- Real name – Oleksii Dibrova
- Date of birth – November 15, 1989
- Place of birth – Chornukhy (Ukraine)
- Language – Ukrainian
- Activity – singer, composer, musician, sound producer
- Genre – pop, pop rock
DIBROVA (Oleksii Dibrova) is a Ukrainian singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, composer, and sound producer. He is the author of the hit songs «Do You Want» and «I Saw Steel». He gained widespread recognition through his participation in the popular TV show «The Voice of Ukraine» and is now actively developing his solo music career while writing songs for other artists.
The Artist’s Formation
Music and creativity have been part of Oleksii’s life since childhood. His parents were well-known musicians in their hometown. Although his father worked as a mechanical engineer by profession, he also wrote poetry and music, while his mother taught the bayan. Oleksii’s older sisters were also involved in creative activities. Growing up in such an environment, the future artist simply could not remain detached from art.
DIBROVA received a particularly strong push toward professional music thanks to the success of his older sister. Oleksii did not want to fall behind her, so he set himself the ambitious goal of becoming a professional musician and eventually achieved it.
However, as a teenager, the young man faced a difficult choice. At one point, Dibrova seriously considered pursuing acting. The reason was the story of an imposing neighbor named Oleksii whom the boy constantly wanted to imitate. He did it so convincingly that the interest quickly developed into regular participation in school plays. At the same time, the young man studied the speech patterns of famous people, observing how they behaved and spoke.
Education and Training
Oleksii graduated from music school with a specialization in piano, although even then he was actively learning other instruments – guitar, trumpet, and drums. Later, he developed a particular preference for percussion. At the same time, DIBROVA had been drawn to lyrical music since childhood. Even before he began writing his own songs, he enjoyed listening to well-known Ukrainian bands, especially Okean Elzy and other groups whose music had a strong emotional component.
In 2011, Oleksii graduated with honors from the M. V. Lysenko Poltava Music College, specializing in wind and percussion instruments. Five years later, he completed his studies at the P. I. Tchaikovsky National Music Academy of Ukraine, where he also specialized in wind and percussion instruments.
Choosing the Stage Name
The artist also explains the origin of his stage name. DIBROVA is his real surname, so he saw no need to invent a special pseudonym. When asked about a «patent» for the name, the musician jokes that his passport serves as such a patent. In everyday life, he introduces himself as Oleksii, but on stage he wants to be known specifically as DIBROVA, as he considers his Ukrainian surname beautiful and distinctive.
Creative Career
Oleksii Dibrova began his solo career after already gaining considerable experience as a musician. Before performing independently at major venues, he worked as a drummer with well-known Ukrainian artists and bands. These included TamerlanAlena, Briats-band, Zlata Ognevich, Petro Chornyi, Mila Nitich, Dmytro Babak, and Oleksandr Polozhynskyi.
«The Voice of Ukraine»
A new stage in his career began with his participation in the fifth season of «The Voice of Ukraine». On the vocal show, DIBROVA performed the famous song «Sleep on Your Own» by the band Skryabin. His vocal delivery immediately attracted the coaches’ attention, and both Tina Karol and Potap turned their chairs for the artist.
Participating in the show was not only a professional challenge for Oleksii but also an opportunity to look at the Ukrainian show business industry from a new perspective. After «The Voice of Ukraine», he spent a lot of time reconsidering where sincerity existed in the industry and where the performance began, how music projects had worked before the war, and how the rules changed afterward. In his opinion, the Ukrainian music market is now much healthier and more honest than it was before.
At the same time, the artist regrets one decision he made during that period – he believes he should have chosen Tina Karol’s team when she turned her chair for him. Dibrova associates the singer with genuine values and a professional approach.
Solo Career
In 2019, Oleksii Dibrova founded his own solo project, DIBROVA. One of his first important steps was the «Hit Conveyor» competition, where the artist reached the semifinals with the song «Burning». From that point on, he increasingly shifted from the role of a session musician toward becoming an independent songwriter and performer.
Today, DIBROVA writes his own lyrics and music and uses the knowledge gained through playing six instruments. This versatility allows him to shape his own sound independently and search for unconventional solutions in his arrangements.
The first stage of his solo career was mainly devoted to romantic and dance-pop compositions. After the beginning of the full-scale war, his musical direction changed noticeably, with more dramatic and patriotic songs related to the experiences of wartime appearing in his repertoire.
Creative Development
One of the key releases in Oleksii’s career was the powerful single «I Saw Steel», dedicated to the strength and resilience of Ukrainian defenders. The song demonstrated the author’s ability to work not only with romantic lyrics but also with major social themes.
A new wave of popularity came with his duet with Olena Topolia – the song «Do You Want». The emotional composition received tens of millions of views on YouTube and attracted significant attention to the artist. The lyrical direction continued with the track «One for a Lifetime», which further established DIBROVA’s image as a romantic and emotional performer.
Collaborations with Other Artists and Projects
DIBROVA works not only on his own music but also creates compositions for other artists and participates in soundtrack projects. Among his professional projects is the music for the film «I Am Bandera».
In addition to his work as a songwriter and performer, Oleksii continues to work as a session musician. He maintains friendly and professional relationships with many colleagues, and his studio periodically serves as a rehearsal space for other artists.
The musician does not single out any one «major» collaboration as the only important one. Instead, he speaks about good relationships with many colleagues and his willingness to work with various representatives of the Ukrainian music scene.
Oleksii’s Stage Image
On the contemporary Ukrainian music scene, DIBROVA has already developed an image as a romantic artist. His songs revolve around feelings, love, and emotional experiences, while his stage performance remains light and expressive. At the same time, Oleksii admits that his stage persona and everyday personality are very different. In everyday life, he is much more reserved, serious, and less talkative. According to him, the war has influenced this side of his personality, as it has the lives of virtually everyone.
The artist considers some of the most valuable moments of his life to be those when music allows him to give another person an emotion. On stage, he allows himself to be more open and warm, even though he remains quite reserved outside of concerts.
At the same time, DIBROVA does not seek to follow all the unwritten rules of show business. In particular, he fundamentally rejects hypocrisy and artificial friendship. The artist prefers to speak sincerely about his thoughts and feelings, even when they may not appeal to everyone.
Musical Style
The foundation of DIBROVA’s musical style is contemporary Ukrainian pop music, but his work cannot be reduced to a single genre formula. Melodic romanticism, live instrumentation, and expressive lyrics play an important role in his arrangements.
As a musician who is professionally proficient in several instruments, Oleksii Dibrova strives to preserve a sense of live performance even within a modern studio sound. His compositions are built not only around the vocal part – melody and instrumental details in the arrangements also play a significant role.
Lyrics are also important to DIBROVA. Each track is intended to tell a particular emotional story – about love, loss, hope, personal experiences, or feelings that resonate with many listeners.
Civic Position and Social Activity
DIBROVA actively participates in charity concerts and other events aimed at supporting Ukrainians, including defenders and people affected by the war. Together with his team, he regularly travels around Ukraine, performs, and organizes fundraising campaigns.
At the same time, the artist admits that he almost always feels as though he is not doing enough. For him, helping others is not limited to large-scale charity events. Even a visit to a hospital to sing for soldiers can be extremely meaningful. In such moments, music can lift the defenders’ spirits, allow them to briefly distract themselves from a difficult reality, or help them process accumulated pain.
DIBROVA believes that tears and emotional release can also serve as a form of support. If a person who has been holding their experiences inside for a long time can allow themselves to express an emotion during a concert, that is already an important result.
Life Principles
The war has significantly changed the artist’s perception of everyday life. DIBROVA emphasizes that people now have to witness things they had never encountered before. Because of this, moments of communication with people who remain close have become even more valuable to him.
Another important principle for the artist concerns the Ukrainian language. Oleksii actively defends Ukrainians’ right to hear Ukrainian in everyday life and is not afraid to politely ask service workers to switch to Ukrainian if they continue communicating in the aggressor’s language.
Future Plans
Among DIBROVA’s nearest creative plans are trips to Ukrainian soldiers directly to the frontline. The artist says that he regularly receives messages from servicemen on TikTok and Instagram inviting him to visit their units, and he very much wants to take such an opportunity.
In addition, the musician plans to continue holding concerts that will raise funds for the needs of the military. At the same time, he is working on new compositions and wants to release songs that will have emotional meaning for listeners.
DIBROVA’s main goal today is simple – to create good music and help people wait, love, and believe. For the artist, these three things are particularly important today. He reminds listeners that music can be not only entertainment but also a way to support a person at a moment when they need it most.
Selected Hits:
- «Do You Want»;
- «One for a Lifetime»;
- «I Saw Steel»;
- «So Young»;
- «Who Are We» and others.
Interesting Facts About the Artist:
- describes himself as a «singing drummer»;
- is a finalist of the national television project «Ukrainian Song» and the «Hit Conveyor» competition on the M2 TV channel;
- has one hobby that helps him completely relax – fishing;
- has mastered six musical instruments and many of their variations;
- never listens to music with headphones, only in the car. He likes songs by Pianoбой, Okean Elzy, Odyn v Kanoe, YAKTAK, KOLA, and Parfeniuk;
- the urban-type settlement of Chornukhy, where the musician was born, is also the birthplace of Ukrainian philosopher Hryhorii Skovoroda;
- videos featuring the artist’s tracks are created on TikTok to capture the most touching moments of people’s lives.
