Ed Sheeran is collaborating with the Ukrainian band Antytila, on a remix of his single "2step" that’s proceeds will be used to benefit Ukrainians during the war with Russia. Taras Topolia, the leader of the musical group, joined Cheddar News to talk about the project and making music in Ukraine amid the war. “It was difficult to record,” Topolia said, noting that Russian troops were attacking while the song was being recorded. 

Cheddar's News Wrap

Ukrainian Band Antytila on Ed Sheeran '2step' Remix Collaboration

Reuters news wrap today's Wednesday it is May 18th 2022 in Manitoba in new york city. Thank you so much for joining us as the war in Ukraine rages on many Ukrainians of all walks of life were called on to defend their country, including the members of rock band and title leo who swapped their musical instruments for guns. But even at the front lines, they continue to make music recently. Collaborating with singer Ed Sheeran for a remake of the single. To step take a listen joining me from Kharkiv, Ukraine is Antalya frontman Terrace to Pouliot Torres. Welcome to the show. Thank you so much for your time. I know what a difficult time it is for you and your country. So I really appreciate this. The remixes, beautiful as I was actually listening to it before the show. It's been viewed over six million times. It was just uploaded two weeks ago. What's the message you want to get across to viewers? Hello everybody. Thank you for calling it's night in Kharkiv in Ukraine. No, so I am a little bit tired but it's very big pleasure to talk with you with american people and what I wanted to say in these lyrics in the lyrics of the song. It. I'm just telling my own story my own story were how the war started for me and not just for me but for my colleagues, musicians of the band and Tequila and also for middle and Ukrainian people. Let's take it. No, please continue. I'm thinking about Yeah, please continue sir. What what are you singing about? Tell me more. So it was February 24th February and we woke up maybe it four or five o'clock in the night in the morning because of uh I love the bumps sound and sounds of the sirens around us. And we grabbed all our staff, we grabbed kids and our clothes into into luggage into cases and my wife went away from Kiev and when I'm stayed to fight with my friends against the Russian occupiers, it's how it was for me. Yeah. No, that's absolutely incredible. Let's talk about your collaboration with Ed Sheeran. How did that come about? Oh, it was unexpected ble proposition from them. But of course when they proposed to us to do this collaboration, we of course said yes. And it was very hard to not just to create the lyrics, Ukrainian lyrics for this song, but just also it was very difficult to record my voice because in that time there were a lot of Russian troops nearby key. They were attacking us and we were defending the key of the capital and also our studio where was under occupation in the historical city. But we found the way how to record the voice. And of course after that we ask we ask our friends to make the video for this song and I think I think it is very impressive video isn't impressed. Yeah, it is an impressive, a lot of people. Yeah, absolutely. No, I like I mentioned six million views in just a matter of days on top of aside from Edge here and you also performed with bono at a subway station in Kiev. We have a clip of that. We're going to show it to our viewers and I'll come to you on the other side, Bye! Tell me more about this concert and just how how people responded to all of you being there and singing, it's such a tough time in your country. First of all I want to say thank you to bono and the Edge, the brave irish legends, they came to Ukraine to give to show to the world that they are supporting us. It was very symbolic decision, very symbolic step from this side and of course we are very appreciate about this because of this concert and it was was also un expectable for me that bono decided to invite me to take a part in this concert. So how it was at Shiran send a message to me and asked me to allow him to give my telephone number to the bone. It was very, you know like polite from and of course I said yes and after maybe two days bono called me and said come on, come on to us, come on guys, I am waiting for you in Kiev. I am inviting you to take a part in my concept and of course we said yes and uh after maybe 11 hours we were in Kiev and this concept, it was with no rehearsal with no sound check. We just came, we just came to Kiev in this railway station and and just sing with him. So without reputation, without sound check without rehearsal it was very mm I was, I was very nervous. Not just because because of that that I'm singing with the legend but also because of that that I was that I decided to say some very essential words, some very essential message to the world. And it's very interesting detail that bono saved me. Listen while you will be standing nearby me, you can talk everything what you want, you can you can tell everything you want and apply to everyone you want. So I used, I like tried to, I was trying to say much more and very important. That is an essential message for Ukrainian that was in that time I was asking too extract Ukrainian soldiers from the american people from the ages of style and I'm very appreciated and it was so, so huge support from the border to allow two alone to allow me to say this essential words. Of course, yeah, I know it made international headlines and just to know that I'm talking to now after watching that video repeatedly a few weeks ago, it's incredible. It's an honor for me as well. You were in Kharkiv right now we're hearing that the city is just being bombarded. What's it like right now, what are you hearing and what's it like being surrounded by so much uncertainty to us. You know I just want you to to answer this question by by one like story it is not just finished story but when I when bono called me of course I received his telephone number and here is so difficult situations. So strange situation that you never know what can what happens next time. So every moment changed everything. Ukrainian armed forces are recapturing step by step small villages and cities and counter attacking Russian troops. So now we are came closer to Ukrainian Russian border but every time can happen you everything you never know what will happen next time. So I am not marking the bone or telephone number in my phone like bono because in next moment something can happen with me I think you understand and if my phone number will be lost or if I will die on my phone uh huh And I can't control my phone. This number can receive somebody's else maybe enemy, maybe Russian enemy and I don't want they to know that this number, this telephone number is born on telephone number so I'm not marking him so what that is what's happening, what is happening now here. So it's war you know war never changed it again happened. Everything every moment while we are talking now the rocket can hit our base you know it was I was telling this story to the boner when we were serving in Kiev with with our battle government when while we were defending the capital from Russian troops it was very interesting story. It was the rocket that were launched directly to our base. But the billboard stop this rocket and we stay alive. Ross is war. Yeah, it is war. And you are extremely brave. We are thinking of you and the people of Ukraine. I want to thank you again from the bottom of my heart for being here. I know how much bravery it takes. Please be safe. Be careful. We are going to continue to watch you when your band. Please come back soon. I know you will. I pray that you will to roster polio. Lead singer of Ukrainian band on Talia. Thank you so much.