Mystical Ukrainian Folk Group

With primal percussion, hypnotic vocal harmonies and immersive ethno-drama performances, Ukrainian folk group YAGÓDY brings their mesmerizing sound to North America for the first time this spring.

The four women of YAGÓDY are on a mission to preserve their culture by both reviving and reinterpreting folk songs while donning traditional clothing and costumes like the ornately embroidered Vyshyvanka.

Sometimes heartbreaking and often rebellious, YAGÓDY’s music is a testament to the land, and spirit of the people of Ukraine. They poetically describe their concerts as, “the songs of wild tribes. This is the voice of your ancestors. This is live energy. It is a dance with voices. This is how our nature smells. This is how our blood sounds.”

The self-titled debut album, YAGÓDY, released in 2020 introduced the world to their unique sound, featuring powerful renditions of Ukrainian, Bulgarian, and Serbian folk songs. In 2024, the group won over audiences at the Eurovision Songwriting Contest with their original song “Tsunamia” placing fifth at the national selection finals.

YAGÓDY has performed at major festivals across Europe, enchanting listeners in Poland, Germany, and beyond and are set to spread their rich history through vibrant concerts across North America. Spring 2025 marks their first North American tour.

Founded in 2016 by actress and vocalist Zoriana Dybovska, YAGÓDY emerged as a continuation of her lifelong passion for preserving and evolving Ukrainian music. Having left Donetsk in 2014 due to Russia’s military invasion, Dybovska settled in Lviv, where she gathered a group of talented musicians and fellow educators to create a project that would breathe new life into ancient Ukrainian sounds. The group organically adopted their band name when a concert announcer called them “yagody” or “berries” in English.

What began as a small collective of artists searching for their voice has since blossomed into an internationally acclaimed act, known for their intense, ritualistic performances and boundary-pushing interpretations of Eastern European folk traditions.

YAGÓDY is made up of Zoriana Dybovska – vocals, percussion instruments, Vasylyna Voloshyn – vocals, Tetiana Voitiv – vocals, Tibetan bowl, percussion instruments, drymba, Nadiia Parashchuk – vocals, accordion, Vadym Voitovych – bass guitar, Teimyraz Gogitidze – drums, Vasyl Parashchuk – cymbals.
Support for this project was provided by the Great Lakes Colleges Association through its Global Crossroads Initiative, made possible by a grant from the Mellon Foundation.

Thanks to the Ohio Arts Council ARTS Rise Program, which expands representation and access in the arts, reduced-rate tickets are available for this program. We hope to create a programming series where ticket pricing is not a barrier to attendance.