Nino Katamadze has been given many titles, from “jazz-diva” to “the Georgian Janis Joplin.” Her experimental, genre-defying work makes it not only possible but sensible to compare her to jazz artists and rock stars alike. Katamadze and her band Insight (together known as Nino Katamadze & Insight) are renowned across the globe, performing almost non-stop […]
When she was six years old, Bethlehem (Betty) Endale’s parents asked her what she wanted to be when she grew up. She still clearly remembers her reply: “Well, I will be a singer.” With her sisters Miriam and Siona, Betty went on to form the group FO SHO, a hip-hop project that has garnered both […]
The first rap that Oleh Psiuk ever wrote was a diss on his school teacher, much to the joy of his fellow classmates. He was only 15 years old, on track to become an engineer like his father. He loved music and was an avid listener of artists like Eminem, NWA, Eazy E, and Ice […]
When asked to describe herself, Alina Pash proudly declares that she is “100% Bitanga” (a word from the Rusyn language meaning “Hooligan”). True to that characterization, she often pushes boundaries through both her personal style and the content of her music. Not wanting to conform to anyone else’s agenda, she even created her own music […]
Singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Konstantin Pochtar performs, writes, and records across a vast array of cities and countries. He names travel as both his passion and his inspiration, driving him to write music that features everywhere from the city streets of his native Kyiv, Ukraine, to Antarctica. Music is not a new pursuit for Pochtar, […]
Singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Mamer Rayes has been an active musician for more than 30 years. While his style of music has shifted over time, it remains deeply rooted in the language, instruments, and folklore of the Khazak culture in which he was raised. Mamer was born in Xinjiang, an autonomous region of northwestern China. […]
