The Maritza, Odessa, Nicolas, The Blue of the Black Sea et Imagine by John Lennon. Five recordings of Sylvie Vartan have been brought together in a special CD in support of Ukraine which will be released on May 27, the artist’s entourage announced on Monday.
“When I saw the images of these Ukrainian people under the bombs, trying to flee, it was a shock. Inevitably, this brought back to me many intense images and feelings from my childhood,” confides Sylvie Vartan, 77, in a press release.
With her parents and her brother Eddie, Sylvie Vartan, then 8 years old, fled Bulgaria in 1952 under Soviet occupation.
“I understand the feelings of the Ukrainian people”
“This Slavic people and neighbor of Bulgaria speaks to me. We have the same DNA. Even if the situation was very different because we were not fleeing a war but a brutal dictatorship, I understand the feelings of the Ukrainian people”, adds the singer.
“It’s a strange mixture of relief to flee the horror, fear of the unknown and sadness to leave behind one’s country, one’s family, one’s friends, one’s home without certainty of return”, says Sylvie Vartan once more.
The song Odessaperformed for the first time in 1998 by the singer, was specially re-recorded on April 12 in Paris.
All profits from this CD of five emblematic titles evoking exile, resilience and freedom – available for download from May 13 – will be donated to Unicef for the benefit of Ukraine.
