An acclaimed young Ukrainian musician is coming to Morden as part of her first Canadian tour.
Maryna Krut is a renowned Ukrainian singer and songwriter who plays the traditional bandura but also writes and performs her own original material with a contemporary feel.
She is making three stops in Manitoba including a Jan. 31 performance in Morden as part of the tour which is raising funds to support Ukraine, and local organizer Yevgeniya Tatarenko is overjoyed to have Krut coming here.
“It will be an unbelievably cool concert,” said Tatarenko, who noted the plan is for the show to be a candlelight concert. “This is really something unique coming to Morden, so I am super excited about it.”
Krut is originally from Khmelnytskyi, Ukraine. Her whole family had a talent for singing, but she is the only one who has pursued music professionally.
Her musical path began playing in places like garages before going on to play in bands and perform at a myriad of smaller events.
She was a finalist in a Eurovision Ukrainian contest, placing third in 2020 and second in 2023. She has also participated in the Ukrainian TEDx KyivWomen program, speaking about the fateful choices in her life and revealing her greatest passion.
Krut’s live album made a shortlist of 10 best Ukrainian albums of the year. She is working on her third album and has released multiple singles, including collaborations with various Ukrainian artists.
The Voice of Ukraine and The X Factor participant delivers a unique combination of an atmospheric voice and the extraordinary musical elegance of the bandura, a stringed instrument widely considered the national musical instrument of Ukraine.
“She is amazing and unforgettable in what she does because she plays a traditional Ukrainian folk instrument, but she creates her own songs,” said Tatarenko. “People have opened their hearts to this music because of her voice and the words she puts together … and she has performed for the defenders on the front lines which is something you don’t experience in your life.”
Tatarenko noted Krut’s music connects with a wide range of people because it is rooted in tradition but is also contemporary.
“The audience who can enjoy her music is so wide,” she suggested. “It’s from young kids like my oldest son, who loves to listen to her music, and to older people who actually know more about the bandura and the classic musical education. They also love her.
“That’s why she is so popular in Ukraine … she does it everything all together.”
The concert is raising funds for the Second Front Ukraine Foundation to help buy medical supplies and other supports.
It takes place at St. Pauls United Church at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 31. Tickets are available for $35 plus fees and can be purchased through Eventbrite. Tickets will also be sold at the door, space allowing.
