Main points
- Serhiy Martyniuk and his wife Kateryna talked about the new song “I Love When”, which became an intimate dedication from Serhiy to his wife.
- The couple discussed how the war changed their priorities, and how they try to balance work and personal relationships.
Serhiy Martyniuk with his wife and daughter / Photo by the artist's press service
After the driving rock album “Tropic of Capricorn”, the band “Violet” has returned to sincere lyrics. The new single “I Love When” is not just a song, but an intimate dedication by frontman Serhiy “Kolos” Martyniuk to his wife and band director Kateryna.
In an exclusive piece for Channel 24, the couple talked about how the band's most candid music video was filmed, why work gets in the way of romance, and how the war changed their priorities.
Serhiy admits that such songs are not written to order – they appear spontaneously, recorded as separate lines in a notebook.
Now more than ever, it is necessary to tell your loved ones about your feelings and gratitude. You never know what tomorrow will bring, and whether it will happen,
– says the artist.
Despite serving in the Armed Forces of Ukraine and being constantly busy, the couple finds their “anchors”. Previously, these were long walks through the little-known streets of Kyiv, and today – watching movies together, delicious food and long conversations. Even if these conversations turn into heated discussions about musical “issues”, they keep them “together”.
Serhiy Martyniuk with his wife and daughter / Photo by the artist's press service
The decision to film his own wife was dictated by the desire for maximum sincerity. Serhiy is convinced that no one could convey these emotions better than they themselves. Although being yourself on camera turned out to be difficult.
“Violet” – “I Love When”: watch the video online
Kateryna says that the filming process was built on trust.
“Andriy Klymenko is not only a talented director, but also Serhiy's brother and our good friend. The guys resorted to a trick: they wrote a separate script, which I faithfully acted out, and at the same time they filmed backstage. It was from it that the clip was born. Perhaps that's why the video turned out so sincere,” the woman shares.
Being a couple and a team (artist/manager) at the same time is a challenge. According to Serhiy, about 85% of their arguments happen because of work. The work vibe doesn't stay in the office – it seeps into conversations about daughter Eva's kindergarten and even into bed.
Separation has not been discussed for a long time. For me, it is more important to work on my own endurance, the wisdom to listen and understand,
– shares Kolos.
Kateryna adds that they simply accepted this fact and are trying to balance it.
The main thing is to be able to stop disputes in time and set priorities correctly.
– says Kateryna.
The war reinforced the feeling that we must live here and now. Serhiy admits that before he constantly constructed a ghostly future, but now he understood: there will be no “then” without a “today”.
The future is wonderful – albums with tours, and home renovations, and a new car, and God knows what else – but what’s the point of all this if you can’t be happy today? There will be no later without today. The war only reinforced this somewhat punk feeling of no future,
– says Sergey.
Even at a distance, they remain incredibly close.
“Now we are even closer than in the first years of our relationship. We communicate a lot on social networks when we can, we call each other. I help Katya shop remotely – choose dresses and the color of the walls when she started renovating her house. She is incorrigible and optimistic, and I am the same,” laughs Serhiy.
For Serhiy Martyniuk, his Kateryna has become a mirror of his own transformations. Having gone through the experience of past marriages, the challenges of service, and fatherhood during the war, the artist feels that he has become a more reliable version of himself. It is Kateryna who has seen the artist in a variety of states, from complete “not ok” to moments of triumph. Serhiy is convinced that only the closest person, who has seen him weak, is able to truly appreciate his current strength.
“Today I have become a person you can rely on. And despite any situations, Katya understands this. She would hardly feel the way I do now if she didn't know what I was like before,” shares Kolos.
The single “I Love When” opens a new stage for the band, but Serhiy warns: not all future material will be so bright. The new songs will find a place for both social rhetoric and reflections on male maturity.
“Violet” – “Disagreements”: watch the video online
In parallel with music, Kolos is preparing for publication a new novel about love and acceptance against the backdrop of Ukrainian history over the past 15 years.
“All novels are autobiographical in one way or another. Is there a lot of me in there? Suffice it to say that all the characters and stories have no relation to reality,” says Serhiy about his upcoming novel.
Serhiy Martyniuk with his author's books / Photo by the artist's press service
Instead of summaries, Serhiy and Kateryna left an important message for all couples: do not be afraid of difficulties, because it is in them that the real “WE” is tempered.
“It's a daily work of acceptance and attention to those around you. Sometimes it's exhausting, but it's this path that allows you to understand: no matter how the future unfolds, this experience makes us better. It's an investment in your own wisdom that stays with you forever,” the couple say.