GALWAY BAND Baba Yarga, made up of members from eastern Europe, have released a new song, ‘Zozulya’, based on a Ukrainian folk song, and with proceeds going to the UNHCR’s work with Ukrainian refugees.
Baba Yarga is a collaboration between singer-songwriter and producer Agu, and Iweta and Witek Kulczycki, a Polish couple who perform original music under the band name Knot; and assisted by various other musicians from, or based in, Galway.
The single, ‘Zozulya’ is based on the traditional Ukrainian song, ‘Letila Zozulya’, telling a story of a girl who falls in love with a married man.
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“Ukrainian culture has always been close to our hearts, being an inspiration for numerous songs, and we have to admit that the recent events in Ukraine hit us very hard,” says Agu. “Some of us come from the south-eastern Poland, with the history of our families hailing back to places like Lviv – one of the largest Ukrainian cities affected by the war, and with Iweta’s and Witek’s surnames most likely coming from a small town of Kulchytsi in Western Ukraine.
“Some of our good friends come from and live in Ukraine, and it truly breaks our hearts to see the tragedy unfolding there. Alongside the heroic actions of Ukrainian people, fighting for their freedom, the humanitarian crisis continues to deepen, and requires a lot of support to be overcome.”
The single can be downloaded from https://www.babayargamusic.com with the buyer making a contribution of their choosing. All receipts, as well as any royalties, will be donated to UNHCR’s Ukraine appeal.
