Interviews

Anna Kharchenko is a Ukrainian illustrator who, just two years ago, was building a career as an architect Her life changed by chance when she came across a friend's writing . This inspired her to create drawings that later became part of a Ukrainian writer's story collection. Anna boldly experiments and helps bring authors' dreams to life. Anna shared her wartime creative journey with Drive Music Media and how illustrating books led her to discover the remarkable diversity of Ukrainian literature in our feature story.

TALINA is a Ukrainian singer who recently released her new song, "Ne Moya Vyna". Not long ago, she doubted whether her art mattered, but now she has realized her ability to inspire strength and self-confidence in people through her music. Her latest song tells the story of a warrior woman who can protect herself while preserving her warmth and tenderness. TALINA shared with Drive Music Media the journey of her music career, her new release, and the deeper meanings she weaves into her music.

Mariia Diakun is a Ukrainian UI/UX designer who discovered her new profession just over a year ago. She believes there is no point in waiting for the right moment to start something new. After learning about the UI/UX designer profession during the webinar, she eagerly began mastering this field. Read on to learn about her successful collaborations with American clients and how she finds inspiration amidst air raid sirens.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Findissi is a Ukrainian singer-songwriter who firmly believes that music possesses magical properties capable of profoundly influencing people's emotions. In her compositions, the musician addresses important topics such as the issue of populism and russia's full-scale war against Ukraine. In January, the singer released her Ukrainian-language triptych "Amor Fati", which became a significant milestone in her life. Findissi shared insights about the beginning of her musical journey and the release of the Ukrainian-language triptych "Amor Fati" with Drive Music Media.

TANKATAKA is a Ukrainian singer and songwriter who recently released her debut album Anesthesia, capturing her emotions and experiences triggered by russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Despite facing a challenging period in her creative journey, she continues to write Ukrainian-language songs while living abroad and introduces international audiences to Ukrainian original music. She shared with us her thoughts on the "identity crisis", her debut album "Anesthesia", and her plans to "kill" TANKATAKA to create something new from its remains.

Anna Totska is a Ukrainian UI/UX designer who refers to this field as "architecture" and aims to improve people's lives through her work. Anna shared with Drive Music Media s the story of how her design career began, the large-scale projects she has worked on, and the types of commissions she would never agree to take on.

Ihor Sniatynchuk is a Ukrainian writer specializing in the genres of mysticism and horror and the author of the short story collection "Beznizhnist", which combines works with diverse atmospheres. In his writing career, Ihor strives to develop literature and organizes a series of literary evenings where authors can read excerpts from their works to an audience. Currently, Ihor is working on a new short story collection that will include both previously published works and new ones that have yet to see the light of day. He shared with Drive Music Media his thoughts on his writing journey, the collection Beznizhnist, his love for Ukrainian literature, and the challenges he has faced during russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Varvara Yampolets is a Ukrainian photographer who believes her mission is to bring light through her photographic works. Through her lens, she aims to preserve people’s warm moments, especially during russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine. In her photography, Varvara pays special attention to portraits, as this genre allows her to capture genuine human emotions in intricate detail. She shared with Drive Music Media her journey into photography, the unique essence of portraiture, and her latest projects.

Renata Litynska is a Ukrainian writer, author of the short story collection Renata Sometimes Writes and co-author of the memory tales Grandma, Tell Me About Yourself. She believes that writing "simply" is difficult, as the ability to bring calm and offer hope in a rapidly changing world is no easy task. Renata shared with us her love for novellas and essays, the process of creating Renata Sometimes Writes and Grandma, Tell Me About Yourself, and her experience presenting her book in Athens, the capital of Greece.

Mariia Kosian is a Ukrainian writer and the author of two novels, "When It Rains in the City of N" and "A Hero Instead of Me", the latter of which is set to be released soon. Her literary journey began with academic work at university, which became the foundation for her first major novel, "When It Rains in the City of N". In January 2025, the author will present her second book, "A Hero Instead of Me", which has been available for pre-order for several weeks now. The book is being published by one of the largest publishing houses in Ukraine – "Vikhola". Mariia shared with Drive Music Media her journey as a writer, the birth of her second novel's concept – created before but set to be published during russia's full-scale war against Ukraine – and the message she hopes to convey through her work.