Ukrainian singer The Collin: From a Break in Music to a Debut Solo Album

The Collin is a Ukrainian singer and songwriter, LGBT activist and volunteer from Chernivtsi who, despite an unsuccessful start in the Ukrainian music industry at the beginning of his journey, did not give up. Instead, he took a pause during which he actively worked on new music. This effort culminated in the release of his debut album, "Notes of a Caring Dreamer", in April 2023, featuring seven tracks.The album's core message is that it's okay to feel, even when it hurts. In article of our media about The Collin, we explore the importance of having a team on the path to success, the obstacles he faced, a volunteering path, his plans to join a label next year, and his reflections on the creation of his first solo album, "Notes of a Caring Dreamer".

BEGINNING OF THE JOURNEY: CREATING FIRST SONGS AND RELEASING DEBUT SONG

The Collin took his first steps in music during childhood, when he learned to play songs by ear and tried writing his own lyrics.

According to the musician, he wrote his first song at the age of 9 and remembered it forever, as he considers this moment the beginning of his journey as a musician and artist.

At the age of 13, he attended music school to study piano but quickly realized that he enjoyed learning on his own much more. Without hesitation, he left his lessons and continued his education independently.

During his school years, the musician actively participated in online music competitions, performed at school events, and, most importantly, never stopped writing his own music.

The Collin shared this stage of his life with Drive Music Media:

“If I think back to my first steps in the music industry, it’s important to note that music has been a part of my life since childhood. Music was and still is my primary remedy for everything bad in this world”.

In 2018, The Collin made his debut with the song "Kiss", but a long-term collaboration turned out to be unsuccessful. Despite writing three full-length albums and an additional "zero" album, as The Collin likes to call it, none of them were ever released.

Those he worked with often said, "It could be better", and this experience led to a prolonged break from music. During this time, although the musician continued writing songs, he had no plans to return to the stage.

CREATION OF THE SOLO PROJECT "THE COLLIN" AND RELEASE OF THE DEBUT ALBUM

The Collin is the solo music project of Ukrainian singer-songwriter Mykola Sorokhan, born in the Ukrainian city of Chernivtsi, who is currently building his music career in Germany. According to the artist, the name of his solo project has two meanings. Initially, he called himself Collin, but later realized he wouldn’t create music alone. This led to the need to add something to the existing name, similar to "Florence and The Machine".

From the artist's perspective, there should be a clear distinction between the artist and their team. Here’s how The Collin explains his vision:

“I write the lyrics and immediately create a melodic arrangement and piano part for them. But having a team is crucial to me because it allows for a more creative approach to the process. My music is not only my vision of the world but also the result of collaboration with other musicians”.

According to The Collin, he is currently an independent artist with the support of three people, but he does most of the work on his brand by himself. In 2025, he plans to take his creativity to the next level by joining a label. His repertoire includes a lot of Ukrainian-language material, and currently, the majority of his audience is Ukrainian, but he plans to expand his reach. He is working on songs in English to achieve this. The main reason for this is his desire to connect with people through music, and English will allow him to communicate not only with Germans but with the whole world.

During the break that followed his disappointment with the Ukrainian music industry nearly ten years ago, The Collin decided not to close the door forever, but to wait it out. It was during this time that most of the material was created, which later became part of the musician's debut album "Notes of a Caring Dreamer".

According to the musician, initially, 14 songs were supposed to be included in the album. Then he reduced them to 9, and later came to the realization that only seven should remain.

7 is Mykola's favorite number, which brings him good luck in life. The release took place on April 7. At that time, the musician had strong support, although he didn't fully realize it himself. The story of the album itself carries deep meanings, which the musician describes as follows:

"This album is an attempt to create medicine in the form of notes. By embedding my pain into each song, I tried to convey the emotions felt by someone living through a war. "Notes of a Caring Dreamer" was essentially created by a simple person from the people. It features pure live instrumentation with ordinary vocals, suitable for public performances. Each song represents a specific emotion: it starts with war and melancholy, followed by tears and the realization of loss. After that, the third song lifts the fighting spirit, and you can feel the struggle. The next theme I address in the song "Mouse" is the feeling of injustice experienced by the entire LGBTQ+ community, which is unable to legally register a partnership. The fifth song from the album, "Dragon", is the most cheerful in mood, but in reality, it symbolizes exhaustion and true madness. The penultimate song, "Yoi, Mom! I Want to Go Home", carries all the sorrow and love, while the last song, "People", holds the hope for a better future, which is probably why it’s my favorite".

Interestingly, the main motivation that made The Collin return to music was the war. The realization that Ukraine loses its people every day was a shock for the singer. Understanding that he couldn’t stay on the sidelines, and that past failures should not affect the future, became the catalyst that pushed Mykola to return to music. Other options for him meant betrayal.

During his volunteer work, The Collin met jazz pianist Olga Reznichenko, who assisted him with arrangements, finding a studio, and recruiting musicians. Thanks to her support, The Collin managed to record the material in just four days. Additionally, the album benefited from the expertise of Alexander Krause, who delivered high-quality mixing and mastering, as well as contributions from musicians André van der Heide, Andris Meining, and Izabela Kałduńka.

And although he left Ukraine long before the full-scale invasion, and even before the start of russia's war against Ukraine in Donbas, he still couldn’t remain on the sidelines.

According to the musician, since the beginning of the full-scale war, not only has the support for Ukraine become an important part of his life, but there has also been a rethinking of the situation and the development of his identity as a citizen of his country, someone who carries the responsibility for spreading Ukrainian culture. This is how a new stage in his life began – the volunteer stage.

VOLUNTEER ACTIVITY: ORGANIZING CHARITY CONCERTS AND SUPPORTING THE INFORMATIONAL FRONT

The first thing The Collin did when russia'sfull-scale war against Ukraine began was transfer the funds he had saved for the release of his album in 2025 to support the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Even then, he understood that he had to return to the stage to support Ukrainians. In 2023, he planned to donate all proceeds from his debut album to the "Return Alive" fund, and if the amount wasn't enough, he would organize a charity concert.

"After a year of streaming, I managed to collect only 17 euros, so I decided to hold my debut charity concert in Leipzig. The result was 1,815 euros".

The funds helped support the campaign for electronic warfare systems for the 3rd Company of the 82nd Separate Airborne Assault Brigade of Bukovyna – €1300; the “Invisible Collection” organized by Kyiv Pride, Kharkiv Pride, LGBTIQ+ Military, and Gender Zed – €300; and €215 for the “Gifts from St. Nicholas for the Children of Ukraine’s Fallen and Severely Wounded Defenders” project run by our Ukrainian community.

The musician actively performs at Ukrainian demonstrations in Leipzig as part of the initiative group Freundeskreis der Ukraine in Leipzig. He also participates in events organized by the Ukrainian association "UkrKulturLeipzig" and, this summer, became the initiator of the "United Queer: Ukraine-Leipzig" community and organized the Ukrainian contingent for the parade in Leipzig - Christopher Street Day.

All of the singer's performances within the communities have been charity events, and he participates in fundraisers, sharing information about them on his Instagram page.

During a conversation with our journalist, The Collin spoke about the situation and the understanding of what is happening in Ukraine abroad:

"Unfortunately, not everyone in Europe understands that Ukraine is today the shield of Europe, but I always try to convey this to the world through my music and activities. Throughout the entire full-scale invasion, there hasn't been a month when I haven't contributed to support the Ukrainian Armed Forces".

At the end of October this year, The Collin held a charity concert, an idea that emerged after the release of his debut album. In our conversation, the artist explained why he felt the need to organize such an event at that time:

“This album was created for the people and to support Ukraine during russia's war against Ukraine. My stance on everything is clear – I am 100% Ukrainian. All the money raised from the concert was donated to the Ukrainian Armed Forces, to support the children of military personnel, as well as to fundraising efforts by Kyiv Pride, Kharkiv Pride, Ukraine Pride, and Gender Zed. The atmosphere was warm, familial, and welcoming. People came, and I was pleasantly surprised. Everything turned out really well”.

ABOUT HIS UNIQUE STYLE IN MUSIC, A SONG THAT WILL NEVER SEE THE LIGHT OF DAY, HIS PERSONAL MISSION IN MUSIC, AND FUTURE PROJECTS

Currently, The Collin describes his musical style as singer-songwriter. According to him, his music is rooted in acoustic instruments, which is evident in his debut album.

However, the artist is already working on the next phase, which will have a different sound. In an interview with Drive Music Media, the musician describes himself as follows:

"I see myself as a chameleon artist because I love experimenting with different genres. Over the past few months, I've been trying to create tracks in styles like techno, trap, R&B, and hip-hop. These experiments inspire me and help me push boundaries.

My lyrical style can be compared to Adele's work but with elements of Ukrainian folk. It's a kind of folk-pop-soul that comes from the depths of my soul. For my first album, I deliberately chose live sound, recorded exclusively using real instruments without any synthesis".

In his portfolio, The Collin has numerous songs that blend various genres, but not all of them have been released, and some never will be. Like many artists, he has a song that will never see the light of day. That song is titled "Guardian Angel". It was written during a difficult period in his life when he lost his beloved cat, who had been by his side for 14 years.

The song, written in 2020, serves as a reminder of the emotions he went through – feelings he never wants to relive. The Collin openly shared this chapter of his life with Drive Music Media, saying:

"2020 was a year of great loss. First, my grandmother passed away, bringing immense grief to our family. This kind of pain breaks your heart and changes you forever. And within a very short time that same year, my four-year-old dog Art died, followed by my cat Nyusia, who had been my best friend for 14 years. This song embodies the pain I never want to experience or revisit again".

Despite all the losses and challenges he has faced, The Collin continues to write music. In addition to his musical endeavors, the artist is completing his university studies in Leipzig.

He is currently working on a new music project, which he has decided to keep under wraps for now. According to the musician, it’s a story the world could have heard earlier if not for the war initiated by the terrorist state, russia, against Ukraine.

Additionally, he is collaborating with a friend on a song for a project that also remains a secret. For Ukrainian musicians aiming to build their careers in Germany, he offers one key piece of advice:

"My main advice to Ukrainian musicians is this: find confidence in your inner self before fully diving into music. This will protect you from situations where others might take advantage of your insecurity".

The singer associates his work with the word empathy, and people are his primary source of inspiration. According to the artist, his goal as a musician and songwriter is to represent the two forces that unite our planet: kindness and love.

"Through my songs, I want to convey what brings us together, not what divides us. The only instrument that can help me share these feelings with the world is my voice".

Pictures were taken by Vika Temnova and Elena Gorbatiuk