A few days ago, Ukraine’s 2016 winner Jamala premiered the new music video for the English-language single ‘The Great Pretender’.
The Great Pretender
Jamala is back with another English-language single, her first since ‘I Believe in U’! The singer wrote the song herself along with Mariya Kvintil. In this track, the singer shows off something different from what we saw in 2016. Despite being an upbeat song, the song discusses a rather more serious topic–people who are “pretenders”, not showing who they really are or what they really feel.
When talking about the inspiration behind the song, Jamala said:
The more I watch people, the more I understand that each of us is a bundle of contradictions. We all strive for something genuine, real, but at the same time society, the environment, the state, and all of modern civilization impose on us the rules of the game. The strongest go ahead, often burning prematurely. But most people adapt, wear masks, and pretend to be who something they are not, in order to succeed in life or achieve a goal. They are all great pretenders!
Anna Buryachkova, who is a well known director in Ukraine, was the director for the song’s music video. The video was filmed in Ukraine’s capital Kiev, as well as several locations in Berlin, including the Berlin Aquarium and the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church. As the director said, the video “echoes the message of the song”.
The single is taken from Jamala’s fifth studio album, Kryla (Wings), which was released last month. It follows three other singles from the album, including “I Believe in U”, the song which Jamala performed as an interval act during the 2017 final.
Jamala’s Kryla tour
Additionally, Jalama will be going on tour to promote her new album. The tour will start on November 14 and will include performances in several cities across Ukraine including Kiev, Odessa and Dnipro.
Recently, she performed ‘The Great Pretender’ during the fifth season of Tantsi z zirkamy, Ukraine’s version of Dancing with the Stars. You can take a look at the brilliant performance below!
What do you think about Jamala’s new single and its music video? Have you listened to her new album yet?
Let us know in the comment section below, or on all social media platforms @ESCXTRA.
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