Music has always been more than just a profession. It is my life, my passion, my way of self-expression. It has accompanied me through different periods – from success on music television channels to times when I had to seek alternative ways to earn a living in order to continue creating.
Childhood, Zaporizhzhia, and First Steps in Music
I was born in Zaporizhzhia into a family of professional musicians. Music was always present in our tone, and from an early age, I felt its power. At the age of 10, I received a piano as a gift, and this marked the beginning of my musical journey. I did not just learn to play.
I started creating my own melodies. Besides music, I was also involved in sports and even achieved the level of a master in boxing. However, it gradually became clear that music was my true path. After school, I successfully passed the entrance exams and enrolled in the Faculty of International Economic Relations at the Faculty of Economics and Management of ZNTU. However, an inner feeling would not let me rest. I knew that my destiny was the stage, so I decided to fully dedicate myself to music.
In 2003, I released my first album, «Lety», which opened the doors to the world of professional music for me.
Gaining Popularity Through Soundtracks in TV Series
A major boost in my career came when my songs became soundtracks for popular TV series. One of the biggest moments for me was performing songs in the series «Verny moyu lyubov» (Return My Love). This was a significant push towards gaining a massive audience worldwide, as the series was watched in many countries.
People searched for my music, listened to my songs, and wrote to me on social media. Additionally, my song «Serdtse, Molchi» (Heart, Be Silent) became the official soundtrack for the series «Marusya.» These moments were very important to me, as they helped expand my audience and attract the attention of people who might not have known about my work before.
How the Economic Downturn Changed My Path?
The year 2014 became a turning point for the entire Ukrainian music industry. The crisis hit show business hard – concerts were canceled, TV channel budgets were reduced. Artists had to find ways to survive. To maintain my connection with music, I rented a small recording studio, which I gradually adapted to my needs, and also began renting it out to other musicians. This helped me stay in the profession even when the situation around was unstable.
Another avenue I pursued was the tourism business. Together with my father; we bought a passenger bus for touring, but since concerts became rare, I obtained a category D driver’s license and a professional driving permit. This allowed me to transport tourists across Ukraine, start my own transportation business, hire employees, and still continue making music.
Freedom from Contracts and New Opportunities
Contracts often limit artists – dictating whom they can work with, where they can perform, and what they can say in the media. After 2014, I was no longer dependent on producers and began building my career independently.
I established contacts with TV channels, built relationships with journalists, and organized my own performances. It was a tough path, but at that moment, I realized that I could grow on my own. I also started collaborating with international DJs on original English-language tracks.
One of my biggest successes was working with DJ Sagan on our song «Music», which topped many electronic music charts. Even DJ Ti sto used it multiple times in his sets!
Additionally, my track «No Cold Ice», created together with Brazilian DJ and producer Andy Bianchini, was recognized as the best in the «Vocal Trance» category in Brazil.
I also worked with DJs and producers such as DJ Lutique, Ost & Meyer, and Igor Garnier, which allowed me to expand my musical horizons and gain new experience in the world of electronic music.
I continued performing at events, weddings, and corporate gatherings. It did not bring in significant money, but it allowed me to stay in Kyiv, rent an apartment and a studio, and most importantly – focus on my original music.
Video Production – A New Stage in My Career
Shooting music videos has always required significant financial investments, so I decided to learn how to do it myself. I bought a camera, mastered editing, and color correction. The song «Lyubov Vryatuye Svit» (Love Will Save the World) became special. Roman Mukha, the director of the M2 music channel, heard it and said: «Shoot a video – and we’ll put it into rotation».
I shot the video on a minimal budget, submitted it to the channel – and it went on air. Since then, I have been independently involved in video production, creating not only my own music videos but also promotional videos for other artists, even in Europe.
Life After the War Began: A New Country, New Challenges, Unbreakable Music
After the full-scale war began, I had to test myself in completely different conditions. In France, I even worked for some time at a waste processing plant, collecting cardboard all over Marseille with a team. It was a foreign world, a new reality where survival was necessary. But even in the darkest moments, I knew: I could not abandon music.
With my first paycheck, I bought a stereo recorder – because even in the toughest conditions, one must not lose touch with creativity. Now, this device helps me record video podcasts and concerts when I am invited as a videographer.
But what truly kept me going was music. In Marseille, I sang Ukrainian songs and the Ukrainian anthem at events for the Ukrainian diaspora. When you stand in front of people who have gone through the same pain as you, when you see their eyes filled with tears and hope, you realize that music is needed now more than ever.
Despite everything happening in Ukraine and around me, the creative spark never faded. On the contrary, it burned even stronger. But there were no studios. There was no money to record at a professional studio either. It seemed impossible… but I found a way.
I sat in my car, closed the windows, and created an improvised studio right in the vehicle. The car’s acoustics helped produce a unique sound, while a studio microphone and a laptop captured the moment. This is how «Neskorene Misto» (Unbroken City) was born – a song that became a symbol of resilience. Written to the lyrics of Ukrainian poet Serhiy Dubenko, with arrangements by Oleh Adzhykayev, it embodied all the pain, all the strength, all the unbreakable spirit of Ukraine.
This was not just a song – it was my voice in the chaos, my response to everything happening. It was my Ukraine, my fight, my faith. And even when I was far from home, I knew – I would not give up.
But while in France, I realized one more thing – who truly stood by my side. The person I had been with for over 12 years left me, took our son, and went to Germany without even saying a word. It was a blow… But life gave me an encounter that changed everything.
I found not only a loving woman but also a mother for our child. Anastasia gave me the most precious gift – our daughter Anechka. Her love is enough for both me and Anechka. She always supports and inspires me, even when my ideas seem adventurous. I want the sun, now that of Spain, to fill Anechka’s soul so that she grows up in a bright atmosphere full of warmth and music.
Music remains the main thing in my life. It changes, transforms, but never disappears. What will happen next? Time will tell. But I know for sure: I will always strive to do what I love, and I will not stop, no matter the circumstances.
People to Whom I Am Grateful
Throughout my musical journey, I have been accompanied by many musicians, radio DJs, and producers who have helped, supported, and guided me – Andriy Shalubin, Dmytro Chekalkin, Dmytro Oskyn, Kostiantyn Marchenko, Oleksiy Zalevskyi, Oleksiy Kropyvnyi, DJ Lutique, DJ Pashs, Serh Gagarin…
With special gratitude, I remember Valeriy Kulychkin and Olha Yunakova, who once took me under their «Kyiv wing,» tried to produce me, arranged my first-ever photo shoot, and released my first album, «Lety.»
Among the musicians who influenced me, I would like to mention Yuriy Lych, Serhiy Dubenko, Serhiy Chanturia, Serhiy Smetanin, Serhiy Dotsenko, Ihor Rudyi, Oleg Jam Adzhykayev, Oleksandr Dykyi, and many other talented people who enrich our country!
Musical Family: «Unity Band»! More than 15 years and over 25 countries worldwide – I have been on stage with them!
A significant part of my life is my musical family – the cover band «Unity Band». Together with these musicians, we have performed at countless weddings, birthdays, corporate events, and have gone through many different situations – tough and easy, joyful and not so much, but every challenge has made us stronger and brought us closer together.
A special thank you to Aleksandr Garkavyi, who has always been the one to unite the collective. Thanks to him, the band continues to exist even during the war, despite the fact that, like millions of Ukrainians, we have been scattered all over the world.
But we continue to perform at various events for Ukrainians who are currently abroad. We bring them joy by performing Ukrainian songs and global hits at a high level.
These rare and short moments, when Ukrainians can afford to celebrate something, speak of their indomitable spirit and belief in a bright future.
Special Thanks to My Parents!
My father taught me not just to play music but to feel it with my heart, to live by it. He showed me how sound can become the voice of the soul. And my mother taught me to love people, to respect everyone I encounter. She has always been the one who could comfort, support, and give faith even in the darkest moments.
They were always there – even when hundreds of kilometers separated us. Their support was the thread that kept me afloat, giving me the strength to move forward when it felt like my hands were about to drop.
The war changed everything. It forced us to leave our home, to seek a new place under the sky. But now, for the first time in a long time, we are together again. And even though my sister has been living in America for many years, now it will be much easier for her to visit us.
Family is our ultimate refuge. No matter where we are geographically, what matters is that we have each other. And that is the most precious thing.
So, thank you for your attention! I wish all the best to the “Ukrainians and the World” magazine and its readers!
If you’d like to see more of me or hear from me, here are some of my links:
YouTube:
- Roman Polonsky
- Polymusic Production
Instagram:
- RomaSouvenirsingerdi
- Polonskyroman
Facebook:
- Roman Polonsky
- Roma Souvenir Singer
Spain, Barcelona
