Ukraine's Zlata Dziunka shares her 'Unbreakable' spirit

Fourteen-year-old Zlata joins us from the small town of Rava-Ruska, just a stone’s throw away from the border with Poland. Ever since she hopped on stage for the first time during a summer seaside holiday at the age of six, she knew that music was her calling. Since then, she’s graduated from a local music school and has competed at festivals in Ukraine and beyond.

During the start of COVID lockdowns in 2020, Zlata started remotely collaborating with renowned Ukrainian singer and songwriter Illaria. Their friendship, mentorship, and artistic partnership continued to develop and grow, and as Zlata channeled her thoughts and feelings about the ongoing war in her homeland into poetry and lyrics, the pair ended up creating the song Nezlamna, which we’ll hear on stage here in Yerevan.

'I worked with my vocal coach Illaria to share my feelings, thoughts, and emotions with her, and we wrote the lyrics and music based on this. It is very important for me to deliver the message of my song. It's very powerful, and I believe it must be heard.'

Living close to the Polish border, Zlata has been a witness to countless people, particularly children, leaving Ukraine due to the ongoing war. She feels a responsibility to be a voice for kids who are facing an uncertain future, but who are doing so with determination and grit. At the end of the day, that's what Nezlamna means: Unbreakable.

👀 Check out Zlata’s Photo Gallery from her First Rehearsal!

If Zlata's song and story resonate with you, be sure to vote for Ukraine at this year's Junior Eurovision Song Contest!

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