Notes on Language Choice and Identity Negotiation During the Ukrainian War

In What Language Shall I Perform Now as an Émigré Musician of Russian Origin?

Abstract

Based on current sociolinguistic thinking, this essay focuses on language choice in song writing as motivated by various reasons, including one’s identities, ideologies and the audience expectations. Being a linguist, a political emigrant and a song composer of Russian origin, who left the country after 2022 after the Russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine, I reflect on how balancing my different, often contradictory relational identities (as an Artist, Migrant, Aggressor and Activist) made me opt for Russian vs. English language lyrics in the composition process.