SOUTH JORDAN, Utah — A Ukrainian singing sensation is making a new home in the Beehive State.
Yulia Tymochko was the runner-up on The Voice in Ukraine last year. After fleeing her country and living in Poland for months, she finally came to Utah last week to stay with her sister, who lives in South Jordan.
“When everything started, we were all scared," she said. "My mom is still back in our hometown, and we're so worried about her and praying every day, hoping that everything will still be okay.”
Singing professionally in Ukraine for more than 20 years, Tymochko was making great strides in her career, but she had to put her career on hold because of the war, she said.
“We Ukrainian people believe that we can fight till the end and stand strong," said Tymochko. "We have a good, strong army and it is a really hard, complicated battle, but we will stand to the end, and we believe that we can win this.”
On Saturday at 7 p.m., Tymochko will perform for the first time in America; she will sing at a benefit concert at Salem Hills High School. All the money from tickets sold will go back to her home country.
“The war is not over, and the fight continues, and people are still dying, and it's still very hard," she said.
Tymochko has faith that Utahns will help her give back to her country.
“I can't go to war and be a soldier, but I can use my talent, my voice as my weapon, to help my people," she said.
You can find more information and purchase tickets for the United for Ukraine concert here.
