Story #167. Cultural Diplomacy Through Music: A Big Talk with Marko Halanevych from DakhaBrakha

January 13, 2025
How does DakhaBrakha convey Ukraine’s message to the world? Featuring a special music selection by Marko.
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Photo credit: The cover design incorporated a photo by Osadchyi

Marko Halanevych is a Ukrainian musician and a member of the ethnic band DakhaBrakha.

REFLECTING ON HIS SCHOOL DAYS AND THE RISE OF UKRAINIAN MUSIC

Marko Halanevych was born in the village of Krushynivka, Vinnytsia Oblast, where he spent his early childhood.

My family left the Vinnytsia Oblast, but we managed to preserve our traditions. My parents were rural intellectuals. My mother oversaw the department of ethnology and taught this subject. Ukrainian history was a deeply painful topic for my parents. We often spoke about it.

During his school years, Marko's family moved to the village of Plavske, Kherson Oblast, now under Russian occupation.

It was an ideal Soviet village, established in the 1920s and 1930s. The area was a tsylina (an untouched, unplowed land). According to a legend passed down by the older generation, they had arrived to develop this tsylina. These settlers came from all over the Soviet Union, each with their own unique stories and reasons for being there. People who were cut off from their roots were ideal for the Soviet system.

I vividly remember the first time I recognised Ukraine as something distinct and unique. It must have been the early '90s. My father and I were watching television, and they were showing scenes from Maidan Nezalezhnosti. He would point excitedly and say, "Look, look, those are the blue-and-yellow flags!" or "See that? That's the Tryzub, our ancient symbol." Watching on our black-and-white TV, I could only imagine the colours he described. I was 9 or 10 years old, but even then, I could feel how deeply meaningful those moments were for my father. He was elated, and that sense of elation has stayed with me ever since.

Later, I made it my mission to introduce Ukrainian music to the disco. At the time, most people listened exclusively to Russian music, and I felt compelled to change that. I brought tracks from Terytoriya A, recordings of Chervona Ruta winners, and songs by Step. I remember the reactions—people would say, "Oh, we have good music too!" Hearing that brought me so much happiness.

My friends and I used to sing songs—simple, poppy ones—and dream about performing at Chervona Ruta. That's the environment I grew up in. This sense of Ukrainian identity was nurtured in my family, and I did my best to share it with those around me.

ON EXPLORING UKRAINIZATION

Great achievements are born from successful examples: when people who once overlooked Ukrainian culture start to see it as something relevant, progressive, and successful.

Even victories in sports, like those of Ukrainian boxers, contribute to affirming our identity as Ukrainians—not by shying away from our roots, but by embracing them with pride.

It's easy to feel proud of your identity if you grow up in western Ukraine, but it's far more challenging to embrace being Ukrainian in a Russified region. That's why the success of Ukrainian products is so crucial. The inferiority complex instilled by the Soviet Union still runs deep in our society.

I believe I've overcome that sense of inferiority within myself, though there may be traces I don't even realise. This imposed sense of inadequacy is so ingrained that we often struggle to see ourselves objectively. It also took me a very long time to accept the idea of being a musician. Recently, I've even started to grow comfortable with the thought of being a successful musician. [Marko jokes.]

That's why I believe the story of DakhaBrakha can serve as an inspiration—for others to pursue Ukrainian music and take pride in their identity as Ukrainians. Not just to feel proud but to act on that pride, take responsibility, and create something meaningful.

DAKHABRAKHA'S MISSION DURING THE RUSSIAN FULL-SCALE INVASION OF UKRAINE

According to Marko, the band initially refrained from performing concerts as they were uncertain about what lay ahead.

At first, we didn't focus on writing new material. Our priority was finding as many opportunities and concepts as possible to talk about Ukraine and garner support for it. Later, in response to our fan's requests, we began carving out time from our touring schedule for rehearsals and new compositions. It wasn't easy. Amid everything, we were wary of becoming a band that writes exclusively "for the war," afraid of appearing opportunistic.

Over time, however, compositions reflecting on the war naturally emerged—it's impossible to avoid. Some of the pieces we created in 2024 are more about offering hope. I think that's what we, as a nation, desperately need right now. The events we're living through are profoundly traumatic, and few can imagine a positive outcome. So, our goal was to create something uplifting—and I believe we succeeded.

We have so many ideas and are thrilled to see them coming to life as we work on them together. As musicians, we are absolutely happy; as Ukrainians, less so.  

At the onset of the full-scale war, the band members unanimously decided to take a more active role on the global stage—raising awareness about Russian aggression against Ukraine and building communities of allies. DakhaBrakha's concert schedule was booked a year and a half in advance, leaving the musicians with rare opportunities to spend time at home with their loved ones.

Concerts are a platform for speaking about Ukraine. We chose to speak to the world because it was the clearest path for us. Perhaps this will sound immodest, but at the time, we weren't entirely sure who else could do it. Unfortunately, there aren't many such collectives. Eurovision can provide momentum for this, but we chose a different path.

Despite their extensive fan base abroad, Marko emphasises the significance of performing in Ukraine.

No matter how well we are received worldwide, Ukrainian listeners understand us best. We make every effort to perform here, even amidst the war, even when concerts are interrupted by air raid sirens. This always surprises audiences and journalists abroad. In May this year, we have a major tour planned across Ukraine. Performing for Ukrainians is deeply meaningful to us.

ON THE HOSPITALITY OF INTERNATIONAL STAGES AND CRITICISM

Whether it's neutral Switzerland, the highly supportive Georgia, the Baltic states, or countries like Mexico, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand—we have genuine fans in all of them. Our American community is enormous, consisting of people who have known, loved, and supported us for years, even donating to help Ukraine. Everywhere we go, we are met with a warm welcome.

In 2022, we travelled to Mexico. I wasn't sure how we would be received there. But they organised a party for us where Mexican musicians performed Ukrainian songs. They had learnt them specifically to show solidarity. We were moved to tears. People we met on the streets of Mexico City supported us with kind words, often placing a hand over their hearts. It was inspiring and gave us strength to continue.

Nowhere else in the world have we seen as many Ukrainian flags as in Tbilisi. Perhaps even more than in Kyiv or Lviv. Flags were everywhere—it was breathtaking. It's especially painful to reflect on this now, given the current events in the country.

Taking this opportunity, I want to express DakhaBrakha's solidarity with the people of Georgia.

DakhaBrakha accompanies its rich musical program with striking visuals in support of Ukraine, a component Marko also contributed to. Despite generally positive and supportive relationships with concert venues, there have been negative experiences. Some organisers refused to display political messages, claiming that music should be "above politics."

Photos taken from DakhaBrakha's official Facebook page

We encountered criticism twice—surprisingly, once in London and another time in Switzerland. Despite this, we decided to perform because the venues were packed and the audience had been waiting for us. Even if we didn't explicitly state, "Russia is a terrorist state," we still conveyed many crucial messages through our performance.

We accepted the situation but vowed never to perform at those venues again. The problem is that many European institutions remain stuck in the past—when the Soviet Union collapsed and the "end of history" was declared, leading everyone to focus on tolerance or, worse, remain apolitical. That's the challenge we face today. The world has changed dramatically in recent years, and the rules that governed it for the past 30-50 years must evolve.

ON THE SUBJECT OF PERFORMING WITH RUSSIANS

Our band's stance is simple: if we avoid performing, those venues will be filled by Russians. Of course, this doesn't mean performing on the same stage, collaborating, or engaging in discussions with them.

Take Glastonbury, for example, where there are numerous stages and musicians. The last time we performed on the main stage, a Russian band played on a smaller one. We chose not to cancel our performance because of that. However, organisers usually understand our context and avoid such situations.

Ultimately, there's nothing to discuss: if a Russian band supports the war, dialogue is pointless; if they don't support the war, there's still no space for dialogue; if they support Ukraine in this war, they should work towards ensuring Ukraine's victory as quickly as possible.

ON THE FEELING OF PERSONAL EFFORT

No matter how much you work, there's always the thought that you're not doing enough—that you need to do more. This led me to the idea of painting and selling my artwork at auctions. I've been actively working on my paintings this year, which has left me with less time to fall into depression or dwell on unnecessary thoughts. Active work gives you strength and fulfilment. I've created about a hundred pieces, with auction prices ranging from $1,000 to $5,000. This has been a huge benefit for the Ukrainian military and volunteer organizations we often collaborate with. The key is not to focus on how the war will end but to do everything you can in the meantime.

Photo credit: Oli Zitch
Photo taken from DakhaBrakha's official Facebook page
Photo taken from DakhaBrakha's official Facebook page

Every day, I become more convinced that I am in the right place and doing it effectively. Concerts are a form of cultural diplomacy. We often receive feedback from Ukrainian ambassadors and diplomats, telling us that our performances are incredibly important, impactful, and effective. This reassures me that I am doing what needs to be done. Sometimes, when meeting with diplomats, I ask, "Maybe we should be discussing something bigger than what we're saying?" But they always reply that everything is perfect.

Based on our observations, the band's audience is growing, so I continue this work. However, I also understand that if the state tells me I would be more effective with a weapon in hand, then that's what I will do.

ON THE VISION OF VICTORY

There is the ideal victory, where we reclaim all territories occupied by Russia and dismantle the terrorist state to the point where it fractures into separate entities, stripping it of its imperial ambitions and its desire to attack us or anyone else again.

However, considering our capabilities and global dynamics, this major victory may be delayed.

The most immediate and realistic victory is the end of hostilities—when Ukrainian soldiers and civilians no longer suffer daily and Ukraine remains resolute as a sovereign state. This alone would be a monumental victory, as Russia's goal is to erase our identity. If we endure and secure security guarantees from major countries, that too would be a victory. Pragmatic, yes, but it's the reality we face for now.

Photo credit: Yuri Gryaznov

A LOOK AT MUSICAL INFLUENCES AND A SPECIAL SELECTION FROM MARCO HALANEVYCH

We listen to a wide variety of music—from electronic to ethnic. When DakhaBrakha first emerged, people said that the band Dead Can Dance had a huge influence on us, but none of us had heard of them at that time. However, last year we did create a composition inspired by this band.

A lot of music "floats in the air." I once heard that people in the Middle Ages believed music existed as a separate substance. The ideal music flows in a great current, and good composers can catch pieces of it from that stream. I really like this image.

A selection of bands worth listening to made by Marko:

  • Balanescu quartet
  • Momo Wandel Soumah
  • Ancestors
  • Blakroc
  • Tinariwen
  • Archive
  • New Young Pony Club
  • Claud VonStroke
  • Trio
  • Gaiteiros De Lisboa
  • Aldous Harding
  • Altın Gün
  • Einstürzende Neubauten
Nika Krychovska
Journalist at UkraineWorld