She left the stage she had spent years building toward. She left a country where she was known, loved, and anticipated. Yet, even after her forced relocation to Norway, Skarlet refused to let herself fade away. On the contrary—it was there, far from home, that a new chapter of her music was born.
Today, she writes English-language compositions, works on songs in Norwegian, and, alongside the Nordlys Band, introduces the Ukrainian sound to European audiences. Her voice carries tenderness, strength, and that raw inner truth that simply cannot be faked.
Exclusively for the readers of the Business Woman International Magazine, we spoke with Yevheniia Skarlet about the fear of starting from scratch, the people who change destinies, and why true music is always born from lived experience.
— You found yourself in Norway because of the war. How difficult was the adaptation period for you, specifically as an artist?
— It was a moment when I literally had to be born again. Not just as a person—as an artist.
You arrive in a country where nobody knows your history, your concerts, or your path. And at some point, you realize: everything has to start from a clean slate.
But that was the first time I honestly asked myself: who am I without my past experience, without the familiar stages, and without the people who have known you for so long? And perhaps, that is exactly where my true creative growth began.
I realized that I couldn’t just transplant the Ukrainian stage into Norway. The audience here is different, the energy is different, and the perception of music is different. It is very important for Norwegians to understand the meaning behind a song, which is why I started developing an English-language program.
Even my stage style has changed. I wanted more depth, naturalness, and inner light. Not to be “loud”—but to be real.
— Was there a fear that you would have to start your career entirely from scratch?
— The scariest thing is not starting from scratch. The scariest thing is believing that everything that came before no longer matters.
At first, you live with a sense of transience. You think: just a little longer, and life will go back to the way it was. But then comes the realization that your past life remained at home.
It was painful. Deeply painful.
But that was exactly when I realized something that transformed me: being a true artist is not about the number of concerts or popularity. It is the willingness to prove to the world who you are, over and over again.
And at some point, I stopped perceiving it as a loss. I began to view it as a chance.
— What helped you not to lose yourself in a new country?
— People. Absolutely, without a doubt—people.
I am incredibly grateful to everyone who entered my life during this period. Because sometimes, a single person can restore your faith in yourself more powerfully than years of success.
I truly believe in fateful encounters. Someone comes along to support you. Someone else—to change your life. And someone—just to remind you of who you really are.
Openness also helped immensely. When you don’t lock yourself up in your pain but continue to meet people, create, and pitch ideas—life begins to open new doors.
— How did the Nordlys Band come together?
— It is the most beautiful “accident” of my life.
It all started with a simple message in a residential building group chat. I was looking for a guitarist to play a few songs for children on St. Nicholas Day.
That is how I met Andriy.
Then Ruslan, who had been living in Norway for a long time, entered my life. He was the one who helped adapt the English lyrics and suggested the name Nordlys—”Northern Lights.”
A bit later, an acquaintance introduced me to an incredible musical family—Antonina and Serhiy.
And eventually, other musicians joined our team: Oleksandr Didkovskyi (percussion and drums) and Serhiy Diachenko.
And you know, one day I just looked around and realized: a real band was already standing next to me. Live. Genuine. Our own.
I suppose that is exactly how the most sincere musical stories are born.
— How difficult is it for a Ukrainian artist to integrate into the European music scene today?
— The interest in Ukrainian music is immense right now. But that alone is no longer enough.
If you want to be heard in Europe, you need to speak to the world in the same language. Not just literally, but emotionally, culturally, and musically.
That is precisely why we create English-language tracks and are already working on songs in Norwegian.
Yet, at the same time, it is vital for me not to lose the Ukrainian soul in the music.
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Photo: from the heroine’s archive