Natisa Gogol is a promising ray of hope! Hailing from war-stricken Ukraine, her music is inspired by the grief faced due to the war. She wishes for her audience to cherish their present and bring to light the casualties faced by the people of Ukraine. In support of this, she has lent a helping hand to organizations that aim to make the refugee life simpler, providing aid and assistance, which is the need of the hour. Read on to get up close and personal with Natisa Gogol!

Where are you based?
I currently live in Prague.

What drove you to the performing arts and music in general?
Music has been with me since birth, so it's hard to say what drove me. Life itself.

Was music an integral part of your family/life growing up?
Yes, it was. I grew up in a musical family, my father is a musician and singer. He instilled in me a love of music, and taught me to sing.

We would like to know more about your collaboration with DJ Shiller and Boney M!
Christopher von Dylen (DJ Shiller) and Boney M were invited as guests to the orchestra where I was a soloist at that time. We did some concerts together in Kiev. It was a great time, I was happy to be on the same stage with these legendary people!

Who/what inspires you the most as an artist?
I am inspired by life itself, a state of love and a slight madness without which creativity would not be creativity.

Your song "Wind of Hope" is amazing! Can you tell us the story behind it?
This song was written in the spring of 2022, shortly after the war started. I tried to put everything in my heart and soul through the lyrics and music. This song is a hymn to hope and goodness through the pain and hardship of this senseless and incredibly cruel war.

How is your family doing now?
By God, my whole family is abroad at the moment, and I am at peace.

You have many beautiful songs, but "Wind of Hope" is the first one you translated into English. What inspired you to do this translation?
On the one hand, I wanted as many people as possible to hear about this war, to feel indifferent. On the other hand, I wanted to support my fellow countrymen, because the song is about hope and faith, which no one can ever take away from us.

What do you hope your listeners get from your song?
A ray of hope!

Can you tell us more about the album you are going to release this year? What themes do you hope to address in this album?
It will be both social and personal themes. Of course, a lot of the songs on the album are about love, that feeling is the most important to me. Everything I do is about love.

We heard that you are going to teach singing to Ukrainian children at MRIA-UA. We would love to know more about this and your work with this organization! What inspired you to make this connection? Is it in Prague?
Yes, MRIA-UA is based in Prague. It is a charitable organization where children of different ages can develop, have a good time and be protected. I sometimes visit children, talk to them on different topics, give vocal master-classes, try to motivate them to achieve something, believe in myself, take their minds off sad thoughts and distract them from war. Many of them are passionate about singing, I'm happy to help and be helpful, to teach them the basics of music and singing.

We also love that you are working with Reluvotion? Can you tell us a little bit about them and your involvement in their work?
My producer, Gregory Darling turned me onto Reluv, as he is partners with the founder, Professor Nicholas Dungey. It’s a love driven place where people of all environmental, economic, social, and political persuasions who want local and world change can easily connect and begin working together to turn their
transformative ideas into reality.

You performed at Hlavni Nadrazi Station in Prague on February 24th, the one-year anniversary of the war in Ukraine. Can you tell us a little bit about that event? Was it an emotional day for you?
It was an extremely emotional day for me and Ukrainians in general. It's a terrible anniversary. My performance at the train station was a cry from the heart, a year since I left my home and everything I cared about with my son, just to survive. People streaming past me at the train station stopped, imbued with my song "Wind of Hope," and I felt their complicity and gratitude.

What hopes do you have for this war?
I have only one hope for this war, that it will end as soon as possible. I know and believe that when we win, Ukraine will rise and prosper more than ever.

What advice do you have for Ukrainians who are also refugees, and beyond that, what would you say to people who have stayed in Ukraine?
No matter where we are, I know one thing: what's inside is stronger than what's outside. You have to believe no matter what. And love no matter what. Everything has a beginning and an end, no war is everlasting.

What is your motto in life?
"Everything that is inside us is stronger than what is outside."

It's been a tough few years, how have you kept a positive attitude during this time?
By faith in God.

To learn more about Natisa Gogol, please follow the below links:
natisagogol.com
Instagram: natisa_gogol
Facebook: natisagogol
YouTube: NatisaGogol

Natisa Gogol - A Ray of Hope in Times of Grief