Ruslana Lyzhychko

Ruslana Stepanivna Lyzhychko, known simply as Ruslana, is a famous Ukrainian singer and social activist. She was born on May 24, 1973, in Lviv in western Ukraine, which was then part of the Soviet Union. Her father was Ukrainian and her mother was of Russian heritage. From a young age Ruslana showed musical talent. She started attending a music school at the age of four and sang in children’s music groups. As a teenager, she performed in concerts and gained notice for her strong voice. After finishing high school, Ruslana studied at the Lviv Conservatory. She graduated in 1995 as a classical pianist and orchestra conductor. In the same year, she married Oleksandr Ksenofontov, a Ukrainian music producer. Her husband became her producer, and together they started a production studio to support her career. This family partnership helped launch Ruslana’s journey to musical fame.

Early Music Career and Breakthrough

Ruslana began her professional music career in the mid-1990s. In 1996, she won the Slavianski Bazaar song contest in Belarus. The same year, she was nominated for Ukraine’s Singer of the Year award. In 1998, Ruslana released her debut album, Myt’ Vesny – Dzvinkyj Viter (“A Moment of Spring – Wind Bells”). That album received high praise from music critics in Ukraine. One of her early hit songs was “Svitanok” (“Sunrise”), which had one of the first high-budget music videos in Ukrainian music. This success made Ruslana a well-known pop star in Ukraine. In the late 1990s, she won several music awards, including Person of the Year and Song of the Year in Ukraine. Ruslana also organized charity concerts during this time, such as a tour to restore historic castles in Western Ukraine. By the early 2000s, she was ready for an even bigger breakthrough.

In 2003, Ruslana released her most famous project, the album Dyki Tantsi (Wild Dances). She drew inspiration from the folk music and culture of the Carpathian Mountains in Ukraine. The album mixed modern pop with traditional ethnic sounds, including the Hutsul trembita horn and tribal drums. Wild Dances was a massive hit. It sold more than 170,000 copies in Ukraine in its first 100 days. It became the first album by any artist from the former Soviet Union to go platinum in Ukraine. In total, the Ukrainian and English versions of Wild Dances sold over half a million copies in Ukraine alone. This made it the best-selling Ukrainian album ever at that time.

Eurovision Song Contest 2004 Victory

Ruslana reached international fame by winning the Eurovision Song Contest 2004. She was selected to represent Ukraine at the contest internally with her song “Wild Dances”. “Wild Dances” was a favorite to win, and Ruslana delivered an electrifying show. She won the contest with a record 280 points at the time. Ruslana’s triumph made her a national hero and introduced Ukrainian pop music to a broad European audience.

After Eurovision, “Wild Dances” became a hit across Europe. The song stayed on European music charts for 97 weeks (almost two years) and reached number one in countries like Belgium and Greece. In Belgium it was #1 for ten weeks in a row. Ruslana also received a World Music Award in 2004 as best-selling Ukrainian artist. Her Eurovision victory turned her into one of Eastern Europe’s biggest pop stars. She was given the title People’s Artist of Ukraine, one of the country’s highest honors for artists, by the Ukrainian president.

Ruslana’s success opened doors for her internationally. She performed in many European countries and even appeared in the United States. Her repertoire expanded to include songs in Ukrainian and English, and she recorded some songs in other languages like Spanish as well. Ruslana remains one of the most globally recognized Ukrainian singers. 

Political Involvement and the Orange Revolution

After her musical triumphs, Ruslana became deeply involved in political and social causes in Ukraine. In late 2004, Ukraine experienced the Orange Revolution, a series of mass protests demanding fair elections. Ruslana actively supported this pro-democracy movement. She dedicated her song “Dance with the Wolves” to the Orange Revolution and often performed it for the crowds. During the revolution, she publicly supported the opposition candidate Viktor Yushchenko, who was fighting against a fraudulent election result. Ruslana stood alongside other public figures on the protest stage, using her fame to encourage and energize the demonstrators. Thanks in part to such support, the protests succeeded in forcing a new vote, and Yushchenko became President.

Ruslana’s activism during the Orange Revolution showed her commitment to democracy. It also led her to a brief career in formal politics. In 2006, she was elected as a member of Ukraine’s parliament (Verkhovna Rada) under the Our Ukraine party. She served as a Member of Parliament for about a year, from 2006 to 2007. However, Ruslana later stepped away from party politics and returned her focus to music and independent activism. In the 2010 elections, she continued to voice support for pro-Western candidates, but she mostly stayed out of direct politics thereafter.

Leading Role in the Euromaidan Protests

In 2013–2014, Ruslana once again took center stage in a historic Ukrainian protest movement. This time it was the Euromaidan protests (also known as the Maidan Uprising) which began in November 2013. These protests erupted after the government decided not to sign a partnership agreement with the European Union, sparking public outrage. Ruslana emerged as one of the leading figures of Euromaidan from the very first days. She was literally on the main square (Maidan Nezalezhnosti in Kyiv) every day and night during the cold winter months of the protest. Ruslana would stay on stage for up to ten hours at night, singing and speaking to keep the crowd’s energy and hope alive. Every hour, she led the people in singing the Ukrainian national anthem to boost morale. Her dedication was so strong that she often slept only a couple of hours on the floor of a building nearby before returning to sing again.

Ruslana’s presence helped prevent clashes by encouraging non-violence. Despite facing danger – including death threats and being targeted by snipers – Ruslana refused to back down. After the protests succeeded and Ukraine’s old regime fell in early 2014, Ruslana was honored for her bravery. In March 2014, the United States Department of State gave her the International Women of Courage Award for her role. She was also named by Forbes as one of the 10 most influential women of 2013 for her impact on Ukraine’s future. 

Humanitarian and Energy Activism

Beyond music and politics, Ruslana has devoted much of her time to humanitarian causes and energy activism. In 2004–2005, after her Eurovision win, she was appointed as a Goodwill Ambassador for UNICEF in Ukraine. She launched a campaign called “Not For Sale” to raise awareness about human trafficking and released songs and videos to support it. Ruslana performed at international anti-trafficking events and used her fame to help vulnerable young people. Over the years, Ruslana also organized and joined many charity concerts. For example, she held a large charity concert in 2005 for children affected by the Chernobyl nuclear disaster. In 2007, she teamed up with German rock singer Peter Maffay on a tour across Europe to raise funds for children in need. 

Ruslana is also an outspoken advocate for renewable energy and environmental issues. She believes that clean energy from the sun, wind, and water can help Ukraine be independent and prosperous. In 2008, she started a creative campaign called Wild Energy, which combined music with a message about adopting renewable energy sources. Through this project, she wanted to make people aware of climate change and the importance of sustainable energy. Ruslana even released songs and a music album around this theme, blending her artistic work with activism. In September 2018, Ruslana was appointed a global ambassador for renewable energy by the Global 100% Renewable Energy platform. 

Recent Work and Role During the 2022 War

In 2022, Ukraine faced a full-scale invasion by Russia, and Ruslana once again stepped up as a voice of her nation. When Russia launched its attack in February 2022, Ruslana immediately appealed to the world for support. She posted a heartfelt message on her social media urging the global community to stand united with Ukraine. During the war, Ruslana used her platform to share reliable information and encourage citizens to assist in defense efforts responsibly. 

As the war continued, Ruslana also took action outside of Ukraine’s borders. In May 2022, she traveled to Istanbul, Turkey, to speak at a press conference and urge Turkey’s president to help protect Ukrainian civilians. She stood alongside mothers of Ukrainian soldiers from Mariupol, highlighting the human cost of the conflict.

Ruslana found creative ways to keep performing despite the dangers. She held a concert in an underground metro station in Kyiv – a place often used as a bomb shelter – to raise the morale of people during attacks. She also participated in benefit concerts. In August 2023, for example, Ruslana led a large open-air concert in Tallinn, Estonia, to celebrate Ukraine’s Independence Day alongside Estonia’s own Independence celebration. 

Even amid conflict, Ruslana continues to create new music. In March 2022, she released a song titled “I’m Alive”, which she dedicated to Ukrainian civilians and soldiers who lost their lives in the war. The song delivered a message that Ukraine will survive and remember its heroes.

In early 2023, Ruslana appeared at a Eurovision-related event in Liverpool, UK, and announced that she was working on a new studio album.