On the scene of the new jubilee season of one of the most popular «Voice» programs, the first came Zhytomyr Olexander Kalenda, to which all the judges returned. The Zhytomyr team. Travel wondered if it was easy to be the first, but at the same time decided to find out about Retro21 band, whose frontman was Sasha for several years
«We went to China a few years ago as a group. There were many hopes, plans, many people believed in us, helped. Our business seemed to have a development, a perspective, and at that moment we were certain – we were «played». However, everything just resisted the money: we sat in Zhytomyr, almost did not go anywhere. Well, we went to Kiev, Kharkov on our own means. Some people have met us – so-called producers. The mountains of gold were offered, but nothing serious came of it, because in our understanding the producer is a person who takes and leads … We wanted to record an album, make a good quality concert, and everything remained at the amateur level. Everything was against the money»
«We’ve never had a desire to prove something to anyone – we just did what we like. Now there is no Retro21 band, it’s just a cover band that makes money. This is a normal process when groups grow and disperse. However, when we diverged, it was very difficult»
«I didn’t want to go to China very much. Well, why China? For what? If there is a home, people, brains, strength, you can make money here as well. This is all real, normal – there are many examples. And the Chinese guys wanted a «hard» job: you do what you like, and they pay money for it. Many people after the music school or conservatory all went to Turkey on that «wave» looking for such a job or corporate events – small concerts. And most people like that. I was the only one who was against traveling to China – the guys were already sitting on their suitcases. We then converged, then diverged. And so a year has passed. I suddenly realized that the guys were going to meet me: they could go, but they listen to me and they don’t go anywhere. And it was hard for me to realize that we have been playing for three years, going from pub to pub, going to concerts, everyone is fed up, we are fed up with ourselves – we have «outplayed». We had to unload and we found a contract and went to China»
«I wasn’t thinking much about where we were going – I just wanted to go somewhere. We had a contract, documents. Our lawyer have reviewed them, confirmed that everything is good. The parents were, of course, worried, but we were positive: «Let’s go, super!» And I didn’t look at anything, just as if I closed my eyes, flew and found myself in another world. I didn’t even realize I was far from home»
«You can look at everything from different perspectives, in terms of positives and complete darkness. I try to always look at everything from a positive point of view, because then there is meaning and hope. If you look on the negative side, there is some sense, but it is not inspiring. For us, China was a test we had to pass. In fact, it was a cool opportunity that not everyone in my life was given, and I realized it in about half a year. I changed there as a person, the world became different, I became different. There’s a different understanding of life, a different outlook, other people, different food. You came – everything else is like a dream! Buddhism in China is real. They are not interested in them – they live in them: absolutely calm, always smiling. You sit in a taxi to the driver and he is in a white shirt, smiling and wishing you a good day. All right, you’re good. You go into the store – everyone is very friendly. Contrast to our reality, we have a lot of aggression in the atmosphere, in people, in communication, in views. The Chinese are extremely hard working, and it’s very simple to explain: if a person works poorly, there will be a huge number of those who work better. To their level you want to pull yourself up – to their calmness, smiles. Although there is an understanding that you will never be like them, you are attracted by the fact that you see everything and feel you home»
«Thanks to my girlfriend, I got to know China; it was she who showed me extraordinary or historic places. However, sometimes small things, household, were struck. There was a case when I was very sad, the guys left, I stayed alone and went to the cafe – chinarium. And there all the people are smiling, trying to talk to you. They do not interfere with language proficiency at all – there is a «translator» on the phone. The girl poured me tea, we drank it silently, watching the cars go down the street. And it was so peaceful! I thought then that I did not feel such peace here. Their ancient wisdom is everywhere»
«I am a believer, and I have told myself since childhood that the main thing is good, love and respect. And everything I do, I have to relate to that, include that. It may have been a parental initiative, because they put everything in me bright and well, I think they brought me up well»
«It was hard to adapt after returning, Difficult. It’s been a year and now I’m getting used to it. This is largely due to Voice, because I am busy and needed at home in Ukraine. I had the opportunity to go to work abroad again, but I realized that if I did, I would be a big fool. I was held back by a project because I want to work here – to create, write, play. It’s perfect when you’re home!»
«How did I decide? And how much could you wait? What to expect? There was a time when I watched a video on YouToube or on TV, I thought it would be cool for me to participate, but something was disturbing. I thought I was not cool enough singing, and then I realized the simple truth: if I get high of it and I like what I do, I have to go there. I don’t have to think I’m good or bad. Well, people who influence me positively, believe in me, support me. And they wing me! So there is some sense in what I do, because it is possible to stay in the thoughts: whether to go or not. And then time will pass and there will be other worries, and I want to develop»
«An artist is one thing and a musician or performer is another. The artist should be able to do everything, be interesting, diverse. Some of those people, and maybe most who have done well, have graduated from the conservatories doing what they were taught to do well. And then they don’t understand why they don’t want to become an artist. But for a real artist, just doing a good job is not enough»
«If I say, «I don’t need glory, I just want a lot of people to hear me …» That is glory, but I don’t want to focus on that. Just fame itself is not needed by anyone. The point is that people will hear my message, understand what I think and want to express. This is the true meaning of this and in fact, life in Zhytomyr is perfect, and very often I do not notice our problems»
«I used to be very fond of Kyiv: rush, people, events, would like to work there, but never wanted to live. The same amount of songs, so much music was written in Zhytomyr, there are so many people here that you like as a family, as a home exchange. This was not enough everywhere! Even in China, we fell asleep with the thought of Pleasantville burgers (Laughs)»
«Creative people know about one interesting thing: when loud, fun, with positive attitude – it always works. The performer may not feel it and the listeners will perceive it. So once we wrote «The Sun» – a song about mood. We recorded it for some time in the backyard on the guitar, and two or three days later we recorded it. Everything was so enthusiastic: «Everything is cool, cool, come on.» I generally love everything new happening»
«I have a dream: to live in a studio. I want a studio house where you can record your works. There are such studios in Europe, America, but I don’t know if we have any. When a musician is sick of music, he cannot fall asleep: he has rhymes in his head or melody, he cannot sleep, turns on the light, picks up a guitar and plays until the morning, because there are lots of genius ideas in his head (Laughs). And I want to do anything , to record what was born at this time, because in the morning when you wake up tomorrow is no longer the same. Probably the emotion for music is the main point: when you are torn apart because something is being born, this «something» can be very cool, you have to write down right now. Dictaphone is a brilliant thing, a huge thank to its inventors, I have all the tunes right away and recorded»
«When I started singing, my knees were shaking like never before in my life! Especially when the light came on. I prepared a few songs, but I chose this one because it was about mood – it had to be fun. And when I started singing, the excitement went somewhere. It is very good that friends and my mom at that moment were beside me»
«The Voice of the Country is the coolest platform for musicians, creative people who sing and want to be heard. If music is not just a hobby for you, if you live it, try yourself. It will or will not work – it’s another story, but you have to try. This is a chance and the chance cannot be lost. And yet in front of you are those whom you have seen on television since childhood. Monatik for me, in general, is the king of pop, who has changed the whole industry. It was a great honor to join him, to communicate with him. I thanked the entire universe for what happened to me, for the fact that fate brought me to such people. Everything is cool there!For some time I did not quite understand what they really were, the stars, I thought, whether or not holograms (Laughs) I stood and did not understand what was happening to me. Just a block!»
«I have very warm memories of those times when creative people came back to Kavomania, returned to something new and unusual – films, paintings, music. It was a cool circle of communication, the place is cool. I’m sorry there is no such place now, I would like to make it in Zhitomir»
