Ukrainian Pop, Rap & Electro you will vibe to

Those who follow Eurovision probably know who was the winner of 2022 musical contest. It was Ukraine. Specifically, Kalush Orchestra with their song Stefania. Today, I want to introduce you to them, as well as many other bang-up modern artists from my home, Ukraine!

When asked what type of genres Ukrainian youth listens to, pop, rap, hip-hop, and dance (electronic) come to mind first. What do we usually sing about? Not money. Not b*tches. Not fame. It’s always something so simple and familiar, yet so complex and mystical. Oftentimes, it’s a bow to nature - we people work with land a lot. And have much greenery. It can be about the exploration of human love and attraction. It might also be stories based on memories, or the interplay between the known and the creative perception. So in one adjective, it’s cool.

Is this artistic outburst tied to the war? Unspeakably so. Even before, there was a fair number of Ukrainian creators exploring these subjects, but the war pushes almost everyone to express themselves creatively even more. What better way is there to let your emotions out?

So below, I am inviting you to a journey into the world of Ukrainian lyrical genius and musical aesthetics.

Rap & Pop

Stefania - the Eurovision winning song. Stefania is the lead vocalist’s mom’s name. The song is a call to appreciate a mother who, for some people, came to symbolize Ukraine during the war.

Jerry Heil’s songs are always extremely light, but the way she ties simple words together and turns them into fun, powerful, and rich lyrics is what makes her stand out.

Deeply melodic, light on the ears, the song turns a funny Ukrainian saying into a poetic self-reflection. By the way, I used to camp with the author back in high school, when we already knew she was gonna become a star:)

Electro & Rock

This artist takes a 19th century folk song into an electro club. The result?

Кольоровими фарбами is an ode to boundless possibilities to create art and “draw the world with colorful paints” while we are still alive.

Жальменіна - it’s as if this song is based on grandma’s memories of her love stories, very likely retold in her own archaic words. Very folk, very melodic, very electro.

Ocean Elzy - a top Ukrainian rock band which has been thriving since the 2000s. Attaching this song because you probably have come across it on TikTok, and I just want you to know what its origin is.

Phonks? Oh yeah, we got some, too.

For every song, I was more than tempted to add “BESTIES” or “LOVE THEM SO MUCH”, so leaving my love letter to each one here. The chosen list is just a crumble of a sweet pie of Ukrainian music, and I am strongly encouraging you to explore more or reach out to me for some recommendations!

Did you know? Ukrainian was voted to be the 3rd most beautiful language in the world in the 20th century.

P.S. the cool cover pic of my article is by Julia Zhuk, a Ukrainian digital artist whose Instagram is attached. I told you - a nation of creators.