VïKÆ presents an anthemic new single ‘Rust’

After a small hiatus, Ukrainian born Auckland based Alt-pop musician VïKÆ returns with her newest single Rust. Produced by long-time collaborator and colleague, Abigail Knudson, and mastered by Dan Martin, the soundscape is dark, brooding and cinematic. VïKÆ wrote this song about her experience with leaving her home country of Ukraine to New Zealand for a better life. With the collapse of the USSR and the lifelong complications of The Chernobyl Disaster, her family was desperate to leave Ukraine and seek refuge in a country less troubled. It wasn’t until VïKÆ’s mother got pregnant with her that her mother was actually allowed to leave the country (with some really crazy clauses like having to revoke her citizenship). VïKÆ is also proudly part of the rainbow community and believes everybody should have the right to exercise their love for someone regardless of gender; with the mantra Love is Love.

VïKÆ has never been shy of her experiences with mental health. VïKÆ has bipolar and most recently had a diagnosis with ADHD. She has been fighting the NZ Mental Health Care system for over a decade in a desperate attempt for tools to help her cope with her condition(s). Instead, ‘the system’ has blanketed her with a ‘plaster fix’ of medication and a ‘she’ll be right’ attitude. VïKÆ still suffers severe panic attacks and finds it incredibly difficult to focus on tasks set out for her. Her only relief to ‘speak her truth’ is through her music.

“…all the same numbers game, freedom is falling rusts away” is the most poignant line in the song; which represents sovereignty, a biased media and poor judgement for those most vulnerable. It represents her struggle with acceptance from those around her regarding her sexuality and her trauma with leaving a ‘home’ that she has no recollection of.

Since the release of her debut EP Finelines (prod. Abigail Knudson) in 2020, VïKÆ has amassed nearly half a million streams across all platforms, performed at some of the countries biggest music festivals and has toured extensively throughout NZ (when it is safe to do so, given Covid-19 restrictions). VïKÆ performs a live-tronica set which blends the best of pop sensibilities and emo rebellion; curating her own style of ‘alt-pop’.

Most recently performing to a sold out crowd at The Wine Cellar, VïKÆ performed a plethora of new material that was ravished by the audience; who gave her praise for calling out the flawed systemic issues that are deeply rooted in society.