Okean Elzy Share Music Video for Emotional Track “Voices Are Rising”

Ukraine’s most beloved and enduring band, Okean Elzy, has shared the official video for their single “Voices Are Rising,” marking their first-ever English language track and their debut release after signing a worldwide deal with Warner Music. The music video is streaming on their official YouTube channel. Regularly selling out stadium shows, winning multiple YUNA Awards (the nation’s equivalent to the Grammys or the BRITs), and topping airplay charts, Okean Elzy is undoubtedly Ukraine’s biggest band.

The powerful performance video for “Voices Are Rising” brings international audiences a first taste of that star quality. Starting with soft, melodic verses, the song quickly unfolds into an anthemic chorus that perfectly encapsulates the intensity of despair surrounding the grievances of the people of Ukraine and the rest of the world.

The video emerges as the band is gearing up to release their first album entirely in English, marking a significant milestone in their illustrious career. With their upcoming record, Okean Elzy hopes to transcend borders and share the rich tapestry of Ukrainian culture with audiences around the world. Their decision to release an English-language album comes at a crucial time, as the ongoing war in Ukraine underscores the importance of international solidarity and understanding.

The band’s lead vocalist Sviastoslav ‘Slava’ Vakarchuk, comments on the track:

“‘Voices Are Rising’ is a song about energy. Everyone has an enormous amount of energy inside. The challenge is to be able to use this energy for the benefit of good things. It is an important skill I like to use every time I face difficulties. It is a very necessary song for me and millions of people in these turbulent times.”

Reflecting on the band’s journey, he adds, “It’s paradoxical. I have always believed in the power of love. But when war is going on in your country, threatening the people you love, you have to become a warrior.” Indeed, Slava has been actively involved in performing acoustically for Ukrainian troops at the front lines, using his music to uplift spirits and spread messages of hope to boost morale with hundreds of performances.

Okean Elzy have just played the first leg of their Help For Ukraine headline tour, which included packed shows in Edinburgh, Birmingham, Manchester, Bristol and Brighton and culminated at Warsaw’s Palladium. This summer, they will embark upon a huge and long-awaited stadium tour of Ukraine before the second stage of Help For Ukraine gets underway in September, with shows in Switzerland, France, the Netherlands, Spain and Portugal.

Okean Elzy “Voices Are Rising” single artwork