---
title: "\"In Such Company It's a Fierce Cringe\": Khlyvnyuk Ready to Give Up His Title of People's Artist of Ukraine"
description: "Bumboks frontman Andrei Khlyvnyuk stated that he is ready to renounce the title of People's Artist of Ukraine, awarded in July 2026, against the backdrop of a debate over stripping cultural figures of their awards."
date: 2026-09-02T15:22:01.000Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/khlyvnyuk-ready-to-renounce-people-artist-of-ukraine-title
tags: [bumboks, andrei-khlyvnyuk, ukraine, culture, honored-artist]
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# "In Such Company It's a Fierce Cringe": Khlyvnyuk Ready to Give Up His Title of People's Artist of Ukraine

![Pavlo Khlyvnyuk in a black baseball cap and grey hoodie in a portrait photo](https://xab.info/media/2026/09/02/khlyvnyuk-gotov-otkazatsya-ot-zvaniya-zasluzhennogo-artista/khlyvnyuk-gotov-otkazatsya-ot-zvaniya-zasluzhennogo-artista-1.webp)

## 🎯 Key Points

- Andrei Khlyvnyuk stated that he is ready to renounce the title of People's Artist of Ukraine.
- The title was awarded by presidential decree on July 15, 2026, on the Day of Ukrainian Statehood.
- The statement came amid a debate over stripping cultural figures of their awards, including the one surrounding Potap.
- Khlyvnyuk did not name the specific artists he has in mind.

Andrei Khlyvnyuk, frontman of the band Bumboks and a serving soldier, publicly stated that he is ready to renounce the title of People's Artist of Ukraine that was awarded to him. This was reported by Wave RBC.UA, citing the artist's Facebook page. The statement came amid an ongoing public debate over whether Ukrainian cultural figures should be stripped of state awards and honorary titles.

### Khlyvnyuk's Statement

On social media, the musician touched on the topic of state awards and honorary titles. In his words, Ukraine will eventually have to address the issue of stripping cultural representatives of their distinctions; the only question is whether it will be for an anti-Ukrainian or a pro-Ukrainian stance. "We will have to strip 'cultural figures' of their titles and awards anyway. The only question is: for an anti-Ukrainian or a pro-Ukrainian position. I wouldn't mind getting rid of my 'People's' title — in such company it's a fierce 'cringe'," Khlyvnyuk wrote. He did not name any specific artists in his post.

### Context: The Title Scandal

The statement came against the backdrop of a discussion about state titles, particularly surrounding Potap. According to several publications, Bumboks is listed on the Ministry of Culture's list, and Khlyvnyuk had previously commented on this resonant decision, responding to the accusations. Thus, his words about being ready to part with the title were perceived as a reaction to the broader scandal over awards in the cultural milieu.

### How the Artist Received the Title

The title of People's Artist of Ukraine was awarded to Andrei Khlyvnyuk quite recently — on July 15, 2026. The corresponding decree was signed by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the Day of Ukrainian Statehood. The President's Office then reminded that, after the start of the full-scale invasion, Khlyvnyuk joined the Territorial Defense of Kyiv, was wounded as a result of mortar shelling, and subsequently returned to service.

### Contradictory Data

The wording of the sources contains nuances that should be taken into account. On the one hand, Khlyvnyuk writes directly that he "wouldn't mind getting rid of" the title, which sounds like a rhetorical, conditional statement rather than a confirmed formal procedure of renunciation. On the other hand, the artist himself did not name the specific performers he has in mind, whereas the media link his words to the scandal surrounding Potap and the Ministry of Culture's list. In other words, the exact "trigger" of the statement is interpreted differently: as a personal position or as a reaction to specific events.

## 🔍 Fact-Check Verification

- ["This Is a Fierce Cringe": Khlyvnyuk Ready to Renounce His People's Artist Title](https://wave.rbc.ua/ukr/stars/tse-lyutiy-krinzh-hlivnyuk-gotoviy-vidmovitisya-1788361313.html) - Основной источник: цитата Хливнюка из Facebook, дата присвоения звания 15.07.2026, указ Зеленского, детали военной службы.
- [This Is a Real Cringe: Andrei Khlyvnyuk Ready to Renounce His Title Over the Potap Scandal](https://24tv.ua/show24/ru/andrej-hlyvnjuk-hochet-otkazatsja-ot-zvanija-zasluzhennogo-artista-pochemu-pri-chem-zdes-potap_n3134202) - Подтверждает связь заявления со скандалом вокруг Потапа.
- [Bumboks on the Ministry of Culture's List: Khlyvnyuk Comments on the Resonant Decision](https://gazeta.ua/ru/articles/life/_bumboks-v-spiske-minkulta-hlivnyuk-prokommentiroval-rezonansnoe-reshenie/1211884) - Контекст: «Бумбокс» в списке Минкульта, комментарий Хливнюка.
- [Scandal Involving Bumboks: Andrei Khlyvnyuk Responds to the Accusations](https://korrespondent.net/lifestyle/4867897-skandal-s-bumboksom-andrei-khlyvnuik-otvetyl-na-obvynenyia) - Контекст: ответ Хливнюка на обвинения в рамках скандала.

## ❓ FAQ

### Q: Who is Andrei Khlyvnyuk?
**A:** He is the frontman of the band Bumboks and a serving soldier who joined the Territorial Defense of Kyiv after the start of the full-scale invasion.

### Q: When was Khlyvnyuk awarded the title of People's Artist of Ukraine?
**A:** On July 15, 2026; the decree was signed by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the Day of Ukrainian Statehood.

### Q: Did Khlyvnyuk name the specific artists he has in mind?
**A:** No, he did not name any specific performers, although the statement came against the backdrop of a discussion over titles, particularly surrounding Potap.