Kalush (rap group)

Kalush (stylized in all caps) is a Ukrainian rap group formed in 2019. The group consists of founder and rapper Oleh Psiuk, multi-instrumentalist Ihor Didenchuk, and dancer Vlad Kurochka (alias MC KylymMen, lit. 'CarpetMan').[1] Didenchuk is also a member of the electro-folk band Go_A.

Kalush
Kalush Orchestra in 2022, left to right: Tab, Duzhyk, Kurochka, Psiuk and Muzychuk
Background information
Also known asKalush Orchestra
OriginUkraine
Genres
Years active2019–present
LabelsDef Jam Recordings
Associated acts
Members
  • Oleh Psiuk
  • Ihor Didenchuk
  • Vlad Kurochka (KylymMen)
  • Kalush Orchestra:
  • Tymofii Muzychuk
  • Vitalii Duzhyk
  • Dzhonni Dyvnyy
  • Sasha Tab

In 2021, the group launched the side project Kalush Orchestra, with Tymofii Muzychuk, Vitalii Duzhyk, and Dzhonni Dyvnyy as additional members. Unlike the main band, Kalush Orchestra focuses on hip hop with folk motifs and elements from Ukrainian traditional music. The group is set to represent Ukraine in the Eurovision Song Contest 2022 with the song "Stefania".

History

Kalush was formed in 2019 and is named after Psiuk's hometown of Kalush, Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast.[2] The band's first music video for the song "Ne marynui" (Не маринуй) was released on their official YouTube channel on October 17, 2019.[3] The director of the video, Delta Arthur, is the director of many of Ukrainian rapper Alyona Alyona's videos. The video was shot on the streets of Kalush, and on the eve of its release, Alyona Alyona announced it on her Instagram account.[4]

After the release of their second music video "Ty honysh" (Ти гониш) in November 2019, Kalush signed a recording contract with the American hip-hop label Def Jam Recordings.[2] On February 19, 2021, the band's debut album Hotin was released.[5][6] On July 23, 2021, Kalush together with rapper Skofka released their second album entitled Yo-yo (Йо-йо).[7] In 2021 Kalush added backing vocalist Andrii Handziuk (alias Dzhonni Dyvnyy, lit. 'Johnny Strange').[8][9]

Kalush Orchestra

In 2021, Kalush announced the launch of the side project Kalush Orchestra, which focuses on hip hop with folk motifs and elements from Ukrainian traditional music. The core members of Kalush were joined by multi-instrumentalists Tymofii Muzychuk and Vitalii Duzhyk.[10]

On February 12, 2022, Kalush Orchestra competed for the right to represent Ukraine at the Eurovision Song Contest 2022 with the song "Stefania". In the final of the national selection Vidbir, they took second place with 14 points (six from the jury and eight from the audience).[11] Psiuk believed that due to technical difficulties that occurred during the voting process, Alina Pash had been wrongly chosen as the winner.[12][13]

Despite coming in second place, the band were offered the chance to represent Ukraine after the withdrawal of Pash due to controversy regarding her travel history in Crimea.[14][15] On 22 February, Kalush Orchestra accepted the offer.[16] On the same day, the Ukrainian public broadcaster Suspilne published the official voting results of Vidbir 2022, confirming that Pash had been correctly chosen as the winner, contrary to Psiuk's claims.[17]

During the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, MC KylymMen was part of the Territorial Defense Forces around the capital Kyiv.[18] When the group left the country for the Eurovision Song Contest in April that year, Oleksandr Slobodianyk (alias Sasha Tab) replaced Dzhonni Dyvnyy, who "could not go", as backing vocalist.[19]

Members
Formation Rap Instrumentals Dance Vocals, sopilka Sopilka Backing vocals
Kalush Oleh Psiuk Ihor Didenchuk MC KylymMen[lower-roman 1]
Kalush Orchestra Tymofii Muzychuk Vitalii Duzhyk Dzhonni Dyvnyy[lower-roman 2]
At Eurovision Sasha Tab[lower-roman 3]
  1. Stage name of Vlad Kurochka
  2. Stage name of Andrii Handziuk
  3. Stage name of Oleksandr Slobodianyk

Discography

Albums
Title Details
Hotin
Yo-yo (Йо-йо)

References
  1. "Turin 2022 / Participants – Kalush Orchestra". Eurovision.tv. Retrieved 9 April 2022.
  2. Pogodina, Ludmila (10 January 2022). "A folk-rap madhouse in your living room". Europavox. Retrieved 18 February 2022.
  3. Solovjov, Tony (31 October 2019). "Ukrainian Hip-Hop Is A Real Thing Now". Medium. Retrieved February 18, 2022.
  4. "Alyona Alyona радить: сленговий реп у новому проєкті Kalush (відео) | iod.media". ЙОД.MEDIA (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 2020-01-03.
  5. ""HOTIN" - дебютний альбом гурту KALUSH". rap.ua (in Russian). 2021-02-19. Retrieved 2021-02-26.
  6. "KALUSH випустили один із найочікуваніших альбомів в українському репі". СЛУХ — онлайн-медіа про музику та все, що навколо неї. 2021-02-19. Retrieved 2021-02-26.
  7. ""ЙО-ЙО" (KALUSH feat. Skofka)". espreso.tv (in Ukrainian). 2021-07-23.
  8. "Dzhonni Dyvnyy: vlasnyy brend odyahu, kino, hastroli" Джонні Дивний: власний бренд одягу, кіно, гастролі [Johnny Strange: own brand of clothes, movies, tours]. The New Voice of Ukraine (in Ukrainian). 27 April 2021. Retrieved 9 April 2022.
  9. Washak, James (5 April 2022). "🇺🇦 Ukraine: Sasha Tab Replaces Kalush Orchestra Backing Vocalist Johnny Strange". Eurovoix. Retrieved 9 April 2022.
  10. Marco, Muntean (February 10, 2022). "Kalush Orchestra: "'Stefania' track is about the dearest person, Mom"". escbubble. Retrieved February 18, 2022.
  11. Farren, Neil (February 12, 2022). "Vidbir 2022 – Eurovision in times of trouble – Alina Pash to Eurovision". OnEurope. Retrieved 2022-02-16.
  12. Kolomiiets, Daryana (February 14, 2022). "Scandal Hits Ukraine's Eurovision 2022 Candidate". Kyiv Post. Retrieved February 18, 2022.
  13. "Скандали на Євробаченні: що відбувається". BBC (in Ukrainian). 13 February 2022. Retrieved 18 February 2022.
  14. Holden, Steve (16 February 2022). "Alina Pash: Singer won't represent Ukraine at Eurovision". BBC. Retrieved 18 February 2022.
  15. Adams, William Lee (17 February 2022). "Ukraine offers Kalush Orchestra Eurovision 2022 spot "to maintain the trust of the audience"". wiwibloggs. Retrieved 18 February 2022.
  16. "Гурт "Kalush Orchestra" представить Україну на Євробаченні в Турині" [Kalush Orchestra will represent Ukraine at Eurovision in Turin]. Suspilne (in Ukrainian). 22 February 2022. Retrieved 22 February 2022.
  17. "Як голосували журі і глядачі: Суспільне отримало протоколи з фіналу Нацвідбору" [How the jury and the audience voted: Public received protocols from the final of the National Selection]. Suspilne (in Ukrainian). 22 February 2022. Retrieved 22 February 2022.
  18. Smith, David (28 March 2022). ""We have hope it will work out" — Oleh Psiuk says Kalush Orchestra still want to sing in Turin". Wiwibloggs. Retrieved 9 April 2022.
  19. Smith, David (6 April 2022). "Ukraine: Vidbir 2017 contestant Sasha Tab joins Kalush Orchestra as new backing vocalist". Wiwibloggs. Retrieved 9 April 2022.
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