SLAVALACHIA BIO
Slavalachia is an alliance of folk musicians and creators from Belarus, Ukraine, and the Appalachian region of the United States. The alliance began in 2019, when musician and activist Siarhei Douhushau was invited by Nadzeya Ilkevich to perform traditional Belarusian songs in Athens local pub JackieO's. Musicians from the Hill Spirits band invited him to jam together. During the jam they mixed traditional belarusian songs with Appalachian tunes and someone said "This is Slavalachia!".
Then, in the winter of 2019, Nadzeya, Quintin and Bart, organized a visit of Brother Hill and Benya Stewart to Belarus and Ukraine. They visited Minsk, Pruzhany, the village of Stoily, Lviv, and Tustan. In the village of Stoily that located at the edge of Belavezha Forest in Belarus, musicians explored rural Belarus and its culture from a new perspective. The most life-changing moment for Slavalachia was visit to Lviv, Ukraine, where they met Marichka Chichkova and her band, Torban. The musicians' skills were put to the test when they perform for the first time as a group after meeting face to face for the first time. Marichka, Arthur and Sviat joined the alliance, and together they went to the Karpaty mountains where future plans were outlined.
The year of 2020 brought a lot of challenges to the entire world due to COVID-19 and the revolution in Belarus. Musicians were locked down in their homes, belarusian musician Siarhei went to protest against dictator. Slavalachia decided to make a song to support his fight and produced a rendition of Which Side Are You On in three languages.
After 20 months apart they managed to reunite in Ukraine in August 2021 where Marta Bodnar joined the alliance. In spite of limits in time and funds, the Slavalachians arranged their first album, written in the Carpathian mountains and recorded in Ternopil. It was unknown then to the band and to the wider world that Ukraine was on the brink of all-out war with Russia – a war that would make such an alliance more poignant and important than ever.
Then, in the winter of 2019, Nadzeya, Quintin and Bart, organized a visit of Brother Hill and Benya Stewart to Belarus and Ukraine. They visited Minsk, Pruzhany, the village of Stoily, Lviv, and Tustan. In the village of Stoily that located at the edge of Belavezha Forest in Belarus, musicians explored rural Belarus and its culture from a new perspective. The most life-changing moment for Slavalachia was visit to Lviv, Ukraine, where they met Marichka Chichkova and her band, Torban. The musicians' skills were put to the test when they perform for the first time as a group after meeting face to face for the first time. Marichka, Arthur and Sviat joined the alliance, and together they went to the Karpaty mountains where future plans were outlined.
The year of 2020 brought a lot of challenges to the entire world due to COVID-19 and the revolution in Belarus. Musicians were locked down in their homes, belarusian musician Siarhei went to protest against dictator. Slavalachia decided to make a song to support his fight and produced a rendition of Which Side Are You On in three languages.
After 20 months apart they managed to reunite in Ukraine in August 2021 where Marta Bodnar joined the alliance. In spite of limits in time and funds, the Slavalachians arranged their first album, written in the Carpathian mountains and recorded in Ternopil. It was unknown then to the band and to the wider world that Ukraine was on the brink of all-out war with Russia – a war that would make such an alliance more poignant and important than ever.
1
Dzyga Art Centre - Lviv, Ukraine - January 2020
Slavalachia joint performance with Siarzhuk Douhushau, Torban and Brother Hill
2
America House - Kyiv, Ukraine - August 2021
Online performance from Carpathian Mountains
3
ZAHIDFEST 2021 - Ukraine - August 2021
Performance at the biggest festival in Western Ukraine
4
Nyzhniy Zal - Lviv Puppet Theatre - Lviv, Ukraine - September 2021
Slavalachia Fest - Three days festival of Belarusian, Ukrainian and Appalachian cultures.
OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEOS
CONTACT US
Please, for all booking, press inquiries or documentary production questions/requests
contact our manager Nadzeya Ilkevich
through our official email: slavalachia@gmail.com
Follow us on social media
contact our manager Nadzeya Ilkevich
through our official email: slavalachia@gmail.com
Follow us on social media
© Slavalachia 2019-2022. All rights reserved