Oleksandra Stepanenko is a Ukrainian writer and the author of 9 Circles of Heaven, which tells the story of a soldier with the call sign Dante. The writer’s goal was to show that, despite the hell of war, the soldier achieves ascent rather than decline. The story also intersects with her own life, as her husband is a defender of Ukraine. Oleksandra shared with Drive Music Media the meanings embedded in her book 9 Circles of Heaven and her upcoming projects.

Julia Brevetti is a Canadian artist working in realism and pop art, known for her “Vintage Cars” series previously featured by Drive Music Media, is now creating a new painting collection featuring various liquor bottles. The series has already gained recognition on social media, which earned her a spot in a group exhibition featuring the iconic liquor brand Campari. The story of this collection begins with Julia’s family, who have been collecting bottles for many years. In addition, Julia released a rather unusual collection for her style — a series of skull paintings. This body of work carries a therapeutic meaning for the artist, as through the prism of art she portrayed the “death” of another version of herself. Julia shared with Drive Music Media about her new liquor bottle series and the skull painting collection.

Sergio Kinoman – singer-songwriter and frontman of the project Monkey Shock Band, who believes that musicians must take responsibility for what they perform and share with the world. Monkey Shock Band was founded in 2016 by two friends, Sergio and Maksym Yakymenko. In 2020, Monkey Shock Band released their rock record XXII, which became the soundtrack to the film Illusion — a project that found success at festivals across Europe, Asia, and the USA. Since 2022, the band has switched to the Ukrainian language, starting with the single Echo, which tells an abstract story of a soldier returning home. Sergio shared with Drive Music Media the beginnings of his journey, the creation of Monkey Shock Band, and his mission as a musician.

Lana Kulyk is a Ukrainian writer, author of Swan Love, The Adventures of Hedgehog, and the collection Burrs. She is currently developing the literary agency Lit Agency Phoenix, which aims to represent Ukrainian authors abroad. Lana shared insights with Drive Music Media about the beginning of her writing journey, the Burrs collection, and her own literary agency.