The Hardkiss (stylised as The HARDKISS) is a Ukrainian rock band formed in 2011, consisting of Julia Sanina (vocals), Valeriy Bebko (guitar), Klym Lysiuk (bass), and Yevhen Kibeliev (drums).[3] They sing in both Ukrainian and English.
Since the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, the band has donated part of the proceeds from their work toward humanitarian aid, and they have performed numerous charity concerts.
To date, the Hardkiss has released four studio albums, one EP, one live album, and numerous singles.
History
Formation
At the age of 18, Julia Sanina interviewed the MTV Ukraine broadcast producer Valeriy Bebko for an article she was writing as an aspiring student journalist.[4] The two became friends (and later married) and began to write music together as Val & Sanina, with Sanina as the vocalist and Bebko playing bass; they released a music video and a number of songs in Russian.[5][4] They later met the sound engineer Max and producers Volodymyr Syvokon and Stas Tiunov of the Firework Sound record label, who suggested that they sing in English instead and build up an audience in the West.[4] The band sought a new name and asked their friends for feedback on several potential options, including "Planet Pony", "Model 8", and "the Hardkiss".[6][4][7] After listening to a demo of the band's music, their friends noted that it contained elements that were "hard", but also sweet and tender, like a kiss.[4]
2011–2014: First singles and shows
In September 2011, the Hardkiss released their first video, "Babylon", while their lineup had expanded to include Max and a masked drummer, Kreechy, whose role was occasionally taken on by Sanina's father, Oleksandr Holovan.[8][4][9] In its first year, the band opened for the English synth-pop duo Hurts and for American singer Solange Knowles in Kyiv.[5][10]
In December 2011, the band released a music video for "Dance with Me", directed by Bebko, with Yurii Korol as the camera operator. It appeared on MTV Russia and Muz-TV, before airing globally on MTV.[11][12][1] The online magazine DosugUA ranked the video second on its list of the most stylish music videos of 2011.[13]
In 2013, the Hardkiss won two awards at the Ukrainian national music award, YUNA—one for Best New Act and the other for Best Music Video for "Make Up", which was awarded to Bebko.[16] The band played their first solo live performance that year in Kyiv, with all tickets sold out one week in advance.[17] They also opened the Muz-TV Music Awards in Moscow, became the "voice and face" of Pepsi in Ukraine, and headlined the Pepsi Stars of Now tour, covering sixteen Ukrainian cities.[18][19][20]
2014–present
In 2014, the Hardkiss presented its first album, Stones and Honey, which contained more than ten previously released songs as well as the band's first song in Ukrainian, "Прірва", written in response to the loss of people in Kyiv and human conflict during Euromaidan.[21][19] The record was named Best Music Album at the 2015 YUNA award ceremony, where the track "Stones" also won the award for Best Song.[22]
The band's first album was followed by an EP titled Cold Altair, which included the previously known "Tony, Talk!" and "Organ", the new songs "Altair", "Doctor Thomases", and "Hammer", an acoustic version of "Shadows of Time", renamed to "Shadows of Light", as well as two remixes of "Tony, Talk!" The EP cover art was created by the artist Denys Tsiperko, who has developed characters for Marvel and Riot Games.[23][24] Sanina said that the record was "a lot harder and more alternative" than the band's previous work.[25]
In 2016, the Hardkiss participated in the Ukrainian national selection for the Eurovision Song Contest with the song "Helpless", placing second in the final.[26][27] Klym Lysiuk, who had attempted to join the band for four years and recorded bass covers of their songs, became their bassist the same year.[28][29]
In 2018, the band won two awards at YUNA: Best Rock Band and Best Song in Ukrainian, for "Zhuravli".[30] Later that year, guitarist Roman Skorobahatko left the band but was set to continue performing with them as a live session musician.[31]
In November 2019, the band's drummer, Kreechy, revealed his idendity as Dmytro Smotrov and announced his departure after five years with the group. He was replaced by Yevhen Kibeliev of SKAI.[32]
In the aftermath of the invasion, the Hardkiss released the song "Як ти?", together with a music video, whose proceeds were to be donated to humanitarian aid.[34] The war generated increased international interest in the band, who then embarked on charity tours in support of the armed forces of Ukraine and Ukrainian children.[35][36] In 2025, following extensive touring, the Hardkiss began work on a new album containing songs in English and Ukrainian, which is planned for release in 2026.[37][38] The first single, "Crush", came out together with a music video on 13 June 2025, followed by "Tenderness", released on 18 September.[38][39]
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