March 27, 2025 • 25 mins
Join Lynn Hoffman on this episode with the talented musician Alya. Her journey into music was inspired by her early passion for creating melodies and songs. Born in the Soviet Union, she began her musical path with classical vocal training at the age of seven. Alya's decision to pursue music professionally was influenced by her desire to express herself creatively and make a positive impact. Alya has actively supported UNICEF through her music and she views music as a tool for creating world-wide impact, aligning her artistry with philanthropy.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Music Saved Me.
Speaker 2 (00:01):
I'm a very spiritual person and I'm also a very
pragmatic person. Every time when there is a research somewhere,
more and more I find a lot of evidence.
Speaker 3 (00:11):
And this is a very hot topic on the science
as well.
Speaker 2 (00:14):
How music, how words, how everything that we say changes
our reality.
Speaker 3 (00:22):
And I'm a big delivering that.
Speaker 4 (00:24):
I'm Lynn Hoffman and welcome to another episode of the
Music Save Me podcast, the podcast that discusses the healing
power of music. Now. If you like this podcast, thank you,
and please share with your friends. And also, if you
don't mind, check out our companion podcast called Taking a Walk,
hosted by my dear friend buzz Night, and you can
get that wherever you get your podcasts now. In this
(00:46):
captivating episode, Grammy winning artist Alia shares her profound journey
of transformation and resilience. Born in the Soviet Union, Alia's
life was forever changed when she discovered music at the
age of seven. Her path from classical training to becoming
a renowned vocalist is a testament to the power of
music as a source of healing and inspiration. With her
(01:09):
soulful melodies and philanthropic endeavors, Alia has inspired countless fans
all over the world in her recent Be the Hope
campaign with uns f USA. It's a powerful example of
how music can be truly a force for good. Join
us now as we delve into how music not only
saved Alia but also became her platform for making a
(01:33):
positive impact on a global scale.
Speaker 1 (01:36):
Adia, Welcome to Music Save Me.
Speaker 4 (01:37):
It's so great to have you here, hot on the
set of your new shoot of a music video you're
about to do, so I'm so excited.
Speaker 2 (01:45):
All right, well, thank you for having me. I'm really
so happy connect with people. Like every single day, I wait,
Covin you know things be Hope campaign that you just mentioned.
You know, every single day became an adventure and it
gave me so much internal power and drive. So every
single day I wake up, I'm like, Okay, what else
(02:07):
I can do? Where else I can go? How many
people I can inspire? What else we can do together
to make life a little bit better for us? Send
the people around us.
Speaker 4 (02:15):
Well, it's obvious because you're in the car. I mean,
you are a woman on the move and you are
taking action as we speak, which I love. Let me
ask you, what was your first encounter with music and
how did it influence your life's path, because as I
looked about your how you started out, you didn't initially
pursue a career in music, did you.
Speaker 2 (02:37):
No, you know, I'm always jealous of these people, these musicians.
Let's put it right that you usually say, Oh, I
grew up in this musical family. Music was always around me,
and this is just in my blood, in my dna.
I didn't have all of it, So I consider that
a luxury because my family was not musical at all,
and the only exposure to music I had was through
(02:58):
my grandma, my wonderful Ukrainian grandma, and she was a
church choir singer, and so she was singing all these
religious songs and that was sort of, I guess, very
influential for me because my first songs that I actually
earned some money for were Christmas carols. We lived in
(03:21):
Ukraine back then, and I was, you know, on a
Christmas Eve walking with a group of other children, or
knocking on every single door and people would open and
we would sing some choirs, you know, some harmonies, some
Christmas carols and the people would give us money or candy.
So that was like very exciting time for me because
then you can buy something you want, and there was
(03:42):
not so many things back then in Soviet Union, so
it would be just you know, like piece of banana
gum I remember right now, but there was the most
delicious gum because it was you know, like earned. And
I always had dreamed to be on a stage, to
be a musician, to be able to express my voice
(04:04):
not just by using words, but somehow differently with the sound.
And I always was writing music and songs that I
remember from very early childhood. But career wise, even though
I had a professional musical education while I was still
in school, when I decided to pick a university was
(04:24):
journalism faculty. So my first degree is TV journalism, which
I also really liked. It's a very exciting profession. But
the call from music, call to be on a stage
was always with me, and when I had a chance,
after moving to different country to finally pursue it, I
(04:46):
just jumped right in.
Speaker 3 (04:47):
And I'm so happy.
Speaker 4 (04:49):
How exciting. Who was influential and inspiring in your life?
That sort of instilled that giving back attitude because I
understand that you are heavily involved in philanthropic endeavors, a
lot of them on top of your music career.
Speaker 2 (05:06):
Well, you know, I think this is in our family roots.
Like I grew up in the very modest household. I'm
very blessed right now to have a platform an opportunity
to give back, and I'm grateful for that. I'm not
taking this for granted. And every single day I try
to give back because I'm a big believer in that
(05:27):
as much as you give back, as much as you
will get in return. So I'm not afraid to give big.
And I'm not talking about money. I also talk about
the time and the you know, emotions and energy that
we give back. And you know, it's it's it's It
wasn't the culture of my family, so we I was
raised in the very.
Speaker 3 (05:49):
I would say, traditional Orthodox.
Speaker 2 (05:52):
Household, and you know it's always says in the Bible,
you know, you have to if you've meet someone who's
in need, you give your life rope.
Speaker 3 (06:00):
So that was sort of the truth that I lived with.
Speaker 2 (06:05):
And I always was a giver, even when I didn't
have much to give. But from the perspective of me,
you know, sitting right now and reading the news and
looking out of the window, I just believe this is
just inspiring time, you know, as hard it is as
(06:25):
sometimes uncertain to leave these days, it's also very inspiring
because where there are a lot of suffering and a
lot of tears and a lot of uh, you know, uncertainty,
there is a lot of hope and opportunities. So I
would say, like everything I see as soon as I
wake up my eyes in the in the early morning,
(06:48):
that's an inspiration for me to give back.
Speaker 4 (06:51):
Would you share with our audience a personal challenge that
stands out to you in your life that you faced
and how news maybe helped you overcome that moment or
that time oh.
Speaker 3 (07:04):
Oh my gosh.
Speaker 2 (07:05):
Well, you know, there are so many things that music
helped me to overcome. But I would say the self
confidence issue or I don't even know how to put
it right. Definitely, me moving to different country was something
that was I mean inspiring and traumatic at the same time,
(07:29):
because even though I can speak English and I traveled before,
I speak other different languages, when you come not as
a tourist but to live in the country, this is
as Russian classic writers would say, it's a little bit
of a death, you know, the immigration, It's a death
in some thought, and you leave parts of yourself either
(07:54):
back in your homeland or just put it somewhere very
very deep in the closets of your soul and it
never comes back.
Speaker 3 (08:02):
And so I think that the music.
Speaker 2 (08:07):
And my decision to pursuing music professionally when I became
an American was a sort of me to find myself
again because there was a time when I felt like
there is not enough language for me to express what
I want to say. You know, I want to say something,
but there's so nuances that I feel could be brought
like using let's say Russian language or Ukrainian language or
(08:30):
Japanese language that I speak, I can't and that when
music would come in and I would, you know, sit
down with I usually I love writeing a ton down
with the people. I would sit down with my partner
and we would put all this carmony so use instruments
that represents different cultures, and it sort of would come
together and express whatever emotion I wanted to bring.
Speaker 3 (08:54):
On the table at that moment.
Speaker 4 (08:56):
Do you feel that you ever could have done what
you're doing here back home or that probably never would
have been able to happen.
Speaker 3 (09:03):
I don't know, because.
Speaker 2 (09:06):
You know, I believe that there is not such a
thing as if what if in history, whatever happened happened
for a reason.
Speaker 3 (09:13):
That's fair, because because like if I when I mean,
it's not like I wasn't trying.
Speaker 2 (09:19):
I was trying to do my music career when I
was back in Russi, even though I was very successful
as a journalist. But back then, the music industry was
very different in my country and everywhere in the world.
You would have to find a big label that would
back you up, and you know, sign a contract, and
the contracts were not good and actually all right before
(09:41):
im agready to the United States, I was offered a
contract from Universal and it was not a good one,
and I didn't didn't sign it because I got pregnant
and kind of thinking back then, you know, back then,
I thought, oh my gosh, this is such a terrible timing.
You know, I always wanted to do that, and this
is such a great opportunity, a great company, promising career,
(10:04):
and you know, I'm about to have a baby. And
of course they dropped the contract and I felt like
this is the end of everything. But that's actually was
the beginning, and the music industry changed today.
Speaker 3 (10:15):
So today I don't have to look for approval from
the big label.
Speaker 2 (10:20):
You know, like every single talented person can go and
record anywhere, even in their bedroom, and release anywhere they want.
There's so many different distribution platforms and it's just completely
different world. So everything happened for a reasons at the
right time and the same I believe with the approach
(10:41):
to music that I have. You know, I love blending generous,
I love blending languages, I love trying new things, and
I feel like this kind of music, in addition to
you know, given something not just perfect in terms of performance,
but molwas the soul and something more personal. I think
(11:01):
this type of music is having a moment right now
and this is what I love to do the most.
Speaker 4 (11:07):
Hindsight absolutely is twenty twenty. And you know, I want
to bring up something that you just sort of mentioned
about giving back. You know, I've always been a person
who felt like, if if you can get a big
enough platform, why would you not do good with that?
And you know, why wouldn't you use that for good
things and to help people? And not everybody does that,
(11:28):
but I always felt like you had to. Can you
tell us how you feel about how musicians have this
responsibility to use their platforms for meaningful change, because I
agree with you.
Speaker 2 (11:41):
I mean, everybody has an opinion, and as as you said,
I'm I usually don't understand people that have a huge
platform and they either use it, have a legion want
to tie, which I mean, I can understand. But then
you have to leave with your soul. You know, you
have to look at yourself in the mirror single morning,
and at some point you might you know, I end
(12:03):
up thinking that I don't really like the person that
I see every day.
Speaker 3 (12:07):
So you can't.
Speaker 2 (12:09):
You can't sell your soul for the money. And if
you have a platform, you have responsibility. This is something
that I've learned from being a journalist. And you know,
as I said, everything comes at the right time and
the right place. Maybe if fame, an opportunity to pursue
the music to my pleasure came to me earlier, and
(12:31):
maybe I wouldn't have this very strong sense of responsibility
for what I say and what I'm trying, you know,
people to convince, but knowing how much you know, the
words can go. I'm very conscious like what I say,
(12:52):
what I do, like on my social media, I'm very
very careful of what information I'm putting I'm very care
full what people, what brands, or what companies I represent,
and for me at this stage of my life, it's
about giving back. Like even you know, my partnering with
(13:13):
UNISEFF for the song Hope kind of confirmation of that.
I was looking for the right partner for plenty of time,
and finally I felt like the UNISEEF this is the
organization that aligns with my principles and what I've believed
in this time. And the collaboration happened, and you know,
it's raising money for children around the globe.
Speaker 4 (13:35):
It's a wonderful thing that you're doing. And I wanted
to know specifically a few things because you do I
alluded earlier that you do a lot. What ways would
you say or that you can share with us that
you use your platform to make a positive impact, and
some of the initiatives that you're working on as well
as the UNSEEFF initiative that I definitely want to hear
(13:56):
more about.
Speaker 2 (13:58):
Well, the UNISEF collaboration one that I'm really really proud.
It's ongoing collaboration and started from me releasing very very
powerful song. Its song is very beautiful by itself and
the name is hope it's out there. It was released
not long ago, a beautiful single and we were pro
(14:18):
Grammar consideration last year. And as soon as I released
the song, I asked my followers to see if it
could inspire them to do something good, like little act
of kindness, and people started making these videos. It started
from TikTok and then it b led to Instagram and
(14:39):
YouTube when they you know, do like random things like
one lady was giving hugs, that lady was talking about
the love to their children's but it was making sandwiches
for friends or spouses, or giving flowers on the street.
It became sort of this beautiful movement that let me
thinking about the potential that the song had. And then
(14:59):
I started looking for a good partner. And then you know,
Russian and Ukrainian conflict happened, which was very personal for
me because you know, I'm half Ukrainian, i have Russian
so an I'm pacifist also on top of that, so
it was like very very painful moment for me, which
gave me a lot of anxiety. And I started thinking about,
(15:20):
you know, all these children that suffering, and how it's
terrible that in the strangey first century we adults can
figure out any other ways to solve the conflict, but
go and you know, kill each other. Like what lessons
we give to about children? And I have three children myself.
I mean, I'm not just saying from some perspective. I'm
(15:40):
among myself. So it is a very very hard topic for.
Speaker 3 (15:46):
Me to talk about.
Speaker 2 (15:47):
And so the Universe was the company the organization that
it's heavily you know, supporting children. And I love the
scope of their work. I love that they go to
very far away areas, they work with the people in fields.
Speaker 3 (16:05):
They I mean they really rich people.
Speaker 2 (16:07):
So that was very important for me to make sure
that the money, the royalties that we give from the
song Hope, they not just go somewhere, they go directly.
Speaker 3 (16:16):
To the people. They go to the affected areas.
Speaker 2 (16:19):
And as soon as I will have opportunity, And I'm
actually I was begging your stuff. I'm like, I want
to go myself there, really, I mean, I have so
much to give. I speak languages, so I want to go,
you know, to this Ukraine and Russian and Ukrainian border,
whatever conflict, you know, whatever people speak, any Islamic languages
that I speak, I want to go there. I wanted
not just to give you money royalties from a song.
(16:40):
I want to go and give my time. I want
to give my love because I know on my own
example that even your appearance, like someone who does something,
who brings any sort of life or light, it can
have a lessing impression on the little child and it
can propel career. What you know, let them dream beg
(17:02):
because you know, we all live in this sort of
lottery in this world. You know, we're very lucky to
live in this country where females have rights, but there
are countries that females have no rights, or where there's
extreme poverty, and people still dream and the talents distributed
just as evenly, the opportunities might be not. So I
(17:24):
feel very responsible to have the resources and platform to
inspire people and you know, to give back any ways.
Speaker 4 (17:33):
I can, and that it is a beautiful song, and
it's a beautiful thing that you're doing to help vulnerable
kids all around the world.
Speaker 1 (17:42):
It's such a testament to who you are and.
Speaker 4 (17:45):
What you're doing, and it's it's a wonderful I don't
even know how to encapsulate it all, because you know,
you do want to change the world. When you have
a platform for the better like you are, and even
just helping one person, it can totally, like you said,
change the entire trajectory of that person's life. And if
(18:05):
you can do that, then you know, absolutely you can
really feel good about yourself. It's the reason why I
do this podcast actually, so I totally understand where you're
coming from. You know, if one person hears this and
it helps them, that's what we should all be doing.
Speaker 3 (18:20):
Absolutely.
Speaker 2 (18:21):
One of the things that I know it as the
person from a different country about America that Americans, in
my very very personal point of view a little bit
forgot what it is about something about American dream because
we all from all over the world count for the dream,
like for the dream whatever this dream is where it's
(18:44):
very personal theme, what is American dream?
Speaker 3 (18:45):
But Americans? You know, every time I would talk with Americans,
I would ask, you know, what is it?
Speaker 2 (18:50):
Like?
Speaker 3 (18:50):
What is it?
Speaker 2 (18:51):
And people very confused, so and very often what comes
out is, you know, well, this is not for us
to think about the dream.
Speaker 3 (19:01):
Here's all these wealthy people or politicians.
Speaker 2 (19:04):
That's for big people, you know, for big wolves to
work on a dream.
Speaker 3 (19:08):
We're just little people. Were just living our lives. And
I think this is something that I don't know.
Speaker 2 (19:15):
As I tell to my son, when he would say
me something like that, I would say him to him, Isaiah,
you're just too lazy.
Speaker 3 (19:22):
You go out of your rand and go do the work.
So the dream comes from little actions. You don't have
to have a lot of money, you don't have to
have a platform. You just have to get going because
you never know where you will end up. But the
only thing, the only way you will succeed is just
(19:42):
by moving. It doesn't have to be big. And this
is a dream dream to keep going, to keep doing something.
I believe it's very important. I mean not just for America,
but for any country. And I'm very dreaming by that.
Speaker 2 (19:57):
I'm a really like do your person and I believe
that that's something that keeps us alive.
Speaker 4 (20:03):
Probably well, hard work pays off. I mean that's the truth.
And you know you're living proof of that. So and
you know, you come here, I think to become the
best version of yourself because it's the freest place in
the world.
Speaker 1 (20:16):
So you know, I think that's a lot of people
forget that.
Speaker 4 (20:21):
And I'm so excited for you and your family and
all the amazing things that you have ahead of you,
besides the stuff that you've already accomplished just to get here.
To do that, I want to know how you believe
music can serve as a healing tool for other people
who are maybe suffering or going through personal challenges. Kind
of like what you were just saying, but maybe a
(20:42):
bit more about how music can help.
Speaker 2 (20:44):
I'm a very spiritual person and I'm also a very
pragmatic person. So every time when there is a research
somewhere I find online about how music actually scientifically can alter,
you know, not just our stays of mind, but something
on a level of self, I always go dip down
(21:07):
and kind of try to track this research and more
and more I find a lot of evidence and this
is a very hot topic and the science as well.
How music, how words, How everything that we say changes,
you know, our reality. And I'm a big delivering that.
I when my kids were still in my belly, they
(21:31):
will listening from the moment I knew that they have
all the sensory.
Speaker 3 (21:37):
You know, things evolved and working.
Speaker 2 (21:39):
They were listening to classical music and they all have
perfect pitch that just came out like that, So I
know it works.
Speaker 3 (21:45):
I know music can heal salts.
Speaker 2 (21:47):
I know music can change lives, not just because we've
a little bit, but because it's scientifically proven.
Speaker 3 (21:54):
And that's why in my music, I.
Speaker 2 (22:00):
I'm very very careful about lyrics, you know, my lyrics.
I don't write music about bad stuff, not because it's
all sugarcoated and cheesy, but because I believe that at
this point of my life and my life in the
life of the earth, this is the content that we need.
We need start talking about positivity, about something bigger and
(22:25):
better than money, fashion, you know, all these wonderful, beautiful
instincts that we love, you know, love and hate or
sexual relationship. There is something more out there. So I
found myself very successful and self inspired, only failed of
inspirational pop. I still would like to write pop music.
(22:45):
I want to have a big platform because I believe
there's so many people want to hear this music and
this kind of message that I mean, the more the
merrier is. So I'm really, really, very very excited to
work in here. And you know, my first Grammy that
I got it comes from New Age music. This is
sort of type of music that become in a very
(23:07):
very mainstream these days when it's meditative, when it's calming,
when it's something that puts people in this stage when
they can slow down and think about who they are
and don't forget about their roots. So this is just
I believe that the music and especial music that I
(23:28):
love and work on, it's a little bit more than entertainment.
Speaker 3 (23:32):
This is something for the soul for sure. There.
Speaker 1 (23:36):
Well, thank you.
Speaker 2 (23:37):
I'm not saying I'm just only you know, write something
very melodic and obviously like in my repertoire. In my
album is Dropping this year, you will see a lot
of ballads, a lot of melodic, inspirational things. But I
also write songs that you can dance, you know, your
head off. But the lyrics over there, they're still good,
There is still inspiring, there is still clean. I really
(23:58):
want to make sure that whatever comes out from me
as an artists is clean and suitable for everyone. So
my kids can listen to that, and the grandma that
turned hundreds you know last week, also can you know,
comprehends and relate. So this is kind of my goal
as an artist.
Speaker 4 (24:19):
Wow, well, thank you for first of all, congratulations. That
one hundred's pretty impressive, and I hope we all should
live that long, if not longer, And thank you for
all the great work you do on top of all
the wonderful music that you put out. I was dancing
to your song in the club. The name is escaping
(24:40):
me because it just it was twenty twenty American beauty. Yes,
thank you, that was the one, and I thought I
remember hearing it, and then when I was doing my
research on you, I thought, oh my gosh, that was her.
Speaker 1 (24:52):
I didn't even realize that I that was you.
Speaker 3 (24:54):
And that's so funny. Yes, I love this song. This
was so beautiful.
Speaker 2 (24:58):
That was one of the songs that sort of introduced
me to American market. And it was inspired by my
personal journey as someone from different countries coming to United.
Speaker 3 (25:08):
States to chase the dreams.
Speaker 2 (25:11):
And there's that that's that's what I felt represent American beauty,
you know, the variety of us, the beauty of us,
the freedom of us.
Speaker 3 (25:21):
It's a good song, yes, and.
Speaker 4 (25:23):
So as hope it is equally is wonderful in a
different way though, and it is it's very healing, and
it also goes to such a great cause. So where
people can go download the song on iTunes anywhere it's
called Hope by Alia. Yes, and thank you so much
for everything that you're doing, and keep keep dreaming because
I'm sure there's going to be more great things coming
(25:44):
from the artist known as Alia. And thank you for
being on Music Saved Me and sharing your story.
Speaker 3 (25:50):
Thank you
Music Saved Me.
Speaker 2 (00:01):
I'm a very spiritual person and I'm also a very
pragmatic person. Every time when there is a research somewhere,
more and more I find a lot of evidence.
Speaker 3 (00:11):
And this is a very hot topic on the science
as well.
Speaker 2 (00:14):
How music, how words, how everything that we say changes
our reality.
Speaker 3 (00:22):
And I'm a big delivering that.
Speaker 4 (00:24):
I'm Lynn Hoffman and welcome to another episode of the
Music Save Me podcast, the podcast that discusses the healing
power of music. Now. If you like this podcast, thank you,
and please share with your friends. And also, if you
don't mind, check out our companion podcast called Taking a Walk,
hosted by my dear friend buzz Night, and you can
get that wherever you get your podcasts now. In this
(00:46):
captivating episode, Grammy winning artist Alia shares her profound journey
of transformation and resilience. Born in the Soviet Union, Alia's
life was forever changed when she discovered music at the
age of seven. Her path from classical training to becoming
a renowned vocalist is a testament to the power of
music as a source of healing and inspiration. With her
(01:09):
soulful melodies and philanthropic endeavors, Alia has inspired countless fans
all over the world in her recent Be the Hope
campaign with uns f USA. It's a powerful example of
how music can be truly a force for good. Join
us now as we delve into how music not only
saved Alia but also became her platform for making a
(01:33):
positive impact on a global scale.
Speaker 1 (01:36):
Adia, Welcome to Music Save Me.
Speaker 4 (01:37):
It's so great to have you here, hot on the
set of your new shoot of a music video you're
about to do, so I'm so excited.
Speaker 2 (01:45):
All right, well, thank you for having me. I'm really
so happy connect with people. Like every single day, I wait,
Covin you know things be Hope campaign that you just mentioned.
You know, every single day became an adventure and it
gave me so much internal power and drive. So every
single day I wake up, I'm like, Okay, what else
(02:07):
I can do? Where else I can go? How many
people I can inspire? What else we can do together
to make life a little bit better for us? Send
the people around us.
Speaker 4 (02:15):
Well, it's obvious because you're in the car. I mean,
you are a woman on the move and you are
taking action as we speak, which I love. Let me
ask you, what was your first encounter with music and
how did it influence your life's path, because as I
looked about your how you started out, you didn't initially
pursue a career in music, did you.
Speaker 2 (02:37):
No, you know, I'm always jealous of these people, these musicians.
Let's put it right that you usually say, Oh, I
grew up in this musical family. Music was always around me,
and this is just in my blood, in my dna.
I didn't have all of it, So I consider that
a luxury because my family was not musical at all,
and the only exposure to music I had was through
(02:58):
my grandma, my wonderful Ukrainian grandma, and she was a
church choir singer, and so she was singing all these
religious songs and that was sort of, I guess, very
influential for me because my first songs that I actually
earned some money for were Christmas carols. We lived in
(03:21):
Ukraine back then, and I was, you know, on a
Christmas Eve walking with a group of other children, or
knocking on every single door and people would open and
we would sing some choirs, you know, some harmonies, some
Christmas carols and the people would give us money or candy.
So that was like very exciting time for me because
then you can buy something you want, and there was
(03:42):
not so many things back then in Soviet Union, so
it would be just you know, like piece of banana
gum I remember right now, but there was the most
delicious gum because it was you know, like earned. And
I always had dreamed to be on a stage, to
be a musician, to be able to express my voice
(04:04):
not just by using words, but somehow differently with the sound.
And I always was writing music and songs that I
remember from very early childhood. But career wise, even though
I had a professional musical education while I was still
in school, when I decided to pick a university was
(04:24):
journalism faculty. So my first degree is TV journalism, which
I also really liked. It's a very exciting profession. But
the call from music, call to be on a stage
was always with me, and when I had a chance,
after moving to different country to finally pursue it, I
(04:46):
just jumped right in.
Speaker 3 (04:47):
And I'm so happy.
Speaker 4 (04:49):
How exciting. Who was influential and inspiring in your life?
That sort of instilled that giving back attitude because I
understand that you are heavily involved in philanthropic endeavors, a
lot of them on top of your music career.
Speaker 2 (05:06):
Well, you know, I think this is in our family roots.
Like I grew up in the very modest household. I'm
very blessed right now to have a platform an opportunity
to give back, and I'm grateful for that. I'm not
taking this for granted. And every single day I try
to give back because I'm a big believer in that
(05:27):
as much as you give back, as much as you
will get in return. So I'm not afraid to give big.
And I'm not talking about money. I also talk about
the time and the you know, emotions and energy that
we give back. And you know, it's it's it's It
wasn't the culture of my family, so we I was
raised in the very.
Speaker 3 (05:49):
I would say, traditional Orthodox.
Speaker 2 (05:52):
Household, and you know it's always says in the Bible,
you know, you have to if you've meet someone who's
in need, you give your life rope.
Speaker 3 (06:00):
So that was sort of the truth that I lived with.
Speaker 2 (06:05):
And I always was a giver, even when I didn't
have much to give. But from the perspective of me,
you know, sitting right now and reading the news and
looking out of the window, I just believe this is
just inspiring time, you know, as hard it is as
(06:25):
sometimes uncertain to leave these days, it's also very inspiring
because where there are a lot of suffering and a
lot of tears and a lot of uh, you know, uncertainty,
there is a lot of hope and opportunities. So I
would say, like everything I see as soon as I
wake up my eyes in the in the early morning,
(06:48):
that's an inspiration for me to give back.
Speaker 4 (06:51):
Would you share with our audience a personal challenge that
stands out to you in your life that you faced
and how news maybe helped you overcome that moment or
that time oh.
Speaker 3 (07:04):
Oh my gosh.
Speaker 2 (07:05):
Well, you know, there are so many things that music
helped me to overcome. But I would say the self
confidence issue or I don't even know how to put
it right. Definitely, me moving to different country was something
that was I mean inspiring and traumatic at the same time,
(07:29):
because even though I can speak English and I traveled before,
I speak other different languages, when you come not as
a tourist but to live in the country, this is
as Russian classic writers would say, it's a little bit
of a death, you know, the immigration, It's a death
in some thought, and you leave parts of yourself either
(07:54):
back in your homeland or just put it somewhere very
very deep in the closets of your soul and it
never comes back.
Speaker 3 (08:02):
And so I think that the music.
Speaker 2 (08:07):
And my decision to pursuing music professionally when I became
an American was a sort of me to find myself
again because there was a time when I felt like
there is not enough language for me to express what
I want to say. You know, I want to say something,
but there's so nuances that I feel could be brought
like using let's say Russian language or Ukrainian language or
(08:30):
Japanese language that I speak, I can't and that when
music would come in and I would, you know, sit
down with I usually I love writeing a ton down
with the people. I would sit down with my partner
and we would put all this carmony so use instruments
that represents different cultures, and it sort of would come
together and express whatever emotion I wanted to bring.
Speaker 3 (08:54):
On the table at that moment.
Speaker 4 (08:56):
Do you feel that you ever could have done what
you're doing here back home or that probably never would
have been able to happen.
Speaker 3 (09:03):
I don't know, because.
Speaker 2 (09:06):
You know, I believe that there is not such a
thing as if what if in history, whatever happened happened
for a reason.
Speaker 3 (09:13):
That's fair, because because like if I when I mean,
it's not like I wasn't trying.
Speaker 2 (09:19):
I was trying to do my music career when I
was back in Russi, even though I was very successful
as a journalist. But back then, the music industry was
very different in my country and everywhere in the world.
You would have to find a big label that would
back you up, and you know, sign a contract, and
the contracts were not good and actually all right before
(09:41):
im agready to the United States, I was offered a
contract from Universal and it was not a good one,
and I didn't didn't sign it because I got pregnant
and kind of thinking back then, you know, back then,
I thought, oh my gosh, this is such a terrible timing.
You know, I always wanted to do that, and this
is such a great opportunity, a great company, promising career,
(10:04):
and you know, I'm about to have a baby. And
of course they dropped the contract and I felt like
this is the end of everything. But that's actually was
the beginning, and the music industry changed today.
Speaker 3 (10:15):
So today I don't have to look for approval from
the big label.
Speaker 2 (10:20):
You know, like every single talented person can go and
record anywhere, even in their bedroom, and release anywhere they want.
There's so many different distribution platforms and it's just completely
different world. So everything happened for a reasons at the
right time and the same I believe with the approach
(10:41):
to music that I have. You know, I love blending generous,
I love blending languages, I love trying new things, and
I feel like this kind of music, in addition to
you know, given something not just perfect in terms of performance,
but molwas the soul and something more personal. I think
(11:01):
this type of music is having a moment right now
and this is what I love to do the most.
Speaker 4 (11:07):
Hindsight absolutely is twenty twenty. And you know, I want
to bring up something that you just sort of mentioned
about giving back. You know, I've always been a person
who felt like, if if you can get a big
enough platform, why would you not do good with that?
And you know, why wouldn't you use that for good
things and to help people? And not everybody does that,
(11:28):
but I always felt like you had to. Can you
tell us how you feel about how musicians have this
responsibility to use their platforms for meaningful change, because I
agree with you.
Speaker 2 (11:41):
I mean, everybody has an opinion, and as as you said,
I'm I usually don't understand people that have a huge
platform and they either use it, have a legion want
to tie, which I mean, I can understand. But then
you have to leave with your soul. You know, you
have to look at yourself in the mirror single morning,
and at some point you might you know, I end
(12:03):
up thinking that I don't really like the person that
I see every day.
Speaker 3 (12:07):
So you can't.
Speaker 2 (12:09):
You can't sell your soul for the money. And if
you have a platform, you have responsibility. This is something
that I've learned from being a journalist. And you know,
as I said, everything comes at the right time and
the right place. Maybe if fame, an opportunity to pursue
the music to my pleasure came to me earlier, and
(12:31):
maybe I wouldn't have this very strong sense of responsibility
for what I say and what I'm trying, you know,
people to convince, but knowing how much you know, the
words can go. I'm very conscious like what I say,
(12:52):
what I do, like on my social media, I'm very
very careful of what information I'm putting I'm very care
full what people, what brands, or what companies I represent,
and for me at this stage of my life, it's
about giving back. Like even you know, my partnering with
(13:13):
UNISEFF for the song Hope kind of confirmation of that.
I was looking for the right partner for plenty of time,
and finally I felt like the UNISEEF this is the
organization that aligns with my principles and what I've believed
in this time. And the collaboration happened, and you know,
it's raising money for children around the globe.
Speaker 4 (13:35):
It's a wonderful thing that you're doing. And I wanted
to know specifically a few things because you do I
alluded earlier that you do a lot. What ways would
you say or that you can share with us that
you use your platform to make a positive impact, and
some of the initiatives that you're working on as well
as the UNSEEFF initiative that I definitely want to hear
(13:56):
more about.
Speaker 2 (13:58):
Well, the UNISEF collaboration one that I'm really really proud.
It's ongoing collaboration and started from me releasing very very
powerful song. Its song is very beautiful by itself and
the name is hope it's out there. It was released
not long ago, a beautiful single and we were pro
(14:18):
Grammar consideration last year. And as soon as I released
the song, I asked my followers to see if it
could inspire them to do something good, like little act
of kindness, and people started making these videos. It started
from TikTok and then it b led to Instagram and
(14:39):
YouTube when they you know, do like random things like
one lady was giving hugs, that lady was talking about
the love to their children's but it was making sandwiches
for friends or spouses, or giving flowers on the street.
It became sort of this beautiful movement that let me
thinking about the potential that the song had. And then
(14:59):
I started looking for a good partner. And then you know,
Russian and Ukrainian conflict happened, which was very personal for
me because you know, I'm half Ukrainian, i have Russian
so an I'm pacifist also on top of that, so
it was like very very painful moment for me, which
gave me a lot of anxiety. And I started thinking about,
(15:20):
you know, all these children that suffering, and how it's
terrible that in the strangey first century we adults can
figure out any other ways to solve the conflict, but
go and you know, kill each other. Like what lessons
we give to about children? And I have three children myself.
I mean, I'm not just saying from some perspective. I'm
(15:40):
among myself. So it is a very very hard topic for.
Speaker 3 (15:46):
Me to talk about.
Speaker 2 (15:47):
And so the Universe was the company the organization that
it's heavily you know, supporting children. And I love the
scope of their work. I love that they go to
very far away areas, they work with the people in fields.
Speaker 3 (16:05):
They I mean they really rich people.
Speaker 2 (16:07):
So that was very important for me to make sure
that the money, the royalties that we give from the
song Hope, they not just go somewhere, they go directly.
Speaker 3 (16:16):
To the people. They go to the affected areas.
Speaker 2 (16:19):
And as soon as I will have opportunity, And I'm
actually I was begging your stuff. I'm like, I want
to go myself there, really, I mean, I have so
much to give. I speak languages, so I want to go,
you know, to this Ukraine and Russian and Ukrainian border,
whatever conflict, you know, whatever people speak, any Islamic languages
that I speak, I want to go there. I wanted
not just to give you money royalties from a song.
(16:40):
I want to go and give my time. I want
to give my love because I know on my own
example that even your appearance, like someone who does something,
who brings any sort of life or light, it can
have a lessing impression on the little child and it
can propel career. What you know, let them dream beg
(17:02):
because you know, we all live in this sort of
lottery in this world. You know, we're very lucky to
live in this country where females have rights, but there
are countries that females have no rights, or where there's
extreme poverty, and people still dream and the talents distributed
just as evenly, the opportunities might be not. So I
(17:24):
feel very responsible to have the resources and platform to
inspire people and you know, to give back any ways.
Speaker 4 (17:33):
I can, and that it is a beautiful song, and
it's a beautiful thing that you're doing to help vulnerable
kids all around the world.
Speaker 1 (17:42):
It's such a testament to who you are and.
Speaker 4 (17:45):
What you're doing, and it's it's a wonderful I don't
even know how to encapsulate it all, because you know,
you do want to change the world. When you have
a platform for the better like you are, and even
just helping one person, it can totally, like you said,
change the entire trajectory of that person's life. And if
(18:05):
you can do that, then you know, absolutely you can
really feel good about yourself. It's the reason why I
do this podcast actually, so I totally understand where you're
coming from. You know, if one person hears this and
it helps them, that's what we should all be doing.
Speaker 3 (18:20):
Absolutely.
Speaker 2 (18:21):
One of the things that I know it as the
person from a different country about America that Americans, in
my very very personal point of view a little bit
forgot what it is about something about American dream because
we all from all over the world count for the dream,
like for the dream whatever this dream is where it's
(18:44):
very personal theme, what is American dream?
Speaker 3 (18:45):
But Americans? You know, every time I would talk with Americans,
I would ask, you know, what is it?
Speaker 2 (18:50):
Like?
Speaker 3 (18:50):
What is it?
Speaker 2 (18:51):
And people very confused, so and very often what comes
out is, you know, well, this is not for us
to think about the dream.
Speaker 3 (19:01):
Here's all these wealthy people or politicians.
Speaker 2 (19:04):
That's for big people, you know, for big wolves to
work on a dream.
Speaker 3 (19:08):
We're just little people. Were just living our lives. And
I think this is something that I don't know.
Speaker 2 (19:15):
As I tell to my son, when he would say
me something like that, I would say him to him, Isaiah,
you're just too lazy.
Speaker 3 (19:22):
You go out of your rand and go do the work.
So the dream comes from little actions. You don't have
to have a lot of money, you don't have to
have a platform. You just have to get going because
you never know where you will end up. But the
only thing, the only way you will succeed is just
(19:42):
by moving. It doesn't have to be big. And this
is a dream dream to keep going, to keep doing something.
I believe it's very important. I mean not just for America,
but for any country. And I'm very dreaming by that.
Speaker 2 (19:57):
I'm a really like do your person and I believe
that that's something that keeps us alive.
Speaker 4 (20:03):
Probably well, hard work pays off. I mean that's the truth.
And you know you're living proof of that. So and
you know, you come here, I think to become the
best version of yourself because it's the freest place in
the world.
Speaker 1 (20:16):
So you know, I think that's a lot of people
forget that.
Speaker 4 (20:21):
And I'm so excited for you and your family and
all the amazing things that you have ahead of you,
besides the stuff that you've already accomplished just to get here.
To do that, I want to know how you believe
music can serve as a healing tool for other people
who are maybe suffering or going through personal challenges. Kind
of like what you were just saying, but maybe a
(20:42):
bit more about how music can help.
Speaker 2 (20:44):
I'm a very spiritual person and I'm also a very
pragmatic person. So every time when there is a research
somewhere I find online about how music actually scientifically can alter,
you know, not just our stays of mind, but something
on a level of self, I always go dip down
(21:07):
and kind of try to track this research and more
and more I find a lot of evidence and this
is a very hot topic and the science as well.
How music, how words, How everything that we say changes,
you know, our reality. And I'm a big delivering that.
I when my kids were still in my belly, they
(21:31):
will listening from the moment I knew that they have
all the sensory.
Speaker 3 (21:37):
You know, things evolved and working.
Speaker 2 (21:39):
They were listening to classical music and they all have
perfect pitch that just came out like that, So I
know it works.
Speaker 3 (21:45):
I know music can heal salts.
Speaker 2 (21:47):
I know music can change lives, not just because we've
a little bit, but because it's scientifically proven.
Speaker 3 (21:54):
And that's why in my music, I.
Speaker 2 (22:00):
I'm very very careful about lyrics, you know, my lyrics.
I don't write music about bad stuff, not because it's
all sugarcoated and cheesy, but because I believe that at
this point of my life and my life in the
life of the earth, this is the content that we need.
We need start talking about positivity, about something bigger and
(22:25):
better than money, fashion, you know, all these wonderful, beautiful
instincts that we love, you know, love and hate or
sexual relationship. There is something more out there. So I
found myself very successful and self inspired, only failed of
inspirational pop. I still would like to write pop music.
(22:45):
I want to have a big platform because I believe
there's so many people want to hear this music and
this kind of message that I mean, the more the
merrier is. So I'm really, really, very very excited to
work in here. And you know, my first Grammy that
I got it comes from New Age music. This is
sort of type of music that become in a very
(23:07):
very mainstream these days when it's meditative, when it's calming,
when it's something that puts people in this stage when
they can slow down and think about who they are
and don't forget about their roots. So this is just
I believe that the music and especial music that I
(23:28):
love and work on, it's a little bit more than entertainment.
Speaker 3 (23:32):
This is something for the soul for sure. There.
Speaker 1 (23:36):
Well, thank you.
Speaker 2 (23:37):
I'm not saying I'm just only you know, write something
very melodic and obviously like in my repertoire. In my
album is Dropping this year, you will see a lot
of ballads, a lot of melodic, inspirational things. But I
also write songs that you can dance, you know, your
head off. But the lyrics over there, they're still good,
There is still inspiring, there is still clean. I really
(23:58):
want to make sure that whatever comes out from me
as an artists is clean and suitable for everyone. So
my kids can listen to that, and the grandma that
turned hundreds you know last week, also can you know,
comprehends and relate. So this is kind of my goal
as an artist.
Speaker 4 (24:19):
Wow, well, thank you for first of all, congratulations. That
one hundred's pretty impressive, and I hope we all should
live that long, if not longer, And thank you for
all the great work you do on top of all
the wonderful music that you put out. I was dancing
to your song in the club. The name is escaping
(24:40):
me because it just it was twenty twenty American beauty. Yes,
thank you, that was the one, and I thought I
remember hearing it, and then when I was doing my
research on you, I thought, oh my gosh, that was her.
Speaker 1 (24:52):
I didn't even realize that I that was you.
Speaker 3 (24:54):
And that's so funny. Yes, I love this song. This
was so beautiful.
Speaker 2 (24:58):
That was one of the songs that sort of introduced
me to American market. And it was inspired by my
personal journey as someone from different countries coming to United.
Speaker 3 (25:08):
States to chase the dreams.
Speaker 2 (25:11):
And there's that that's that's what I felt represent American beauty,
you know, the variety of us, the beauty of us,
the freedom of us.
Speaker 3 (25:21):
It's a good song, yes, and.
Speaker 4 (25:23):
So as hope it is equally is wonderful in a
different way though, and it is it's very healing, and
it also goes to such a great cause. So where
people can go download the song on iTunes anywhere it's
called Hope by Alia. Yes, and thank you so much
for everything that you're doing, and keep keep dreaming because
I'm sure there's going to be more great things coming
(25:44):
from the artist known as Alia. And thank you for
being on Music Saved Me and sharing your story.
Speaker 3 (25:50):
Thank you
Host
Lynn Hoffman
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