Ruslana Lyzhychko is a Ukrainian pop singer who

won the Eurovision Song Contest in 2004 with her

Wild Dances. She is never at rest; she is always on

the move, meeting people, while she moves

from place to place. This energetic woman

with a sunny smile welcomes people,

makes new friends and signs autographs, all at the same time.

She is active in public life andpolitics. Ruslana was the Deputy of Ukraine and the UNICEF

Goodwill Ambassador.

She is unique and enigmatic. Her voice range is four octaves. Her musical talents became evident when she was still a little girl.

She studied piano playing and opera singing. She won many first prizes in different music contests and maybe it was her success at

the New Wave-2􀀓􀀓9 in Yurmala, Latvia, which was a great boost in her career as a pop singer. It’s all about Jamala, whose real name is Susana Jamaladinova.

Then there was her song Smile in 2011 which evoked

positive emotions and could be called as an international tourist hymn. But she became a 􀀨urovision winner in 2016 with a ballad about the 1944 deportation of the Crimean Tatars, a song that arises sadness and sorrow… She was sure that Europeans were “ready to hear about the pain of other people”.

Accepting her Eurovision trophy, she said: “I know that you sing a song about peace and love, but actually, I really want peace and love to everyone.” She then thrust the glass microphone prize and yelled: “Thank you, Europe — welcome to Ukraine