Ukraine’s national broadcaster Suspilne has announced that Jamala will act as the music producer for Vidbir 2026. This comes ten years after Jamala won Eurovision in 2016 with her song “1944”.
Jamala expects “sincerity and strength”
Jamala has served on the jury at Vidbir a total of seven times since winning Eurovision in 2016. She was also responsible for the highest jury score to Kalush Orchestra during Vidbir 2022. On top of this, Jamala has been an activist for both Ukrainians and Crimean Tatars around the world. However, she has kept her Eurovision roots close to her, most recently acting as a spokesperson during the 2024 final.
In a statement, Jamala confirmed that she would now be giving up her role as a jury member to take on the role of being a music producer. This comes after Ukraine confirmed its participation at Eurovision 2026. She added that she was humbled to be offered the chance to have to shape Ukrainian participation in Vienna.
Her full statement reads:
For me, the role of music producer for the National Selection is both a new challenge and a great honor. Being on the jury is one thing: you choose among the artists presented to you. But as a producer, I need to listen to every submission and, together with the team, select the participants who will go on to perform before the public on air.
Since winning Eurovision, I’ve learned an important lesson: there are no accidental winners. Victory always comes down to readiness, resilience, and professionalism. That’s exactly what I want to see in future contestants. This competition is an intense physical and emotional trial. It means dozens of rehearsals, constant performances, and the constant awareness that you’re representing your country every single moment.
From the upcoming season, I expect sincerity and strength. I want to see artists who are ready to step on stage right now and fight for victory. The submission window will open very soon — so I urge everyone to prepare thoroughly and send in your songs.
Further information on when acts can submit an entry to Suspilne will be released in due course.
Ukraine’s Eurovision journey
Ukraine is one of the most successful countries to participate in the Eurovision Song Contest. The country has scored nine top-five placements, with an extra four top-ten finishes. Ukraine won the Contest three times – in 2004, 2016 and 2022 respectively. Ukraine made history for being the first ex-Soviet country to win the Contest more than once.
In 2025, Ziferblat represented Ukraine in Basel with their song “Bird of Pray”. The band finished in 9th place, scoring 218 points – of which 60 points came from the jury, whilst the remaining 158 points came from the televote.
What do you make of Jamala taking on the reins of creative director? Do you think she will bring some new flavours to the show? As always, please let us know what you think by getting involved in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow ‘That Eurovision Site’ on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, Threads, tumblr, and Bluesky for more information about Eurovision 2026!
News Source: Suspilne
Photo Credit: Andres Putting / EBU
Michelle