- Real name – Liliya Andriyivna Veres
- Date of birth – May 24, 1994
- City – Novoyavorivsk (Ukraine)
- Language – Ukrainian
- Activity – singer, poet, composer
- Genre – pop music
History of the artist’s development
YAGODA (Liliya Veres) is a Ukrainian singer, composer and poet from the Lviv region. Liliya was born into a family where her father worked as an electrician and her mother as a nurse. Despite the fact that her parents’ professions were not related to creativity, the girl showed a great interest in art from an early age. She attended a music school, where she mastered playing the violin. She participated in theatrical productions and wrote poems. It was the first poems that became the basis for future songs. At about the age of ten, Liliya tried to set her own texts to music.
The dream of becoming a singer arose in childhood, but for a long time it seemed too distant and even unrealistic. Only later did Liliya dare to make it a reality.
The choice of a stage name has a warm personal story. The pseudonym YAGODA appeared when the artist was writing her first song “Be”. The idea was born spontaneously, in a queue for coffee. And the name was associated with childhood memories, when a grandfather would bring ripe berries to his granddaughter in his palm.
In 2016, the future star of the Ukrainian stage completed her studies at the Ivan Franko National University of Lviv, receiving a diploma in journalism.
Creative path
The first serious step to the music scene took place back in 2012, when YAGODA took part in the television project “I want to VIA Gra”. The debut cannot be called successful. Then the young performer failed to pass the selection. However, this did not stop the desire to realize herself in creativity. Liliya Veres created a cover band. And later founded her own group By The Way, where she performed as a soloist and at the same time a manager. In three years, the group held more than 120 concerts across Ukraine.
Then the singer began to work with arrangers, recorded her first compositions and posted them on YouTube. It was thanks to this that the performer was first invited to the radio. In parallel, Liliya earned a living as a host of events and ceremonies.
Style and creative development
In 2018, YAGODA tried her hand at a talent show again - this time at the "X-Factor". However, the jury did not give the contestant the green light. It was this experience that prompted her to embark on a solo journey, debuting with the song "Bud" in collaboration with the Lvivdanceclub group. In 2019, YAGODA also collaborated creatively with Ukrainian musicians Ostap Panchyshyn and Marian Kryskuv.
From 2018 to 2021, the artist released a number of tracks, among which the composition "Rains" (2021) received the greatest response. The track has collected over a million streams on Spotify.
After the birth of her daughter, the artist presented the single "Meeting" - a dedication to Ukrainian women who become mothers during the war. In 2023, the mini-album "Gilka" was released. In the songs of the release, the singer reflects on her own experiences through the prism of war and personal changes. The second album "Atoms" was released in 2024.
YAGODA is an example of an artist who has gone from unsuccessful telecastings to wide popularity and recognition on the Ukrainian stage. Sincerity, sensuality and the ability to convey her own stories in songs have made the artist's work close to many listeners. The artist's music is always emotional and lyrical. YAGODA successfully integrates elements of Ukrainian folk music and modern sound into her compositions.
Singer's discography:
- “Gilka” (EP, 2023);
- “Atoms” (album, 2024).
Social activity
Back in 2015, Liliya tried her hand at politics – she ran for the Novoyavorivsk City Council and won almost 10% of the vote. At the same time, she worked as a journalist for the Novoyavorivsk Today newspaper.
During the full-scale war, the singer actively supported Ukrainian defenders – she helped financially and participated in charity concerts.
The singer's most famous hits:
- “The Smell of Nettles”;
- “Heron”;
- “Propascha”;
- “Son”;
- “Doshchi”;
- “Poobetsyai” and others.
Awards and distinctions
In 2023, YAGODA became the winner of the national project “Ukrainian Song” with the composition “Poobetsyai”.
Interesting facts about the singer:
- having chosen journalism at Lviv University, Liliya compromised with her parents. After all, this was the only creative specialty that her family approved for her daughter;
- the singer has a special tradition – every Friday she listens to new releases, both by Ukrainian and foreign artists. For her, this is a small creative ritual;
- Lilia was involved in creating musical backing tracks for radio advertising. One of the most famous jingles was heard on FM Galicia in the program “Narodna godina”;
- the song “Sun”, which the artist wrote under the impression of the liberation of Kherson, was presented at the national selection for “Eurovision”. However, YAGODA did not make it to the list of finalists;
- in 2024, the singerpresented her own interpretation of Alexander Ponomarev's hit "I Will Never Give You Away to Anyone." This version instantly gained popularity on TikTok and won the hearts of new fans.
