SVITLO: Ukrainian Women Turn War Into Music in the Netherlands

 Svitlo is a Ukrainian women’s pop choir based in the Netherlands, founded in 2022 by vocal coach and conductor Kateryna Sikoza.

The choir was created as a space for women who fled the war in Ukraine. Some arrived with children, some with a single suitcase, some without documents at all. None of them were professional singers. In fact, most had never sung before.

They were fitness trainers, doctors, teachers, IT specialists — women who suddenly had to rebuild their lives from zero.

 Svitlo began as a place to release pain — to shout, to breathe, to survive.

Over time, as life in the Netherlands slowly became more stable, the choir transformed into something else: a source of strength, connection, and shared identity. What brought these women together was not only their past, but a new purpose — to share a modern, powerful interpretation of Ukrainian music and culture with the world.

 Today, Svitlo delivers high-energy performances that go far beyond a traditional choir concert. Their shows are immersive, emotional, and deeply human. Audiences often find themselves singing along without understanding the language, joining circle dances, or simply standing still, overwhelmed.

Because what Svitlo communicates is not only music — it is something instinctive.

In just a few years, Svitlo has performed more than 120 times across the Netherlands. And this is only the beginning.

For 2026–2027, the choir is preparing the release of their first album, a series of music videos, and a new generation of performances — inspired by ritual, community, and large-scale interactive experiences, reminiscent of a Ukrainian interpretation of Burning Man.

Not bad for a group of women who had never sung before.