Druga Rika

Druga Rika

Music band

Genres: rock, alternative rock, Britpop

Country: Ukraine

Druga Rika: formation, lineup, and best songs

Druga Rika is one of the bands that shaped the face of Ukrainian rock. In their music, the band masterfully combines profound lyrics with stadium-rock energy. Despite decades of creative work and some significant lineup changes, the current lineup of Druga Rika continues to maintain high standards of quality, bringing together musicians who were there at the band's inception:

• Valeriy Kharchyshyn - vocalist, trumpeter, lyricist
• Oleksandr Baranovskyi - guitarist
• Oleksiy Doroshenko - drummer, lyricist
• Serhiy Bilichenko - guitarist
• Serhiy Hera (Shura) - keyboardist, backing vocalist
• Andriy Lavrynenko - bass guitarist

From "Second River" to major success

The band began its journey under the name "Second River" with singing sessions in Zhytomyr, featuring Valeriy Kharchyshyn, Oleksandr Baranovskyi, and Viktor Skuratovskyi. In the late 90s, the future stars of Ukrainian rock moved to Kyiv, changed their name to "Druga Rika", and released their debut album "Я є". The first release was followed by performances and festival wins, as well as their first major musical success.

Druga Rika's rapid rise began following the release of the song "Оксана" and the album "Два". In 2003, keyboardist Serhiy (Shura) Hera joined the band after the musicians had collaborated with him previously. That same year, Druga Rika opened for Depeche Mode's lead singer, Dave Gahan. The band cemented its status as a leader of the Ukrainian rock scene with the release of the album "Рекорди", which went gold, and the song "Так мало тут тебе", which stayed on the charts for nearly six months.

Major hits and landmark albums

"Так мало тут тебе" and the album "Рекорди" are far from Druga Rika's only musical breakthroughs. Equally significant in the band's discography are the albums "Мода" and "Піраміда", while the songs "Три хвилини", "Вже не сам", "Секрет", and "П'ю з твоїх долонь" became true soundtracks of an era and remain popular to this day.

Concert activities: Druga Rika live

Druga Rika's concert schedule is impressive in scope: from solo concerts in Ukraine to major charity tours across Europe, Canada, and the U.S. in support of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. A landmark event was the anniversary concert in March 2026 at the Palace of Sports - the show "Я є! 30 років", where the band performed 30 of their most famous hits. At every performance, the band gives it their all, from the sound to their interaction with the audience, thanks in part to the incredible charisma of Valeriy Kharchyshyn.

The band Druga Rika is known for bold experiments with live sound, particularly its collaboration with NAONI (National Academic Orchestra of Folk Instruments), in which the musicians managed to create a new sound for familiar rock ballads through symphonic arrangements.

Sold-out venues and emotional encounters with the audience prove that Druga Rika has not only created countless hits but has become a part of the lives of millions.