Ana Kiri is a Ukrainian singer, producer, actress, artist, dancer, influencer, and model that is currently based in Miami, Florida. She is clearly a woman with many talents. It is incredible the great strides that Ana Kiri has made in such a short time. She released her debut song, “Feel my love,” in October of 2021. She later released the music video for “Feel my love” which has since accumulated over 315,000 views. Ana Kiri built on the success of the record with a pair of singles and an EP to close out 2021. She has been featured in numerous media outlets such as Thisis50, The Hype Magazine, L’Officiel, and Playboy. She has worked with well-known companies such as Bang Energy. She has garnered a substantial social media following, amassing over 100,000 followers on Instagram, about 100,000 followers on TikTok, and 20,000 subscribers on YouTube. The songbird continues to wow and is never lacking in music. Ana Kiri recently released a remix of her song, “I still remember,” with Marcett Garcia. She returns strong with the powerful, uplifting single, “Beat of Freedom,” to close out the year on a high note.
With her single and music video, “Beat of Freedom,” out now, we took some time to hear more from Ana Kiri. Read below to learn more about Ana Kiri, the story behind her newest single, and what’s to come.
Hi Ana Kiri! Let’s start with how did you get your artist name?
Hi there. My artist name consists of the first letters of my real name – Anastasiia Kirilik. Ana Kiri – short 🙂
What city are you from and where are you based now?
I am from Ukraine. Born and raised in Kyiv. Since then, I’ve lived in France, Germany, and the United States. Right now, I’m based in Miami, Florida.
At what point in your life did you decide to pursue a career in music? How did you get started?
When I was little, I went to musical school – seven years of classical piano music education. I sang in the choir, and I loved it. In high school, me and my best friend formed a little band of our own, and wrote music. We went around music stores in Kyiv asking if they had a CD of this one new hot band, and we would say the name of our own band. Hahaha.
For my university degree, I decided to go with acting as it is one other huge passion in my life. But, I came back to my own music in 2014 when I recorded my first EP in Berlin, Germany.
It was only a year and a half ago that I decided to write and release my own music again under a new stage name – Ana Kiri. I fell in love with EDM music when I moved to Miami. It took me a bit to understand what exactly that I like about it and how I can create my own. With my latest singles, I’ve been experimenting with sounds and styles. But, after working with Marcett Garcia on the House remix to my song, “I still remember,” I’m very much looking forward to my next album. It will finally be what I realise that I love the most – House Dance music. Some may be with classical music instrument sound as is my last single, “Beat of Freedom.” I can’t wait to release a few remixes to it that are already in the works. It was a long goal of mine to create something with the mixture of a strong House beat and classical instrument melodies. Can’t wait for you to hear it.
Has your upbringing played a role in shaping who you are and defining your sound today? If so, how?
100%. I think the upbringing affects everyone’s art.
When I was in high school, I was part of all possible art clubs – choir, drama group, dance group, and comedy group. My favorite was our Ukrainian ethnic group. There, we would dress in Ukrainian national costumes and would reenact Ukrainian holiday celebrations, weddings, etc. We would learn traditional Ukrainian songs and dance our traditional dances. I really have always found lots of comfort in that group. I love Ukrainian folk songs because they are always deep in meaning. If they are happy, they are extremely happy. If they are sad, you will feel those words on the bottom of your soul. I love how our traditions are kind, nice, and inspire good morals, family values, honesty and strength.
How would you describe your sound to readers who may not be familiar with you?
I’ve been told many times that my voice sounds just like Enya’s (the best-selling Irish solo artist in history).
Regarding the beat, I’m an EDM, House music artist, unless I’m playing acoustic ukulele 😉 Quite a turn, I know. I just love the ukulele. I picked it up on my trip to Hawaii and couldn’t put it down since. It’s been three years, and the fun fact is that most of my songs that I write on my ukulele first. The sound of ukulele makes me happy, and I feel like it screams itself, “good vibes only.”
Do you have any hobbies outside of music? What do you do to stay creative?
I’m an artist of multiple mediums. I make paintings, photography, and video creations.
One of my biggest hobbies, so to speak, is traveling. I get so much inspiration for my art when I travel! 🙂 And, my absolute dream is to visit every country in the world.
Who are some of your main musical influences?
Okean Elzy, Depeche Mode, Armin van Buuren, Calvin Harris, Jack Johnson, and Vance Joy. It’s a wide mix, and it goes on and on and on. There ain’t such a thing as a main influence for me – I like to get inspired with a lot of things around me.
Who would be a dream to collaborate with?
Armin Van Buuren, Oliver Heldens, or Kalush Orchestra.
What are some of your future music career goals?
Ok, let me share my wildest dreams then. I want to play a sunset show at Red Rocks Amphitheater in Colorado and a sunset show at Pao Azucar in Brazil. Those two venues are absolutely incredible to me. Open air venues are the best.
Now onto your release, “Beat of Freedom.” What inspired this song? What is “Beat of Freedom” about in your own words?
“Beat of Freedom” is a powerful and uplifting patriotic music piece about the struggle of Ukraine.
I’m Ukrainian, and I wanted the whole world to hear and understand what it is to be Ukrainian.
“Freedom or death” – that is the core spirit of every Ukrainian. It was true for us in the Orange Revolution. It was true for us during the Maidan Revolution. It is the same for us today. No one can’t tell us what to do or who to be. We know who we d*mn well are, and we have an absolute right to exist. The heartbeat of Ukrainians is the “beat of freedom.” Without freedom – our hearts will just stop. Freedom is our truth – it is our spirit, it is who we are. We are the Cossacks. “Freedom or death!”
Russia is a terrorist state. It has brought destruction, death, horror and so much pain to my people, my home. The “rescue mission” is an absolute lie. I believe that good will conquer evil. Ukraine will get the victory, and with my song, I wanted everyone to feel the uplifting and powerful energy of just how strong we believe in our rights and victory!
There are certain things people need to understand about Ukrainians:
Ukraine will never surrender. Never. Ukraine is fighting against Russian colonialism. Ukraine never had a Nazi problem. Ukraine is a democracy – Volodymyr Zelenskyy represents us. Ukrainians are very much afraid, but we won’t surrender to our fears.
How did the music video for “Beat of Freedom” come about? What was your vision for the video?
For my music video, I got to work with the super talented Claudia Sobradillo. My vision was to create a lyric video because I want everyone to read the lyrics. “Beat of Freedom” reflects the core being of Ukraine. For visuals, I decided to use our Ukrainian vyshyvanka embroidery as it is our nation’s code. Every area of Ukraine has a different vyshyvanka style that is unique to that area. And, each vyshyvanka symbol represents a different message.
Ukrainians believe that the embroidered shirt is a talisman against all the evil that can happen in human life. Each vyshyvanka encodes happiness, destiny, life and will in the ornament. Almost every Ukrainian family has an embroidered shirt with different patterns on it.
I’m very proud of how the video came out, and I hope you will like it too!
The secret message of the song – it is 3 minutes and 33 seconds long. 333 is an angel number and stands for the holy trinity.
What is your favorite lyric in “Beat of Freedom” and why?
The hardest line here to me is “Our soldiers fight so we can sleep at night.”
I think daily of the brave men and women, risking and also losing their lives at the frontlines, so that we can have a night of sleep and see the light of another day. We owe them our lives, and we owe them our present and our future.
Many families have lost their loved ones, their parents, their children, and their friends. Our whole nation knows loss way too deep now. “We need justice for every soul lost.” We need it with our whole beings. And, we will never forget that!
What message do you hope fans take away from your music and from “Beat of Freedom?”
Be strong, be truthful to yourself, be kind, and be the good that you want to see in the world.
What would you say are the greatest lessons you’ve learned so far?
Only you can tell you “No!”
What’s next for you? Are you working on any upcoming projects, or do you have any upcoming shows that we should be on the lookout for?
I’ve already started working on my new album. As I mentioned earlier, it will be House, Dance music. I’m super excited to create a bigger and fuller body of work as opposed to singles.
Where can we follow you on social media?
Instagram:
https://instagram.com/ana_kirilik
TikTok:
https://www.tiktok.com/@badlygood
YouTube:
https://youtube.com/c/AnastasiiaKyryliuk
My website:
Before you go, let’s ask you something random. What is your favorite junk food and drink?
Pizza and cola 🙂
Thank you for the great interview; wish you much continued success!
