Recommendations from the Kyiv Independent: Ziferblat (Patreon)

Dear Kyiv Independent community members,

This is Daria Kotielnikova, digital marketing specialist at the Kyiv Independent. Since I’m a huge fan of Ukraine’s representatives at the upcoming Eurovision song contest, I really want to recommend that you check out Ziferblat.

Ziferblat is a band of three people: two brothers (twins), Danylo and Valentyn, and their drummer Fedyr. I’ve been listening to their music for three years now, and I’m really happy that they will represent Ukraine at Eurovision because they have tried so hard to earn this honor in the past. In 2024, they were close but lost to Jerry Heil and Alyona Alyona. This year, their efforts finally paid off. 

When I first heard a song by Ziferblat, I felt mesmerized. Their music mixes folk, rock, and sometimes funk (don’t let “rock” on their Wikipedia page trick you).For example, their song “Земля” (“Earth” in Ukrainian) is the band’s interpretation of Olha Kobylianska's 1902 novel “Earth,” which is based on the Cain and Abel story from the Bible. This song combines folk сhoir motifs from our culture, which makes this song even more amazing.In general, Ziferblat managed to bring Ukrainian culture, history, and modern music together. 

Their song for this year’s Eurovision, “Bird of Pray,” is about liberty, life, and hope — the values we are fighting for now as Ukrainians. The decorations and colors for their performance also remind me of Ukrainian folk artist Maria Prymachenko's distinct naive art style. I like to think that it’s some kind of Eastern egg.

The band Ziferblat performs their song "Bird of Pray" at the national selection for the Eurovision song contest on Feb. 8, 2025. Source: Anastasia Mantach, Suspilne Ukraine.

But I would recommend starting to discover Ziferblat with their song, “Place I Call Home” – their entry for last year’s Eurovision. I’m originally from Kherson (it was occupied in the winter of 2022 and has been a front-line city since the liberation in the fall of 2022). I lived my entire life in Kherson before being forced to flee when the full-scale invasion started. This song awakens so many feelings in me and is a reminder of how much my hometown has changed. It’s about coming back home and realizing that it is not the same anymore, but it still remains dear to your heart. This feeling resonates with many other Ukrainians who had to leave their homes because of the war. 

On this note, I’m wrapping up my recommendation. You can find Ziferblat songs on all platforms such as YouTube, Spotify, Apple Music, and SoundCloud. I’m pretty sure that their music will also make you feel many different things. 

Also, I will be really happy to hear your opinion about their music in replies. 

Warm regards,Daria