Dubai-based Ukrainian singer lauds support for Ukraine amidst conflict

“I love the spirit of my country and of Ukrainians - we are free spirits and nobody can take that away from us.”

For Dubai-based Ukrainian singer-songwriter Allexa Bash, it’s been a tough couple of days. With the ongoing conflict in her home country, Allexa, who has lived in Dubai for the last four years, says the situation was difficult to believe initially. “It’s very painful. I can’t believe it’s happening right now, in the 21st century, to be honest,” she told Khaleej Times.

Allexa’s mother resides in Ukraine and she shared how tough it has been the past few days for expats who have parents and relatives living there. “We’re not sleeping - everyone has slept for maybe for one or two hours in the night, four days in a row. These four days have been like four weeks for me!”

Remarking on how she really worries about her country and about Ukrainians, Allexa emphasized the “amazing culture and music” that Ukraine has to offer the world.

She referred to a recent performance of hers at Expo 2020 Dubai that was so moving it touched the hearts of not only the Ukrainians present, but also a multi-cultural audience. “Ukrainian folk songs are very beautiful; we were performing these songs at the Ukraine Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai, and almost everyone was crying!”

In a message of thanks for the support received by Ukraine, Allexa said, “I want to say thank you to everybody who is supporting Ukraine from around the world. Only with this massive support I think everything will be okay.”

"I believe that we will win," she concluded.

• Dubai