A standalone solo album separate from Okean Elzy releases in September 2026. Ten tracks recorded without the classic band lineup — Vakarchuk plays all guitar parts himself.
Sviatoslav Vakarchuk has announced his first solo album of his entire solo career — 'Vilni' (English: 'Free'). Release is scheduled for 12 September 2026. The recording features producer Yevhen Filatov (The Maneken), multi-instrumentalist Dmytro Shurov, and arranger Yuriy Maistruk. All guitar parts were recorded by Vakarchuk himself — a principal difference from Okean Elzy formats. According to the artist, the album tells stories that 'didn't fit the band's format' — more chamber, textual, experimental. One key track, 'Lullaby for Adults,' is a requiem for victims of the full-scale invasion with references to Ukrainian poetry by Shevchenko and Stus. Another track, 'Letter to a Brother,' is dedicated to soldiers defending Ukraine at the front — among them the artist's own brother, Oleh. The first single 'Tykho' (Quiet) drops in June 2026 with a music video shot at the ruins of the Mariupol Drama Theatre. All proceeds from the single will be donated to the Mariupol Memory Museum. The album presentation tour starts in October — solo performances in small halls: Kyiv (Zhovten), Lviv (Park kultury), Odesa (Green Theatre).
