Discussion

Considering the three main case studies of this thesis, it is evident that music played important roles in the solidarity movement for Ukraine, in the first five months of the 2022 war with Russia. Through charity concerts, orchestral performances, or protesters singing on the streets, against the war, the world outside Ukraine showed its solidarity with those struggling for freedom, and joined this country’s nationals in intoning Shche Ne Vmerla Ukrayina. The anthem went across the borders of the state it represents and united groups under the same supporting message, playing on collective memories, bringing to the surface the national struggle of defending territories that were labeled as “the motherland.” Another international setting in which Ukraine obtained the solidarity of other nations in 2022 is Eurovision. The band Kalush Orchestra won the contest with the entry Stefania, in Turin, on May 14. This song’s mixture of national folklore and modern musical genres, like rap, arguably mirrors the cultural and political bridge that Ukraine, at least in a significant part, tries building with the West and Europe. Furthermore, when associated with the war, the theme of Stefania, a mother, also becomes connected with the idea of protecting the motherland, another evocation of this imagery. By auctioning their Eurovision trophy, and performing at various charity concerts or future international tours, Kalush Orchestra also gathers significant funds for their home-country. They are often viewed as heroes, a notable play in the solidarity movement for Ukraine, shaping their audience’s collective memory. Last but not least, the Western pop hit Another Love, performing against this current war, also manipulates the listeners’ impressions by comparing those who suffer from the conflict in Ukraine with someone who struggles in mending the damage of a broken heart. Inspiring resilience in spite of the destruction from this Eastern European country, as contextualized in videos on social media, or through live performances at concerts, this song also reminds of older parallels between warfare and love, arguably also the famed slogans from the protests in the 1960s, that sought to bring peace in Vietnam.

These findings indicate that certain songs can have an influential role when nations turn against each other, as the “soundtrack of solidarity” was involved in uniting an international movement to support Ukraine. Music is a major part of human culture, of many people’s daily lives, but it can also be taken for granted. Considering the case studies of this thesis, as well as other times of war in which songs mobilized, enforced or helped imagining communities, striving for peace, it seems this art of sound can greatly shape the group identity and memory of listening collectives, tightening the bond between them.

There are also limitations to what this analysis of music in the solidarity movement for Ukraine could show. First of all, the Russo-Ukrainian war is still an ongoing conflict. These pages cannot predict how it will unfold and finally end in the future, what other songs would seem worth listening to when evaluating the role of music in this context, and whether the case studies of this work will remain a reference point when looking back at this armed conflict years after it would be resolved. Adding to this, there are many other musical examples which were not even mentioned, let alone closely analyzed in the present thesis, even if they too could fit in the “soundtrack of solidarity” for Ukraine. There are also other details on the chosen case studies that could be further explored. Due to limitations of space and time, probably no answer to a research question can ever be fully comprehensive. Also, especially in cultural analysis, one has to face the obstacles of subjectivity when describing the relations between human interactions and the social concepts that construct it. One’s interpretation of the musical factors that can contribute to an international movement of solidarity might strongly diverge from another person’s views. Trials of approximation of social reality can still be pursued.

Future studies of the music that supported those affected by the 2022 Russian invasion can be more exhaustive by reflecting on a larger portion of this conflict, preferably after its resolution. They can also go further back in time to other notable events that marked the history of Europe-Ukraine-Russia relations, and discuss how memories on them are shaped by recent music too. The main case studies of this work can also be followed in more detail as the time goes by. Different songs and the influence of their performances during the war can make suitable additions too, while other theoretical perspectives can bring a new light to the research question: How does music shape collective memory and protests in the solidarity movement for Ukraine, during the 2022 war with Russia?

Conclusion

Songs play  important roles in current times of war, by imagining, gathering, and enforcing communities of solidarity in the international social movement for Ukraine to protest the destruction caused by the 2022 Russian invasion. Considering the first five months of this armed conflict, and focusing on three main case studies (Shche Ne Vmerla Ukrayina, Stefania, and Another Love), it is visible that musical performances mirror and shape anti-war actions. The State Anthem of Ukraine plays on the collective memory of the imagined national community, and through post-invasion renditions of this song in international contexts, it brings other nations closer to the one praised in the lyrics. The folk-rap song Stefania by Kalush Orchestra gathered the support of Eurovision voters, crowning Ukraine the winner of the contest’s 2022 edition. The band is especially acclaimed in their home country, since they represent the nation’s cause abroad, and are making use of their success in music to gather funds for war-related charities. One of the Western pop songs from the solidarity movement for Ukraine, Another Love by Tom Odell, bonds communities online or through live performances in promoting resilience against the Russian invasion. Performances of Odell’s 2013 hit in this new wartime context also play on older parallels between love and armed conflicts. Other musical examples that could fit into this “soundtrack of solidarity” for Ukraine can also be considered, however these three case studies are already enough to show the dangers of one-sidedness that lyrical and melodic narratives can display. Praising the rightful freedom of Ukraine, associating the land with the theme of motherhood, and comparing the nation to a lover, music can glorify Ukraine to the point of being blind to more nuanced portrayals of the other side of this armed conflict. The music of the solidarity movement for Ukraine from 2022, provides an important view into the emotions surrounding the conflict, but one should not forget that there is always more nuance to understand from the complex affairs that mark mankind.