2016 Ukrainian Eurovision winner to perform at Barcelona party for song contest

2016 Eurovision victor Jamala is the latest edition to the lineup for Barcelona's first Eurovision party at Sala Apolo on Saturday.

The Ukrainian, forced to leave her home country due to the on-going war, is performing in the Catalan capital to kickstart her charitable work to raise funds for her nation.

She will be joined by another former winner - Austrian Conchita Wurst, who won 2014’s event, as well as Spain’s entry from 2002, Rosa López, as well as Marta Roura.

"Marta Roura was the first singer for Andorra," Olivier Grau, one of the promoters, said to Catalan News in January. "She sang the first song in Catalan in Eurovision history, so it was important for us, doing a Eurovision Party in Barcelona for the first time that at least one song was in Catalan," he added.

Furthermore, many of this year’s participants will also be on stage on Saturday, such as San Marino’s Achille Lauro, Albania’s Ronela Hajati, Ireland’s Brooke, Montenegro’s Valdana, Czechia’s We Are Domi, Malta’s Emma Muscat and Spain’s Chanel.

The last of these, a Catalan-Cuban singer who was born in Havana but grew up in the inland town of Olesa de Montserrat, stirred up particular controversy upon being chosen to represent the country in the contest for being one of the less popular candidates in the public vote, but ultimately winning out by virtue of the jury vote.

Like Jamala, the event is in support of those suffering due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, through the Come Back Alive campaign.

Eurovision style concert

The 1,200 or so attendees expected to attend the Sala Apolo will enjoy a 3-hour concert imitating the Eurovision Contest format, with three hosts and guests performing ahead of representatives from the 20 countries.

"We are fans," co-organizer Jakob Traxler told Catalan News. "At the end of the day, we do this because our heart and our motivation are behind it. Our passion is for Eurovision."

That is why both friends decided to bring the Eurovision Party to Barcelona. "It’s pretty hard to get tickets to go to the contest," Traxler explained. "So, people who cannot go to the Eurovision contest can experience at least a little bit of it, here in Barcelona."