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Transcript/Script((PLAYBOOK SLUG: TV – Taras Topolya Rock Star Paramedic – Bakalets
HEADLINE: Ukraine Rock Star Combines Working as Paramedic, Singing With Western Celebrities Amid War
TEASER:
PUBLISHED AT: 05/16/2022 at 9:15AM
BYLINE: Lesia Bakalets
CONTRIBUTOR:
DATELINE: Washington
SCRIPT EDITORS: KE?, Holly Franko
VIDEOGRAPHER: Yuriy Zakrevskiy
VIDEO SOURCE (S): VOA news, Courtesies TBD
PLATFORMS: TV only
TRT: 2:55
VID APPROVED BY: KE
TYPE: TVPKG
UPDATE: Interview is Zoom, cleared for use))
EDITORS NOTE:
((INTRO))
[[Taras Topolya is a Ukrainian rock singer. From the first day of the war in Ukraine, he has been working as a paramedic with the country’s Territorial Defense. But when he has a break, he spends the time recording music. Lesia Bakalets has the story, narrated by Anna Rice.]]
((NARRATION))
((Mandatory courtesy: 2step/Asylum/Atlantic Records + AP))
Taras Topolya is a Ukrainian rock singer, but these days music has become a hobby, and his real work is
((End courtesy))
((Mandatory courtesy: Stand By Ukraine (From Stand By Me/WMG) + AP))
being a paramedic during the war.
((NATS)) ((Topolya filming a short video of himself and his band)) ((IN UKRAINIAN))
((Mandatory courtesy: Taras Topolya + Instagram Logo))
“Friends, we were supposed to have released a new album today, we wanted to present it somewhere in a studio. But studios don’t work these days, the whole country works in a very different manner now…”
((End courtesy))
((NARRATION))
((Mandatory courtesy: Antytila + Youtube Logo))
From the first day of the war, Topolya and the musicians from his band Antytila have been part
((End courtesy))
((Mandatory courtesy: Antytila + Facebook Logo))
of the Ukrainian Territorial Defense.
((End courtesy))
((Taras Topolya, Antytila Band Leader)) ((IN UKRAINIAN)) ((Zoom))
“Here’s our band. On day one, each and every one of us arrived at the home base and started working as paramedics.”
((NARRATION))
Topolya’s wife flew to safety and is temporarily living with the singer’s mother in the United States.
Before the war, Topolya had some experience working as a paramedic.
((Mandatory courtesy: Antytila + YouTube Logo))
But it was nothing compared to what he had to go through in the first few days of the war.
((End courtesy))
((Taras Topolya, Antytila Band Leader)) ((IN UKRAINIAN)) ((Zoom))
“It’s like you’re prepared for everything, but when you see these things happening in front of your own eyes, you get anxious, you’re trying to control your feelings and just do what you have to do.”
((NARRATION))
((Mandatory courtesy: Antytila + YouTube Logo))
While the Kyiv region was under Russian occupation, Topolya, together with his team, recorded their
((End courtesy))
((Mandatory courtesy: 2step/Asylum/Atlantic Records + AP))
part of a video clip they were working on with English singer-
((End courtesy))
((Mandatory courtesy: Antytila Official + TikTok))
songwriter Ed Sheeran.
The musicians were planning a concert together until the invasion. And while the
((End courtesy))
((Mandatory courtesy: Ed Sheeran + Facebook Logo))
concert is on hold, the two musicians recorded a song together and made a video clip to go with it.
((End courtesy))
((Taras Topolya, Antytila Band Leader)) ((IN UKRAINIAN)) ((Zoom))
“We sent drafts to Sheeran, the preliminary edits, part by part. His team would look through everything and approved the edits. They had no edits or criticisms at all!”
((NARRATION))
And then Sheeran introduced Topolya to Bono from U-2.
((Taras Topolya, Antytila Band Leader)) ((IN UKRAINIAN)) ((Zoom))
“This is an incredible story! Sheeran sends me a message and asks – can I give your number to Bono? And I said – of course! A little later I get a call from Bono, and he says, ‘Taras, I’m heading
((Mandatory courtesy: Antytila + YouTube Logo))
to Kyiv, and I want you to sing ‘Stand by me’ with me!’”
((NARRATION))
At that point, Topolya was serving near Kharkiv; it took
((End courtesy))
((Mandatory courtesy: TarasTopolya + Instagram logo))
the band the whole night to drive to Kyiv.
((End courtesy))
((Taras Topolya, Antytila Band Leader)) ((IN UKRAINIAN)) ((Zoom))
“When we got to the metro platform, they had already done the sound check, rehearsed and started playing. I got onto the stage, sang the song for the first time – and in the middle of singing I addressed the world leaders.”
((NATS))
((Mandatory courtesy: Stand By Ukraine (From Stand By Me/WMG) + AP))
((Taras Topolya, Antytila Band Leader)) ((IN ENGLISH))
“I’m asking you to help our president and our diplomacy to extract Ukrainian soldiers from Mariupol!”
((End courtesy))
((NARRATION))
Topolya says it’s hard making music during the war. But once Ukraine wins, he says, his band will release a new album.
((For Lesia Bakalets in Washington,
((Mandatory courtesy: Antytila Facebook Logo))
Anna Rice, VOA News))
((End courtesy))
NewsML Media TopicsArts, Culture, Entertainment and Media
NetworkVOA
Location (dateline)Washington
BylineLesia Bakalets
Brand / Language ServiceVoice of America - English
