Geirr Lystrup - Geirr Lystrup // Maribel fra Ukraina

Geirr Lystrup has become involved in the resistance to the Russian invasion of Ukraine in the way he knows best: by writing songs. Throughout his career he has released 40 albums with his own material, and has written many books and plays, many of them for children.

Found a Maribel soloist in Stange
For his new project he searched for a girl who could sing the voice of Maribel. He found her in the county of Hedmarken in eastern Norway. Ten-year-old Amieliia Stetsenko is from Odesa, but now lives in Stange with her family.

Amieliia, a very good singer, also recites Lystrup’s lyrics translated into Ukrainian by Maria Ropphaugen. The CD has a booklet with all the lyrics, in Norwegian, Ukrainian and English. It will be distributed to radio stations in Ukraine and to the Ukrainian community in Norway.

Art as weapon
Already when the invasion was a fact in February 2022, Geirr Lystrup took to arms: using art as his weapon. He wrote a poem and produced a music video: Slava Ukraini. You can find the video on YouTube – with versions in English, Swedish and Icelandic.

His engagement has now ripened into a complete album. He wrote new songs and took some from a musical play he wrote for the HUM choir in Oslo several years ago. The CD has a booklet with all the lyrics, in Norwegian, Ukrainian and English. It will will be distributed to radio stations in Ukraine and the Ukrainian community in Norway.

“This is going to be a long war. Ukraine will not be forgotten,” says Geirr Lystrup.

Contributing artists 
The album Maribel fra Ukraina was produced by Frode Berntzen, who also plays guitar. Other musicians are Georg Reiss (clarinet), Ole Gjøstøl (piano), Morten Strypet (bass) and Børre Flyen (drums).

Video
The song Skoen frå Kyiv (The shoe from Kiev) will be available on video. It is about a child’s little red shoe, found in the ruins in Kiev. It has been sent to Vladimir Putin. The shoe from Kiev is a “gift” that should awaken strong emotions.

Concert
The album will be featured in a concert on Sunday 25 February 2024 in Kulturkirken Jakob in Oslo. “I hope we can then celebrate a sad two-year anniversary, but with Ukrainian progress,” says Geirr Lystrup.

Lystrup is donating profits from this release to Doctors without Borders – which is providing medical assistance in Ukraine.