Since its independence, Ukraine has produced many musical bands that gained recognition far beyond its borders. But after the beginning of the Russian war against Ukraine in 2014, Ukrainian music entered a fundamentally new stage. Over the past decade, performers have shifted their focus from the Russian market to new styles, identities, and the Ukrainian language. Now in Ukraine, there are hundreds of musicians of different genres, from the super famous Okean Elzy and Dakha Brakha to the more niche bands like Vivienne Mort or hatespeech.
YBBP editor Yuliana Skibitska has compiled her (subjective) list of performers who are well worth listening to if you want to understand what modern Ukraine sounds like.
Anton Slepakov, the project Warнякання
Genre: electronic, IDM, spokenword.
The project was created by Anton Slepakov, who also directs Warнякання.
Who he is: Slepakov is an iconic leader of the Ukrainian rock scene. In 1997, in Dnipro, he founded the band My Friend Truck and I, which stood out on the Ukrainian stage at the time for its unusual mix of drums, bass, and Anton’s spoken-word style. In 2012, Slepakov, together with Kharkiv musician Valentyn Paniuta, founded the band Vagonovozhatye, playing electronic rock and IDM. After the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, Anton stopped performing old songs written in Russian. In 2024, he joined the Ukrainian army.
Why you should listen: Project Warнякання was born in February 2022, when people were evacuating from Kyiv, and Russian soldiers were already in the area. Andrii Sokolov is responsible for the music, while Anton tells us that he and others were worried at the time. The songs are minimalist, marked by Slepakov’s quiet singing. This is definitely a must-listen for those who want to hear (and feel) Kyiv at the beginning of the war.
SadSvit
Genre: post-punk, indie, synth-pop.
Who he is: Bohdan Rozvadovsky — the artist’s real name — is only 21, and he began writing music at 15. His first studio album, Cassette, was released in December 2021 — just on the eve of the full-scale war. It is no surprise that SadSvit’s songs were often heard on the frontline, and in April 2022, the Azov Regiment shared a video of the fighters defending Azovstal with his song Cassette in the background. The track subsequently topped the charts on Spotify and Shazam.
Why you should listen: SadSvit creates high-quality Ukrainian post-punk. This genre has been popular among foreign listeners, but it was not represented on the Ukrainian stage for a long time. Simple yet profound, these songs evoke both sadness and hope. Perfect for those who love the aesthetics of cold Ukrainian winters and the smoky halls of old houses.
OTOY
Genre: hip-hop.
Who he is: Viacheslav Drofu is 26 years old. He has been involved in music since childhood. In 2020, he collaborated with several famous Ukrainian artists. His first solo album was released in December 2022. It was deeply personal: during the recording of the album, Drofu was hoping for the return of his brother, who had fought in Azovstal and, since April 2022, had been considered missing. In September of the following year, news came that the brother had died. OTOY itself, in addition to music, helps to bury Ukrainian soldiers and raises millions of hryvnias to support the Ukrainian troops.
Why you should listen: OTOY has probably released the most honest and accurate album about the Ukrainian war, fittingly titled Okolofront. In the songs, the rapper talks about his brother and the heroic deeds of the Ukrainian people, and how the war becomes everyday life. But, in fact, OTOY tracks are valuable for more than just that — they’re high-quality rap with a polished sound and a pleasant Viacheslav`s voice. It will appeal to those who appreciate hip-hop and want to experience something new in the genre.
Kurs Valüt
Genre: synthpop, IDM.
Who they are: A band from Dnipro, featuring Eugene Hordeev and Evgeniy Kasyan. Hordieyev handles melody, lyrics, vocals, myth-making, and live performances, while Kasyan is the sound engineer. They’ve been playing since 2017.
Why you should listen: Kurs Valüt is more than just cool electronic music. The band’s songs are a cultural phenomenon, blending ancient Ukrainian poetry with modern motifs and interpretations. It is worth listening to both for fans of high-quality IDM and for anyone interested in exploring Ukrainian traditional culture from a different angle.
The Unsleeping
Genre: Alternative rock.
Who they are: Technically, the band formed in 2013, but for the next six years, it was mostly inactive. The participants were learning, and the lineup kept changing. But in 2019, The Unsleeping burst onto the Ukrainian music scene with great success: they went to represent the country at the Sziget festival. To date, they have released three EPs and one studio album.
Why you should listen: The Ukrainian rock scene has never lacked standout performers. But even with all the variety of bands, The Unsleeping is something new. The glorious traditions of the alternative year of zero are combined with compelling and thoughtful lyrics. It’s perfect for anyone who’s nostalgic for the old days but looking for a modern perspective.
Tember Blanche
The genre: indie, folk.
Who they are: A duo consisting of vocalist Olexandra Hanapolska and guitarist and sound producer Vladyslav Lagoda. The musicians met performing on the street, began writing their own material, and eventually got married. The band released their first song in October 2020 and has since produced three studio albums. In 2024, Sasha and Vlad announced a shift: the duo in its usual form would no longer exist, and the band’s direction would change.
Why you should listen: Tember Blanche offers a gentle, soulful piece of music with vocals by Olexandra that are equally soft and tender. Yet the duo doesn’t shy away from addressing what’s happening in Ukraine — for example, in April 2022, they released the song Unborn, dedicated to the victims of the war. This band is worth listening to for those who want to close their eyes and simply enjoy the music.
anastymoza
Genre: electronic, gothic music.
Who she is: Anastasia Sigitova is 22 years old. She gained popularity on TikTok in 2023, when her song Ask Forgiveness went viral. That same year, the singer released her first (and so far only) album, “Cold Paws of Faust”.
Why you should listen: If, like millions of gamers, you’ve played S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl, you must have heard the song Сhrysanthemums, which even became the game’s unofficial anthem. But that’s not all that’s interesting about anastymoza. Her songs lull you and carry you into new, mystical worlds that you don’t want to leave. We recommend it to anyone who enjoys listening to music in the evening, in soft light, or perhaps even with candles.
thekomakoma
Genre: techno, indie.
Who he is: Serhii Silakov started his project in 2021, apparently, as a form of satire. Under the techno beats, he mocked the stereotypes about the right and left banks of Kyiv or the tradition of gorging on Easter. In 2022, everything has changed. Silakov released a “naive album”, moving away from performance to reflections on the war and support. In 2024, Serhii joined the Ukrainian National Guard.
Why you should listen: The old songs are funny and danceable. The new ones are deeper and brighter. There`s a sense of sunlight shining through these songs. It’s a very uplifting and enjoyable music that gives hope.
Structure of Happiness
Genre: witch house, techno, punk rock.
Who she is: Liza Uglach started her career in 2020, posting videos with her own songs on TikTok. Her breakthrough came on October 28, 2022, with the release of the collaboration with SadSvit, Silhouettes. The song topped various Ukrainian charts for a long time, and has more than 35 million streams on Spotify. In 2023, Uglach removed all official releases of her Russian-language songs. To date, she has released three studio albums and four EPs.
Why you should listen to: Structure of Happiness represents a new iconic generation of Ukrainian music. Many of the young performers, most of whom began creating during the full-scale war, sound frank, sharp, and at times somber, but it couldn’t be any other way, since they haven’t known another world. Structure of Happiness is worth listening to for anyone who wants to feel the voice of Ukrainian youth.
Bonus: Eugene Filatov, How the world sounds. Ukraine
Genre: electronic music.
Who he is: Filatov is one of Ukraine’s most renowned musicians. He produced the super-successful project ONUKA, and since 2007 has led his own band, The Maneken. He’s been active in music since 2009.
Why you should listen to: These two albums are not just music, but an experiment. Filatov traveled across Ukrainian cities, recorded their distinctive sounds, and transformed them into a melody. It’s definitely worth listening to in order to hear Ukraine. We also highly recommend watching it.
