Khrystyna Soloviy has released a new single titled 'Proshchay'—a reimagining of the song of the same name by Vika Vradyi, known in the Ukrainian music scene as Sestrychka Vika. Alongside the audio premiere, the singer released a music video for the track, which serves as the fourth single from her upcoming album entirely dedicated to Ukrainian music and pop culture of the 1990s. According to Soloviy herself, working on this version went unusually smoothly: she recorded the vocal part in the studio on her very first try, without any additional takes.
A Song Born in 'Bird Language'
The history of the original 'Proshchay' dates back to Vika Vradyi's youth. According to her own recollections, she once attended a performance by the Lviv band 'Arnika' and decided to show the musicians her own composition. Since she did not know English at the time, she hummed the melody using invented words that she referred to as 'bird language.' The musicians were so struck by the melody that they immediately took an interest in the song. Lyricist Viktor Morozov confirmed these circumstances: at that time, 'Arnika' regularly played dance music in one of Lviv's clubs, and many young people attended their performances. Those wishing to join the band often asked the musicians to listen to their own works. This is how the young Vika was brought to the group one evening. The musicians invited her to play the piano, expecting to hear a standard amateur composition, but the melody performed without words stunned them so much that they immediately invited the girl to join the band. Later, Morozov wrote lyrics for it, and Vika recorded the song on one of the collective's records.
From Demo to Personal Meeting in California
Work on the new version of 'Proshchay' began last year when Khrystyna Soloviy met Vika Vradyi. The singer sent her demo recordings and received permission to perform her songs. In the summer of 2026, the artists finally met in person in California. During their conversation, Vika shared memories of creating 'Proshchay,' a composition of deep personal value to her. During the same meeting, the artists recorded a short interview, which they plan to release soon. Soloviy also announced her intention to create a series of similar video conversations with other figures from the Ukrainian music scene to preserve memories and enrich her upcoming album with the personal stories of its heroes.
'The Best Performance I Could Have Imagined'
The sound of the new version received an approving reaction from both original authors. Vika Vradyi admitted that she was deeply moved by the version she heard and called it the best interpretation she could have imagined. 'Today, hearing this song in Khrystyna's new reading is an opportunity to meet it again, but through time and experience. And this is the best performance I could have imagined! Goosebumps still! Still, my song is a bomb!,' the artist commented. Viktor Morozov also noted how the emotional sound of the composition changed in Soloviy's interpretation. While young Vika created the melody at the time without her own experience of separation, Khrystyna, in his opinion, filled it with completely different feelings.
An Album as an Exploration of an Era
For Khrystyna Soloviy herself, Vika Vradyi's work holds a special place. The singer has long been fascinated by Sestrychka Vika's music and admits that for many years she has been introducing her friends and colleagues to it. 'For me, Vika Vradyi is one of those artists through whom one can better understand the Ukrainian musical culture of the second half of the 20th century. Her creative path is connected with both the Ukrainian Estrada of the 1970s and the rock scene of the following decades, and her voice and songs have become part of the cultural memory of several generations,' Soloviy shared. Thus, work on the album goes beyond musical experiments: the singer aims to explore the Ukrainian scene of the 1990s through the living memories of the people who shaped its history, turning each single into a documentary slice of an era.
