ONUKA

ONUKA is a Ukrainian music project that combined electronics with traditional folk instruments and created a recognizable sound that is familiar far beyond the borders of Ukraine. Their music is not just a mix of styles, but a whole mood: a bit of futurism, a bit of ethnicity and a lot of sense of connection with culture. If you want something not obvious, but really strong - ONUKA is definitely worth your attention.

On Numotamo.com and Numotamo you can find the poster of ONUKA concerts, check the schedule of performances and take care of tickets in advance.

The band's composition:

• Nata Zhyzhchenko - vocals, sopilka;
• Daryna Sert - keyboards, sampler, backing vocals;
• Maria Sorokina - drums;
• Evgeny Yovenko - bandura, bugai, sampler, tylinka;
• Andriy Voychuk - cymbals, drymba;
• Sergiy Kashin - trombone, trembita;
• Nikola Bloshkin - trombone, trembita;
• Vitaly Baklazhenko - trombone;
• Olexandr Lisun - trombone;
• Taras Dovgopol - French horn, Cossack trumpet;
• Vladislav Petrenko - French horn.

History of the band

The ONUKA band appeared in 2013. The founders of the project were Nata Zhyzhchenko and Yevgen Filatov, whom listeners also know as the frontman of The Maneken. Before creating ONUKA, Nata performed in the electronic band Tomato Jaws, and Yevgen became the composer, arranger and sound producer of the new project.

The name of the band is directly related to Nata Zhyzhchenko's grandfather - Oleksandr Shlyonchyk, a famous master of folk musical instruments. It was he who created the first sopilka for the future artist and introduced her to the world of traditional Ukrainian music. For Nata, the word “granddaughter” became not only a reference to family, but also a symbol of the connection between generations and culture.

It is interesting that among the options for the project’s name, even the word “plombir” was considered at one time. But in the end, the choice was made on ONUKA — short, unusual, and meaningful.

The concept of the band was born from the desire to combine two important parts of Nata Zhyzhchenko’s creative experience: ethnic music and electronics. This is how a sound appeared in which electronic beats organically intertwine with the sopilka, bandura, trembita, and other folk instruments.

One of the main challenges for the band was maintaining a balance between a modern sound and a traditional musical foundation. A big role in this was played by Yevgen Filatov, who helped create ONUKA's recognizable style - atmospheric, deep and at the same time accessible to a wide audience.

Creative path

ONUKA's first release was the track Look, which was released in October 2013. At the end of the same year, the band presented a video for the composition, directed by Yevgen Filatov.

ONUKA's first major performance took place on June 13, 2014, during the concert of The Maneken in Kyiv. Shortly before that, the band released their debut mini-album Look, which included four original tracks and a mix of the title track. The EP quickly topped the Ukrainian iTunes chart.

In October 2014, ONUKA presented their first full-length album. The release included ten songs — English-language tracks and songs in Ukrainian. It was after this that the band began to actively increase its audience and became one of the most noticeable musical projects of the modern Ukrainian scene.

ONUKA's discography includes:

• studio albums: Onuka, Mozaïka, Kolir, Room;
• mini-albums: Look, Vidlik, Kolir (Remixes);
• concert releases: Live with NAONI Orchestra and Mozaïka with the participation of NAONI of Ukraine.

The development of the band

ONUKA quickly attracted the attention of not only the Ukrainian audience. In 2015, the band won the national selection to participate in the Sziget festival and performed on the British Knights Europe Stage. It was there that the international audience saw how modern electronics can sound together with Ukrainian folk instruments.

In 2021, the band also joined the international Meet in Beijing festival, which was held online. ONUKA's performance was seen by over 300 thousand viewers, and the project itself once again presented Ukrainian culture at the international level.

Yevgeny Filatov has repeatedly emphasized that for ONUKA it is important not only to create a beautiful form, but also to put meaning into the music. That is why the band's work often goes beyond the boundaries of a simple concert experience and evokes a strong emotional response in listeners.

Social activity

An important theme in ONUKA's work has become the tragedy of Chernobyl. This is the theme of the mini-album Vidlik, released in 2016.

In 2018, the band launched the social initiative ECOSTRUM to draw attention to environmental issues and a responsible attitude towards the environment. ONUKA also collaborated with the organization "Ukraine Without Trash" and supported environmental campaigns through creative projects.

In 2022, ONUKA participated in the creation of a charity film-lecture about folk musical instruments. The project was implemented together with the Repair Together Foundation as part of the “Winter is Coming” initiative, aimed at raising funds to restore houses damaged by the war.

Nata Zhyzhchenko also became an ambassador for the “This is my city” foundation, which supports the residents and defenders of Chernihiv.

Awards and distinctions

• YUNA-2015 music award in the “Discovery of the Year” nomination;
• Around International Film Festival Barcelona 2021 award for the Zenit clip in the “Best Music Video” nomination;
• MEGOGO MUSIC AWARDS 2023 — “Album of the Year” for the release Room.

Interesting facts about the band

• Nata Zhyzhchenko plays not only the flute, but also the ocarina, omnichords, whistles and various percussion instruments;
• music from the Vidlik EP was used in the documentary of the 1+1 TV channel about the Chernobyl accident;
• before creating the material for Vidlik, Nata Zhyzhchenko and Yevhen Filatov lived in Slavutych for a week and visited the Chernobyl power plant.

ONUKA concerts are a combination of electronics, live instruments and an atmosphere that easily draws even those who "just came to listen to a couple of tracks". If you want music that simultaneously recharges and leaves behind a lot of thoughts - you should add ONUKA's performance to your plans. On Numotamo.com you can find the current poster, find out ticket prices and choose seats for the concert.