Ukrainian performer Andriy Karoev: All our concerts since the beginning of Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine have been charity events

Andriy KAROEV is a Ukrainian performer who recites his own poetry accompanied by singing of Maryna Bohdanova as part of his solo project "KAROEV." Six months ago, the artist released an album titled "PLYN," which tells the story of an extraterrestrial being's journey to our planet. Additionally, Andriy is the bassist in the poetic band "Temna Materiya" (Dark Matter). In a conversation, Andriy shared with Drive Music Media his thoughts on creating his own works, establishing himself as a performer, and his musical journey during the war of Russia against Ukraine.

Interviewer: How did the persona you perform and promote in your musical career come about?

Andriy: I began performing my own poetry in 2012. It didn’t take long for me to get tired of simply reciting poems. One day at the reggae café Zion, I accidentally came across a piece of black fabric and a chain. I threw the fabric over myself, asked some friends to tie my hands to the chain, and to swing me from side to side. That’s how the performer in me was born. Half of the audience walked out, but the other half praised the performance. Later, I commissioned Olena Antonets to sew me a black cloak, which I performed in for seven consecutive years.

In 2018, I responded to Ihor Rud’s suggestion to create a musical-poetic project. That’s how "Mezofaza" was formed. To complement my "dark" persona, we chose a "light" character for Ihor. During the filming of a music video on the streets of Kyiv, people often approached us, asking if we belonged to certain religious organizations. In reality, the characters' legends in "Mezofaza" were built on many dualities and contradictions, which are well illustrated in the "Rivnodennia" music video.

As the years passed, my creativity evolved. I started to feel confined by the "dark" persona. My work increasingly took on extraterrestrial themes. At some point, I realized that these texts would be more understandable if they were complemented by the persona of an alien observing what happens on planet Earth. So now, I perform as an extraterrestrial.

Interviewer: When did you realize that you wanted to connect your life with music? How did your creative journey begin?

Andriy: At 11 years old, I started listening to the band Rammstein, which was completely unknown in Ukraine at the time. It had a tremendous impact on me, and the dream of becoming a rock musician was born. At 13, I wrote my first poem. At 16, I took a few acoustic guitar lessons and even performed as a vocalist with a school band, though I still can’t sing. At 18, I started writing poetry actively, and at 21, I was invited to perform at a poetry evening, where I recited my own poems. But performing without music was always boring, so I used to play ambient background music to create an atmosphere. At 27, I was offered the chance to create the Mezofaza project, where I started handling minimal musical tasks using different DAWs (digital audio workstations). Only now am I learning basic music theory, but that hasn’t stopped me from releasing several musical works, including solo projects.

A year ago, I picked up a bass guitar and fell in love with the instrument. We formed the band Temna Materiya (Dark Matter), where I play an unusual, somewhat inconspicuous, but very responsible role as the bassist.

Interviewer: You are currently working on two projects, one of which is your solo project called Karoev. Could you tell us more about your solo project: how did the idea come about, and who is on your team? Also, six months ago you released your solo album "Plyn". What is it about, and what stories do you tell in the songs that made it onto the album?

Andriy: It's hard to pinpoint exactly when the solo project Karoev came into existence. It likely began in 2012 when I first started publishing poems and performance videos online. Over time, this project evolved to include music, which I created under the guidance of the talented sound engineer and musician Yehor Mazhuga, the founder of Varenyky-Kruchenyky Records. In the last six months, vocalist Maryna Bohdanova joined the project, adding her vocalizations to help create a cosmic atmosphere. Together, we are currently working on a future album, which will likely be titled "Prostir".

And recently, I released the album "Plyn". This is the story of an alien's visit to our planet. The poetic and musical backdrop allows the thoughtful listener to view Earth and its inhabitants from an outsider’s perspective. In the first track, "Water Flows," the alien describes the initial impressions of the planet Earth.

The second track, "The History of Humankind," as the title suggests, introduces the listener to the evolution of humanity from ancient times to the present. For a deeper understanding of what has been observed, the alien meditates – "The Threshold". On the way home, the alien creates a travel report – "Silence".

Interviewer: Besides your solo project, you are also working on another one. "Dark Matter." Could you tell us about the concept of this project? How did the idea come about, and what is its goal?

Andriy: From time to time, we performed with the wonderful musician Yura Shakalov from Kyiv. I would create a soundscape using a DAW on my laptop and read my own poems, while Yura played live on synthesizers. In May 2023, I visited Yura at his place. He had a bunch of different musical instruments. We decided to do a bit of jamming (a slang term musicians use to mean "musical improvisation"). That's when I ended up with a bass guitar in my hands, an instrument I had no experience with. The magical low-frequency "thump-thump" of it impressed me so much that within a few days, Yura lent me his instrument to practice at home. That was when the idea to create a larger-scale project with a female vocalist was born. We started looking for other musicians. Yura invited guitarist OD, with whom he had played before in the project "Only Light," and Nata Dzyubenko, a session guitarist for Oleg Skrypka's and Roxolana's bands. I wrote an ad looking for a cajón player and a vocalist. And they were found: Marina Bogdanova for vocals and Andriy Kvant for cajón. That’s how we assembled our first lineup. Dark Matter creates a musical backdrop for the poems of classic and contemporary poets/prose writers. We have composed pieces based on the poems of Rylsky, Antonych, and Izdryk. We also perform with contemporary poets on the same stage: they read their own poems while we create a sound atmosphere in the background of their performance. Currently, we are recording our debut album, which we plan to present this autumn.

Interviewer: You once participated in the project "Mezofaza," which combined psychedelic music with hermetic poetry. Could you tell us about this genre: why were you interested in this particular style of music? How long were you a part of this project?

Andriy: We are all children of our time. My musical tastes were influenced by psychedelic rock, stoner rock, Bach, the poetry of countercultural figures from the 90s, the beatnik wave, and much more. Influenced by all these, I wanted to create psychedelic music as a form of collective meditation during concerts and for listeners while they experienced our music. My style of reciting poetry also tends to be somewhat hypnotic, as noted by listeners. And I trust their feedback. The project was formed in 2018 and ceased its active existence in 2022. We even released a music video after the start of the full-scale war, but we did not return to making music together. Who knows, perhaps someday this project will rekindle the hearts and minds of listeners again?

Interviewer: Music in Wartime. How difficult is it to continue your musical career given the constant danger and unpredictability (cancellations/adjustments to plans)? How is the creative process going now, and how are the performances?

Andriy: Humans are incredibly adaptive beings. I mentally stand alongside my artist friends who are protecting us with weapons in their hands. All our concerts since the start of the full-scale war have been entirely charitable. Furthermore, my father is also currently serving in the Armed Forces to defend the country, so talking about any unpredictability (cancellations and adjustments) and complaining about it seems simply ridiculous. Clubs have adapted or disappeared. Those that managed to survive have generators. Recently, at the MadCat club, we played a concert with full sound: speakers, amp stacks, microphones, and lighting – all powered by a generator. In the dressing room, there was total darkness. You get used to it and adapt. With a flashlight, you apply your makeup even though you can’t see anything. You manage all tasks without a working air conditioner.

Interviewer: You have been performing at various music and poetry festivals since 2010. Do you remember your first festival? Tell us about your first experience participating in a festival.

Andriy: Honestly, I don’t remember my first festival. There have been so many that the names and people slip from memory. I can recall participating in the festival Vladimir Putin: Do Fuck Off, which was organized by the wonderful Liza Kozlenko and John Sweeney.

Interviewer: Where have you recently participated or are planning to participate? What should Ukrainian and international listeners expect from you next?

Andriy: With the project Dark Matter, we are recording a debut album featuring poems by Ukrainian poets from the 20th and 21st centuries. The album will include poems by Maksym Rylsky, Mykola Zerov, Bohdan-Ihor Antonych, as well as works by contemporary poets: Olena Zhelyeznyak from Cherkasy, Maryna Bogdanova from Kyiv, and my own poems, by Andriy Karoiev from Kyiv.

Interviewer: Tell us a bit about your short videos, which you shoot in your costume at various locations. Why do you choose these places, and what idea do you embed in each of these videos?

Andriy: Honestly, this was a test of the TikTok platform. I had never created content there before, but I heard that TikTok’s audience is interested in entertaining or “strange” content. So, I decided to “show off” my costume. My wife and I walked around our neighborhood in Kyiv, which is a typical residential area. There wasn't a specific idea behind it; it was purely a test of the platform, exploring ways to interact with viewers. The same applies to my hermetic poetry. Each poem carries a meaning I’ve embedded, which almost always differs from how a reader/listener interprets my work. And that’s good. I like this artistic approach where the viewer/listener sees their own perspective rather than the original idea. This is the strength of my creative expression: each director I work with on music videos sees their own vision of my art, which they bring to life. And it always, absolutely always, differs from the picture in my head. That’s what makes art so wonderful!

Interviewer: What do you want to convey to society through your musical and poetic work? Describe in one sentence how you would like your work to be associated with listeners.

Andriy: I share with the listener/viewer the skill of feeling the deep processes of this beautiful world, striving to broaden their perception of reality.

Pictures were taken by Sergiy Markov, Mykola Pastukh