DakhaBrakha

In 2024, the Ukrainian world-music quartet "DakhaBrakha" is celebrating its 20th anniversary. Founded in the Kyiv theater “Dakh" in 2004, the band became a symbol of the formation of a new Ukraine – free, bold, independent. Over 20 years, "DakhaBrakha", whose sound combines the authenticity of Ukrainian song with the driving rhythm of various instruments (from percussion to cello), have come a long way, conquering the main venues of the world: Glastonbury, Sziget, Pogoda, GlobalFEST, and dozens of others – from Mexico to South Korea.

The band is celebrating its 20th anniversary with a major tour! More cities in the World will hear the powerful voice of the most famous Ukrainian band in the world, which today is an ambassador for a country that is heroically resisting Russian aggression.

“Since the start of the full-scale invasion, we feel a special responsibility. We seem to be speaking to the world on behalf of the whole country: we thank you for your support, we ask for weapons, we share our pain. At the same time, we show a small part of our rich culture and by our existence we seek to refute Russian propaganda about the "one nation"," says band member Marko Halanevych.

"DakhaBrakha" was born of theatrical energies, so their concerts are a powerful performance that combines the spectacle and holistic dramaturgy of theater, the uniqueness of folk song and genre musical diversity, from hip-hop to blues. The program for the 20th anniversary includes the hits of "DakhaBrakha" from six albums, as well as new tracks written during the full-scale war.

The artists define the band's style as "ethnochaos", which emphasizes the combination of different ethnic components in music. The band uses Ukrainian, Crimean tatar and other folk songs that were recorded by "DakhaBrakha" and other folklorists during expeditions. Among the well-known hits for the European audience are the rhythmic and driving composition “Sho z-pod duba”; the artistic mystery “Vesna”; “Ptah” - the spiritual anthem of the new Ukraine on the verses of the contemporary Ukrainian poet Serhiy Zhadan; the grandiose, melodic “Baby”, which in the performance of "DakhaBrakha" pours out a sensual cry of unrequited love. One of the important moments of the European tour will be the performance of the composition "Plyve Choven", which has become a kind of dedication to the defenders of Ukraine.

After the start of the full-scale invasion, the band significantly changed its concert program, as it was important for the musicians to make it more informative and evoke a sense of empathy in people around the world. DakhaBrakha concerts are accompanied by a videoart which contains works by Ukrainian artists and war photographers.