The Sound of Resistance
Pop, Rock, Rap & Hiphop from Ukraine
Deutsche Fassung
Abstract
For many Ukrainians, their music is an elemental part of their national self-image. Therefore, imperial rulers in Moscow repeatedly targeted Ukrainian music. It was to be destroyed or robbed of its autonomy, declared to be Rus-sian music or reduced to homogenized folklore. Yet Ukrainian music survived in niches and came back again and again. Since 2014, the market power of music from Russia has also been broken, and Ukrainian music has rapidly branched out into all contemporary genres: from catchy pop and loud rock to hip-hop, rap, and electronic music of all kinds. Since Russia’s invasion, Ukrainian musicians have known only one goal: to defend their country, whether as soldiers or fundraisers. And after a moment of shock at the start of the invasion, the music itself has also returned and is uniting the nation in its fight for survival.
(Osteuropa 6-8/2022, pp. 437–446)