Jamala gave a special performance with her sons at the National Opera House
On October 4, the National Opera in Kyiv hosted the Global Teacher Prize Ukraine awards ceremony for Ukrainian educators. Among the artists who performed during the event was Jamala—this time, she took the stage alongside her sons, Emir and Selim. Together with her children, the singer performed the song “My Teacher.”
The Global Teacher Prize Ukraine ceremony is traditionally held in honor of Teacher’s Day. This year, the awards ceremony took place on October 4 at the National Opera of Ukraine in Kyiv. Jamala was one of the artists who performed during the musical interludes of the ceremony. For the singer, this appearance on stage was special, as this time she wasn’t singing alone.
Students from School No. 10 performed alongside Jamala. Among them were her older sons—8-year-old Emir and 6-year-old Selim. The children performed the well-known song “My Teacher” together with their mother. For Jamala, this was one of the most personal moments of the evening.
They prepared for the performance despite the shelling
Preparing for the performance was no easy task. Jamala explained that they had to hold rehearsals amid constant Russian shelling. And on the day of the ceremony itself, another problem arose. Her younger son, Selim, had a high fever—38 degrees. Despite this, the boy went on stage with his mother and didn’t back out of the performance.
After the ceremony, Jamala shared her feelings on Instagram. The singer admitted that this day was special to her. “Truly, another day to add to the incredible treasure trove of my creative work. The day my children sang with me,” she wrote. Jamala also remembered her teachers who are no longer with us. “I cried inside, remembering all my best teachers who are no longer with us,” the artist said.
According to her, even in difficult times, people continue to find the strength to be creative and try to bring light into each other’s lives. “And even in such difficult times, we still try to shine. Happy holiday,” Jamala wrote.
Selim Performed Despite Having a Fever
The singer also spoke about her younger son’s condition. Selim, who is six years old, had a fever of 38 degrees on the day of the performance. Despite feeling unwell, he took the stage and sang alongside his mom and older brother.
After the performance, Jamala hugged and kissed her son. It was this very moment that was captured in a photo from the ceremony. For the family, this was more than just a concert performance. It was the first time the children had taken the stage at the National Opera alongside their mother in front of a large audience.
Jamala called the performance a “prime performance”
Jamala decided to give her appearance on stage with her children a humorous name. “It’s trendy right now to add ‘prime’ to everything. So this really is my ‘prime performance’—with my children,” the singer wrote. For Jamala, this performance was part of a ceremony dedicated to the people who work with children and teach them every day.
That evening, the singer herself combined several roles at once—as an artist, a mother, and a participant in the Teacher’s Day celebration. Her sons joined her in performing the song “My Teacher,” and Jamala called the performance one of the most special moments of her career. This was reported by Global Teacher Prize Ukraine.
