[Archive 2009-03-30] Eurovision '04 winner Ruslana discusses her paths as singer, spokesmodel, stateswoman and source of inspiration

Historical archive — originally published 2009-03-30. This report records what was known on that date. It is not current news; subsequent events may have changed the situation. Wikinews closed in May 2026.

First becoming famous in her native Ukraine in the 1990s, long-haired self-described "Amazon" Ruslana gained international recognition for winning the 2004 Eurovision Song Contest with her song "Wild Dances," inspired by the musical traditions of the Hutsul people of the Ukrainian Carpathian Mountains.

In the five years since, Ruslana has decided to use her name and public status to represent a number of worthy causes, including human trafficking, renewable energy, and even the basic concept of democratic process, becoming a public face of Ukraine's Orange Revolution and later serving in Parliament.

Currently, she is on an international publicity tour to promote her album Wild Energy, a project borne out of a science fiction novel that has come to symbolize her hopes for a newer, better, freer way of life for everyone in the world. She took time to respond to questions Wikinews's Mike Halterman posed to her about her career in music and her other endeavors.

This is the fifth in a series of interviews with past Eurovision contestants, which will be published sporadically in the lead-up to mid-May's next contest in Moscow.

((Mike Halterman)) You are now 35 years old. Being in one's 30s was considered "getting old" a generation ago; now it is considered sexy, sophisticated and more youthful. How do you feel being able to promote this fairly new ideal of explicit beauty and sex appeal in one's 30s through your contract with L'Oréal in the Ukraine?

Ruslana: I love to work with L'Oréal because we have [so] much in common. This company really knows what true beauty is.

No matter how old [you are], the main thing is how you feel [about] yourself. I have [the] heart of [a] real Amazon so my wild energy will always be with me.

My message for young people is: let's have real energy! Let's have real independence! Without any drugs. Without any synthetic energy. You can create it, you can make it yourself. It comes directly from your heart.

((Mike Halterman)) I read that your mother was one of the biggest driving forces in your decision to pursue music as a career. In what ways did she encourage you? What singers or groups were your musical inspirations growing up, and do they still inspire you today?

Ruslana: I have been singing since I was four years old. Yes, my mom was always near and helped to make my music dream come true. She's still my best friend. When I was a little kid I studied at an experimental music school and sang in a band. My parents joked that the microphone was my first toy and that I learnt the [music] notes earlier than the letters.

Source and licence

Text adapted from Eurovision '04 winner Ruslana discusses her paths as singer, spokesmodel, stateswoman and source of inspiration by Wikinews contributors under CC BY 2.5. Paragraphs have been selected and abridged, and formatting adjusted. Contributor history.