Interviews

Olesya Hudyma is a Ukrainian artist specializing in the impasto technique. Her works have been showcased in 39 exhibitions worldwide, 23 of which were solo shows. She believes that art should not be confined by technical rules – it must be free. Through her paintings, she promotes Ukrainian culture, as the imagery in her works is always intertwined with the history of Ukraine. One of her paintings, "The Bride", was featured on a postage stamp by Ukrposhta. After the russian invasion of Ukraine in 2014, she created a series of paintings titled "Angels of Peace", dedicated to Ukraine. Since then, Ukrainian themes have become the central focus of her art. In this interview, Olesya shares insights with Drive Music Media about her artistic journey, exhibitions around the world, and upcoming projects.

Anastasia Drozd is a Ukrainian singer-songwriter and vocalist of the Ukrainian-German band "A.DROZD", who firmly believes she is building her music career against all odds. Before deciding to form her own band, Anastasia led her own music school and taught jazz and pop vocals at Mykolaiv Music College and later at Kyiv Academy of Hryhory. At the start of the full-scale war by russia against Ukraine, Anastasia moved to Germany, where she experienced a long period of despair. A pivotal moment in her career was her decision to enroll at Popakademie Baden-Württemberg, where she met the future members of her band: Lilo, Jonathan Michelmann, Jayne, and Emanuel Abanto. On March 6, the band "A.DROZD" will release their album titled "Neurotrans". Anastasia shared with Drive Music Media her musical journey, the release of the Neurotrans album, and her new career in Germany.

MARIÈLLE – a Ukrainian singer-songwriter who sees songwriting as a form of self-therapy. In February 2025, she released her second solo song, Lock on the Heart, where she desperately poured out her pain. MARIÈLLE shared with Drive Music Media her thoughts on the beginning of her musical journey, her new release Lock on the Heart, and building a career amidst russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine.

TĒMNA RÁDIST is the project of Ukrainian musician-composer Viktoriia Kliuchnyk in the electronic music genre, with two of her compositions included in the annual charity compilation "24.2.25" as part of the "OCHI" label. One of her tracks, "On That City by the Sea", dedicated to the Hero City of Mariupol, became the musician’s first attempt to return to music creation. TĒMNA RÁDIST shared with Drive Music Media about her journey into the world of electronic music, the "24.2.25" compilation, and the challenges of building a career amid russia's full-scale war against Ukraine.

Julia Brevetti is a Canadian realism and pop-art artist whom the most important thing in art is to evoke genuine emotions in people — whether positive or negative, it doesn’t matter. Her move to California sparked her realization to pursue art. Along her journey, Julia often encountered vintage cars, which inspired her to create her series of paintings "Vintage Cars". The painting "1952 Bentley" from this series was the first to be exhibited in one of the galleries. Although she found inspiration for her artistic journey while in California, she continues her work as an artist in Canada. Very soon, her new paintings will be showcased in Denver at the Rainy Days Gallery. The artist believes that art is an expression that cannot have a right or wrong way of being executed and that one should be less hard on themselves. Julia shared with Drive Music Media her thoughts on the beginning of her creative journey, her "Vintage Cars" series, and her plans for the future.

midnight may is a collaborative project of Estonian singer-songwriter Carlotta Põdra, who on February 24, the anniversary of russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine and also Estonia’s Independence Day, will release a double single "For Ukraine/For Estonia" in collaboration with Ukrainian singer PETROVOCHKA. The first single, "For Ukraine/Domivka", is dedicated to solidarity with Ukraine, while the second one, "For Estonia/Kajakas", celebrates our spirit of freedom. Carlotta shared with Drive Music Media her musical journey, the double single "For Ukraine/For Estonia", and a concert planned for March.

Dmytro Svitlov, known by his stage name be_ca_di, is the founder of the electronic music label "OCHI". As part of the label, he is set to release the annual compilation "24.2.25", featuring tracks from Ukrainian and international artists. This series has been released annually since the start of russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine. Through his work, be_ca_di focuses not only on promoting Ukrainian music but also on providing financial support to Ukraine in its fight against russian aggression. The "24.2.23" compilation was continued because the war is still ongoing, and Ukraine needs help—support that the label provides through the sales of the compilation. be_ca_di shared insights with Drive Music Media about the creation of his label, the upcoming release of "24.2.25", and the mission behind his work.

Kateryna Ustiuhova is a Ukrainian writer and the author of the fantasy novel "Twiceborn". For her, writing fantasy stories is a form of escapism – one that, despite everything, can help build connections with the real world. Kateryna is currently working on the second part of "Twiceborn", where she aims to further develop the stories of certain characters. She shared with Drive Music Media her journey as a writer, the story behind Twiceborn, and the deeper meanings woven into her book.

Milante Gothem is a Ukrainian writer and one of the authors of the mystical fantasy anthology 100 Shades of Darkness. She believes that, as cruel as it may sound, russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine has led to the awakening of Ukrainian literature by cleansing the literary market of hostile works. Beyond her writing career, she also moderates a book club in her hometown and considers herself a highly versatile person. Milante shared with Drive Music Media the story of her writing journey, her contribution to 100 Shades of Darkness, and her plans to compile an anthology about mystical creatures in Ukraine.

Serhiy Kelmin is a Ukrainian writer and anthropologist who firmly believes that it is impossible to write science fiction while keeping a respectful distance from science. Anthropology is an essential part of his literary work, with its foundations reflected in his book Homo Eroticus: Love Attachment in the Mirror of Evolution. Serhiy shared his thoughts with Drive Music Media on the nuances of science fiction, his book Homo Eroticus: Love Attachment in the Mirror of Evolution, and the process of finding a publisher.