LAUD

• Real name – Vladislav Andriyovych Karashchuk
• Date of birth – October 14, 1997
• City – Kyiv (Ukraine)
• Language – Ukrainian, English
• Genre – pop, R&B

Artist’s career

LAUD (real name – Vladislav Karashchuk) is a Ukrainian singer, composer, songwriter. The future star of the domestic R&B scene was born in Kyiv. The guy was familiar with the world of music from an early age. And this is no coincidence, because he grew up in a family of professional musicians: his father is a clarinetist, his mother is a pianist, and his grandfather, Vitaliy Karashchuk, is a famous Ukrainian pianist and teacher. So the atmosphere of immersion in culture and art has always been present in Vlad’s life.

At the age of five, the boy mastered playing the guitar, and from the age of seven he became seriously interested in vocals. He also tried his hand at playing the saxophone, but he had no desire to develop in a new direction. While studying at the Kyiv gymnasium, Vlad attended a music school at the same time. The young man improved his vocal skills and playing the guitar. Today, the singer admits: he saw no other path than music in front of him.

Even as a child, the young artist actively participated in numerous vocal competitions, winning victories and awards. The boy's name has repeatedly sounded on the stages of such projects and festivals as "Step to the Stars", "Slavic Bazaar", "Black Sea Games", "Children's Eurovision" and "Children's New Wave". Thanks to his charisma and talent, the contestant managed to receive loud applause and recognition from a wide audience. Participation in competitions brought increased popularity and prestigious diplomas and awards.

Vlad Karashchuk without hesitation chose a professional musical path for himself. He received his higher education at the R. M. Glier Kyiv Institute of Music. He studied pop vocals. At the same time, the performer improved his skills at the American Music Academy branch, combining the Ukrainian music school with Western methods. In 2015, the audience of the large-scale Alfa Jazz Fest music festival met Vlad Karashchuk. Not only music lovers, but also producers associated with the music industry drew attention to the talented and charismatic artist.

Creative path

A landmark for Vlad was his participation in the popular vocal show "Voice of the Country". The artist took an important step on the path to success in 2016. The participant of the project did not win. However, "Voice of the Country" became a real career springboard for the young artist. The audience remembered the bright performance of the hits Seven Days, Running, Killing Me Softly and Happy. Vlad stormed into the final, becoming a favorite of the audience thanks to his extraordinary style, sincere emotionality and recognizable, special timbre of his voice.

Active cooperation with other representatives of the music scene began. The result was the video clips for the songs "I Feel" and Good Morning, recorded with the participation of Vlad Karashchuk. LAUD made his personal creative debut in 2017. The singer presented the first single "On This Night". The composition quickly gained popularity on Ukrainian radio stations. The video clip for the song collected almost half a million views on YouTube. The atmosphere and special aesthetics of the video work were created by young Kyiv actors who starred in familiar metropolitan locations. The artist was produced by Igor Tarnapolsky. In the same year, Vlad took to the stage of the Kyiv Palace of Sports, opening for the star, Ukrainian singer Jamala.

The next single "Don't Leave" strengthened the singer's position, demonstrating LAUD's vocal skills and sincere emotionality. In 2018, the artist became a finalist in the national selection for the Eurovision Song Contest, where he presented the song Waiting. Although he failed to win, the artist himself emphasized: the main thing is experience and the opportunity to present his music on the big stage.

Style and development of the artist

LAUD's further creative path was marked by constant development, new challenges and the artist's unwavering desire to reach the heights of the music industry. In March 2018, the new single "Invented" was released. The music for the song was written by Vlad Karashchuk in collaboration with electronic musician Roman Cherenov aka Morphom. Later, the artist supplemented the track with a bright video clip.

At the end of the same year, fans of LAUD's work received a real gift from their idol - the full-length album "Music". The presentation of the album took place at the singer's first solo concert in the capital. Hundreds of loyal fans came to the live show to hear new songs and enjoy the special sound and timbre of the performer.

In February 2019, Vlad Karashchuk tried his hand at the national selection for Eurovision for the second time. This time with the Ukrainian-language composition "2 Days". The singer's performance became another confirmation of the artist's creative maturity. And in December 2022, LAUD presented the second album DUAL to the public.

National Selection for Eurovision 2026

LAUD made another attempt to represent Ukraine at the Eurovision Song Contest in 2026. The artist entered the final of the National Selection, where he performed on February 7th in fifth place with the competition composition Lightkeeper. The song reveals a generalized image of a modern Ukrainian – regardless of age, gender or profession. According to the performer, everyone who holds the country together becomes a “keeper of light”: from military personnel and teachers to entrepreneurs and utility workers. The composition reflects on the reality of life during war and blackouts, where light takes on symbolic meaning – as a daily choice, inner stability and responsibility of everyone.

According to the results of the voting of the competition jury and the audience, LAUD took second place in the National Selection.

Social activity

With the beginning of the full-scale invasion, Vlad actively participated in charity. During this time, dozens of concerts were held both in Ukraine and abroad. Vlad directs all his efforts to raising funds to support the military and help those who suffered from the war. So on October 14, 2022, LAUD performed as a headliner at a charity fair in Rivne. The event managed to raise 1,000,000 hryvnias for the needs of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Combining charitable and creative activities, LAUD released its third album, "Awakening," in 2024. The album's tracks reflected the artist's personal experiences and creative experiments. A Ukrainian tour was announced in support of the release.

Awards and honors:

• “Wave of the Country”, nomination “Best Dance Song” (track “U tsyu nich”);
• “Ukrainian Song of the Year” (victory);
• YUNA, nomination “Best Duet” (song “Bez tebe” with TAYANNA);
• “Zolota Zhar-ptytsia”, nomination “Indie” (song “2 dni”);
• APrize, nomination “Best Ukrainian Album of the Year”.

The singer’s most famous hits:

• “U tsyu nich”;
• “Ne lyzayjai”;
• “Vygadav”;
• “Podolyanochka”;
• Stop The War;
• “Don't Ask” cover OE;
• “Aperol” (feat. CRYBYE);
• “Drive”;
• Lightkeeper and other singles.

Interesting facts about the artist:

• in Vlad's opinion, to be successful, you just need to do what you like and not imitate anyone and be unique;
• the guy was persuaded to apply for the casting of “The Voice of the Country” by his parents. And today the artist is sincerely grateful to them for this;
• in 2017, LAUD became a permanent vocalist of the season of the show "Dancing with the Stars";
• in 2026, the artist made his seventh attempt to win the National Selection for Eurovision and, after receiving "silver", did not rule out the possibility of coming to the competition next year.