The charity tour of the People’s Artists of Ukraine, Dmytro and Nazariy Yaremchuk, is currently underway in Great Britain. In a break between performances, the legendary singers visited the studio of the United Kingdom’s only Ukrainian-language radio program, “Razom” (Together), on ALLFM 96.9. In an exclusive interview, they discussed how the British react to “Chervona Kalyna,” why the artists’ family remained in Kyiv, and how music is transformed into drones for the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
About the British Audience and the Language Barrier
Dmytro, Nazariy, welcome to Great Britain. This isn’t your first visit here, but the context is now completely different. How are you being received? Who comes to the concerts?
The audience is wonderful everywhere, no matter which country we are in. The lion’s share is, of course, Ukrainians. But in Britain, locals also come—English, Scots. It is interesting to observe how they react to the songs. You can see they enjoy the energy, even though they probably don’t understand the words.
By the way, I’ve noticed this among our radio listeners too. English people write: “I don’t understand a word, but I tune in just to listen to the Ukrainian language.”
Absolutely true. From the stage, it is sometimes hard to distinguish between Ukrainians and British people—everyone’s eyes light up the same way. The music and emotion create such a symbiosis that everyone becomes a single whole. You only understand who is who at the end: when we sing the Anthem or “Chervona Kalyna.” If they are silent, it means they were English (laughing).
Although there are funny moments with language here. We know English, but the local accents are something else! We were sitting in a pub once, listening to a conversation, and thought: “What language is he speaking?” It turned out to be a Liverpool accent. Honestly, we couldn’t understand a thing.
“Our Children Study in Kyiv”: On the Choice to Stay Home
The war has changed everyone’s life. How has it influenced your creativity and your families?
We live in Ukraine; we did not leave. And this isn’t to judge anyone—everyone makes their own choice, and the main task of parents is to keep their children safe. But our children study in Kyiv.
We understood the importance of this decision about two years ago. People would come up after concerts and say: “You didn’t leave, your families are here, you believe in victory—that means we believe too.” The best words of support are one’s own actions. We are living through everything together with the people.
“There is no war that doesn’t end. Considering the spirit of our people, we are convinced: victory will come. Ukraine is already coming alive. We see this in concerts in the Kyiv, Volyn, and Vinnytsia regions. People are stopping locking themselves away; they need music to stay toned and keep acting.”
From Song to Drone: The Volunteer Front
Your concerts abroad are primarily a charitable mission. What are the biggest requests from the military right now?
Yes, the lion’s share of the work is supporting our guys. During the full-scale invasion, we have delivered hundreds of tourniquets, hemostatic bandages, vehicles, and generators. Now, of course, the “classic” requests are Mavics and EW (Electronic Warfare) systems.
There are also specific medical needs. For example, at the beginning of the invasion, we transported insulin. It was a whole saga: special refrigerators that had to be plugged in at every hotel so the medicine wouldn’t spoil.
This resonates deeply. My younger child has diabetes, and we know how critical the insulin situation was in the first days of the war…
It was a huge responsibility. We spent a month handling the logistics of these medicines, but when we brought them to the doctors, the people’s gratitude was worth all the effort.
Now we continue to travel the world: Italy, Spain, Portugal, Canada, the USA… And everywhere, absolutely everywhere, there are Ukrainians. Our nation is so large and strong that it is simply impossible to defeat it.
The “Rodyna” Festival and Future Plans
Before the war, you held the large-scale “Rodyna” (Family) festival. Are there plans to revive it, perhaps in an international format, here in Britain?
Life goes on, and so does the festival. Recently, it took place in Kyiv. This is proof that our children are developing despite the war. As for Britain, that’s a wonderful idea. We’ll think about it. (Smiling).
What would you wish for Ukrainians who are currently scattered around the world?
We wish for simple but most important things: strength of spirit and faith. Do not lose hope. Support each other with kind words and deeds. If we are alive, it means not everything is lost, and we can overcome difficulties. May joy and love reign in every Ukrainian family. And to Ukraine — may it blossom and achieve Victory!
When: Tuesday, December 9th
Time: 4:00 PM (16:00 London time)
Frequency: 96.9 FM (Manchester area)
Listen online: https://player.broadcast.radio/allfm
