Going to war often means going to death, so not everyone can go the way of the samurai, says the performer
This year Maria Burmaka is celebrating her creative anniversaries – 35 years ago her debut album “Oh, don’t knock, it’s spring!” was released. and 15 years since she was awarded the title of People's Artist of Ukraine. However, her life’s journey included not only high awards and all-Ukrainian glory.. There were enough bruises and bumps, mental trauma and tears.
About meeting presidents and friendship with Ukrainian singers, about folklore expeditions and writing folk songs, about recording albums in the Kiev church and Canada, about divorce and the death of relatives – Maria Burmaka openly spoke about all this in an interview with Telegraph .
Showed the award to the dying mother
— Maria, what do these dates, this album and these titles mean to you now?
— I recorded the album in the Holy Intercession Church on Podol in Kyiv, then the building was in disrepair, there was some kind of warehouse there. At night, I sat with a guitar in the place where the altar is now, and, in fact, sang my songs.
I received the title 20 years later – in January 2009 – during the opening of the restored memorial in the hetman's capital Baturyn. At that time my mother was very ill; she was in the hospital after her second operation.. I went straight from Baturin to her and showed my insignia as a People's Artist. Mom was very happy for me. It is these emotions of hers that are the most important to me.
— In addition to the title of People’s Artist, you have the Order of Princess Olga, III degree. What other orders and medals are there?
— I would like to note that the Order of Princess Olga is very beautiful, almost a decoration. But it never occurred to me that you could wear it on yourself. Apart from this insignia and the titles “Honored” and “People’s”, I have no awards. By the way, for some reason people believe that holders of these insignia have some kind of benefits from the state. At least I don't know anything about it. They say that there may be an increase in pension, but I don’t look that far. In general, I’m not sure that Ukrainians can hope to receive pensions in the future, given what is happening now with the country’s economy.
Her songs went to the people
— Why did you label your original songs as folk songs on your debut album?
— At the university, we traveled to villages on expeditions to collect folklore. In reality, few of the grandparents remembered any unknown songs. It happened that one grandmother would remember two lines, another even less.. Then I decided – I had to pass the internship – to finish some songs myself. She also came up with melodies and sang them here and there.
With one such song – “Oh, someone’s rue-myata” – I even performed at “Chervoniy Ruta” and said that this is folk art. When I recorded my album, which included these songs, it was necessary to indicate their authorship, so I decided, in order not to count my lines, to indicate that they were completely folk.
I'm very happy that I did this. Because then I heard other performers who sang my songs as folk songs. But the biggest impression was when in Jerzy Hoffmann’s film “With Fire and Sword”, in the wedding scene, I heard my song “Oh Chiya to Ruta-M’yata” performed by Lada Gorpenko. After that, the song, as they say, went to the people – many groups sing it. I think that I, as an author, have fulfilled my mission – there are folk songs that I wrote.
— How many songs have you written and sung during your creative life?
– About two hundred. By the way, in 1991, in Canada, I recorded the album “Maria” and while working I had the opportunity to talk by phone with Kvitka Tsisyk. At that time, she was an ordinary singer from America who was working on her album of Ukrainian songs and wanted to meet me. It turned out that she truly had an angelic voice, not only when she sang, but also when she spoke.
—Have you ever sung or composed poetry in Russian?
– Never! Although many are surprised: “You are from Kharkov and you sing in Ukrainian!” Yes – because I am a Ukrainian singer from the Ukrainian city of Kharkov! So now, figuratively speaking, I have nothing to apologize for.. Also, I never went into politics and I should not apologize for this, unlike Slava Vakarchuk…
Introduced Nikolai Mozgovoy to Viktor Yushchenko
— After “Chervona Ruta” in 1989, you were persecuted in the press during Soviet times, but did this happen during the times of Independence?
— They say that somewhere in the archives there are “angry letters from residents of Chernivtsi,” as a result of which several articles appeared about the low level of the festival itself and the rampant bourgeois nationalism there.
At that time, there were special departments at universities, so they “invited” me there to explain what I was singing? I brought with me a book of poems by Alexander Oles, published in 1961 and a little later banned and withdrawn from circulation. My father found these books somewhere and brought them home. Those who called me had nothing to say to my argument, and they did not touch me anymore.
During the times of Independence there was no bullying, there was silence and “ignorance”. And there was also an opportunistic approach. For example, under Yanukovych people were often invited to a concert and then canceled. Some kind of self-censorship…
– At that time, Nikolai Mozgovoy stood up for you in the public space – were you friends with the Maestro or his daughter?
— Alena and I still communicate on social networks. During his lifetime, Nikolai Mozgovoy treated me very well. At one time, it was I who introduced him to Viktor Yushchenko. We were friends. This was before he became president.
Once I interviewed Alexander Ponomarev, Viktor Andreevich called me and invited me to visit. And having learned where I was and with whom, I also invited Sasha and his father-in-law, Nikolai Mozgovoy. So we all went.
Wrote a song for Ani Lorak
— How did it happen that you, Bogdan Benyuk and Ivan Malkovich are godfathers?
— The idea to invite Bogdan and Yarina, Ivan’s wife, to the godfathers belongs to my ex-husband Dmitry. They were all Hutsuls and had known each other for a long time. That's how they christened our daughter.
— Benyuk, like Vakarchuk, also went into politics. Did Bogdan Mikhailovich say – isn’t he ashamed of it?
— I haven’t talked to Bogdan about this, so I don’t know whether he’s happy or not. By the way, I look a little like Oksana Bilozir, and some people get confused and think that it was me who was the Minister of Culture. But I never aspired to be a politician, although I think I could.
— April 6 was Irina Bilyk’s birthday , and you are old friends. Were you friends with any of the singers who later became traitors – Lorak, Povaliy, Koroleva, Milyavskaya?
— We have been friends with Bilyk since 1989, our lives sometimes intersected very closely. I think there would be an interesting book about this. As for others, I only related to Ani Lorak. One day, composer Sergei Krutsenko asked me, and I wrote the song “Vibirai” for her.. She, it seems, performed it at the Taurian Games…
— What exactly should the book about you and Irina Bilyk be about?
— Naturally, there are moments that I want to remember and talk about, but there are things that I’m not sure that Ira and I will ever decide to tell how our destinies were intertwined. I’m sure it would be an interesting not only book, but also a film about us.
Married twice and divorced twice
— I read your comments about the tragic death of your ex-husband, Dmitry Nebesiychuk. I remember how during his life you refused to talk about him. Why did his death change your views on these issues?
— Not all people are ready for publicity… Our life with Dmitry was not easy. We got married twice and divorced twice. But no miracle happened. We haven't become complete strangers because we have a daughter together. Despite all the problems in his family life, Dmitry was a wonderful person and he did a lot of useful things for many.. For example, it was he, as a lawyer, who helped Ivan Malkovich register the publishing house “A-BA-BA-GA-LA-MA-GA”. I want him to remain in my memory this way.
—Are you happy in your personal life now? Because the other day you posted the song “Dosch”, in which there are very sad lines: “Go – like the road. Like a plank – don’t look around”…
— In fact, I posted the song for the birthday of the poet Anatoly Kichinsky, on whose poems I wrote it. I often have wet eyes, but not because of my personal life.
Now I'm happy, in love, and I hope they love me too. But I don’t want to tell you the details, precisely for the reasons that were stated above.. I'm not alone and I'm very glad about it.
— By the way, the photograph for this track was taken by Yarina Nebesiychuk, your daughter. Why didn't she connect her life with show business?
— Yarina graduated from music school and plays the guitar beautifully, sometimes participating in concerts. But she, like no one else, knows the other side of show business, and is sure that her daughter does not want to be in this environment. She doesn't like the adrenaline of public speaking, although she sings beautifully and loves to do it.
Going to war means going to death
— Didn’t the death of your brother Svyatoslav make you tougher and more ruthless?
— He served in the 43rd artillery brigade named after Hetman Taras Shakylo. He was shell-shocked and eventually discharged for health reasons.. Svyatoslav died in hospital from coronary heart disease. This came as a real shock to me, because he is my younger brother by ten years, whom I love very much.. Of course, after these tragic events I became different, more vulnerable, but definitely not tougher.
— Do you have a grudge against those men who still lead a carefree civilian life and highlight this on social networks?
– I don’t have such feelings. But I understand women who have lost loved ones and loved ones, and it is natural that they have questions: “Why only mine? Why are others having fun in bars?” Every mother did not give birth to her sons for war, and, of course, this pain comes out. Unfortunately, we are not talking about tolerance here.
I also understand men who don't want to go to war because they have a basic fear for their lives. Going to war often means going to death. Not everyone can walk the path of the samurai. Therefore, there are no easy answers to these questions, and all answers will be unpopular. Now our lives are separated by lines of death. Scary times for Ukraine!
— Are you often called the “legend of Ukrainian music”? How do you feel when you hear this about yourself?
— The funny thing is that they’ve been calling it this way for a long time and without any initiative on my part. When I was in my last year, I was invited to Kharkov television, where for the first time the phrase “Living legend of Ukrainian music” was addressed to me, because I already had concerts and performances at various festivals.
I was 22 years old. Of course, there are people who deserve to be called legends more than me. But this is not the worst thing they say about me, so let it be if someone thinks so. I admit, I like “legend” more than “people’s artist”. Therefore, I ask you not to declare me “people’s” at concerts, but only: “Maria Burmaka sings.”
Photos courtesy of Maria Burmaka