Duran Duran
Antytila is a Ukrainian pop-rock band from Kyiv formed around vocalist and songwriter Taras Topolia. The band's official history dates back to 2008, although the first performances by its future members and the name itself appeared earlier.
The current lineup consists of Taras Topolia — vocals and lyrics, Serhii Vusyk — keyboards, music, arrangements and production, Dmytro Zholud — guitar, Mykhailo Chyrko — bass guitar, and Dmytro Vodovozov — drums. Over the course of their career, the band has released seven studio albums and progressed from a television talent show and small clubs to stadium concerts, international tours and collaborations with Ed Sheeran and U2.
After 2014, systematic volunteer work became another important part of the band's activities. Following the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022, Taras Topolia, Serhii Vusyk and Dmytro Zholud served in the 130th Battalion of Kyiv's Territorial Defense and worked in an evacuation unit as combat paramedics. Their military experience, charitable projects and international support for Ukraine became an important part of the band's subsequent history.
Early years and the name «Антитіла»
Taras Topolia had been involved in music since childhood: he studied violin and sang in the Levko Revutsky Children's Choir. By his high school years, he was already playing in his own band. The name «Антитіла» is connected with one of his early songs, performed before the professional lineup was formed.
One of the key members of the project became Serhii Vusyk — co-founder of the band, keyboardist, composer and arranger. He later also took on a significant share of the production and organizational work.
«Шанс» and the first wider attention
In the spring of 2007, the young band took part in the Ukrainian television project «Шанс». Unlike most contestants, the musicians performed their own song «Я не забуду першу ніч» and appeared as a live band. They did not win the show, but the performance gave them their first significant nationwide audience.
After the project, the lineup continued to change while the musicians worked on new material. The professional stage of Antytila's history began in 2008.
«Будувуду» and the first tours
On December 17, 2008, the debut album «Будувуду» was released. It contained 11 main tracks and five bonus tracks. A music video for the title song was released at the same time, quickly entering television rotation and reaching number one on the M1 chart.
Early Antytila sounded noticeably harder and more direct than the band's later material. Guitars formed the foundation, with elements of alternative rock, indie and pop-rock. One song from this period that remained in the live repertoire for many years was «Бери своє».
During their early years, the band worked with Catapult Music but later moved to independent management. Taras Topolia and Serhii Vusyk increasingly took responsibility for the band's organization.
«Вибирай» and «Над полюсами»
The second album, «Вибирай», was released in December 2011. The band retained its guitar-based foundation but made the sound denser and paid greater attention to social themes. Notable songs from the period include «Вибирай», «Невидимка» and the Russian-language «Смотри в меня».
The third studio album, «Над полюсами», appeared on November 29, 2013. By that time, Antytila were already touring Ukraine regularly and gradually building their own concert model — with independent management, video production and an emphasis on live performance.
2014 and the beginning of systematic volunteer work
Following Russia's annexation of Crimea and the beginning of the war in Donbas, Taras Topolia, Serhii Vusyk and their associates began systematically helping Ukrainian service members. This work developed into the organization «Вільні UA» and later into the Antytila Charitable Foundation.
Volunteers raised funds, purchased equipment, electronics and medical supplies, and personally delivered aid to the combat zone. This activity began long before the full-scale invasion of 2022 and eventually became a permanent part of the team's work.
«Все красиво»
The fourth album, «Все красиво», was released on May 23, 2015. Most of the studio work took place at Bobina Records in Kyiv with sound engineer Dmytro Khomulko.
The album includes «Все красиво», «Молоком», «Завжди моя», «Мені тебе мало» and «У книжках». Compared with the earlier releases, the arrangements became more polished and contemporary, while the band continued to rely on a live rhythm section, guitars and large melodic choruses.
«Люди як кораблі» and the album «Сонце»
In 2016, Antytila recorded their own version of «Люди як кораблі» — a song by Andrii Kuzmenko and the band «Скрябін». It is not an original Antytila composition but a tribute to Kuzma, and it was later included on the album «Сонце».
The fifth studio album, «Сонце», was released in December 2016. It contained nine tracks, including «Танцюй», «Одинак» and «Люди як кораблі». The arrangements incorporated more synthesizers and electronic rhythms while preserving the band's characteristic guitar parts and familiar song structures.
In 2017, TDME appeared and became one of Antytila's most recognizable tracks of the second half of the 2010s. The tour supporting «Сонце» covered more than 35 cities across Ukraine.
Current lineup
- Taras Topolia — vocals, lyrics, co-writer of music;
- Serhii Vusyk — keyboards, music, arrangements, production;
- Dmytro Zholud — guitar;
- Mykhailo Chyrko — bass guitar;
- Dmytro Vodovozov — drums.
Dmytro Zholud joined the band in the mid-2010s, while Mykhailo Chyrko and Dmytro Vodovozov became members in 2017. The band continues to work with this lineup in 2026.
Hello and the stadium era
The sixth studio album, Hello, was released on April 17, 2019. It included TDME, LEGO, Лови момент, Вірила, Hello, Буде син and other songs. By this time, the band's sound had fully developed into contemporary pop-rock with a significant electronic component.
In 2019, Antytila undertook a major stadium tour across Ukraine. This confirmed their transition from clubs and concert halls to venues capable of holding tens of thousands of spectators.
The pandemic and MLNL
The COVID-19 pandemic interrupted the band's usual concert schedule, and the musicians focused on studio work. In 2020–2021, they released «Кіно», «Маскарад», «Стань» and other songs.
On February 25, 2022, one day after the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion, Antytila released their seventh studio album, MLNL. The planned stadium tour had to be cancelled: three members of the band were already serving in the military.
Military service
Taras Topolia, Serhii Vusyk and Dmytro Zholud had joined the Territorial Defense before the full-scale invasion began. From February 24, 2022, they served in Kyiv, and in the spring they were deployed to the Kharkiv region together with the 130th Territorial Defense Battalion.
The musicians served in the «Маестро» evacuation unit as combat paramedics. During this period, Mykhailo Chyrko and Dmytro Vodovozov were involved in volunteer work and supplying the military.
In August 2022, Topolia, Vusyk and Zholud were reassigned from the front line to Kyiv. They continued their military and volunteer activities, while the band gradually returned to concerts and international projects.
Ed Sheeran and 2step
One of the band's most prominent international projects was their collaboration with Ed Sheeran. On May 2, 2022, a special version of his song 2step featuring Antytila was released. Taras Topolia wrote and performed a Ukrainian verse about the beginning of the war and separation from his family.
The video was filmed in Irpin, Kyiv and the Kharkiv region. The band donated revenue from YouTube monetization and royalties connected with the release to the Music Saves UA project.
In August 2022, an English-language version of Hello appeared. It was used in the BBC documentary project Frontman — Frontline, devoted to the band and the military service of its members.
«Фортеця Бахмут» and «Мій сокіл»
In February 2023, Antytila released «Фортеця Бахмут» — a song dedicated to Ukrainian service members and the defense of Bakhmut. An acoustic version was later released as well.
In May of the same year, the band presented «Мій сокіл» and its English-language version Death From Above for the computer game of the same name about a Ukrainian drone operator. Musically, it is one of the heaviest works in the band's catalogue.
World tours and charitable fundraising
After returning to concert activity, Antytila began extensive charity tours across Europe, North America, Australia and New Zealand. At their concerts, the band not only performed music but also raised funds for the Ukrainian military.
During the world tour supporting MLNL, the band and its partners raised funds for 10,000 tactical first-aid kits. Assistance later continued through the Antytila Charitable Foundation and other joint initiatives.
According to the band, by 2026 the total value of aid transferred to the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine had exceeded 140 million hryvnias. This figure includes funds raised by the band, the foundation, partners and listeners.
New songs from 2024–2025
In 2024, Antytila released «Ти саме та» and «Поламані». The first song centers on love and separation, while the second addresses the psychological consequences of severe trauma and the need for support.
In January 2025, the band released «Вдома» — a song about home as a personal place of memory and belonging. It gave its name to the band's major Ukrainian tour in 2026.
In June 2025, «Дивись у мій екран» appeared — a Ukrainian remake of the early composition «Смотри в меня». The new version received different lyrics and a video connected with war, waiting and the bond between people separated by distance.
In December 2025, «Відколи» was released. The music was written by Maksym Syvolap and Taras Topolia, with lyrics by Topolia. The song deals with personal loss, memories and emotional distance.
U2, Ed Sheeran and Yours Eternally
Antytila's connection with U2 began in 2022, when Bono and The Edge came to Kyiv and performed with Ukrainian musicians. Bono and The Edge later wrote a song inspired by their meeting with Taras Topolia and the band.
On February 18, 2026, U2 released the EP Days of Ash. Its closing track was Yours Eternally, featuring Ed Sheeran and Taras Topolia. It was Taras Topolia specifically who participated in the studio recording, so the correct credit belongs to him rather than to the entire Antytila lineup.
The song is structured as a soldier's letter to friends. The Ukrainian word «воля» appears in the chorus. Ukrainian director Illia Mykhailusia later made a short documentary film inspired by the song.
The «Вдома» tour and 2026
At the beginning of 2026, Antytila undertook the nationwide Ukrainian «Вдома» tour. It covered 38 cities, with 30 concerts selling out. The tour concluded with three consecutive shows at Kyiv's Palace of Sports.
The band then announced a continuation — «Вдома 2.0» — covering more than 20 Ukrainian cities. The program included both well-known songs and new material from the forthcoming album.
In 2026, Antytila also received a special YUNA award and were included in the project «15 найвпливовіших артистів за 15 років». This was not a ranked chart: all fifteen participants in the project received equal status.
Taras Topolia and UNICEF
In 2016, Taras Topolia became a UNICEF Youth Ambassador in Ukraine and participated in projects related to youth engagement and children's rights.
In March 2022, he publicly asked not to be presented in that role any longer. The reason was his criticism of the wording used by UNICEF's Ukrainian office, which at the beginning of the full-scale invasion used the word “conflict” instead of directly describing Russia's war against Ukraine. Topolia also stated that the term of his agreement with the organization had already expired and that he did not intend to renew it.
Musical style
Antytila's primary genre is pop-rock. Their early work shows a stronger influence of alternative rock and a more direct guitar-driven sound. From the mid-2010s onward, their arrangements increasingly incorporated synthesizers, electronic rhythms and contemporary pop techniques.
At the same time, the band retained a live rhythm section, guitars and a focus on melodic choruses. Taras Topolia's lyrics cover personal relationships, social issues, war, memory, home and civic choice. The lyrics remain the main connecting element between the band's early songs and its more recent material.
Antytila studio discography
- Будувуду — 2008;
- Вибирай — 2011;
- Над полюсами — 2013;
- Все красиво — 2015;
- Сонце — 2016;
- Hello — 2019;
- MLNL — 2022.
After MLNL, the band primarily released standalone singles. In 2026, the musicians confirmed that they were working on their next album, but until its official release it is not part of the studio discography.
Key songs
Among the best-known works from different periods are «Я не забуду першу ніч», «Будувуду», «Бери своє», «Вибирай», «Невидимка», «Все красиво», «Молоком», «Танцюй», «Одинак», «TDME», «Лови момент», «Вірила», «Hello», «Буде син», «Стань», «Маскарад», «2step», «Фортеця Бахмут», «Мій сокіл», «Ти саме та», «Поламані», «Вдома», «Дивись у мій екран» and «Відколи».
«Люди як кораблі» occupies an important place in the band's repertoire but is a version of the song by Andrii Kuzmenko and «Скрябін».
Antytila's place in Ukrainian music
The history of Antytila spans several different stages of Ukrainian popular music. The band began in the mid-2000s as a young guitar-driven group, grew into major concert halls and stadiums during the 2010s, and after 2014 combined music with systematic volunteer work.
After 2022, the band's biography changed even more dramatically: three members gained direct military experience, songs about the war appeared, and new international connections were formed. At the same time, Antytila did not abandon personal lyrics or conventional pop-rock songwriting — later tracks such as «Ти саме та», «Поламані», «Вдома» and «Відколи» exist in the same catalogue as «Фортеця Бахмут» and 2step.
Seven studio albums, stadium tours, collaborations with Ed Sheeran and U2, the military service of several members and years of charitable work have made Antytila one of the most prominent Ukrainian pop-rock bands of their generation.
