Maryna Krut

The voice and bandura of a Ukraine that stands firm

Ukrainian singer and bandura player Maryna Krut first made her name as an indie-folk singer with jazz in her ears, climbing from cafés and clubs to Ukraine’s biggest stages: The X Factor, The Voice and two national Eurovision finals.

The bandura, Ukraine’s national plucked-string instrument, combines the acoustic principles of the lute and the harp, and carries a singular history. A descendant of the kobza played by the Kobzars, itinerant musicians who sang of national heroes, it was persecuted under Tsarist and Soviet rule: its players were arrested, sent to the gulags, sometimes murdered. Maryna brings non-traditional elements into her playing, using the bandura both as a solo instrument and to accompany her powerful voice.

Since the Russian invasion, her music has taken on a new mission. Maryna now leads a double life: travelling to the front lines to perform for soldiers, then carrying their stories to audiences abroad. “I’m here not for myself. I’m here for my friends who are on the front lines… You need to be the voice.” In her hands, the bandura becomes both a testimony and an act of defiance.