Колискову means 'lullaby'. It's a beautiful and evocative word that immediately brings to mind feelings of comfort, childhood, and a mother's love.
In "Stefania," the singer directly asks his mother to sing him a lullaby, connecting to the song's central theme of maternal love and nostalgia. It's a word that resonates deeply and is less common than everyday vocabulary, making it memorable and enticing for learners.
"Stefania" is Kalush Orchestra's tribute to lead singer Oleh Psiuk's mother, written as a lullaby before Russia's invasion of Ukraine began.
The lyrics picture a mother rocking her child to sleep in a blooming field, and a grown son promising to always find his way back to her, however broken the road. The repeated "Stefania, mama" refrain and the wordless "luli luli" lullaby hook carry that tenderness through the whole song.
After the song won Ukraine's national selection just as the war started, its meaning widened without changing a word: "mama" became a stand-in for Ukraine itself, and "I will always find my way to you" became a promise to the homeland. That reading carried it to victory at Eurovision 2022, where it turned into an anthem of resilience heard around the world.
Did you know?
In addition to reading lyric translations, you can now learn Ukrainian with music and lyrics from your favorite artists.
Yes, including Stefania (Kalush Orchestra) by KALUSH!
No more boring lessons. You can now learn with engaging and culturally relevant lyrics from the best artists.
