Ukraine-born, Toronto-based artist Nastasia Y blends jazz and funk with ancient Slavic folk, carrying a mission to sing to the world about Ukraine. Her music reflects her journey, from growing up in Kyiv to her late father’s folk/protest songs, to Canada’s jazz scene. A standout at the Toronto Jazz Festival, and a 2025 Canadian Folk Music Awards nominee for her latest album, ‘Kyiv Soul’, Nastasia channels ancestral voices to turn trauma into soulful resilience, opening hearts to global struggles.

Inspired by the Ukrainian word “dushevna” (meaning “soulful”), ‘Kyiv Soul’ explores themes of ancestral magic, love, and resistance. The album features Juno and Grammy award-nominated musicians, including Justin Gray, Marito Marques, Max Senitt, Andrew Stewart. ‘Kyiv Soul’ has received radio play across Canada and the globe; including features on CBC (As It Happens, Frequencies, Let’s Go) and has charted at #1 in Kamloops (CFBX) and #12 on World Music Charts Europe. Critics describe the album as “fragile and full of fire” (Music Frames) and praise Nastasia’s voice as “pitch-pure crystalline soprano with depth of passion” (The Whole Note).