ENAVE: My music helps listeners explore their dreams, aspirations, fears, and transcend the boundaries of their inner labyrinths

Maria Shyshak is a Ukrainian singer in the alternative rock genre who has decided to continue her career through her new musical project, ENAVE. Despite her academic background in music, Maria chose to step beyond its confines, showcasing different facets of her personality by experimenting with various genres. This fall, the singer released a new single, "Broken Promises", which became a kind of manifesto for her. Maria shared her journey, from starting out as part of the band Endless Times to creating her own musical project ENAVE, as well as her recent releases, with Drive Music Media.

Interviewer: How and when did your musical journey begin? What inspired you?

Maria: I first stepped on stage at the age of 5, performing in the city of Orikhiv (Zaporizhzhia region). Later, I attended music school, specializing in piano, and enrolled in Zaporizhzhia Music College to study academic singing. However, after losing my voice, I graduated as a music theorist (ed. — a teacher of music theory). During my recovery, my friends and I formed a pop-rock band called Endless Times, which lasted for two years until we moved to different cities.

In 2014, I began my creative journey as a composer at the Lviv Conservatory, and in 2015, I became a student of Myroslav Skoryk. My classical works won international competitions, and one premiered at the 2Day&2Night New Music festival. My piece "Prayer" – set to the words of Antonych – was performed in the Classics of Independence concert program. Though I performed some of my own compositions, I wrote many lyrics and musical drafts that remained untouched for years. Since 2017, I’ve led the music department at the School of Arts for the Free and Caring in Lviv, where I bring to life my vision of artistic self-expression. The children there form their own bands, and we teach that anyone can create.

Why did I return to non-academic creative work and start this project? It’s simple: when the war started, my husband said, “If not now, then when?” So I began balancing motherhood, managing the school, and pursuing my creativity.

Interviewer: Tell us about your new project, "ENAVE". How did the idea come about, and how long did it take to develop the concept? Why did you choose this name?

Maria: The name ENAVE was suggested by my husband. It’s inspired by the sound of the word “another” because this project is about revealing a different version of myself and uniting my many facets. Once the name came, everything else fell into place naturally. The silhouette represents someone hiding – anyone, any part of a personality – but primarily, it’s me. This is a side of me few know, the part that I’ve kept hidden for so long.

Interviewer: You recently released a new song as part of "ENAVE" called "Broken Promises". What is it about? How long did you work on it, and what meanings did you embed in it?

Maria: "Broken Promises" is a powerful and emotional manifesto that tackles the painful themes of betrayal and lost trust. The song blends alternative rock with cinematic elements, letting listeners experience a range of emotions – from disappointment to the release that comes with breaking free from lies and hollow promises.

The lyrics were written in February 2022, at the start of the war, when the true faces of people were being revealed like never before. The song’s demo was created in just minutes and immediately resonated with everyone who heard it.

"Broken Promises" begins with the sorrow of lost trust. The lyrics describe how words turn into meaningless sounds and promises become “paper ashes” blown away by the wind. The refrain, “No, no chance, no, no voices, no, no promises,” is a decisive rejection of lies and manipulation – because why listen anymore?

The verses repeat the same lyrics but differ in emotion. The first is melancholic and tender, while the second conveys a resolute realization: everything was a lie, and there’s no desire to give another chance. This alternative rock track, paired with academic-style vocals, captures an internal struggle and the liberation from toxic promises.

"Broken Promises" speaks for anyone who has been deceived and found the strength to rebuild themselves, rise anew, and start a new path by saying “no” to what no longer deserves their attention.

Interviewer: Shortly before that, you released another song – The Time, which was the first track from "ENAVE". Tell us about it.

Maria: "The Time" is a song with a long history. Its first lyrics were drafted in 2014 and remained untouched until 2020.

During a visit to my parents in my hometown of Orikhiv (ed. – Zaporizhzhia region), I sat at my piano and started playing a melody. Gradually, the song came together, using those old lyrics. That was the last time I played my piano, which now stands alone in a house with shattered windows in a city under shelling – slowly becoming a ghost town.

What’s the connection between dreams and reality? Perhaps dreams are reality. "The Time" reflects on the nature of time itself.

Time is a strange thing. We have clocks that measure minutes, seconds, hours precisely. Yet sometimes, time feels fluid. In ancient Greek mythology, there are two gods of time: Chronos, known to many, and Kairos, the youthful god representing fleeting moments. Have you ever rushed to a meeting, feeling time slipping through your fingers, or experienced moments when every second feels like an eternity? These are the tricks of Kairos.

Sometimes we wish for more time – just a little longer to finish something or have a conversation. But other times, time seems to freeze, and in the stillness, everything else feels trivial because there’s no time left for what truly matters. Between time and silence, we can find peace and hope. "The Time" is a rock ballad that tells a story of loss and the search for inner balance. It explores questions many of us ask today: “When was the last time I felt pain? Pain from loss? Pain from something I can never get back?”. The song is not only about loss but also about hope – about finding oneself and opening up to new emotions. The lyrics “My soul is empty, my soul cries; your soul is broken, your soul is silent” resonate with many who have lost loved ones. Yet the song reminds us that after the darkest night comes dawn. Love, symbolized in the song as a ray of light, guides the way to a new beginning. By finding love within ourselves, we achieve peace and inner harmony.

Interviewer: Tell us about your first performance with original material. What did you feel in that moment? What was the event like?

Maria: My first performance with ENAVE was on the terrace of FestRepublik during the Coffee, Books & Vintage festival in Lviv. I got there thanks to good friends, and my motivation was to step on stage for the first time in eight years with entirely new material. Friends and acquaintances came to support me. 

The feeling on stage is hard to describe – it was freedom for me. After the performance, a few people approached me to ask about the project. That moment was a realization: I was on the right path, and I had to keep moving forward.

Interviewer: How difficult is it to continue your career during the full-scale invasion of russia into Ukraine? What challenges have you faced in your creative work?

Maria: Since I began creating music during a full-scale war, it’s hard to separate the challenges from the context. There are many obstacles, from balancing all areas of my life to the fact that this musical style isn’t widely popular in Ukraine.

Interviewer: Which of your songs is most important to you? Why?

Maria: Every song is special to me because each carries deep meaning and tells a part of my life story. Some songs come together quickly, while others take time, as the pieces of the puzzle – the melody, the emotions – must align in my mind.

Interviewer: What projects are you working on right now?

Maria: I’m currently finishing my album, and these two songs are singles from it.

Interviewer: What word best describes your music? Why?

Maria: Creativity happens in the flow. It’s within this immersive state that the magic of creation unfolds.

Interviewer: What is your mission as a musician-songwriter?

Maria: My mission is a journey into the depths of the subconscious, an emotional search for truth, and awakening inner strength. My music helps listeners explore their dreams, fears, hopes, and hidden facets of themselves, guiding them beyond the boundaries of their inner labyrinths. It’s important to embrace one’s emotions, undergo transformation, and find inner harmony.

Pictures were provided by ENAVE