Kateryna Anatoliivna Pavlenko (Ukrainian: Катерина Анатоліївна Павленко; born 10 August 1988, Nizhyn, Ukraine), also known as Monokate (Монокейт), is a Ukrainian singer, folklorist, composer and soloist of the Go_A band.
Biography
Early life
Pavlenko was born on 10 August 1988 in Nizhyn, Chernihiv region. Her mother is a former soldier. She was raised by her grandparents.[1]
Due to bad living conditions, Pavlenko developed a lung disease. As a teenager, she underwent many surgeries, including surgery to remove a lung tumour. After that, she could not sing in the traditional way (called "white voice [en]") anymore. "The sound is not formed in my lungs or bronchi, because there is not much space there, but somewhere here (points to the back of the head). This is especially true of high notes", she said.[2]
Education
During her school years, Pavlenko studied at the Nizhyn Music School in the vocal and choral department. She sang in the children's choir "Shine". She studied piano and guitar. According to Pavlenko, teachers guided her to pursue opera singing in the future.[2]
In 2009 she graduated from the Nizhyn School of Culture and Arts named after Maria Zankovetska[3] with a degree in folk choir conductor (faculty - folk choir).
During her studies at the school, Pavlenko was a member of several local rock bands, such as "Contours of Shadows" and "My spirit".
Between 2009 and 2013 Pavlenko studied at the Kyiv National University of Culture and Arts at the Faculty of Music (specialization "Folklore").
During her student years, Pavlenko directed the ensemble "Vytynanka"[4] and sang in the ensemble "Queen" (KNUKiM).[5][6]
Pavlenko studied the folklore of the left-bank Kyiv region (Baryshiv district, Berezani suburbs, etc.).[7] She was interested in the folklore of Chornobyl Polissya.[8]
With Go_A
In 2012, Pavlenko joined the band Go_A, six months after its creation. At first, she performed as a backing vocalist, later she became a soloist.
As part of the band Go_A released one studio album, Go to the sound[9] and many singles.
Since 2017, Pavlenko has been the leader of the Veterans' Choir in Berezan (Kyiv Region) at the City House of Culture. Under her leadership, the choir won the title of folk. According to Kateryna Pavlenko, this is one of the strongest feelings when 30 voices sing under her direction.[10]
At the same time she wrote poems and solo songs, which he published under the pseudonym "Monokate".[11][12]
On 22 February 2020, together with the band Go_A, she won the National selection for the song contest Eurovision Song Contest 2020[13] with the song "Solovey". Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the contest was cancelled, but Go_A represented Ukraine next year at Eurovision Song Contest 2021 with the song "Shum". In the final of the competition, the band took the 5th place in the sum of points from the national jury and the spectators (according to the results of the spectator voting - the 2nd place, and in the semifinals the team won the 1st place).[14]
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