crimean Tatar people, Jamala called on the audience to support Ukraine and help us put an end to this destructive war, help save its people.

“While Liverpool was drowning in a downpour, I was filled with an excitement I had never known before. More powerful than in 2016 with the song “1944” at the Eurovision Song Contest. Then there was one song, and yesterday there were 14 songs and a fifteen thousand audience. For many viewers, I had the opportunity to reveal something very personal about my home and people, because each piece on the album is a diary woven from longing and anxiety, joy and love. I can see tears during Yosmam and dancing during Noğay Beyi̇tleri̇, I feel that we have succeeded. Here, in the musical capital of Britain, we managed to tell about our Crimea, about its great culture,” said Jamala, a singer and songwriter, winner of the Atlantic Council’s Distinguished Artist Leadership Award.

Jamala’s new album was released on May 5, 2023. Each of the 14 songs was found by the songwriter in a particular city or village of her native peninsula: from Kerch to Akyar (Sevastopol), from Yalta to Dzhankoy. By combining them in the album, the artist presents the listener with the multilayered Qırım universe. For more information, visit qirim.jamala.ua.