MuHa

MuHa is a Nottingham-based group active since 2006, working in Eastern European contemporary folk. The band forms around singer and songwriter Iryna Muha and guitarist Dmitry Fedotov, who meet in 2004. The line-up also includes Louise Clements on bass and kathak vocals, and Nikki McKenzie on percussion.

The group’s music combines Eastern European folklore with elements from other traditions, including North Indian Kathak rhythms, Cuban beats and original lyrics. It performs with material rooted in the Slavonic tradition, and uses a range of languages alongside melodic and rhythmic arrangements. The band is described as an acoustic act with female vocal, Eastern European and hurdy-gurdy influences.

MuHa records an album called Reka, meaning “River”, and presents it as part of its contemporary approach to Eastern European music. The group’s sound reflects the multicultural environment of the UK while drawing on different musical backgrounds within the band.