On Sunday (the day after Eurovision Song Contest grand final) Ukrainian band ONUKA invaded the iTunes charts in Germany (#11), France (#19), the UK (#26) and Switzerland (#28). The video of their performance became viral on Facebook. ONUKA performed on stage with NAONI Orchestra, the orchestra for folk Ukrainian instruments, and together they simply mesmerized the audience with the out-of-this-world performance.
This kind of music happens when wisdom and traditions of the past meet with electronic music of 80’s-90’s and modern sound and style. The word “onuka” means granddaughter in Ukrainian; and it was chosen to pay tribute to Oleksandr Shlionchyk – well-known Ukrainian maker of folk musical instruments. Oleksandr was the grandfather of Nata Zhyzhchenko, the band’s lead singer and author of the concept; he made Nata’s first sopilka (Ukrainian woodwind instrument) and gave her an understanding of what the homeland meant.
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Onuka started as an experimental electronic dance group created by two Ukrainian musicians, Eugene Filatov and Nata Zhyzhchenko, who had been members of other successful musical projects before. Their music is a blend of deep house and ethereal folk melodies led by sultry trance female vocals.
The sound of Ukrainian folk instruments, including sopilka, bandura and ocarina, wrapped in electronic music and supported by trombones and electronic drums, creates unique multi-layered sounding highlighted with a deep sound of traditional Hutsul trembita.
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The band itself is very refine and stylish from modern minimal black and white costumes to classy haircuts and makeup. This mixing of old and new was also present in their costumes, with the three female leads in shiny, retro futuristic outfits and the men in more traditional garb that was updated for the 21st century. ONUKA is very traditional and ultra-modern at the same time, with each sound and every visual element well thought and placed. Every composition is highly professional, but at the same time full of love and soul.
Photo source: ONUKA facebook page. All images belong to their rightful owners.
