Oleg Vynnyk, once one of the most popular singers in Ukraine, unexpectedly announced his first concert after a long absence. The event, which the artist decided to hold not in Ukraine, but in Warsaw, caused a stormy reaction in society. One of the first to react to the news was Ukrainian radio host Slava Demin, who left no stone unturned in his “return.”.
In his Insta-stories, Demin sarcastically noted that the main reason for Vinnyk's return to the stage was financial difficulties:
“When the money runs out and you take a “breath of fresh air” to Warsaw. But not to Ukraine. Because you are afraid to appear in Ukraine. Suddenly the CCK will stop it…”, he ironically noted.
The host also shared the opinion that in modern Ukrainian show business, a whole cohort of artists has formed who chose to remain abroad during the war. According to Demin, Vynnyk was among such “exiles”:
“There are artists who, having been abroad all this time, have become exiles in Ukraine (in the creative sense) and now they have only one way out – to tour cities abroad and collect crumbs from those Ukrainians who have lived or are already living abroad.”.
Demin ironically says that such performers continue to express “sincere love” for Ukraine exclusively from outside its borders:
“Because it’s easier to hang noodles on your ears there… But coming to Chernihiv, Sumy, Kharkiv, Kherson and sitting in a shelter is a bit awkward.”.
Despite all the criticism, Oleg Vynnyk's concert in Warsaw is likely to gather a lot of fans. This is especially true for Ukrainians who currently live in Poland. However, the question remains: will the artist be able to restore his status in his homeland?
While the country is going through one of the most difficult chapters in its history, Vynnyk's absence from the Ukrainian media and cultural space has not gone unnoticed. Regaining the audience's trust may be more difficult than simply returning to the stage.
