Who are Divka?

Divka or Diva in our language is a traditional European folk duo with a fresh take on this old music that can date back hundreds of years. We have Zoe Santo playing Viola, not violin. We also have Alina Kuzma playing a Bandurist which is considered an esoteric Ukrainian harp. The one she played tonight has 61 strings.

They are a young group that started in October of 2024. Their world music influence has seen them perform in various global genres and travel to remote places to teach their music to others.

They just release their debut album, “Folk Fatale”. Blast will put a review in about this album very soon.

Intimacy at the Tranzac

Divka played in the very intimate “Living Room” at the Tranzac. When I first walked in the warmth and happiness I received from these two ladies immediately made me want to stay and get comfortable. This was the theme throughout the evening. Once the show started, people felt open enough to discuss various topics with the duo. They asked questions about their instruments, adding their points of view to their stories and just hanging out as if we were all just friends in this room. That was the vibe in the Living Room.

The one thing that stood out for me was that they really felt the need to empower women in their songs. These songs were not the typical North American version of empowerment. It wasn’t about being better than everyone else of screaming at how unfair the world is. They sang about all the emotional states of being a real woman and they did as with songs of celebration. They didn’t shy away from being boastful about being young and hot and ready for love.

In fact, there was a fun song about men trying to propose to these hot young women. If you end up receiving a pumpkin, that is their way of saying no.

They even sang a song in Crimean about the loss of some old languages and how we need to preserve this past. It is the same here in Canada with the Indigenous people fighting to keep their language alive.

Speaking of Canada, they did get to sneak in a Loreena McKennit cover song to add that mystical side of Canada alive.

I do have to admit; the highlight of the evening was when this pair of young women convinced this small an intimate audience to sing like a goat. They prepared us for the moment. It was probably one of the silliest things I was a witness to. When the time came and we all got that look, a roomful of quiet intellectual people did their wild version of Old MacDonald and sang like goats!

Just when things were that silly, they sang another traditional song. The theme of this song was about a Grandma, a bird and a small war all over weed. What weeeed? Yes that weed…

Well, that is what you may receive at a Divka show. These two are funny and charming and very open about their opinions. They tell really cool stories about the past, Europe and a culture some of us are just coming to understand.

If you do make it out and they make you sing like a Goat, go for it! It may be the best therapy you can get for free.

Here is a link to their website- DIVKA: Folk Fatale on Bandura & Viola

Here is their Instagram account- www.instagram.com/divkamusic/

This is Divka live: