Okean Elzy: "Не твоя війна" - "Not your war" - New single, new video!

© Okean Elzy

The main idea of the song, hidden in its title, is that for many centuries external thoughts, acts and even wars were imposed on Ukrainians. However, now is the time to take responsibility and initiative in our own hands.  "The key battle is within each of us, within our society. "Your war" - is the battle with your own prejudice and fears to change anything, to take control over events and not just blame "somebody somewhere". This is extremely difficult, however without this, there is no bright future for a person, the society or the country", - said Vakarchuk.

© Okean Elzy

Songwriting began last October and the first part was created in 5 minutes only. Svyatoslav: "I wrote the chorus in one go. I sat down at the piano and did not change a word: I just sat down and I started playing. I then realized that I was emotionally fatigued and that I could not write anything else. I had to wait... The songwriting was completed in January 2015."

© Okean Elzy

Director of the video is Howard Greenhalgh: he already worked with Okean Elzy for the video clip of the song 'Обійми - Obiymy'.

© Okean Elzy

The main idea of the video is to represent the wait-and-see approach of people that do not take initiatives on their own... acting as flipping again and again a coin with "lucky-not lucky" sides.

At the end of the video, the coin disappears: the conclusion is that the community has always a chance to make things change: everything is in its own hands!

© Okean Elzy

The filming of the video for "Not your war" took place in Kiev at the end of March. Fans were invited to participate in it on social networks. About 400 people attended to this. Some of these fans came from Cherkasy, Lviv, Mykolaiv, Kherson and even from Simferopol-Crimea!




Svyatoslav said that this song could be included in the forthcoming album... but it's too early to decide on that point. Wait & see... :)

English translation of this song can be found here.

Director: Howard Greenhalgh
Song producer: Svyatoslav Vakarchuk
Keyboards arrangements: Milos Jelic
Additional musicians from the National Chamber Ensemble "Kyiv Soloists' Choir and Song and Dance Ensemble of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.  
Sound engineers: Bob Ludwig & Adam Ayan / Gateway Mastering Studios

Source: Okean Elzy Official