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Anastasiia Katolichenko is a Ukrainian photographer who, during the war, realized she wouldn’t put her dreams on hold. She decided to leave the legal field and opened her own photo studio. Her work has been featured in magazines, including projects on socially significant topics like "Anorexia" and "Melancholia", which were published in Canadian and British magazines. Anastasiia shared her journey of pursuing her dream, opening her photo studio, and creating the "Anorexia" photo project with Drive Music Media.
Iryna Sanzharovska is a Ukrainian photographer who, after reaching a managerial position in sales, realized she was losing herself. The desire to be more and to create without limitations reminded her of photography, which had been an important part of her father’s life. Photography became the field that could not confine her within boundaries, so she decided to purchase a photo studio and eventually began pursuing photography herself. Iryna believes that she is not only doing what she loves but also continuing a family tradition in memory of her father. She shared her thoughts with Drive Music Media about carrying on the family legacy, having her photographs published in magazines, and her future plans.
Anna Stadnik is a Ukrainian writer and editor at the BookBanda publishing house, who sees her mission as contributing to the development of modern Ukrainian literature. She feels she cannot afford to do otherwise while so many people are defending Ukraine on the frontlines. This fall, Anna and writer Jan Braz presented two books – “One’s Own Stranger” and “The Penal Group” from the Lifira’s Routers cycle, united under a shared lore. “One’s Own Stranger” was authored by Anna, while “The Penal Group” was written by Jan Braz. The events in both books take place in the same universe but feature different protagonists. Anna shared her thoughts with Drive Music Media about her writing journey, which led her to an editorial position at a Ukrainian publishing house, her own book, and her future plans.
Zoriana Bezodnia is a Ukrainian writer and the author of the fantasy novel The Obsidian Dagger, who believes that words are a living code capable of influencing people when they are heard, spoken, or read. Fascinated by the power of words, she decided to pursue a degree in philology at university. Her writing journey began with the birth of her younger sister, for whom Zoriana created fairy tales. At just 14 years old, she began working on her book The Obsidian Dagger, the first edition of which was published last fall. This autumn, she plans to release another edition of her book. Zoriana shared with Drive Music Media her experiences of studying philology, writing fairy tales for her sister, and creating her first book.
Uliana Dadak is a Ukrainian writer who, despite holding two degrees in ecology and tailoring, stayed true to her childhood dream and embarked on a new path in writing – a passion she has nurtured since youth. Her debut book, Beyond Reality, is set to be published soon. Despite early rejections from publishers, she never stopped writing. Uliana shared with Drive Music Media insights about her fantasy worlds, the writing process, the importance of connecting with readers, and her plans for her next book.
Oksana Merhut is a Ukrainian sand animation artist who continues to amaze audiences not only in Ukraine but around the world with her art. In September 2024, Oksana became one of the winners of the UK talent competition Golden Time Talents and embarked on a tour across British cities. Oksana’s goal is to introduce Ukraine to Britain and share the reality of what is happening in Ukraine since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion. Learn more about her participation in Golden Time Talent, her tour across British cities, and the highly anticipated Christmas tour in our article.