On the eve of September 1, 2026, the well-known Ukrainian showman, producer, and singer Vadym Mychkovskyi, widely recognized by his stage name Uncle Zhora, gave an exclusive interview to Wave RBC.UA, in which he candidly spoke about his school memories, the family traditions surrounding the start of the school year, and how his younger daughter, Amina, approaches her studies. The artist, whose career is closely tied to comedy shows and event organization, shared that his school years remain one of the warmest periods of his life, and that it is precisely this value he strives to pass on to his children.
The First Bell in Khmelnytskyi: "Navy-Blue Uniforms and Tall Graduates"
Vadym Mychkovskyi, a native of Khmelnytskyi, studied at the city's first school. Despite more than three decades having passed, he recalls the atmosphere of September 1 with a smile: the navy-blue uniform, identical for every student, the tie, the shirt — and the feeling that an entire life stood before you. "You're standing there as a 'first-grader,' and around you are tall graduates. A girl from our class was picked up, some uncle sat her on his shoulder and carried her off, and she was waving that bell. It's a classic, but when you recall it now, it brings back some pleasant memories," the showman recounted. According to him, he was an extremely responsible student: he prepared for the first bell in advance, buying a new backpack, notebooks, and diaries. "I prepared a lot, I took it very seriously. It was an event," he emphasized, adding that all eleven years from bell to bell passed "like a single moment."
Amina and Private School: "She Runs to School, and When There's None, She Misses It"
Vadym's younger daughter, Amina, attends a private school with small classes, where, according to her father, "everyone knows each other well, the teachers are great, and the lessons are great." Mychkovskyi notes that at their school, children work with tablets from an early age, make presentations, defend projects, and even master tools like Canva by the second or third grade. "Everything happens in a grown-up way there — project defenses, presentations. It's engaging, so she literally runs to school. And when there's no school, she misses it, she's eager to get back. So the motivation is there," the showman shared. He emphasizes that Amina approaches her studies with delight rather than forced patience, which, in his view, is the best indicator of a properly built educational environment.
"Mom Is the Director of the Kids, Dad Is the Project Sponsor"
The division of roles in the Mychkovskyi family before September 1, according to Vadym himself, is arranged with absolute clarity and, as he jokes, is "understandable." The artist's wife performs the role of "director of the kids": she prepares, gathers, and buys everything needed. Dad, by his own definition, is the "project sponsor." At the same time, Vadym always tries to be present at the first lineup, even if he has tours or work trips that day. "There have been cases when I missed it, but that's rare. I try to be there, because moments like these won't happen again," he explained. In the morning of September 1, he says, his wife gets the daughter ready, while he "sleeps until the last moment," after which it falls to him to buy flowers for the teachers, make it to the photo session, and attend the buffet after the lineup. "That's actually a very good position for me," the showman noted with irony.
The Main Advice to His Daughter: "Don't Slack Off, Listen to Your Teachers"
Before the start of the new school year, Vadym Mychkovskyi and his wife convey one key message to their daughter: you need to study seriously, not skip classes, listen carefully to teachers, and do your homework. "Later, if you fall a little behind, it's hard to catch up. So we say this right away, because this is exactly the basic education that you'll need going forward," the artist explained. If a child starts falling behind the curriculum, the family hires tutors so that "the child keeps up with the class, keeps up with the program." Mychkovskyi emphasizes that for him this is a matter not so much of academic success as of forming a habit of systematic work, which will be useful throughout the rest of life.
From Humor to Music: A New Chapter in Uncle Zhora's Career
At the end of the interview, Vadym Mychkovskyi spoke about how his creative role has changed in recent years. If humor and the host format were always in the foreground before, now he is increasingly trying himself in the music sphere: writing and performing songs, striving to convey a certain message to people through music. "There are lyrical songs, where the message is one — to touch the heart a little. There are funny songs, where the goal is simple — to lift the mood, to distract. Especially now, in times like these, when you want to give people more positivity," he explained. The showman's main professional line, however, remains event organization — birthdays, weddings, christenings, gender parties. "You have to gather your loved ones and friends and give yourself a little celebration, so that this day is remembered. It will pass, but the memories remain," Mychkovskyi summed up, returning to the topic he began with: the value of warm family memories, whether it's the first bell or any other special day.
