One of the Eurovision 2022 sensations was a rap group from a provincial town in the Ivano-Frankivsk region. This is a rap about mom. The Kalush Orchestra project and their hit “Stefania” has come a long way to the international song contest. During the national selection, they came second, but the performers themselves, as well as the audience, felt that this was unfair. The guys won their right to participate. Today they have become the favorites of the competition. And it’s not even about the tragedy in Ukraine. It’s just a unique and interesting song.
Band history
The Kalush group was created in 2019. The name was given in honor of the city of Kalush (Ivano-Frankivsk region), where their soloist Oleg Psyuk was born and began to create. By the way, the musician dedicated the first track to his beloved teacher. At the same time, multi-instrumentalist Igor Didenchuk, backing vocalist Johnny Divny and host MC Kilimmen became members of the band.
In 2019, the first video of the group called “Don’t pickle” appeared. Around the same time, the guys became members of the Def Jam Recordings label, within which many stars of the golden age of American hip-hop worked and are creating: DMX, LL Cool J, Method Man … Then the single “Ti Gonish” was released, which in Russian sounds like “ You are driving.” At the same time, the guys began to collaborate with the Ukrainian hip-hop diva alyona alyona. The collaboration ended with the creation of the “Burn” fit … And the first million views on YouTube.
In 2021, two albums were released at once – “HOTIN” and “Yo-yo” (jointly with the artist Skofka).
In 2021, a parallel project appeared called KALUSH Orchestra, where the same guys participate. They were joined by Vitaly Duzhik and Timofey Muzychuk. This project combines hip-hop and folklore motifs. The young group started quite successfully: immediately the national selection for Eurovision … The combination of rap in the style of the 90s, flute, Ukrainian folk and lullaby turned out to be innovative, the guys touched on the topic of strength that our family gives us. And almost immediately a victory with an original song, which was appreciated even by those who do not like hip-hop. Nearly. The fact is that during the selection there was a juggling of votes. As a result, a singer with a dubious reputation and a boring song was chosen as the winner. I had to fight for justice, but the audience and fans were satisfied. The song immediately became the favorite of the competition.
The history of the song “Stefania”
Song about mother. The soloist of the group admits that his relationship with his mother was difficult. He often offended her, so he decided to create an apology in the form of a song. The heroine of the song herself unexpectedly arrived at the selection and supported the singer. But she would not dare to go to the competition itself.
The meaning of the song “Stefania”
The song is interesting for capricious rhymes and a peculiar rhythmic pattern.
At the beginning of the song, the author turns to mother and says that the fields bloom every year, and mother does not get any younger. He asks her to sing the lullaby again. Next come the author’s childhood memories of how his mother rocked him in the cradle. So she gave the musician a rhythm. From his mother, he also inherited willpower. As a child, the hero believed that his mother was wiser than Solomon.
He always goes to her by broken paths, but mother knows how not to wake up a storm in the hero. She knows him better than any person on earth and accepts him for who he is. And when she got tired, she just rocked it to the beat.
Now the hero of the song is already an adult and is ready to pay for his words, and his mother is still wasting her nerves on him.
The hero walked and sometimes was sinful. And mom is still young, she is in her prime. And if he does not appreciate her guardianship, then the way someone will punch him in the face. This is a song about the fact that it is parents and family that give us real strength. What other songs can become the winners of the contest. This year’s Eurovision has a few more favorites.
The song “Stefania” is dedicated to the mother of the band’s leader Stephanie Psyuk. In an interview, Oleg Psyuk said that he had never dedicated songs to his mother before and would not have called their relationship close. However, the musician believes that his mother deserves this song, and he would like to sing it at the final.
After the outbreak of a full-scale war, “Stephanie” acquired new meanings, although the text does not touch on the topic of war at all.
“Many people began to perceive the song as “Ukraine is my mother”, or just miss their mothers. And so the song became very popular. And now, one might say, in the hearts of so many Ukrainians. And a lot of people call it “the song our war” as an anthem,” – says the leader of the group Oleg Psyuk.
“Stefania” lyrics – Kalush Orchestra
Stefania mum mum Stefania
The field blooms, but she is turning grey
Sing me a lullaby mum
I want to hear your native wordShe rocked me; gave me rhythm and probably the power of will; did not take, but she gave
Probably knew even more and from Solomon
I will always walk to you by broken roads
She will not awaken, won’t wake, me in strong storms
She will take two fig signs from grandma, as if they were bullets
She knew me very well; she was not deceived, like she was very tired; she rocked me in time
Lyuli lyuli lyuli…Stefania mum mum Stefania
The field blooms, but she is turning gray
Sing me a lullaby mum
I want to hear your native wordI’m not in diapers but ma but ma, enough, like if I did not grow up to grow to pay for things
I’m not a small child, she still loses her temper, I walked, “like the slag would hit you” [Ukrainian curse]You are all young oh mother at the peak, if I do not value the guardianship at the peak of glory I’m in the dead end
Kill the peak that peak, I would sing with my love
Lyuli lyuli lyuli…Stefania mum mum Stefania
The field blooms, but she is turning gray
Sing me a lullaby mum
I want to hear your native wordStefania mum mum Stefania
The field blooms, but she is turning gray
Sing me a lullaby mum
I want to hear your native word
