As already said in an older post, I find interesting to know where readers of this blog are from and which are the most popular posts...
The reason for this is simple: I want to provide you with information that fits your needs! :)
Where are you, dear reader?
Here is the top ten countries for December & January:
I have to say that I am not that much surprised about these statistics:
Large Ukrainian communities can be found around the world, mainly in North America - USA & Canada. Hopefully, you now can share some information in English with family and friends who do not speak Ukrainian... :))
Most of Okean Elzy's fans are Ukrainians, Russians & Belarussians.
If you can easily find some information on the web about our
favorite rock band (in Ukrainian or Russian languages), I suppose that you are also interested in seeing how some of them are transmitted by a
Westerner to Westerners. :) I hope you enjoy it.
Some European fans contacted me last year to get some information in English about Okean Elzy. I hope that you find here what you are looking for.
Besides this, some of the visitors are from the most unexpected places of the world... and I like it! India, Turkey, Australia, Brazil, Argentina, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Madagascar, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia…
Okean Elzy must be known worldwide! It seems that we are on the right track...
Wherever you are, whatever is the reason of your visit here...
Thank you very much, all of you!
A blog is nothing without a reader... :)
What are the most popular posts?
Okean Elzy Lviv concert, 24 August 2014: I know that you like watching videos and seeing pictures of past concerts. :) And I must admit that this show in Lviv was amazing. I remember that I watched it live on the web and it moved me deeply. This was a great event!
Okean of Emotions: Why a French fan decided to create a blog devoted to Okean Elzy... Of course, my interest for Slavic languages/cultures/countries is something that sounds strange for most of people in the West... and for my Ukrainians friends too! "How the hell could you be interested in this - especially in learning Ukrainian language - if it is not necessary? What's the use?!..." I am now used to answer: "And what is the use of Love?! Do you need any "reason" to love someone or something?"... Yes, this is an old love story I have with Ukraine. And that's all!
Okean Elzy - the albums. I am pleased to inform you that I will post soon some information about the first O.E. album, "Demo 94/95"... an album that has never been released! :) I hope you'll enjoy it.
Make yourself heard!
As already said, this blog would be nothing without a reader... So, if you want to:
share with other fans some documents, videos, links...
send me comments, remarks, suggestions...
ask specific questions...
Feel free to contact me at the following email address:
First of all, I must say that, like in London, I didn't have the opportunity to transmit to Svyatoslav Vakarchurk the special gift I created for him. Honestly, I didn't expect to meet Svyatoslav or any other member of the band: I know that being on tour is exhausting and that they were to busy for this. But I was in touch with the Organizer of the concert who proposed me, a few days ago, to help me: he was supposed to give my booklet to Vakarchuk...
Unfortunately, I quickly understood that he was too busy and that he would never have a single minute to give me his attention - in fact, he gave the appearance to be busy, running round like headless chickens and doing nothing concrete! :) He was there to show that he was the boss... not to help anyone!
If this was a bit frustrating, I must admit that I found it very funny. But after a few minutes, I focused my attention on the spectators - it was much more interesting!
I then talked with very friendly Ukrainians - but aren't all Ukrainians friendly? :) We exchanged for several minutes about:
The interest of learning foreign languages;
How I've discovered Okean Elzy, my blog in English & my translations of Vakarchuk's texts into French: it seems that, if it sounds strange to Westerners, Ukrainians are also very surprised (and are very proud!) to know that French people could be interested in Ukrainian music & culture! :) But what makes me want to move on these projects is the positive feedbacks I receive since several months from Ukrainian, Russian & Belarussian fans! Thanks to you, my friends!
Why Ukrainians are now frequently wearing the colors of their country: the Ukrainian flag, vyshyvankas, etc. and why the Okean Elzy's official communication is now mainly in Ukrainian (and no more in Russian). This is something I understand: In critical time, people need to come together on common values.
This was a really good discussion and I had a very good time!
Like in London, the band performed about 25 songs, mixing high energy songs and romantic ballads. Within the audience, I travelled through 20 years of music and poetry... It has been an incredible experience! I would have liked this concert to never ends...
People are frequently asking me about how I have discovered Okean Elzy and why I decided to create this personal blog... It seems that the time has come for me to give you some explanation!
In fact, all of this is another step in this old love story I have with Ukraine - but, honestly, I realized this only a few years ago... :)
Everything started when I was about 8: There was a record at home of traditional Ukrainian & Russian folk songs and I was used to listening to it for hours! It was clear for me: I didn't understand what was said, but I had the feeling that there was so much emotion, so much life in these songs that they touched my heart. Everything was so beautiful! Music, melodies, voices... But, on top of this, I fell madly in love with Slavic languages! The sounds in Ukrainian or Russian are so different from French ones! (and from all of those of the other European languages I was used to listening to on TV or on the radio...)
As I love to sing since I can speak - that's what my mother says ;-) - I suppose that I tried to sing in Ukrainian & Russian when I was listening to this record... But it was difficult. I realized that I had to take Ukrainian and Russian courses... And that's what I told my parents! :)
Photogr. Ukn.
The thing is that it was the Cold War... And that learning these languages would have been of no use for a French girl! My parents are open-minded people but they explained to me that I'd better learn English first - a very good option at that time! Regarding Russian and Ukrainian languages, I would have time to learn them later...
As I grew up, I was looking for any kind of information I could get about Ukraine and Russia. I was reading books, watching films, etc. I've discovered the cultures of these countries and... I fell deeper and deeper in love with them!
Once I've finished University, I was looking for a job... And it was quite depressing. :) So, to keep my mind active, I bought a book to learn Russian by myself - I had to start somewhere! What would be the use of doing this? I didn't know. I only wanted to understand a bit that language: it helps understanding the soul of a country!
This was about 20 years ago!
I today too rarely use my knowledge of Russian language... I've almost forgotten everything! So the question for me was "What would be the use to learn Ukrainian?"... I didn't know... And didn't try to... until January! :)
Photogr. Unkn.
In 2011, Ukraine started to occupy a greater place in my heart.
The thing is that I've given a Ukrainian name to my daughter, Oxana. Her teacher asked her where this beautiful name was coming from and, as she was only 6 years old, she couldn't answer. I exchanged later with her on my interest about Slavic cultures and she told me: "Mum! I want to learn Ukrainian!" :)) My God! What's going on with us?! :))
It was also the time when everybody was speaking about the European Football Cup to take place in Poland and in Ukraine... It was as if Europeans were discovering that Ukraine was existing! There was information about that country everyday.
This is also the moment I started to write poetry in French, my mother tongue... This is what brings me to Vakarchuk's world!
One of the first poems I wrote was about the Ocean. I was looking for a nice music to illustrate my post on my blog and I've discovered by chance that video:
It was love at first listen! I didn't understand a word but... I found it amazing! This music, the melody, the voice... and the sounds of that Slavic language - that was for sure not Russian! The question was "Who was singing such a hypnotic song? Who's got such a warm voice? Who composed this?... and what language was this?" I quickly get some information (in Russian!) on the Web and started to buy Okean Elzy's albums.
Last year, in December, I created this video for my daughter, Oxana:
Sorry for my strange accent... but at that moment I didn't know a word of Ukrainian! :)) But, luckily, because I had found a good English translation of this song, I knew what I was singing! :)
Well... I received so many messages from Central, Eastern and Western Europe about it - saying that it was beautiful! :) - that I've decided to learn a bit of Ukrainian language to improve my accent...
I bought books to learn it by myself in January and, as expected, I fell deeper and deeper in love with this language! I also started to translate Vakarchuk's lyrics into French... What I've discovered was (again!) so amazing! I couldn't keep such a poetry for myself and started to share these translations here or there on the web... The feedback I get is so enthusiastic! Yes, these words are beautiful and must be shared worldwide!
Since February, I'm in touch with the members of the Official Fan-Club. I found there a real family! Virtual friends can warm up your soul... I'm receiving so much love from Ukraine, Russia & Belarus that I wanted to show a fraction of the love that these friends showed me. That's why I decided to create this blog.
Like Vakarchuk himself, his fans have beautiful souls... They all deserve a relay to change the point of view that Westerners usually have about Central & Eastern Europe! :) I hope this blog can be helpful to break down the walls between us! Vakarchuk's music is the best ambassador to promote Slavic cultures worldwide...
I have to say that I am not that much surprised about these statistics: 
