Lady Kira is a creative person who not only impresses with her uniqueness, but also actively develops her YouTube channel, where she seeks to glorify Ukrainian culture and traditions. We talked about Kira’s participation in the social video project Lina Kostenko: An Answer to Everyone”, as well as about the winter holidays and why she needs to preserve the spirit of Ukrainian traditions
Kira, hi! Your work is striking in its uniqueness. Tell us, what impressions and emotions does the creative process bring to you?
It fascinates me. In general, today, I am interested in many things. And it’s not just what’s posted on social media: vocals, poetry, spoken word, dancing, playing the piano, sometimes photo shoots. I love to learn new crafts. These include literature, chess, modeling, crocheting, painting, crafts, cooking, and makeup. I don’t know what I’m drawn to more. I just like to learn new things. I love attending various workshops where I can learn something new.
Each teacher has his or her peculiarities in teaching. That’s why I take master classes (mostly online) with several vocal and dance teachers at the same time.
You are actively developing your YouTube channel. What goals do you set for yourself in developing the channel, and how do you want to surprise your viewers?
The YouTube channel is the best way to spread what I do today. During the war, it is mostly filled with pro-Ukrainian content. I want to sing as many Ukrainian songs as possible, to popularize our customs, traditions, history, and native language. By preparing my videos, I improve myself and help others to do so. Each script is prepared, and only then recorded. So it’s not a one-minute process. But I feel the benefits of this work for me and my subscribers. I also have a feeling that I’m taking some part in what the war is about – for Ukraine to exist and for it to be a strong state.
You popularize the work of Ukrainian poets and poets. What authors and their works inspire you the most, and why is it important to bring these works to a wider audience?
If we choose a poem or song to record, it would be from the works of our favorite authors. I am often asked this question (about favorite authors). And the answer can only be supplemented because my favorites remain my favorites, but I constantly meet new ones. These are, of course, Lina Kostenko, Inela Ogneva (a young poet from Bucha who passed away in 2020 at the age of 21), Taras Shevchenko, Lesia Ukrainka, Volodymyr Sosiura, Ivan Franko. I like the work of Kuzma Scriabin. I also noticed that during the war, a lot of good poetry and songs were written by people who were completely unknown in the world of culture. This is probably the way people express their feelings, experiences, and what touches them deeply. I try to voice and convey these emotions to more people. Because this is what we all care about now. Such works really touch me.
What inspired you to take part in the social video project Lina Kostenko: An Answer to Everyone?
It somehow happened that I started reciting Lina Kostenko’s poems by heart at the age of four. And for a child of that age, I knew quite a few of them. When I collected a lot of poems that I had read, I had the idea to show that Lina Vasylivna’s works are always very relevant and understandable not only for adults but also for children. That’s why we created a project that demonstrated the relevance of the poet’s words about different historical moments, and different fates, both for me, a child, and for adults. That is why it was called “Lina Kostenko. An Answer to Everyone”.
Winter holidays are a special time for many people. How do you celebrate Christmas and New Year? Do you have any traditions or special wishes for this period?
New Year’s holidays are the most magical time for me. Although I already know everything about Santa Claus, this does not diminish the feeling of waiting for a miracle. These holidays are filled with some kind of special comfort, warmth, kindness, unity, and sincerity. In our family, everyone prepares gifts for everyone. And it is done very much in advance. Therefore, to prepare these surprise gifts, we need to know each other’s wishes, dreams and needs well. The fulfillment of desires brings us very close.
Your latest video for your cover of the song “Generous Evening” has received rave reviews. How did you come up with the idea for this project, and how important is it for you to preserve the spirit of Ukrainian traditions in your work?
Ukrainian songs are very melodic, so rich, full-voiced. You can’t help but like them. As for carols, I try to learn a new one every year. By the way, I have a Romanian carol in my repertoire. But this year, of course, I chose only Ukrainian carols. I wanted to try something more complicated. They say it turned out pretty well.
