Jinjer have made a name for themselves in the Ukrainian underground over the past decade, but they're just starting gain the fan base they deserve in the rest of the world. In 2018, they played their first-ever tour of North American and prepped for the January release of a new EP, Micro. As Jinjer frontwoman Tatiana Shmailyuk looks back on a breakthrough year and ahead toward 2019, we asked the singer to share some of the highlights of her past 11 months and counting; she "picked 10 things in 2018 that I found handy, inspiring or impressive, in no particular order." Check them out below.
1. Vinyl player
I got one as a birthday present from my bandmates in March 2018 and fell in love with it instantly (many thanks to my guys, by the way!). It reminds me of my childhood and my father, who is a huge audio freak. The player replaced my TV set and occupied its spot on the bureau. Though I own very few records (The Offspring, Bob Marley, Amy Winehouse, Gojira and some of Jinjer's albums), I am ready to expand my small collection with more cool records.
2. Band Wagon
Extremely bouncy, but what a comfy house! Our first acquaintance with this type of RV happened when we first went on tour in the U.S. with Cradle of Filth. It saved us so much time and energy! I wish we could have those in Europe ...
3. Sewing machine
My life savior!!! As a person of avant-garde tastes, it is quite difficult for me to find clothes which would match my demands, and the machine resolved this problem. My signature stage outfits were crafted with the help of my Singer babe.
4. Laundry
One of the main issues in tour life is a pile of dirty stinky clothes. But I have no worries if I know I can spend one hour in one of my favorite places doing one of my favorite things — LAUNDRY! Some people know how twisted I am about washing machines. For me it is a place for relaxing time. So grateful for this option.
5. The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
The book was also a present from a friend of mine. It's a shame to admit I ignored reading this book in school and institute at literature lessons. But this iconic work caught me in the right time.
6. Teotihuacan, Mexico
My biggest dream was to visit Mexico. I've been visualizing this day to since 2013 and finally this year brought me an opportunity to experience the feeling in reality. We climbed to the very top of the Pyramid of the Sun and lost ourselves in souvenir booths. We ended up this marvelous day with a massive show in Mexico City.
7. Pulque
In short, one of the weirdest, lightest, tastiest alcoholic drinks I've ever tasted. Made in Mexico. It is really similar to our traditional Slavic drink called "kvass."
8. Cooking vegan food
They say vegan food sucks. I totally agree unless it's homemade. Cooking for me is a divine process of creation, a long and joyful way of making arts. I rarely follow any recipes as, in my whole Iife, I improvise. Plus, veganism is a healthy and environmentally friendly platform for delicious experiments.
9. Natural wonders
I call the year of 2018 to be a year of accomplishments. We happened to enjoy the views of magnificent landscapes of the Grand Canyon, the astonishing magnitude of Niagara Falls, the Arches Park with its "Martian" terrain, borderless fields inhabited by buffalos. In other words, I've seen almost everything I've ever wanted to see.
10. Generosity
I am building up this list while being on tour in Latin America and my luggage is about to explode with enormous amount of gifts from fans who attended our shows on both American continents. I really want to express sincere gratitude to each of them! It's absolutely heart-melting how people whom you've never seen are so attentive to everything you feel passion for. You taught me to give even if I do not have much to share. I'll be always in debt!
In conclusion I'd like to say 2018 was the best year of my adult life! Can't wait to see what the year of 2019 will bring to me!
