One of the most exciting figures of the Ukrainian electronic music scene is not only a regular presence at Berlin’s legendary clubs and some of the world’s most influential festivals, but also has a strong personal connection to Budapest. In recent years, war, relocation, constant travel, and deep internal changes have profoundly shaped both her art and worldview.

In our interview ahead of her May 29 performance in Budapest, she reflects on her close connection to Budapest, the resilience of Kyiv’s underground music scene, and her experiences within Berlin’s club culture. She also opens up about the personal nature of making music and challenges the idea of a sudden “big breakthrough” in a DJ career, emphasizing instead years of consistent work, persistence, and many small steps forward.

Many people might not know this, but you have strong personal ties to Budapest – you visit us quite often. Could you tell us why that is?

It’s true. When the war started, at one point I moved to Budapest and lived there for about two years. I’m really grateful to a close friend who helped me through such a difficult time.

And now part of my family lives in and around Budapest, and I have friends there too, so yes — whenever I travel from Kyiv, I have to take a train to the nearest airport, and I often choose Budapest. Sometimes I stay for a day or longer just to rest a bit. The train from Kyiv to Budapest takes around 20 hours 🙂

What is it that you find most appealing about Budapest and Hungary?

First of all, despite the whole situation and the stereotype that most people in Hungary are pro-Russian, I personally never felt that in Budapest. I was given protection status documents so I could stay there safely. The local administration also kept public transportation free for Ukrainians for, I think, around three years, which honestly meant a lot.

I also absolutely love the climate — Budapest is surrounded by hills, so the weather feels much milder, and the winters are not as harsh as what I’m used to. I love how compact the city is, the architecture, and how many green spaces there are.

One of my favorite things to do is spend a hot summer day at Palatinus Strand Baths. Compared to the famous thermal baths, it feels much more local.

And another amazing thing is that you can literally just hop on a train, leave the city for a bit, and suddenly be surrounded by incredible nature. That’s something I really miss too.

You are a regular presence at internationally renowned techno clubs and festivals. When did you first feel that you had reached that certain international breakthrough that most DJs only dream of? What do you think it takes to get to that level?

That’s actually a really good question, because for me nothing happened in a sudden “before and after” kind of way. There wasn’t one specific moment where I felt like, “Okay, now I’ve made it internationally.”

I’ve worked a lot for many years, and I still do. The progress happened step by step, and every new level feels more like a series of small shifts rather than one huge breakthrough.

I think people often imagine success in this industry as one big moment, but in reality it’s usually consistency, patience, and a lot of work behind the scenes. You keep growing gradually, building trust, improving your craft, meeting people, traveling, playing better sets — and one day you realize you’ve quietly reached places you once dreamed about.

You also frequently perform at some of Berlin’s most iconic clubs (Berghain, Tresor, RSO, Else). What has Berlin given you, and what is the most important lesson you’ve learned there?

Before I started performing regularly in Berlin, I heard a lot of people saying that “Berlin isn’t what it used to be anymore” or that the music scene there had lost something. But the more often I play there, the more I realize that Berlin can offer literally anything, for any taste.

And no matter what people say about Berghain, playing there — and experiencing it at different times and in different contexts — is incredibly valuable. It definitely tests you as an artist: your professionalism, your vision, and your ability to keep people dancing no matter what concept or idea is behind your set.

In Berlin I’ve played everything — techno, house, ambient, modern techno/DnB hybrids — and at completely different kinds of time slots too. And because of that, I honestly feel that this city pushed me to a new level of professionalism and confidence.

You have remained active in Kyiv as well. What does the electronic music scene look like there today, in the shadow of the war?

I actually moved back to live in Kyiv. Career-wise, it’s probably not the most practical choice — it would definitely be easier to live somewhere else in Europe and travel with much less stress. But the local scene here, which I genuinely believe is one of the strongest in the world, is the reason I can’t really choose another city over Kyiv.

I love Kyiv deeply, and honestly, everyone who comes to visit me falls in love with it too. Despite the war, the air raid sirens, and the constant attacks on the city, the scene is still alive and able to offer something that’s very hard to describe in words. It’s something you really have to experience and feel for yourself.

Rhythm Büro, Strichka Festival, Brave! Factory Festival, K41 and many other projects — I would honestly recommend planning a trip around experiencing some of them.

The only important thing is to stay aware of information about possible attacks, and if something happens, to go to a shelter. And everything will be okay.

Your album released last year explores a wide spectrum of techno, from ambient to hypnotic soundscapes. What concept shaped this release, and what inspired it?

Actually, there’s no techno on the album at all. Even though people mostly associate me with that genre because of my DJ career, I consciously didn’t want to make a functional record for clubs or touring. For me, the album format is something much more personal and emotional.

I approached it more like a complete story than a collection of tracks. Some tracks are also small tributes to compositions and artists that influenced me deeply, and there are a few hidden references and “easter eggs” throughout the album for people who pay close attention.
A big part of the album is connected to the feeling that life can suddenly change forever. When you go through major changes internally, there’s this strange tension between looking back at the past and understanding that you still have to move forward into something unknown and uncertain.
That’s also why the cover version on the album felt important to me. For me, it symbolizes the realization that life will never fully return to what it was before — but despite fear, movement forward is inevitable.

If you could go back in time, what would you tell your 20-year-old self?

Haha, that’s actually a great question. First of all, I would tell myself not to postpone taking care of my health. It’s really important, because it becomes much harder to fix things that you’ve ignored for years. You should never try to “save money” on your health — usually, a few years later the price of solving the problem becomes much higher, in every sense.

I would also say that learning English as early as possible is a must. It opens so many doors and removes a lot of limitations.

And probably the biggest thing: when you’re 20, there’s often a choice between staying in a stable job with a predictable salary or risking it to learn something new and gain experience. I would definitely choose the second option. Money will come eventually, and if you’re truly passionate about something, you can find a way to make your passion support your life financially too.

At the same time, I think it’s important to diversify your risks while still moving in one direction. For example, if music is your main path, it’s good to have more than just DJing. When one part of the industry goes through a difficult period, another music-related skill or job can support you and still keep you connected to the world you love.

Actually, this is something I did myself, so maybe it’s less advice to my younger self and more something I would say to people who are currently at that stage of life.

Which artists had the biggest impact on you at the beginning of your career? Who inspired you the most?

Fred p, J Dilla, Rod Modell, DJ Sprinkles, Carsten Jost, Convextion. But honestly, it’s a huge list. Omg. In the beginning I was listening to a lot of drum & bass artists, especially liquid, atmospheric DnB and jungle. That music probably shaped my emotional understanding of electronic music more than anything else.

Biosphere was also a massive influence on me. And in general, I was deeply inspired by what people would probably call the “classic” electronic music canon — those albums that constantly appear in lists of the greatest electronic records of all time.

I also listened to a lot of trip-hop and downtempo. I think those genres really influenced my relationship with atmosphere, storytelling, and emotion in music much more than straightforward club functionality.

What are the three most important factors that have contributed to the development of your career?

I can talk endlessly about myself, my approach, my vision, and my belief in the importance of developing your own style. But without the agency, without Laura who helped bring all of this to light, and without the people who supported and believed in me along the way — none of it would have been possible. No one succeeds completely alone. Behind every success, there is not only personal hard work, but also a team and people who see your potential, support you, and reach out a hand when you’re just starting out.

How do you usually spend your everyday life when you’re not touring or working in the studio?

I work on a huge number of projects. I teach large sound production groups twice a week, consult music projects, and I’m also part of Ghost Collective — a new music startup. On top of that, I organize Rhythm Buro parties with the team, run my own label, manage a Telegram channel with news about the local music scene, and a million other things in between.

So honestly, I’m almost always busy — it’s become such a natural part of my life that sometimes I don’t even know where the line is between ‘working’ and ‘not working.’ Because even outside of work, there are everyday responsibilities and all the self-care stuff too.

But if I actually have nothing to do, then most likely I’ll just be drinking wine with friends until the very end 🙂

Vera Logdanidi will be performing on May 29 at the first larger-scale party of Very Small Club, taking place at Toldi Club in Budapest!

Event: https://www.facebook.com/events/853270617797271
Tickets: https://cooltix.hu/event/69de5149970ae5fa31f32316