Olga Tsybulska's Concert on Holodomor Memorial Day: The Controversy and Adaptations

Controversy Surrounds Olga Tsybulska's Performance

According to Главком: Ukrainian singer Olga Tsybulska found herself at the center of public criticism for holding a concert on November 22, 2025, in the town of Teplyk, Vinnytsia region. The date coincided with the Day of Remembrance for the victims of the Holodomor, the man-made famine that killed millions of Ukrainians in the 1930s. In an interview, she explained her reasons for proceeding with the event and detailed the modifications made to the program out of respect for the solemn occasion.

How the Concert Program Was Altered

The program was significantly revised to honor the gravity of the memorial day. The performance began with a moment of silence, attended by invited military personnel. Tsybulska noted that the concert was also paused so the audience could pay respects to a fallen soldier from a neighboring community whose funeral procession was passing by. The singer shared personal archival photos with boxer Volodymyr Klitschko, adding a private dimension to the public event.

“We book the date and receive permits from the city and the military administration. But then these permits can change because there might be casualties in the city or additional shelling. This concert had already been rescheduled several times,” explained Olga Tsybulska.

She elaborated on how the concert's content was specifically adapted:

• We changed the setlist, removing ultra-entertaining, dance-oriented songs.
• We honored heroes and the victims of the Holodomor, and recited a memorial poem.
• We invited military personnel, who were present in the hall.
• We stopped the concert, and I asked all attendees to exit the cultural center. We all knelt as the body of a hero from a neighboring community was being transported for burial.

Tsybulska emphasized the profound importance of remembering the Holodomor, drawing from her family's history: “The days of Holodomor remembrance were days off, meaning it wasn't just a single day. I know this well and remember my great-grandmother peeling potatoes, barely trimming the skin, because she said nothing is more terrible than the Holodomor and war-they lived through it. I know this from my own family.”

The singer also stressed that in today's Ukraine, there are no days free from remembrance: “In Ukraine now, there are no non-memorial days.” This concert thus became a significant moment not only for honoring historical victims but also for uniting the community amidst the nation's ongoing struggles. The controversy highlights the deep sensitivity in Ukrainian society regarding the commemoration of past tragedies, especially during the current war. While Tsybulska attempted to tailor her event appropriately, the public reaction underscores how such matters require exceptional care and respect, transforming the concert from a mere cultural event into an attempt to rally the community around shared values of memory and history.