Assia Ahhatt speaks with us about the power of music and the importance to her of giving a voice to the people of her homeland, Ukraine, in her new single and music video, ‘I Dance For Gods‘.
Assia, this song is incredibly powerful – recording ‘I Dance For Gods’ in Kyiv while your city is under siege takes unimaginable courage. What drives you to create art in the midst of such danger?
I started playing the violin at the age of five, and my entire life has been dedicated to music. I don’t remember myself without the violin. It has always been with me – in every journey, every performance, every moment. A violinist must work like a craftsman every single day, without interruption. But when the war began on February 24, 2022, like everyone in my country, I was overwhelmed with shock and fear after the Russian invasion. Explosions shook my city, and for a time I couldn’t even pick up my violin. We were all thinking not only about ourselves, but about how to protect our loved ones, how to survive, and hide from death. Later, I returned – of course, I returned – to music. Now I have created an album in the Global Music style, because I want the whole world to hear it. I want every person to find something familiar, something that speaks to their own culture, and at the same time to discover the culture of my ancient country, Ukraine. I wrote both the music and the lyrics, shaping them with Ukrainian ethnic influences. Through this music, I am reaching out to the world – asking to be heard, understood, and supported.
You’re a Grammy-nominated violin prodigy who’s shared stages with Robert Plant and Jean-Luc Ponty – that’s amazing! How does this tribute to Ukraine feel different from your other work?
Yes, I have been fortunate to perform with legendary musicians such as Robert Plant, Jean-Luc Ponty, Chris Botti, Eric Serra, Kurt Elling, and Wisin. I have played across many different styles and genres, and each collaboration was invaluable. But this project is truly different. It is unique because all of the music and lyrics were written by me during the war in my country. That alone makes it deeply personal, and of course, the pain and suffering of this time are reflected in the sound. At the same time, I wanted to show another dimension: even when the air raid sirens are echoing outside, a woman remains a woman. She still wants to be beautiful, tender, sensual, to give love, to create something meaningful, and share it with others. That, to me, is strength – not allowing war to destroy our femininity, our humanity, or our ability to create.
Working with Lonnie Park, who’s got 3 Grammys under his belt – what was that collaboration like? Did he bring something special to capture Ukraine’s story?
Lonnie Park is a gifted musician, composer, vocalist, and true sound architect. He became the co-producer of this album with me. For me, he is a man of depth and truth. Lonnie is not just a Grammy winner – he is someone who hears music not only in the notes, but in the meaning. He was one of the first to tell me, “You must speak the truth. This music is being born during a war, and the world needs to know that”. As co-producer, he brought in unique vocalists and instrumentalists, and together we created music about love and pain, about loss and hope, about good and evil. His involvement was not just professional work – it was an act of support for me, for our team, and for my country. It was Lonnie who suggested the title Born in Kyiv, which was absolutely right – painful, but precise. I am truly grateful we walked this path together. This album also carries his voice, his heart, and his music. And through him, incredible musicians from around the world joined the project, expressing their support with their sounds and improvisations.
You mention collecting sounds from “every corner of your country” and blending Ukrainian ethnic vocals with modern elements. How do you even begin to represent an entire nation’s soul in one song?
Of course, it is impossible to fully capture the soul of a nation in just one song – but I tried. I wove together the voices, rhythms, and instruments from different regions of Ukraine so that every corner of the country could be heard. It became like a mosaic, where every fragment matters. At the same time, as a modern person, I wanted to blend Ukrainian ethnic voices and language with elements from other cultures and to add a contemporary sound. I sang with my high soprano voice – lyrics that are very feminine and tender, close to me as a modern woman living in this chaotic world. In this interplay of ancient and modern, I tried to express the soul of my country. Because Ukraine is not only about ancient traditions and ethnic roots – it is also a powerful, modern nation at the very heart of Europe.
Being from Kyiv yourself, this has to be deeply personal. What does Ukraine mean to you as an artist, especially now?
Ukraine is my homeland. I was born in Kyiv, and this city, this country, gave me everything I have. My parents, my grandmother who raised me, my friends, my childhood filled with constant music lessons, my youth – all of it is tied to music and to the violin. Today, as my country endures the horrors brought by Russia, I want to help and to protect my land in any way I can. Before the war, Ukraine was a country of the highest standards in every sphere – in culture and the arts, in science and technology, in daily life. And as a Ukrainian, I carry this pain and feel a responsibility to support my people. I believe I must use every opportunity, including my position as a member of the Recording Academy and a voting member of the Grammys, to tell the world the truth. To remind people not to forget about Ukraine’s tragedy, but to continue to support us and help us defend ourselves. That is why I create music that speaks to this reality: that we are a modern nation, we love life, we want to love, to create joy for one another, and we want to live in peace. My entire album Born in Kyiv is about exactly that.
The video was shot right there in Kyiv – and Roman, your woodwind player, got just one day off from the battlefield to participate. That’s incredible. What was filming like with air raid sirens in the distance?
It was incredibly moving, and at the same time heartbreaking. Roman Salyuk is a professional musician, a virtuoso who plays a vast number of wooden wind instruments. He is also a father of three small children, yet he went to the front lines to defend Ukraine. His commander gave him just one day of leave to record his improvisations for the Born in Kyiv album in the studio. Later, during the filming of the video in Kyiv, he was granted only a few hours to appear in the shoot. Sadly, today, men of all professions are forced to defend our country. Musicians, actors, scientists – people who never trained for war – now take up arms to protect their mothers, sisters, wives, and children. It is terrifying to think about, and almost impossible to believe. In the modern world, where science and technology advance so rapidly for peaceful purposes, where there is so much beauty and discovery to be made, one cannot imagine that someone would choose war. Yet some people seem to care only for destruction, pain, and death. Even now, it is hard for me to accept that this has become our reality.
You sing in invented languages sometimes, but this feels so rooted in Ukrainian tradition. How do you balance your experimental side with honoring your homeland?
I truly love to experiment. Throughout my career I have explored many different styles and directions in music, and I feel it is a gift to be able to move freely between them.
For this album, it was especially exciting for me – as a producer, performer, vocalist, and violinist – to combine ethnic and modern voices, violin solos, African rhythms, Indian sounds, instruments and voices from many cultures. At the same time, it was deeply important to me to work with Ukrainian folklore, contemporary Ukrainian lyrics, and my own high soprano voice – tender, trembling, feminine. I am proud of my violin solos on this record, which span genres from ethnic to pop to jazz. I am profoundly grateful to all the musicians and vocalists – extraordinary artists from America and many other countries – who contributed their professionalism and their culture to this album. It became an incredible symbiosis, a true unity of people from around the world, creating beauty together and supporting Ukraine.
“We dance for the gods, but we live for the people” – that’s beautiful. What does the support from fans around the world mean to you right now?
For me, it is an incredible source of strength. When I receive support from people all over the world, I feel that we are not alone. That inspires me to keep going. I truly love it when people write to me, ask questions, and share their feelings. I try to respond to everyone, and I see it as a personal connection. Because when people give you their love, their attention, and their time – that is priceless. I believe that there are far more good people in this world – people who care about the future, about the well-being of children, about beauty, stability, and love – than those who bring destruction. And I hold on to that belief. I believe in reason.
Before we wrap up, is there anything else you’d like people to know?
I want us all to live in peace — a world of sun, light, and kindness, without borders or hatred. A world where we love and respect one another, where life is pure, honest, and free of violence. I dream of a time when children fall asleep not to the sound of sirens but to laughter and songs; when mothers no longer cry out of fear for their sons; when people meet not on the battlefield, but around one table. It is so simple, and yet so difficult. I believe that love is stronger than hate, that beauty and art can heal souls. And if each of us keeps even a little light, kindness, and humanity in our hearts, then the world will finally become what it was always meant to be. After all, we must remember what life was truly given to us for.
Watch the moving music video for ‘I Dance For Gods’ below, and find out more about Assia Ahhatt and her music online on her official website, YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram.
