Leléka
Leléka is a Ukrainian-German folk jazz ensemble founded in Berlin in 2016. The band is known for its unique style, combining Ukrainian folklore with modern jazz and elements of improvisation.
Career
Leléka was founded by Ukrainian singer and songwriter Viktoria Leléka in the spring of 2016 in Berlin. The first line-up of the band, in addition to Leléka herself, included pianist Robert Wienröder, double bassist Thomas Kolyarchyk, and drummer Jakob Hegner. Leléka won the Creole – Global Music Contest in 2017 and the European Young Jazz Talent Award at the Internationale Jazzwoche Burghausen in 2018. They came in second place at the Young Munich Jazz Prize in 2019. Following the self-titled EP Leléka, the quartet, which was also included in Ralf Dombrowski's book "111 Reasons to Love Jazz," released their debut album Tuman in 2019 with Povel Widestrand as the new pianist.In 2020, Leléka wrote and produced the music for the Ukrainian historical television series There will be people, which aired on the STB. Since 2021, the band has been working with the GLM label and the Musszo booking agency. In September 2021, Leléka released their second album, Sonce u Serci, which was nominated for "Band of the Year" at the Deutscher Jazzpreis the following year.
On 24 November 2025, Suspilne announced that the band Leléka had been longtlisted for Vidbir, the national selection for Eurovision Song Contest 2026. After live auditions, the band was shortlisted for the national selection, which is scheduled for February 2026.
Members
Current
- Viktoria Leléka – vocals
- Thomas Kolyarchyk – double bass
- Jakob Hegner – drums
- Povel Widestrand – piano
Past
- Robert Wienröder – piano