Ukrainian singer-songwriter Findissi: I perceive music as magic and want to master it

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.

Interviewer: Why did you choose music? What attracted you to this field?

Findissi: In childhood, I attended music school just for fun – I wasn’t planning or even able to plan anything at that time. But as a teenager, I started to dive deeper into music, and I really began to enjoy it. Sounds accompany people throughout their lives, and music is a combination of sounds that affect human emotions in a rather magical way. I see it as magic and want to master it, which is why I chose this field. I wanted to create something new, but until 2022, I was afraid to try seriously. I made some attempts, but they didn’t go anywhere. In 2022, I started actively learning to create my own music. It wasn’t easy at first, but I’ve improved a lot since then. Currently, I’m learning mixing and mastering.

Interviewer: On December 1, you released the music video for your song "Populism". Can you tell us about the meaning behind the song and the process of creating the video?

Findissi: That’s an easy one. The idea for a song with this theme came to me back in 2022. Amid the war, the media space was flooded with so-called experts and esotericists who preyed on grieving people. Some, like fortune-tellers, were simply after money, while others – self-proclaimed experts – fed people false hopes about the war ending or being frozen, profiting from streams and exploiting people’s desperation. I think that’s a crime. I didn’t manage to record the song properly until last year.

As for the video, I always dreamed of making a music video. I saw my classmates and musician friends creating videos, but producing a high-quality video with a professional team is incredibly expensive. So I came up with a solution: I bought a second-hand camera on OLX (which cost less than video production), rented a studio for an hour, and invited friends to help me shoot the footage. I created the concept, styled myself, and did my own makeup. Honestly, I hesitate to even call it a full-fledged music video, but considering the limited budget, it turned out relatively nice – kind of like a video on a shoestring budget.

Interviewer: On January 20, you’re set to release a Ukrainian-language triptych titled Amor Fati. How long did it take to work on this album? What songs are included, and what are they about?

Findissi: The triptych consists of songs I’ve worked on since 2022. The themes reflect my personal experiences during the war, historical events in Europe, and human emotions like resilience and longing. The title Amor Fati – a concept about embracing one’s fate – resonates deeply with the album's essence.

Interviewer: Can you tell us about the team you worked with on the album?

Findissi: I work with two sound engineers/music producers/arrangers – Oleksii and Illia – who helped me create my first album. I did one of the songs entirely on my own. The album cover was photographed by my friend Danya from Sievierodonetsk, and Andrii Kulai handled the editing and design. I also worked on the visuals and lyric videos myself.

Interviewer: What was your first live performance like? How did you feel performing your material for the first time? How do you feel on stage now?

Findissi: My first performance was in early 2023 – not even on a stage but in a bar during a poetry reading event. I don’t even sing those songs anymore; they’re not on streaming platforms either. Honestly, I felt so awkward and cringed at myself, but I decided to keep going and overcome that feeling. Gradually, I performed in venues like Tepliy Lampovyi and other clubs, where I still occasionally perform. My first big stage performance was recently on the Multitrack People project, where I sang a new song called "Korablik", which will be included in Amor Fati. I enjoyed the experience – it was well-prepared, and I felt confident. I’ll admit my singing wasn’t great, as my vocal abilities are pretty average, but I’m still exploring my style. Surprisingly, the audience seemed to like it!

Interviewer: Can you tell us about your mini-album "Sagittarius23"? Why did you choose that title, and what songs were included?

Findissi: I actually deleted "Sagittarius23". When I lost some of the songs, I decided not to restore the album and kept just two singles. I felt sad about it, but I stopped liking those songs. The title came from my zodiac sign, Sagittarius, and my age – 23 at the time.

Interviewer: Where do you draw inspiration for writing new songs? What has been the most challenging aspect of the music industry for you during russia's full-scale war against Ukraine? What challenges have you faced?

Findissi: I draw inspiration from life and my inner state. It’s not hard for me to find it, and during the war, music has become a form of escapism for me. Honestly, the war has brought positive changes to Ukraine’s music scene. It’s paradoxical, but since 2022, new Ukrainian artists have had more opportunities for growth. This might not have happened without the war. Challenges like favoritism still exist, though it doesn’t frustrate me as much as the hypocrisy of those who claim to fight against it but continue the same practices under a different guise. Personally, my biggest challenge is the financial aspect. Making music, even on a basic level, requires significant investment.

Interviewer: Is there a song you’ll never release? Why?

Findissi: Yes. I created an EP with four tracks titled “Lies”, “Indifference”, “Shame”, and “Desire/Ambition”. After writing and recording them, I realized I only liked one of the songs, which I may release as a single with a different title. The EP won’t be released because I no longer enjoy the other tracks, and their themes feel too negative and bitter.

Interviewer: What word best describes your relationship with music? Why?

Findissi: Two words: cosmos and wave. Cosmos represents the abstract and infinite – it’s full of stars, planets, and black holes that captivate us but are intangible, like music. Music exists through emotions, but physically, it’s not something you can touch or see like a painting in the Louvre. Wave relates to the nature of sound itself. In music school, I learned that sound is a wave that vibrates at frequencies both audible and inaudible to the human ear.

Interviewer: What message do you want to convey to your listeners through your music?

Findissi: It depends on the song’s purpose. For example, I have a song about populism, another about historical events in Europe, and one reflecting my personal experiences as a displaced person from eastern Ukraine. There’s also a track with lyrics inspired by the cherubic hymn, combined with AI-generated visuals of an angel as described in the Bible. On a lighter note, I have a song inspired by my cat Lososya. Each message is unique and varies from song to song.

Pictures were taken by Victoriia Roy, Dania Sirik and Vlad Elephant