The Ukrainian-based Indie-rock band VINOK is a statement of authenticity and social change to create a new culture of justice in a land of the unknown. VINOK uses its unique sound and powerful lyrics to bring awareness and create discussions about various social issues. Their topics range from religion, women’s rights, and disability rights. Only established in 2019, the band has already graced some of the biggest festivals in Eastern Europe such as Ukraine’s Respublica Festival and Poland’s Slot Festival. Their latest single “Elephant Girl” is a story of transformation and the spiritual awakening of a female person with a disability. The title of the song is in reference to Elephant Man, a true story of a person who was judged and maltreated exclusively because of his appearance. The members of VINOK—Nathalie, Ilya, and Anton—all as individuals, have experienced or seen the hardships and tragedies life can have. To learn more about VINOK, their latest single, and each member, read our interview below.

Where are you based?
Kyiv, Ukraine.

What inspired you guys to form the band?
Nathalie and Ilya met back in 2009 in the USA while studying. They began writing music for Vinok in 2016, then Anton joined the band in 2017. That year, the three met in Kyiv to unite all of their musical talents as well as passion for justice and societal change so that their music has social impact.

All three of us love music and it’s an inseparable part of what we do. We all seemed to connect and get inspired while jamming one day, then agreed to form a band. From the beginning, our music should be honest, live and not give in to the trends just for the sake of fame.

I think it’s amazing that your band uses music to bring attention to crucial problems of global society. Why do you think music has such an impact and ability to influence society?
Nathalie: Music is another form of communication and the greatest part is that everyone is fluent in it – all you have to do is listen. This is a great way of breaking cultural barriers and starting a conversation either if it’s in person or within a person’s headphones. We believe that it is a social duty (almost a requirement) as artists to take action, raise awareness, and provoke conversations that are often avoided.

Ukrainian culture is heavily influenced by both Western European and Russian culture. How are your upbringings similar and different from American culture?
Nathalie and Ilya lived in various countries (Belgium, France, UK, Ukraine) and U.S., so seeing as well as adapting to different cultures is within our blood. Ukrainian culture has its own unique and beautiful culture and the only way to experience it is by visiting Ukraine to see for yourself. That said, Ukraine has been heavily influenced by various forms of oppression, especially by it’s eastern neighbor which has had imperialistic ambitions for centuries. Seeing that oppression first-handedly really brings one in tune with the realities of how things can go wrong in a globalized world and it’s not just on your TV or computer screen. It’s about real people and lives that matter. We’ve lived both in the U.S. and outside of it; we have witnessed and experienced that in the U.S. it’s easy to get sucked into your own cultural bubble and begin fantasizing how this world is or should be. However, it can easily become a delusion since the U.S. population is just a small fraction of the world and often it is difficult to keep that perspective in mind. Living in Ukraine it's impossible to run away from all of that since you are surrounded by life-pressing issues on a daily basis.

Your single, Elephant Girl, is a story of transformation and the spiritual awakening of a female person with a disability. What was the process like in creating the song?
“Elephant girl” was written in Kyiv, Ukraine as most of our songs from our upcoming album. We were aiming for something a bit edgy yet dance-like, with elements of irony in the overall sound of “elephant girl”. Like most of our songs, it started off with just jamming and improv then transformed into something organic. It’s a concentrated mix of emotions that is not easy to define. Not every song comes quickly, but “elephant girl” was one of those that just felt right from the very beginning -- we all seemed to be in sync during its development.”

Nathalie: The idea of “elephant girl” came from being surrounded by a world that tends to be harsh and careless to the most vulnerable. With all of the positives that it might have, in a globalized world people tend to be concerned about their individual problems and exponentially less caring about those who are being cut-off from society the most. They become competitive and find excuses of why they shouldn’t care about others. In the song we wanted to give a voice specifically to persons with disabilities who are as much of a vital part of our society as the rest yet who are some of the most unfairly treated and overlooked people. People with disabilities tend to be more vulnerable and are often disregarded and even put down so that they don’t get in ‘people’s way’. “It is essential to remember that not all disabilities are visible to the eye but that does not mean they are not a reality”.

“Elephant girl” was inspired by people who have been seen as outcasts. Disabilities (the visible and invisible) today are still a taboo topic that so many try to avoid, are afraid to address and don’t know where to begin. We decided to change this by specifically honoring those with disabilities in this song. How can one reduce the stigma if no one is talking about it?

How did the visuals of Elephant Girl come about? What emotions do you hope to convey to people who watch the video?
Many may wonder where the name “elephant girl” came from and why we chose it as the title of our latest song. Ultimately the song, as represented in the lyric video, is a story of transformation and the spiritual awakening of a female person with a disability. The title of the song is in reference to Elephant Man, a true story of a person who was judged and maltreated exclusively because of his appearance. It is essential to remember that not all disabilities are visible to the eye but that does not mean they are not a reality.

In the lyric video we portray paradoxes. On one hand the persona has a seemingly strong voice yet remains unheard; the persona appears strong, super-powerful yet is helpless - a tragic victim. It’s one of the most voiceless conditions one can encounter, when everyone thinks you have a voice but in reality you are completely paralyzed. This is sort of what we see in the fashion world and entertainment industry as a whole, particularly in regards to women. Take this a step further: it is already difficult for anyone to be fed with this glamorous world of perfection but now imagine a girl with a disability; her pain and feelings of powerlessness are unimaginable when those societal expectations are never achievable in her eyes. With this song we want to give a voice especially to persons with disabilities and all those who feel like the outcasts of society.

Our lyric video alludes to the movie “Get Out” directed by Jordan Peele, as well as the popular “Stranger Things” series. “Get Out” shows that once the victims are hypnotized they go through a condition of paralysis and fear, whereas in “Stranger Things”, though the main character El has supernatural abilities, she is also one of the most lonely figures throughout the entire series. Both these film productions portray elements of paralysis, loneliness, fear, longing, and a fight to be heard.

Just as in “Stranger Things” and “Get Out”, once we see a drop of blood coming out of the characters’ noses, we are reminded of the reality of the pain that they are experiencing. It is as if they are so suppressed inside that their pain is literally bleeding out. Our lyric video for “elephant girl” ends with a twist: after the blood drop streams from the persona’s nose she finally is able to sing aloud with the lyrics - showing that she is real and that there is hope to be heard. Here is our EPK if anything. :)

In the song, there is a verse that goes “You’re not a communal body for sacrifice”. What is the meaning behind this lyric?
The lyrics “You’re not a communal body for a sacrifice” are to remind one another that we are not just numbers and our lives matter. What you do, what you say, and how you live really makes a difference - it affects everyone around us. We wanted this to be an empowerment song for people with disabilities, an inspiration, a sort of a symbol of hope. That said, “elephant girl” has elements that relate to each of us as human beings; it addresses those feelings of wanting to be heard and putting up a fight in order to do so. If someone is feeling down, we definitely want them to listen to “elephant girl” and we hope that it can give them a sense of: “Hey, you are not alone and you will get through this. You are important, you have meaning, and you matter.”

How does the process work when creating music? What comes first, the lyrics or the beat?
Ilya: It really depends on the circumstance and the song. Some songs are thought through and take ample time to create, whereas others can be structurally created during one rehearsal. No matter what the process is, we also spend a ton of hours on polishing each song to get the message that we are looking for. We are very specific, careful, and critical of what we do musically but at the same time make sure that our initial emotions and ideas don’t get lost during the process.

Nathalie: Sometimes one of us could be walking outside and observing life and a melody comes to mind (voice memos are great for this). Other times we are just jamming in the studio and one of us will come up with something kind of groovy (beat, a key, a bassline, etc.) and we keep building on that. Then there are times when it starts with a story, a lyric, or a topic that strongly needs addressing.

Nathalie, you are the lead vocalist and keyboardist in Vinok and also a mental health professional and a member of the International Expressive Arts Therapy Association (IEATA). Can you tell me about it?
Nathalie: Music has always played a major role in my life and helped me through so many of life’s challenges. I moved around quite a lot growing up and music/the arts were always a constant for me. I have always had a passion for helping people and believe the arts are an amazing tool for healing, finding truth, and growing as a human being. This is in a ‘nutshell’ what led me to where I am today.

How is art a form of therapy for people who’ve dealt with trauma in their life?
Nathalie: The arts are truly a universal language that cross barriers and connect us as human beings. Often when one has experienced trauma, there are no definite words to describe the experience and find understanding. The arts (all forms) help enable one to give voice to those stories that are sometimes unexplainable, find new meaning, and continue to heal.

Ilya, you are the drummer in Vinok and also a journalist who has witnessed the atrocities executed by authoritarian and corrupt regimes in Eastern Europe, and the sheer poverty that resulted from them. How has witnessing the misuse of power and corruption in these areas impacted you as a person and how you view the world?
Ilya: I’m privileged in many ways to have witnessed other cultures and with getting a western education. But that also comes with a responsibility as I’ve seen how societies can live much better and not be infested with corruption to such a degree as it is in many parts of Eastern Europe. It saddens me to see how people are lied to, manipulated and used just for the few to gluttonously bathe in luxury while it is in the most literal sense at the expense of other people’s lives.

Anton, you are the virtuoso bassist in Vinok and come from war-torn eastern Ukraine. How have those experiences shaped you as a person? You say, “Music is my salvation”, how has music saved you?
Anton: The situation in eastern Ukraine brings up strong discontent towards how the top politicians are facing the problem. Music looks into the essence and allows you to release from within the strongest emotions in order to keep moving.

All three of you have witnessed and or experienced first hand traumatic hardships and atrocities. How does the weight of barring those emotions influence your writing and sound?
It influences us deeply to the very core. It’s what we want to communicate and for people to hear in our music. But the most important thing is that we want to give people inspiration and hope and not to get sucked in even deeper to grief. We want to be a medium for one to find strength and renewal to keep going.

Vinok was established in 2019. In that short amount of time, you guys have graced some of the biggest festivals in eastern Europe such as Ukraine’s Respublica Festival and Poland’s Slot Festival. What do you attribute to your success?
First – our fans. Really, without our fans we couldn’t continue with what we are doing since the music industry (especially if you are being honest with yourself!) is not an easy one at all. Second, it is perseverance and commitment to the cause and idea. We’ve seen other musicians switch back and forth between styles and trends in the pursuit of success and we’re like “What are you even about?” It’s easy to read through the fakeness of others and we believe others can read through the lines as well. If one is communicating honest energy with the crowd, most people appreciate that because they are trying to escape the everyday fakeness that they are dealing with by going to your concert.

The most important for us to keep our music real, alive and we keep each other accountable in making sure that there’s nothing fake and artificial -- something sort of that is going against the trend of today.

How have you guys been affected by the pandemic personally and as a band? Do you find difficulty being inspired or creative during these hard times?
At first it was really difficult. We couldn’t even play music for a while as it was a shock and we also wanted to understand what the right response was to the situation. It's also difficult to communicate with others who don’t believe in it or believe that it’s a conspiracy since ultimately the various streams of false information have hindered real relationships and lives. So we try to be very cautious and careful when addressing the situation. It’s also sad to see other musicians who don’t care about following the rules organizing concerts. First it's disrespectful to your audience for putting them in danger but second it's disrespectful to your fellow musicians as it's not a level playing field.

Eventually we adapted our musical habits and our productivity went up. Actually, the pandemic in some way helped us to fully concentrate on finishing our album. We have been trying to stay positive and be grateful for the little things. That’s what keeps us going.

How do you stay all positive during these difficult times?
Listening, playing and creating music and remembering that we are not alone - staying connected with close ones.

Do you guys have any upcoming projects fans should look out for?
Absolutely! Our first full-length album is coming out on April 28, 2021. It’s the culmination of our work for the past two years and we are extremely honored and excited to present it to the public.

What is your motto?
A quote by Flannery O’Connor: “The truth does not change according to our ability to stomach it.”

To learn more about VINOK, please follow them via the below platforms:
Listen on Spotify
Instagram: @vinokmusic
Facebook: @vinoktheband
Twitter: @vinoktheband
YouTube: Vinok the Band
Listen/Download: https://band.link/Vinok

VINOK—A Statement Of Authenticity & Social Change In A Land Unknown