Russia’s invasion on Ukraine has sparked worldwide alarm during a time when uncertainty has paralyzed society and its progress. That angst is encapsulated in “My Revolution,” the anti-war anthem from indie rock artist Red Bird Rising.
“My Revolution” doesn’t shy away from the consciousness of reality. The lyrics kick off with, “There are days I dream of leaving for good / Passport be damned, take all I can.” The chorus proceeds in chant-like fashion as “My revolution, my revolution begins” is recited throughout.
The single parallels the messages of great anti-war songs of music’s past, such as Buffalo Springfield’s “For What It’s Worth” and Edwin Starr’s “War.” There’s a mysterious element to the song that serves on one hand, blatant revelation, and the other, cryptic messaging.
A complementary visual features Taras Kuznetsov, 32, who offers up lead vocals and is attributed director and writer credits. During the production of the video in 2022, Kuznetsov resided in the middle of the war zone of the Russia-Ukraine conflict. What would’ve normally been a therapeutic process of creative expression was now a pressing matter and time was of the essence.
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Partly filmed from Kuznetsov’s apartment, the riveting music video begins with frightening footage of a widespread siren going off in Odessa, Ukraine during the early morning hours on an unidentified day in March 2022. Footage of civil unrest and political upheaval emerge, followed by the devastation of the missile bombings that engulfed the area.
Kuznetsov had to obtain footage for the video with dwindling access to electricity due to the current state of Ukraine. Throughout the visual, dancer and choreographer Melina Ascune delivers an emotionally-gripping expressive dance captured by filmmaker Flor Giardino in Buenos Aires.
Watch The Official Video For “My Revolution”
Red Bird Rising, real name Diedrich Donald Weiss, penned “My Revolution” to echo the sentiments of those witnessing and living through the conflict via the perspective of Kuznetsov. Similar to the making of the video, the process of crafting the actual song was a worldwide effort that consisted of many collaborators.
Red Bird Rising recorded the demo including a backing track and guitar riffs in the U.S. With the help of producer Mariano Cukierman, “My Revolution” gained dimension with added electric guitar and drums played by Fernando Moreno, along with organs and synth keys.
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Obtaining the lead vocals would prove more difficult to accomplish than initially perceived. Back in Odessa, Kuznetsov and his wife, Ana Pshokina, a bassist on the track, had to endure a one-hour walk through dangerous territory in order to make it to the recording studio.
In New York, Megan Gould and Eleanor Norton arranged the cello, string violins, and violas on the record. The remainder of the track was perfected when audio from the Ukrainian protests of 2014’s Orange Revolution were added to the intro. Mariano mixed, while mastering was performed by Pablo Peyrano and Greg Reierson.
“My Revolution” is the first release under Weiss’ stage moniker, Red Bird Rising. With the crisis in Ukraine and worldwide ongoing, listeners can anticipate more socially conscious music from the budding artist. The single is available now on Spotify, YouTube, and major music streaming platforms.
