Tonya Matvienko
Antonina Petrovna Matvienko
Date of birth – April 12, 1981
City – Kyiv (Ukraine)
Language – Ukrainian
Activity – singer, actress
Genre – folk music
The history of the artist's career
Tonya Matvienko is a Ukrainian singer, actress, Honored Artist of Ukraine. A significant influence on the future choice of profession of her daughter was exerted by her legendary mother - the star of the national stage, the symbol of Ukrainian song, People's Artist of Ukraine Nina Matvienko. In 1991, the performer took ten-year-old Antonina on a tour to the USA, where Tonya made her debut on the big stage. Already in 1992, she sang the National Anthem of Ukraine on Maidan Nezalezhnosti, demonstrating her talent to a wide audience and winning the hearts of thousands of people with her pure, transparent vocals.
In 1999, Antonina completed her studies at the Kyiv Specialized Music Boarding School, majoring in "choral conducting." She later entered the Kyiv Institute of Culture and Arts, where she earned a degree in "Public Relations Management." In 2010, she received a second higher education at the Faculty of Musical Arts of the same university, specializing in folk vocal performance.
Creative path
Antonina Matvienko's first steps in her professional life were connected with art and advertising: Tonya began her career at the Art Gallery, and later worked as a PR person in an advertising agency. In 2006, she began to actively realize herself as a singer. A year later, the country heard her debut composition "Not a Butterfly Spreads Through the Meadow". In parallel with her musical career, Antonina also manifests herself on the theater stage.
In 2011, Matvienko took part in the first season of the vocal show “Voice of the Country”. Despite the singer’s impressive performance and natural charisma, none of the coaches returned. The judges explained their indecision by the contestant’s “folk timbre”. Later, the show’s producer gave Antonina a second chance, and the artist joined Ruslana’s team. Thanks to hard work and bright performances, Antonina reached the final of the project, where she took second place.
Despite the fact that Tonya Matvienko did not become the winner, participation in the show brought the performer wide popularity and recognition. The singer's talent attracted the attention of both the public and the media. After the completion of the project, Antonina went on a tour of Ukraine together with singer Arsen Mirzoyan, who took fourth place in "The Voice". In 2016, Matvienko continued to conquer the music scene, reaching the semi-finals of the National Selection for the Eurovision Song Contest. The artist's performance with the composition Tin Whistle received positive reviews and expanded the army of loyal fans of Tonya Matvienko's work.
The style and development of the performer
In 2013, Antonina Matvienko presented her debut album. The release was called "New and the Best". The work became a real family collaboration, as the album was recorded in a duet with Tonya's mother, the legendary Nina Matvienko. The collection combined traditional Ukrainian singing and modern sound, emphasizing Antonina's unique style and her family's musical roots.
In July 2013, Antonina Matvienko took part in the Global Gathering Ukraine event, where she performed with the group Tapolsky & VovKING. The joint number of the artists combined Antonina's unique vocals with a dynamic electronic sound, creating an unforgettable atmosphere and impressing the audience with its original sound. In the fall of the same year, Antonina became the headliner of the first Polish-Ukrainian festival "Our Galicia", which took place on October 10-13 in the central square of Krakow. The performance vividly demonstrated the versatility of Ukrainian music and culture on the international stage.
Social activity
Tonya Matvienko is open to communicating with fans. The singer regularly updates posts on her Facebook and Instagram profiles, and presents new video clips on her YouTube channel. Antonina Matvienko worked as a vocal teacher at the Mykhailo Poplavsky University of Culture for some time. Tonya was offered the job by the rector of the educational institution. However, she later decided to leave this position. As the artist herself explained, teaching took up too much time, leaving little space for creativity. During this period, Antonina realized that for complete self-realization it was necessary to focus on one thing, and made a choice in favor of a musical career.
During the full-scale war in Ukraine, Antonina Matvienko is actively involved in volunteer activities, helping the Ukrainian military. She regularly participates in charity events and publishes reports on her support, involving the audience in important initiatives. Patriotism and support for the country's defenders are of particular importance to the singer, as her younger brother Andriy serves in the ranks of the National Guard of Ukraine, which adds even greater personal motivation to Antonina's efforts.
The singer's best hits:
- "Beloved";
- "Strange Flower";
- "The Power of the Bird";
- "Not a butterfly";
- "Dryad";
- "Rain";
- "Give Love" and others.
Interesting facts about the singer:
- Tonya Matvienko became the first Ukrainian to perform before the President of Singapore at the Harmony Festival, at the invitation of the Ukrainian Embassy. The artist sang the folk hit "Flower-Soul" for an audience of two thousand. Thus, another country in the world was introduced to the beautiful Ukrainian music and culture;
- the singer has the "Badge of Honor" award from the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine;
- The artist's favorite dish is beans in tomato sauce;
- The Matvienko family especially revered Christmas among the calendar holidays. The solemn event gathered hundreds of carolers at the doorstep of their house. The queue began on the first floor.
