- Real name – Yana Oleksandrivna Shemaieva
- Date of birth – October 21, 1995
- City – Vasylkiv (Ukraine)
- Language – Ukrainian, English
- Occupation – singer, songwriter
- Genre – pop music
The Artist's Early Years
Jerry Heil – the stage name of Ukrainian singer and songwriter Yana Shemaieva. The future star was born in Vasylkiv, Kyiv Oblast, and showed an interest in music and creativity from the age of three. Sometimes, she would even choose singing over studying. Yana attended music school until the age of 15. She then studied choral conducting at the Glière Kyiv Municipal Academy of Music before enrolling at the Tchaikovsky National Music Academy of Ukraine. However, she left during her second year to pursue her own artistic path.
Born into a family of entrepreneurs, Yana grew up surrounded not only by her parents' business activities. Her mother, Liudmyla Shemaieva, is also a singer and has recently been actively sharing her music online. In 2022, mother and daughter even released a music video for their joint song «Not Sisters».
Yana chose the stage name Jerry Heil while she was still a teenager. Inspired by the cartoon «Tom and Jerry», she originally used the nickname Jerry Mouse on social media. Later, «Mouse» became «Heil». She simply came across the word online and decided to use it without attaching any deeper meaning to it. That was how the story of an artist with a remarkable voice and even more remarkable charisma began.
Musical Career
At the age of 16, Yana uploaded a YouTube cover of Keane's hit Somewhere Only We Know. The video, recorded with a simple backing track, marked the beginning of her confident journey toward popularity and recognition. From then on, she regularly uploaded covers of songs by Ukrainian and international artists, including Okean Elzy, The Hardkiss, Twenty One Pilots, and many others.
In 2016, Yana's vocals could be heard on Arlett's single «Electric Winter». A year later, she and several friends attempted to form their own band. The group rehearsed in a garage in Kyiv, but the collaboration soon came to an end. The band disbanded before gaining the attention of modern music fans. Nevertheless, Yana continued performing as a solo artist. At one of Jam FM's events, her medley impressed the organizers, who offered to put her original song into radio rotation. That was how a wider audience first heard the track «Where Is My Home».
The release encouraged Yana to search for a producer. She sent her demo recordings to Vidlik Records and received a positive response from Yevhen Filatov and Nata Zhyzhchenko. In October 2017, the label released her debut EP «Where Is My Home», featuring four tracks. This bright discographic debut opened the way to the hearts of thousands of new fans.
Style and Artistic Development
Jerry Heil's personal style combines comfort, practicality, and contemporary Ukrainian fashion. Her looks effortlessly blend classic and casual styles, featuring elegant dresses, tailored suits, colorful sweaters, ripped jeans, and embroidered shirts. The singer is never afraid to experiment, allowing her to combine comfort with modern trends.
In her music, the artist has gradually moved away from the lighthearted comedic style that defined the beginning of her solo career. Instead, Jerry Heil has immersed herself in a deeper emotional space. Her pop songs are sincere stories filled with dramatic expression, memorable melodies, and honest lyrics that evoke empathy and deeply resonate with listeners.
Jerry Heil's true breakthrough came after the release of the song «OKHRANA, OTMENA». The track instantly topped the charts and conquered YouTube. Its success inspired Yana to create her debut album «#I_AM_YANA», which included such hits as «Free Checkout», «Twerk», «White Sneakers», and other songs that firmly established her place on the Ukrainian pop scene.
Participation in Song Contests
In 2018, Jerry Heil took part in «The X Factor Ukraine», performing an a cappella medley of Oleh Vynnyk's songs. Despite receiving four «yes» votes from the judges, she left the competition after the very first stage of the training camp.
At the beginning of 2020, the singer participated in Ukraine's Natsionalnyi vidbir (National Selection) for «Eurovision» with the song Vegan. She reached the final but did not win. However, in 2024, together with alyona alyona, Jerry Heil returned to the Natsionalnyi vidbir with the song Teresa & Maria. The duo won the competition and represented Ukraine at the Eurovision Song Contest in Malmö. In the Grand Final of «Eurovision 2024», the artists finished in third place, earning recognition from audiences across Europe.
Social Activities
Jerry Heil actively participates in various charitable and volunteer initiatives. In September 2019, the singer released the music video for the song «My Childhood Dream», created as part of the charitable project «Make a Dream Come True». In March 2022, Jerry Heil joined Tina Karol in a major international initiative supporting Ukraine. The Ukrainian artists performed «The Anthem of Youth» accompanied by Poland's Jan Choir. Yana also translated the second verse into English herself.
Since the beginning of the full-scale war, the singer has continuously participated in charity events supporting the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
The Singer's Best-Known Hits:
- «Free Checkout»;
- «OKHRANA, OTMENA»;
- «#Bomb_Rocket_Gun_Grenade»;
- When God Shut the Door;
- Dai Boh (with alyona alyona and Monika Liu);
- «What Floor of Heaven Are You From?» (with Yarmak), and many others.
Awards and Recognition:
- Jager Music Awards 2019: Single of the Year («OKHRANA, OTMENA»);
- Viva! Choice 2019: Discovery of the Year;
- YUNA 2020: Breakthrough Artist of the Year;
- MME Awards 2023: Public Choice Award;
- Eurovision Awards 2024: Best Artistic Vision.
Interesting Facts About the Artist:
- In 2024, Jerry Heil became the most-listened-to Ukrainian artist on Spotify, attracting more than 1.6 million monthly listeners;
- the singer was accepted to one of the world's most prestigious music schools – Berklee College of Music;
- in 2024, the artist became a member of the Recording Academy, giving her the opportunity to vote for the Grammy Awards;
- Yana wrote the song «NOT_BABY» for the popular reality show «From Tomboy to Lady»;
- Jerry Heil follows a vegan lifestyle and practices a raw vegan diet.
