SONIA ELISHEVA

A letter from me to you...

 

Thank you for meeting me in the Black Sea. The sea doesn't belong to anyone, and neither do I.

I have a bit of an unusual family history. My Mum’s English, and my Dad is from all over - born in Kazakhstan, raised in Estonia and later lived in Russia. My grandparents were Ukrainian (from the Black Sea.) At the time, it was all the USSR. They were Jewish and had to move around constantly to avoid persecution. Defining exactly where they came from is complicated. But I carry their blood, and with it, this mixed culture which I wanted to reflect in the music. The 13 tracks jump across genres and cultural influences as I try to answer the question: “Where do you come from?” This album touches on themes of displacement, memory, identity - and the confusing puzzle of trying to make sense of yourself when your background is a patchwork quilt. I don’t have all the answers - but this album is my way of asking the questions. I hope it helps you ask yours too.

"The past lives on in us, even if we did not live it."

Love always,​​

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