YAKTAK

• Real name – Yaroslav Mykolayovych Karpuk
• Date of birth – May 4, 2005
• City – Stara Vyzhivka (Ukraine)
• Language – Ukrainian
• Genre – pop, hip-pop

History of the artist's development

YAKTAK (real name – Yaroslav Karpuk ) is a Ukrainian singer and songwriter. Yaroslav was born in a small village in Volyn. Music and creativity entered the life of the future star of the new wave in early childhood. After all, from the age of four, the boy began to sing under the guidance of his grandparents, who taught music professionally and were directly connected with the world of culture and art.

The talented young man repeatedly participated in creative competitions of various levels, winning victories. After graduating from a music school in the piano class, he additionally mastered the guitar and sopilka. After graduating from high school in his native village, Yaroslav entered the Kyiv Municipal Academy of Pop and Circus Arts to study the specialty of "artist-vocalist". From local stages, the singer gradually moved to a wider audience, attracting the attention of thousands of fans with the sincerity of his performance, bright charisma and natural talent of the singer.

Yaroslav Karpuk loudly declared himself as a teenager. In 2019, the young man became a finalist of the popular TV show “The Voice. Children” in the media industry. The contestant took second place, competing as part of the Dzidzio team. In 2021, he won the grand prix at the “Black Sea Games” festival and began creating original songs. Dreams of popularity and love from fans became more and more achievable.

Creative path

Yaroslav Karpuk began his musical career with covers, one of which was “Hutsulka Ksenya”. The track went viral on TikTok and attracted the attention of a large audience, including music producers. In 2022, the artist presented his solo project YAKTAK, which began a new stage in his creative path. The artist made his original debut on February 3, 2022. And then one after another, compositions appeared that immediately appealed to the listeners and conquered the charts.

An important place in the performer's repertoire is occupied by duets created in collaboration with other Ukrainian stars. One of the most famous joint tracks was the composition "Porichka", performed together with the singer KOLA. The song conveys the atmosphere of summer, pleasant memories and depicts a bright feeling of love that fills life with light.

Another successful release was the song "In an Empty Room", recorded together with Jerry Heil. Despite the remote format of work on the track, the composition gained considerable popularity. The joint hit with MamaRika "Leleka" also deserves special attention. The work won over fans with the bright charisma of the performers, as well as sensuality and stylish sound.

In October 2024, the premiere of the video clip for the song "In the Night Sky" took place on the YAKTAK YouTube channel. The event became the fulfillment of Yaroslav's dream of collaborating with Svyatoslav Vakarchuk. The uniqueness of the track lies in the combination of two famous hits: "In the Sky" performed by YAKTAK and "At Night" performed by the leader of the band Okean Elzy. The composition became a symbol of creative dialogue between generations of the Ukrainian scene. The successful collaboration reminded that music and creativity can unite people regardless of age or experience.

The artist's creative development

As Yaroslav admits, a few years ago his songs remained unknown to the general public. And today, the singer's tracks are among the leaders of the Ukrainian hit parades and in YouTube trends. In particular, the composition "Poglyad" held first place in the "Top Songs of Ukraine" on Apple Music for several weeks. YAKTAK creates music that penetrates the heart. And it is this emotional openness and sincerity that conquers listeners. The artist has repeatedly emphasized that the main thing for him is not just to create songs, but to evoke a response from everyone who hears them.

YAKTAK's creativity contains a rich palette of emotions - from carefree joy to deep, almost chamber melancholy. Despite the challenges of wartime, YAKTAK does not stop in his creative activity. A small but close-knit creative group of like-minded people is working on the project. However, the artist calls his listeners the main driving force. It is the fans who are the source of inspiration and help move forward.

In February 2024, YAKTAK presented his debut LP entitled “Under the Guitar”. The album included eight tracks, each of which tells a separate story. These are compositions about love for relatives, beloved, music and native land. As part of the concert tour, the artist performed in more than 40 cities of Ukraine. The artist also visited several European capitals, giving the audience hope and faith in a bright future.

Social activity

Throughout the entire period of the full-scale war, YAKTAK actively supports the Armed Forces of Ukraine. In just 25 days of the concert tour, the artist managed to collect almost a million hryvnias for the needs of the army. The singer openly declares his position: he puts the entire RussianUkrainian music, because he considers it a tool of propaganda. Instead, he supports the development of Ukrainian culture and is confident that the domestic music industry is worthy of world fame. According to Yaroslav, the most important thing is to help listeners find the music that will resonate in their hearts.

YAKTAK is also actively involved in volunteer activities. The artist helps with the collection of humanitarian aid, medicines and necessary items for the military on the front line. The singer regularly performs at charity events and supports initiatives aimed at helping both our defenders and civilians.

The singer's most famous works:

• “Hutsulka Ksenya”;
• “Povistka”;
• “Stefania”;
• “Narechna”;
• “Ne muchchi”;
• LALALA;
• “Porichka”;
• “Unochi” and many others.

YAKTAK Awards and Honors:

• Muzvar Awards 2023 (“Best New Names in Pop Music”);
• Megogo Music Awards 2023 (“New Wave of Pop Music”);
• Culture Music Awards 2023 ("Hit of the Year") and others.

Interesting facts about the artist:

• the hits "Silhouette" and "Dancing Alone" were recorded during a concert tour in hotel rooms;
• the pseudonym YAKTAK is a combination of parts of Yaroslav Karpuk's name. But, rumor has it, there is another, secret meaning;
• in 2023, the performer became the leader in the number of listenings on Spotify;
• in 2024, the artist took part in the National Selection for Eurovision;
• in YAKTAK's video clips, a guitar is always present, stylized according to the content of the composition.