Hajda Banda / Гайда Банда is a Belarusian-Polish supergroup that draws on the musical traditions of Podlasie, Western Belarus, and Polesie with remarkable freedom and authenticity. Their repertoire includes original arrangements of ancient songs and dances—melodies that have accompanied everyday life, village games, and neighborhood gatherings for generations. The band creates a sound based on acoustic, regional instruments—fiddle, three-row accordion, dulcimer, and frame drum—as well as distinctive white voices. This allows their music to retain a naturalness and closeness to traditional playing while also finding its place on the contemporary stage.
The group was founded in the fall of 2021 by violinist Daria Butskaya. Although it has been active for a relatively short time, it has quickly become one of the most powerful voices on the contemporary folk scene. The band consists of musicians based in Warsaw and Krakow, also known for projects such as Duality, Orkiestra Taneczna Bonanza, Kapela Ozimkowicza, and Kolektyw terenNowy.
Their debut album, Hajda!, won the Album of the Year 2024 award from readers of the British magazine Songlines. Their second album, Niepraudzivaya, repeated this success in 2025 and brought further accolades, including a nomination for Global Folk Album of the Year at the International Folk Music Awards, presented by the American association Folk Alliance International, and a podium finish on the World Music Charts Europe.
Hajda Banda / Гайда Банда proves that traditional melodies still have power – they can move, unite, and resonate as powerfully today as they did years ago. This is music from the borderlands that still speaks with its own distinct voice.
Musicians:
Antonis Antoniou – electric tzouras / vocals / electronics
Manos Stratis – bass synth / organ
Will Scott – bass clarinet
Ulaş Öğüç – drums / triggers
