NoWith Unrounded Vowels: Ukrainian Poetry in Translation, multidisciplinary artist and producer Olha Borovyk opens a new listening space where contemporary Ukrainian literature, electronic music, and spoken word intersect.
The second release in the series, Letter from the Summer House after Oksana Zabuzhko, is now available with an official music video on the Paradise Worldwide YouTube channel, expanding the poem into a focused audiovisual experience.
Translating Ukrainian Poetry Across Formats
At Paradise Worldwide, we highlight projects that move across formats, cultures, and territories, building bridges between artistic disciplines.
Unrounded Vowels brings together English translations of Ukrainian poetry with electronic production, creating a dialogue between literature and sound.
For Olha Borovyk, translation operates on multiple levels:
- from Ukrainian into English
- from text into sound
- from reading into listening and viewing
Rather than simply adapting poetry into another format, the project reimagines how literature can exist in today’s digital and audiovisual landscape.
By expanding into music and video, Unrounded Vowels introduces Ukrainian poetry to new audiences, creating new contexts and cultural connections. It positions literature not as something archival, but as a living, contemporary artistic practice.
Release Strategy and Live Performance Vision
Since 27 February 2026, Unrounded Vowels has been released track by track on streaming platforms, building towards the completion of its first volume in June 2026.
Each release is designed with live performance in mind, combining:
- spoken word performance
- electronic sound design
- visual storytelling
The first live shows are planned for autumn 2026, bringing together poetry, music, and visual art in a live setting.
Paradise Worldwide: Supporting Independent Artists Globally
For Paradise Worldwide, working on Unrounded Vowels reflects a broader commitment to independent artists who build their own ecosystems and reach audiences globally.
By combining:
- streaming platforms like Spotify
- video distribution on YouTube
- live performance formats
artists can move beyond traditional release cycles and connect with audiences across borders.
This is where Ukrainian literature meets electronic music, and where new cultural narratives take shape.
This regional spread demonstrates that Afro House continues to resonate across borders within the continent, reinforcing its international potential.
