You're reading: DakhaBrakha wins fans around globe

DakhaBrakha's enchanting music may be known across the globe, but its roots are in another art form - theater.

The four ethnic music artists were part of Dakh, a popular experimental theater in Kyiv, when they formed the band in 2004. They’ve since become familiar faces on stages in the U.S., Europe, China and Malaysia. One of Europe’s largest music festivals, Sziget in Hungary, has welcomed them twice, while Australia’s Womadelaide festival has had the pleasure once.

In September, they won British audiences over when they appeared in the “Later…with Jools Holland” music TV show on BBC Two. Ukrainian subsequently reported on the successful performance.

“After BBC we realized that we are very unpopular in Ukraine because many (Ukrainian) people wrote comments (like) ‘Who are they?’” said band member Iryna Kovalenko while sitting with the rest of the group in a backstage room following a rehearsal.

DakhaBrakha describes its music genre as ethno-chaos. They take folklore lyrics and give them an unconventional sound using musical instruments from Africa, Latin America, and the Arab countries.

Band manager and spirit guru Vladyslav Troitskiy made the suggestion to experiment with various musical trends and styles.

“His opinion is very important to us,” said Nina Garenetska, another DakhaBrakha artist.

Garenetska looked back when the group was stage actors for Dakh, performing as singers.

“Then we understood we can perform as a separate unit,” Garenetska said.

As professionally trained singers and folklorists, they didn’t know how to play music. Instead, they learned along the way.

One of the numerous instruments the band uses is an Arabic darbuka, or goblet drum, played by Marko Halanevyvch, the only male group member. He also plays the tabla percussion instrument, Australian wind instrument didgeridoo, and classical accordion.

“You are sitting on a Latin American cajon,” Halanevych told the Kyiv Post reporter, pointing at a box-shaped wooden instrument.

The three female members play bass drum, African skin-covered goblet drum djembe, percussion, piano, cello and even children’s musical toys.

“(We use) everything that makes sound and adds to the atmosphere,” Garenetska said.

The band sings mostly in Ukrainian, but a couple of tunes are in Bulgarian and English. Their upcoming sixth album will include a song in the Crimean Tatar language. Garenetska consulted native speakers to sound natural when singing in the Turkic language. The album will also feature several folk songs from Luhansk Oblast in eastern Ukraine and two songs from Vinnytsia Oblast – Halanevych learned them from his grandmother.

DakhaBrakha’s lineup sits on a couch at the modern theater Dakh – Iryna Kovalenko (L), Olena Tsibulska, Nina Garenetska and Marko Halanevych.

“We couldn’t capture all the regions of Ukraine, but we could make a virtual music journey of a chumak,” says Halanevych, referring to the historical name of the Ukrainian salt traders that went from Crimea through Ukraine.

Most of DakhaBrakha’s songs are remade from Ukrainian folk songs. Since the women are professional folklorists, they have collected plenty of songs. Apart from playing in the band, band member Olena Tsibulska teaches folklore to students of Taras Shevchenko National University in Kyiv.

The band also has a very particular stage look. Many think that they wear traditional Ukrainian clothes while performing, but that’s inaccurate.

On stage, the three women of DakhaBrakha wear white dresses taken from the theater’s wardrobes, while Halanevych is dressed in Turkish clothing and British boots. Their high hats are made of a fur coat. The mix is intentional – it reflects the band’s experimental sound.

DakhaBrakha gives around 20 shows a month – many of them in the United States.

“When in the U.S., we have two days off in a week,” Kovalenko said.

“Well, not exactly days off,” Garenetska added. “On those days we fly from one side (of the country) to another.”

Given the impending release of their new album and upcoming tours, they barely have time to spend with their families.

“As long as God gives us the opportunity to work, we have to apologize to our families,” Halanevych said. “Once we will pay them back.”

Kyiv Post staff writer Yuliana Romanyshyn can be reached at [email protected].