When an artist returns to her past, it is not always driven by nostalgia. Sometimes, it is an act of courage — the willingness to look at what once was and see it differently. This is precisely the perspective from which Tina Karol speaks about her new album, featuring Ukrainian-language versions of songs that were originally performed in Russian.
Earlier this week, the singer announced Love. Tears. Manifesto, a project marking the 20th anniversary of her career. The news quickly sparked conversation online. Blogger Natella Kirs, writing on Threads, described the decision as a bold move and suggested it also carries strategic weight ahead of Karol’s upcoming major concert at Kyiv’s Palace of Sports.
“It’s not only a revision of one’s own position, but a demonstrative slap to those still living off Russian cultural leftovers. And ahead of the Palace of Sports concert, it’s also a perfectly calculated strategy to reignite interest in past hits,” Kirs wrote.
Karol, however, was quick to dispel any speculation surrounding her motives. In a statement shared on her Telegram channel, the artist emphasized that the project should not be viewed as a traditional translation — nor as a symbolic “finally.”
“This is not an act of translation,” she explained. “It is a decision to rewrite what already had a form, but required a new meaning.”
According to the singer, the work on the lyrics unfolded as a genuine creative collaboration. Her co-authors joined the process not as technical executors, but as equal partners in a shared artistic search. The result is, in essence, a set of new works — familiar melodies reimagined with a different emotional resonance and inner logic.
“These texts are new versions of the songs,” Karol admitted. “And honestly, I like them even more than the originals now.”
The move is particularly telling given that in April 2023, in an interview with the YouTube channel NewsMaker Moldova, Karol stated she did not plan to revisit her Russian-language repertoire. Today, however, her decision reads not as a contradiction, but as a natural evolution — a response to time, experience, and internal transformation.
Love. Tears. Manifesto will feature 33 tracks, 13 of which were previously released in Russian. Among them are Ukrainian-language versions of fan favorites such as “Nichenka,” “Life Goes On,” “You Can Always Give Up,” “I Remember,” “Above the Clouds,” and “Chinchilla,” alongside brand-new songs. The album is scheduled for official release on March 20, 2026.
