SOWA Talks About Performing for Ukrainian Soldiers, Her Love for Animals and Her Dream of a Concert in Kherson

Ukrainian singer SOWA has spoken about performing for Ukrainian soldiers, her mission as an artist, her love for animals, memorable creative collaborations and her dream of holding a solo concert in Kherson after Ukraine’s victory.

According to the singer, performances at hospitals for wounded and recovering Ukrainian soldiers hold a special place in her work. SOWA admits that these meetings give her a great deal of strength and inspiration as well.

“Hospital wards are where I feel the most goodness. Despite all the evil that has happened to our heroes and heroines, they still carry this goodness within them and bravely share it. When you come to perform for them, you don’t just give them energy – you receive such a dose of inspiration and strength from them that stays with you for a very long time,” the singer said.

She describes these performances as her personal gesture of gratitude to Ukrainian defenders.

“It is very painful for me to look at our heroes and, especially, to hear their stories and realize what they are going through during rehabilitation and what they have experienced before that. I want to wish all our heroes a speedy recovery, that they can return home, that the war ends and that we can finally live in peace,” SOWA said.

SOWA on the mission of an artist

In the singer’s view, an artist’s role is not only to entertain people but also to unite them and communicate important messages through music.

“The main mission of an artist is to inspire people, to fill them with music, meaningful thoughts and a position that does not create additional hostility in society, but instead helps us strengthen one another,” she explained.

SOWA also believes that music can help people process difficult emotions and reflect on important issues. One such song for her is “Dim” (“Home”), which she dedicated to Kherson – a city she describes as her second childhood home.

“Being an artist is not always about laughter. Sometimes it is an opportunity to rethink the importance of your home, certain important things, and to experience them within yourself,” the singer said.

SOWA dreamed of becoming a veterinarian

Despite her music career, SOWA envisioned a completely different profession as a child – she wanted to become a veterinarian.

“I really wanted to be a veterinarian. But it was quite an unrealistic dream because I am afraid of blood. When I see it in real life, I genuinely feel quite unwell,” the artist admitted.

However, her love for animals has not disappeared over the years. SOWA dreams of helping them financially, making donations and perhaps even opening her own animal shelter in the future.

Creative collaborations with Skryabin and Yurko Yurchenko

Among the most memorable periods of her career, the singer recalls collaborations with Yurko Yurchenko and the bands Skryabin and YurKesh.

Together with Yurko Yurchenko and Skryabin, she recorded a new version of Andrii Kuzmenko’s song “Vypiu” (“I’ll Have a Drink”), after which she joined the band on tour.

“We traveled to different cities, I joined their concerts and performed our song ‘Vypiu.’ Once in Kyiv, completely unexpectedly, I was called onto the stage to keep singing. At that moment, I didn’t understand what exactly I was supposed to sing next or what was going to happen,”

SOWA recalled.

Later, another joint song, “Spy Sobi Sama” (“Go to Sleep on Your Own”), was added to the concert program.

“It was a band with which I absolutely couldn’t predict anything. And those memories have really remained very vivid,” the artist said.

SOWA also spoke separately about her creative connection with Yurko Yurchenko.

“We really had this kind of creative connection, romance and intrigue. Maybe you saw Yurko Yurchenko’s marriage proposal. If not, you should definitely watch it,” she said.

MELOVIN stayed at SOWA’s family home at the beginning of the full-scale war

At the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the singer’s family home became a shelter for people looking for a safe place.

According to SOWA, musicians she knew as well as people she had never met before stayed with her family during that period.

“One of them, by the way, was singer MELOVIN. It was a vivid and pleasant period. At the same time, of course, it is sad that such circumstances were what brought us together. But we were happy to shelter everyone and welcome our guests,” the artist said.

SOWA dreams of a solo concert in Kherson

After Ukraine’s victory, the singer’s biggest professional dream is to embark on a major concert tour across the country.

She particularly wants to perform in eastern Ukraine and hold a solo concert in Kherson.

“First of all, I really hope there will be solo concerts in cities all across Ukraine, especially in the eastern part of the country. There will be a major tour, and there will be a solo concert in Kherson together with our Ukrainians, on our native land,” SOWA said.

The artist also hopes that after the victory, Ukrainians will have more opportunities to meet, communicate and spend time together.

“We will dance, have a great time and become even more united. And my music will be enriched with even more high-quality songs and music in Ukrainian,” the singer concluded.