UKRAINIAN MUSICIAN-SONGWRITER CHACHA: “Music Is a Flow State Where I Can Be Myself”

Chacha is the solo project of Ukrainian musician-songwriter Serhii Chachanidze, originally from Kramatorsk, who recently released an album titled NOCTURNE, a reflective work exploring themes of choice and inner freedom. The album includes three tracks: “Flying in My Sleep”, “I’ll Write”, and “New Life”.

Serhii’s first collaborative project was Nietzsche Cried, formed during his student years. Together with friends, he performed at various events until the project came to an end in 2022.

The musician believes that inspiration is about being attentive – to the world and to oneself. In our conversation, Serhii opened up with Drive Music Media about his musical beginnings, the creation of NOCTURNE, and what it’s like to make music during war time.

Interviewer: What inspired the creation of the album and the theme of forced displacement?

Serhii: I can't say there was a specific thing that inspired the album. Music for me is an ongoing process, and it’s almost always lyrical and autobiographical. This EP, which consists of several tracks, was written throughout 2024, when I had already been living in Kyiv for two years. I ended up there alone – no friends, no connections, no job – and all my belongings were still in Kharkiv, which was constantly under shelling. I ran out of money and was living in debt. Crises like that carry huge potential for growth. Limitations are the fuel of creativity – they push you to find unconventional solutions and creatively use what you have. It’s like a commuter train derailing: it’s terrifying at first, but suddenly there’s freedom – you get to choose a new path on your own.

In situations like this, you realize how much you can live without. You face a choice: either step into the unknown and try something new, or rebuild your “shell” in a new place – but in a new way. I chose the latter: I found a job, paid off my debts, made new friends, started a relationship, launched a solo project, and released 8 songs.

I missed Kharkiv deeply – it had become home. When I returned for my things, I could barely hold back tears on the metro escalator – I could feel it was a farewell to a city that had become dear to me.

Looking back, I keep asking: did I really have a choice? Or was it just a chain of coincidences? Because of a difficult childhood and anxiety disorder, I’ve spent my whole life searching for answers. First, I tried to “overcome” the world, then to ignore it, to adapt. Now I’m trying to accept it, though it’s still hard to let go of the illusions of youth.

Interwiever: Which track resonates with you most personally, and why?

Serhii: All my music is lyrical, so each song reflects a part of me. From this album, the one that hits closest is “New Life.” It’s another promise to start over, knowing full well it’s impossible. It holds despair, sadness, acceptance, irony, hope – and even a challenge to myself.

Interviewer: What were your first steps in music? Why this path?

Serhii: I first consciously connected with music in primary school – I went to afterschool clubs, wrote poems, sang, played drums. From 7th grade until university, I didn’t really make music, but I did write poems from time to time and would constantly tap rhythms on surfaces.

In university, living in a dorm, I met friends who played guitar. I started playing and writing my own songs, and that’s how the band “Nietzsche Cried” was born. Later I wanted to understand music more deeply, so I enrolled in piano classes at a music school and graduated a few years ago. I also studied composition with Serhiy Pilyutikov, which helped me understand how to shape and complete ideas.

Music is one of the few things that shuts down the “why am I doing this?” question. It’s a flow state where I can be myself. Music contains everything – intensity, learning, communication, self-discovery, organizing processes. It allows me to use all my talents and blend them synergistically.

Interviewer: Tell us about your band “Nietzsche Cried” and why it came to an end.

Serhii: The band “Nietzsche Cried” started in late 2018. Back then I was writing songs knowing only a few chords and singing poorly, but I wasn’t afraid of expressing myself. I came to my friend Pavlo Vavilov with a song idea – we “harmonized” it together, and started creating. More friends joined Zhenya Haraschuk, who taught me guitar, Anton Meleshko, the drummer, and bassist Ihor Verkhovskyi.

We quickly started rehearsing and performing at musical and poetry events in Kharkiv.

The project ended in 2022: after the invasion, everyone scattered, and rehearsals or performances became impossible. Over time, our tastes and artistic visions diverged, and the music became more personal than collective. I created the track “Denazification” on my own after evacuating from Kharkiv – it was the epilogue of the project.

Interviewer: How hard is it to write music during the war? What inspires you? What are the main challenges?

Serhii: Today, it's hard to be honest in your art – to call things by their name.

Self-censorship often kicks in: what right do I have to speak about pain if I’m not on the front line? Can I complain when others go through experiences far more traumatic? Of course, everyone has the right to their feelings – but in my case, shame and fear of judgment often suppress their expression. I think the greatest challenge for an artist is to be sincere, to create honestly, and to take responsibility for your work.

Inspiration, to me, is attentiveness – to the world and to oneself. It’s the courage to remain vulnerable, even amid uncertainty, anger, or sorrow. Through creativity, I both escape reality and retrieve deeply buried experiences from the subconscious.

Interviewer: Tell us about the team. Who worked on the album?

Serhii: Most of the work I do on my own – from the initial idea to recording, mixing, and distribution. But behind the scenes, there are people without whom these tracks wouldn’t be the same.

All three songs were mixed by Ihor Dominichenko. We finished "Napishu" back in May 2024 – that was the moment I felt I had found my sound engineer.

"Litayu uvi sni" came to life thanks to Zhenia Harashchuk – we were improvising together and had a demo ready within a few hours.

In "Nove zhyttia", the vocalizations by Oksana Maslo added harmony and depth — her improvisations became a real highlight of the track.

Interviewer: What are you working on now? What’s coming next?

Serhii: I’m about to release "Zbih", a song that was initially meant to be part of the NOCTURNE EP. It’s been a long-term project I’ve reworked multiple times, but now it’s close to its final version.

I’m currently working through my tendency toward overproduction – sometimes I lose the initial charm and sincerity of a track. I’ve built up a collection of demos and rough ideas, which I hope to compile into a full-length album (or several). These include both songs and instrumental works, likely spread across different projects.

Interviewer: Why did you decide to continue as a solo artist? What does collaboration mean to you?

Serhii: Going solo wasn’t exactly a conscious choice – it just happened. After the invasion, all band members scattered. In Kyiv, I looked for new collaborators, but most professional musicians already had their own projects, and with beginners, I would have to spend more time mentoring than actually creating.

Right now, I feel like I have to walk this path alone – to become a kind of musical unit.

Working in a team is both exciting and challenging. Other people bring in ideas I’d never arrive at on my own. But it takes a delicate sense of balance and play – to weave and juggle those ideas until they form a consensus that brings out the best in everyone involved.

Interviewer: What word would you associate with your music? Why?

Serhii: "Dao" – the way.

It leads somewhere and comes from somewhere. It constantly evolves and is valuable in and of itself. It’s about searching, discovering, stopping, accelerating, finding your own trail, or following someone else’s path.

Interviewer: What mission do you carry as a Ukrainian musician? Why this one?

Serhii: I’m an anxious, reflective, and empathetic person. My mission is to remind people that even the most complicated and tangled emotions are universal.

People aren’t alone in their search for answers to life’s eternal questions – and even though those searches may never end, the journey gives them meaning. I want to make music that encourages reflection – about oneself, the world, 

and the complex relationship between the individual and society.

For me, music is a way to explore the richness of life, to evoke emotion — whether it’s tension or comfort.

I believe art should be honest and ask uncomfortable questions — the kind people avoid even when alone with themselves. In times of upheaval, music can offer a space for thought and, possibly, for change — at least in how we perceive ourselves and our reality.

As a Ukrainian artist, I feel a responsibility to be part of the cultural dialogue, while preserving my individuality and unique voice.

Pictures were provided by Serhii Chachanidze