On 24 February 2022, russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. This war has affected not only the nation’s socio-political and civil processes but also its culture, particularly music. The immediate reaction was a wave of mass popular culture: simple and straightforward, emotionally charged, in a somewhat rude form, yet rooted in the right ideas. That is why energetic songs became popular, helping people escape from obsessive thoughts and keep their spirits up.

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The resurgence of the early 20^th-century song ‘Oi u luzi chervona kalyna’ [‘Oh, the Red Viburnum in the Meadow], performed by the frontman of the Boombox band Andrii Khlyvniuk, who had joined the Armed Forces, on Sophia Square, demonstrates the cyclical nature of history and the timelessness of music. After the occupation of Mariupol and the unyielding Azovstal, the 90-year-old march of Ukrainian nationalists ‘Zrodylys my velykoi hodyny…’ [‘We Were Born in a Great Hour…’] gained a contemporary resonance, thanks to National Guard paramedic Kateryna Polishchuk ‘Ptashka’ [‘Bird’]. Meanwhile, the Zhadan i Sobaky and Vertep bands expressed sincere hopes for victory for the future generation of Ukrainians in their song ‘Dity’ [‘Children’] — a composition about faith and love above all else.

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In times of war, numerous Ukrainian musicians actively support the Armed Forces of Ukraine by joining the army or organising charity tours, thus promoting Ukrainian music worldwide and raising funds to support the army.

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Music has also become a tool for spreading awareness about Ukraine and a means of engaging with the global community. In 2022, the young Ukrainian folk-hip-hop band Kalush Orchestra represented Ukraine at the Eurovision Song Contest and won with the song ‘Stefania’ — a true European hit resonating worldwide. Having performed in the grand final of the contest, the artists called for the rescue of Mariupol and Azovstal.

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Good old classics such as songs by Skriabin, Okean Elzy, Boombox, and Odyn v Kanoe havere gained popularity. Moreover, there has been a growing interest in listening to both modern and old bands, such as SadSvit, The Unsleeping, hatespeech, and Palindrom, whose tracks have gained traction across various platforms, especially on TikTok social network.

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A concert by the Cultural Forces for soldiers (pictured: Kolya Serga, founder). Photo by the Cultural Forces

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During the war, many Ukrainian artists have been unable to perform concerts, as some of them have joined the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Oleksandr Yarmak (Yarmak), Andrii Khlyvniuk (Boombox), Kolia Sierha, Yurko Yurchenko (Yurcash), Serhii Martyniuk (Fiolet), and Serhii Silakov (thekomakoma), SerhiyHusak (Nytso Potvorno), Serhii Zhadan (Zhadan i Sobaky). Others organise charity tours all over the world to support the Ukrainian army and remind the world of Ukraine, spreading its musical culture globally.

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