Ukrainian Radio

THANK GOD ITS FRIDAY

Author - Kateryna Zaitseva

Sound Engineer - Oksana Shevchuk

Produced in the frame of the Ake Blomstrm Award Training 2015-2016.

Coach was Agnieszka Czyzewska-Jacquemet from Polski Radio Lublin.

Their home is their family. They say that war has not a female face. Military
conicts haunt the Armenian Petrossian-Valuysky family throughout their life.
Despite this women gave birth, dreamed, wrote poetry, enjoyed the sound of the
piano and never gave up. Ukraine has become for them a land where nally the
dreams of 11 year old Alina Valuyska to be a pop singer began to come true. But
the war had other plans

/sounds of CD player/
Alina
Its very good! I really like it!
/Alina singing a song by Johnny Orlando Never give up/
I like to sing and to play the piano.
Narrator
Alina Valuyska is 11 years old girl who dreams to be a pop singer. Two years
ago Alina with her parents moved to Kyiv from the Stanytsia Luhanska. Now she is
devotes much Hme to rehearsals, because she is preparing to parHcipate in the talent
show "The war will not take your dream".
Evgeniya
I am grateful to parents that they bought me a piano "Red October". It is very
beauXful. Black is ... There are ... Cool reliefs were. It was a great!!!
Narrator
Evgeniya Valuyska - Alinas mother. She is a business woman. In the childhood
she dreamed to be an arHst. Evgeniya writes songs for her daughter and she is
Alinas producer.

Olga
Its nothing doesnt come for free! In children, it is necessary to invest, that the
good result will be! The potenXal is necessary to develop. It takes a lot of Xme! The
family does all for this! We help our child!
Narrator
Olga Petrosyan is Alinas grandmother. She lives with husband in Lugansk.
When she reHred, she has published a book of her poetry. Olga supports Alina
creaHve plans and believes that this Hme the war will not take the dream of her
granddaughter.
Olga
Oh! It was something incredible. We decided to send our child to a music
school. And of course we bought a piano "Red October". It was not modern, it was
very old! When the tuner came to us to congure the piano, he said that on this
instrument will play your granddaughter! In it there are such keys, which in modern
already is gone! Cumbersome! Heavy! Then this tool, we transported to the
Stanytsia Luhanska. Oh ... (silence) we certainly do not want to take it... but we could
not quit it there we thought our children sXll come in handy!
/piano sound/

Unfortunately to children it was not useful. The old piano by road from
Chechnya to Ukraine has been damaged. Now it stays in an old house of great-
grandmother. But no one dares to say goodbye to it.
Olga
I was born in Grozny. I have lived before 46 years in Grozny. All our large family
was in Grozny. All lived in Grozny, the relaXves, cousins, brothers, uncles, aunts. My
grandmother had 8 children. My father was born there! Grandfather lived there
since 1907.
Narrator
Despite the fact that the family had many children all had a good educaHon
and status in society. They occupied posiHons from execuHve post in the city
government to scienHsts. The family was well integrated into the system of the
Soviet Union.
Olga
I do not know the Armenian language! My family did not speak in Armenian,
because we all lived in Grozny! My father also did not know the Armenian language.
But Zhenya together with my husband tried to do it. We had even a primer on the
Armenian language. There were the urges to explore! Zhenya was a very young, and
with her dad learned a language! I was not a mate here! I was busy my work! And
they tried!

ATer the hell in the Nagorno-Karabakh Petrosian family life in Grozny was like
a safe haven. Its here the large Armenian family began life all over again.
Evgeniya
I had a carefree childhood! I was very frivolous girl.... dance ... sing. I went to
Pioneer House to the dance. Concert I sang something, well, I was in school. It was
so easy ... (laughing). My mother worked very hard. Perhaps in this sense we were
not a typical family. My mother earned money, and the whole Xme I was with my
father.
Narrator
Evgeniya felt as a real princess, nevertheless in the family were two boys. Mom
and dad have created for her the whole world! She went to the best school, had the
best clothes, an ancient piano, and many friends, fun, and dancing! Evgeniya wanted
to become an arHst! In her young life were a lot of creaHve energy, freedom and like
every princess she had dierent whims!
/documentary sounds of the Grozny /
Narrator
Evgeniya was 11 years old, when the First Chechen war had started which
destroyed all dreams
/documentary sounds of the Grozny/
/piano/

11 years ago she gave birth to a new dream Alina.

Alina
When I come home from school, I have rest hour. Then start to do my
homework. MathemaXcs inspires me! In Monday I will have an individual lesson. We
will do producXon on my own song Thank God Its Friday. I also go to the
producXon center "Dream School" and "Talent School". I started to go to another
vocal teacher. Its Sunday now and from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. Ill have vocal class, then
dance staging and improvisaXon, and thats all.
/sounds of song Thank God Its Friday/
Narrator
The song Thank God Its Friday was wri]en by Evgeniya. Mother and
daughter call it the anthem of all born and unborn children. With this song Alina will
perform in the talent show "The War Will Not Take Your Dream" for children and
young people whose families are aected by the hosHliHes in Eastern Ukraine.
Olga
/poetry about Chechen war/
I was always fond of poetry. Always! In my youth I wrote poetry. In the period
of youth were also poems about the love. Bur I never really perceived the poetry. I
wrote for myself! And thats all! Early married! And poetry was over! It comes
possibly with age some understanding of life. My husband even said, you know, you
even become dierent! Calmer! A more sensible! Now you havent those explosive

emoXons! That negaXve that was inside of me, it tormented me, my soul was ill, but
all these problems I gave to paper.
/ sound of paper /
Narrator
Olga chose an alias Groza from name of hometown of Grozny. Its means
terrible.
Olga
I do not terrible, I'm kind! And Olga Groza - this is an element. It can be very
dierent! It can be cleaned, and can be really terrible. When I started thinking about
the alias, I wanted it has been associated with the name of city. My favorite Grozny!
/documentary sounds of the Grozny/
Narrator
The nine-oor house in which the Petrosyan family lived turned into ruins in
just a few seconds. They had to start life anew. This Hme in Ukraine in the Stanytsia
Luhanska Donetsk region. All their relaHves went to Russia, PyaHgorsk, Rostov,
Krasnodar, and Moscow. But parents Olgas husband have lived in Ukraine.
/ the laugh and voices of children/

Alina
I have very good, nice, and kind grandparents! When we were in the Stanytsia
Luhanska grandmother and grandfather by dads side had a house. And we lived in
the rst entrance on the ground oor. And grandparents on my mothers side lived
in the second entrance on the second oor at 16 apartments...
/ the laugh and voices of children/
/sounds of war in the Stanytsia Luhanska/
Narrator
Even at this Hme the war has found the family. The military acHons in the
Stanytsia Luhanska had begun. During the 2014-2015 Pro-Russian terrorist groups
red from automaHc, machine guns, mortars, arHllery and tanks, "Grad" residenHal
areas in the Stanytsia Luhanska, and to blame the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The map
of the eastern part of Ukraine gradually began to turn into a big red spot.
/Ukrainian news about a war conict in the Stanytsia Luhanska/
Narrator
Alina with her family for the second year live in Kiev. In fact, memories of life in
the Stanytsia Luhanska do not oTen come to her. Perhaps the reason of that is her
life in the capital is full and very diverse. Now she is preparing to performance at the
talent show "The War Will Not Take Your Dream" and all her thoughts about a brand
new dress.
/sound wardrobe/

I choose wardrobe together with my mother. I have a favorite dress. But this is
not a dress. Its like a skirt with clasps here is ... as it is called? In short jacket! It is
blue, very nice! I sing in it by The Hardkiss Stones. There is such a dress is gray and
white (laughter) in sequins. I sang in it song Access to hearts. This black dress! With
sequins! I see everything in sequins (laughter) ... It is not I chose, its my mom done!
But it is very good and I like it. (Alina sings I go to mum). Its a popular song in
Ukraine. Maybe! That's another dress! Super sequins! This dress I have not
performed! We buy many dresses in sequins and without sequins, good stu for all
performances. I have a very good look in this dress. I do not know what fashion is
now, but I take everything, what I like.
Evgeniya
She took my and grandmothers stus. My mom had from Grozny a nice dress.
Black silk with beauXful owers! Alina dressed...
Alina
I have... its ... Here! This dress when I sang in the Stanytsia Luhanska. This
dress is very nice. It is red with blue owers.
Evgeniya
We even have a video
/sound of CD-recorder/
/ Alina sings the song Strange Flower/

Evgeniya
I really wanted to be a young mom! I remember I arrived to the hospital on 24
December. I lay one day, lying two days, three days, four days, ve days, than on the
sixth day there is something Alina began to talk to me! (laughing) Mom! Come on!
Let me go! And I let go my girl! On the 30 of December at 8:10 p.m. Alina was born.
She looks like a grandmother. Probably, I would like to survive a day when Alina start
walking or start talking. Well, she began talking very early!
/Alina plays the piano/
Narrator
Daily classes are grueling to Alina. From an early age she hears that her future
depends on the perseverance. At least the adults say it.
Alina
I sit on the academician concert, my turn. So Alina Valuyska with some play or
sonaXna comes on! And I "A-a-a-ah!" I must go! Ok! Concentrate! And tam-tam-
tadam--tadam-tam... And there is one note (sound)... whoops! And start all over
again! My teacher wants to help me, and I want to sleep!
/play the piano/
What's next?
/ play the piano /
All notes are good ... (playing)
Even this note is good (playing)

This note as a mouse or an elephant My teacher says me that in solfeggio

lessons. It involute! It had enough! But she wants to be friends! She wants to be
funny! (play the piano)
Olga
I always tell her, you need give more emoXons! The fact that you have a
powerful voice is understandable. It is necessary to put the soul, with age, of course,
everything will come! She sang as a lesson learned by heart, and thats all! I think
she should give more emoXons! More soul!
/ at the rehearsal for the talent show/
Evgeniya
Alina, no emoXons on the stage!!
Alina
You have not seen me!
Evgenya
I saw you behind the scenes and photo you...
Alina
Do not look at me!
Evgenya
Do you hear? Hand here!

Alina
I did like that!!!
Evgenya
Why are you holding the arm here?! Why are you holding the arm here? Those
movements that... Alina! Alina, do not joke!
Alina
She says me everything and Im doing it! This song is the anthem of all children
who could not live their Friday and other days.
Evgenya
We saw such an interesXng phrase T.G.I.F - Thank God It's Friday. We have
seen in this phrase a deep meaning and realized that this is a thanksgiving to God for
life! For Friday, Tuesday. Thanks for many days, which children could live, but cannot.
Many adults do not dare to give birth. We do everything that Alina grew up an arXst
who will carry love to people through own songs!
/sounds by "Thank God Its Friday"/
Narrator
Alina has many performances every month. Recently she was invited to Prague,
but together with mother, they decided that it would be be]er to focus on preparing
to the talant show. Today is one of the most important performances in the Alina
creaHve career. Because its not just a compeHHon for the money prize, its
something much more!

/sounds by a talant show/

Alina
My mother woke me at 6 a.m. It is very dicult, but very fun! I went to my
mother; I asked what I must do? She tells me everything, and I do it! From 8 a.m. I
was on make-up! I was there for an hour! Its too long! My look is very cool! I'm
cool!
Narrator
The move to Kiev was a real surprise for Alina. Her dad was invited to work in
the capital. Their family leT the Stanytsia Luhanska two months before the beginning
of the military conict. But at school, not too pleasant surprise waited to Alina.
Evgenya
The class didnt want to communicate with Alina. She was only one from
Lugansk. She came to the class and everyone said, Hi, Lugansk!
Alina
When I wanted to sit down to the girl, she said, this place is busy! I moved to a
second desk. Then she apologized and said that I can sit with her. I cried. Hoping that
someone will be friends with me with, and its happened!
/sounds by talent show/

Narrator
As they say, the show must go on and to the beginning of the talent show "The
War Will Not Take Your Dream" is a few minutes.
/beginning of talent show /
Alina
I rmly embracing and kissing my mother, and go on stage! Thats all!
/Alina presentaHon on talent show/
/Alina sings the song Thank God Its Friday/
/applause/
Alina
I'm looking for my mom; because she gives me strength. Then I feel I can do
anything.
Evgenya
Alina! Alina! Alina interview!
/Alina gives interview to Internet TV/
Narrator
Its the rst professional interview of Alina.

Alina
I want to win the Junior Eurovision Song Contest! I want to live in Moscow. But
I want to transfer there all my friends, school, Dream School! There are very cool
choreography, very cool! Producer center Ecole! I like to be a public person!
Narrator
At the talent show "The War Will Not Take Your Dream" Alina took the 3-rd
place. It is a good result. Like all young, ambiHous people, of course she wanted to
win, but she does not live by illusions and dreams. Alina is working hard every day.
She doesnt stop and she will never give up!
/piano sounds Never give up/
END