Ukrainian singer Khrystyna Soloviy, in an interview with the project 'Ti SAMI zirky' (Instagram), explained in detail the reason for her refusal to perform at the memorial concert for People's Artist of Ukraine Stepan Higa, which took place on March 28, 2026, at the Palace of Sports in Kyiv. According to the singer, the conflict with the organizers arose due to a prolonged lack of communication: after initially agreeing to participate, she received no organizational details for two months, and then found her name on the event poster without her consent.
How the invitation process unfolded
Soloviy stated that the concert organizers initially sent her an invitation, and, interested in the project, she preliminarily agreed to participate. However, she claims that further communication effectively ceased. 'They acted very incorrectly. They invited me. Yes, I was interested. In essence, I agreed. They vanished for two months and then slapped me on the poster,' the singer was quoted as saying by the publication Styler (RBC-Ukraine). At the time the poster was published, neither the performance date, the rider, nor any other organizational details had been agreed upon with her.
The fear of appearing 'stuck-up'
The artist emphasized that having her name listed among the participants without prior approval put her in an awkward position. She said she feared that after the poster was released, her subsequent refusal would be interpreted by the public as a sign of being 'stuck-up' or arrogant. 'They're like: Khrystyna refused! And why did she refuse? Oh, she's like that, she's got a big head... A rebel,' the singer ironically commented on the potential reaction. This, she says, made a public refusal inevitable to prevent a distorted perception of the situation.
Context: the Stepan Higa memorial concert
The musical evening dedicated to the legacy of People's Artist of Ukraine Stepan Higa took place on March 28, 2026, at the Palace of Sports in Kyiv. Over 50 Ukrainian artists participated in the event, performing their own versions of the singer's well-known compositions. The lineup included Stepan Higa's children, Stepan and Kvitoslava Higa, as well as Artem Pyvovarov, FIINKA, alyona alyona, TVORCHI, Olya Tsybulska, Olena Topolia, and others. The program featured hits such as 'Yavorina', 'Tsey son', and 'Zoloto Karpat'.
Soloviy's attitude toward Higa's work
Earlier, before the interview was published, the singer publicly stated that she would not be participating in the memorial concert for Stepan Higa, while simultaneously emphasizing her respect for his musical legacy. 'I have immense respect for the work of Stepan Higa and his creative heritage. But I was unaware that the organizers had added me as a participant. Therefore, I am not participating in the event,' she explained. Stepan Higa passed away on December 12, 2025, at the age of 66; his compositions remain recognizable to several generations of listeners and hold a prominent place in Ukrainian pop music.
It should be noted that the provided materials do not include the position of the concert organizers. All details regarding the nature of the communication and the reasons for the two-month hiatus are presented solely from Khrystyna Soloviy's perspective in her personal interview.
