The story of Mika Newton is often compared to a modern-day Cinderella tale: a young, talented girl from a small Ukrainian town becomes an artist known far beyond her home country. But unlike a fairytale plot, her success was built not on chance, but on years of hard work: by the time Mika became widely recognized, she already had more than fifteen years of stage experience behind her.
Childhood and first steps in music
The future singer was born on 5 March 1986 in the town of Burshtyn in the Ivano-Frankivsk region. At birth she was given the name Oksana Hrytsai. Her creativity showed very early on: she constantly took part in school concerts, sang, danced, and had an unusually strong character for her age — persistent, determined and vivid.
Her family fully supported her talents. Her father played guitar, and her grandfather was known in the area as a cheerful soul, singer and self-taught violinist, which inevitably shaped the atmosphere at home. Oksana graduated from music school in piano and studied vocals in parallel. Almost every time she performed at children’s and youth festivals, she came home with prizes — in Lviv, Mukachevo, Ternopil, Volodymyr-Volynskyi, Skadovsk.
Studies in Kyiv and the start of a professional career
In 2001 Oksana decided to take a risk and moved to Kyiv, where she enrolled at the State College of Circus and Variety Arts. The move paid off quickly — in 2002 she won the Black Sea Games festival. It was there that producer Yuriy Falyosa noticed her.
Later she signed her first contract, and work began on building a fully fledged artist persona. That was when the name Mika Newton appeared — a combination of the names of legendary musicians (Mick Jagger and Mick Box) and the English expression new tone. The name turned into a memorable brand that matched the singer’s bright personality.
First albums and artistic growth
The early 2000s became a period of intensive development. Rehearsals, touring, studio sessions, music videos — her career leap was impossible to miss. In 2005 she released the album «Anomaliya» (“Anomaly”), which drew the attention of both audiences and music journalists.
It was followed by the releases:
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«Tyoplaya reka» (“Warm River”) (2006)
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«Eksklyuziv» (“Exclusive”) (2009)
Each of these records strengthened Mika’s status as one of the most recognizable young singers in Ukraine. At the same time, she began trying her hand at acting: a small role in the film «Zhizn vrasplokh» (“Life Taken by Surprise”) (2006), followed by a leading role in «Dengi dlya docheri» (“Money for a Daughter”) (2009). Her voice could also be heard in several other projects, including TV series.
Eurovision — the major breakthrough
A pivotal moment in her career came in 2011. Mika Newton took part in the Ukrainian national selection for Eurovision and confidently won first place. The song «Angel» earned her the right to represent Ukraine on the international stage in Düsseldorf.
Her performance in the final became one of the most successful entries in Ukraine’s Eurovision history: Mika finished in 4th place, receiving massive support from viewers across many countries.
Further work and professional maturity
After Eurovision, the artist continued to build her career, actively recording new material, working on her image and taking part in projects both in Ukraine and abroad. Moving to the United States opened up new creative horizons — collaborations with songwriters, participation in music programs and the creation of English-language tracks. Mika became one of the few Ukrainian singers who managed to gain a foothold on the international scene.
Mika Newton’s discography
Studio albums
1. «Anomaliya» (“Anomaly”) (2005)
Her debut album, which secured the young singer’s name on the Ukrainian pop scene. It included both lyrical and up-tempo tracks, showcasing Mika’s vocal range.
2. «Tyoplaya reka» (“Warm River”) (2006)
Her second album, where the sound became more mature and mellow. The record received positive feedback for its atmosphere and memorable melodies.
3. «Eksklyuziv» (“Exclusive”) (2009)
Her third studio album, blending stylish pop, light electronics and a contemporary radio-friendly sound. The tracks entered heavy rotation on Ukrainian music TV channels.
Singles and most famous tracks
(Some songs were released as radio singles, others appeared on albums — below are those that gained wide recognition.)
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«Angel» — the song with which Mika performed at Eurovision 2011
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«Ne vidpuskay»
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«Anomaliya»
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«Ty — moya vesna» (“You Are My Spring”)
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«Tak byvayet» (“It Happens”)
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«Poka mali ya»
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«V plenu» (“In Captivity”)
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«Bely list» (“Blank Page”)
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«Eto lyubov» (“This Is Love”)
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«Ya tebya pomnyu» (“I Remember You”)
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«I Believe» (English-language material from her U.S. period)
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«Magnets»
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«Freedom»
Soundtracks and songs for film/TV
Mika Newton has recorded tracks that appeared in TV series and films:
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music for the TV series «Kremlevskie kursanty» (“Kremlin Cadets”)
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vocal parts in the film «Dengi dlya docheri» (“Money for a Daughter”)
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songs used in several Ukrainian TV projects and shows
Music videos
Her most notable videos include:
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«Anomaliya»
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«Tyoplaya reka»
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«Ty — moya vesna»
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«Tak byvayet»
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«Angel» (Eurovision — both Ukrainian and international versions)
The U.S. period
After moving to Los Angeles, Mika released a number of English-language digital singles and demo recordings, including:
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«Magnets»
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«Come Out and Play»
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«Don’t Dumb Me Down»
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«No Rules»
These works highlight her evolution as an international pop vocalist.
Rare facts and Mika Newton’s personal revelations
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A “next-door” musical dynasty. There were no formally trained musicians in the Hrytsai (Mika Newton) family, but almost everyone “dabbled” in music: her father played guitar, and her self-taught grandfather with his violin was nearly a local legend — no wedding in the area was complete without him. Mika has often recalled that it was her grandfather and his roaming violin that first showed her how music can bring people together.
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An unexpected godfather and football. In one interview, Mika said that her godfather was the president of the local football club «Enerhetyk» (Burshtyn). Because of that, she spent a lot of time at the stadium as a child, even though she herself always gravitated more toward the stage than toward sports.
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Karate and the stage. Before she focused seriously on vocals, Mika practiced karate at a sports school. She has joked more than once that knowing how to “take a hit” later came in handy in the music industry, where psychological resilience can be more important than physical victories.
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“I sang my whole childhood in Ukrainian.” In various conversations she has emphasized that during her childhood and teenage years she almost exclusively sang in Ukrainian — at school events, festivals and home concerts. For her, Ukrainian is the language of her first songs, contests and early victories.
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Moving to Los Angeles as a personal experiment. After Eurovision 2011, Mika admitted that leaving for the U.S. was essentially her personal challenge: to start from scratch in a city where you know no one. At first in L.A. she combined music with acting classes, auditions and commercial shoots — from major brands to small productions, gradually building new professional connections.
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Parting ways with her producer as a point of growing up. Mika later described the story of her complicated relationship and split with producer Yuriy Falyosa as an important stage of maturing: it was after that period that she became more cautious about contracts, listened more to her own intuition and stood up more firmly for her creative identity.
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“Angel” and her attitude to scandals. When an online debate flared up about similarities between Loreen’s song «Tattoo» and Mika’s track «V plenu», she stressed in interviews that she sees no point in “living off scandals” and prefers to focus on new work rather than conflicts around old songs. For her, that situation was a chance to remind people about her own track, not to turn it into a war.
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Marriage and rethinking her career. In conversations with journalists, Mika has openly said that after marrying Chris Saavedra, her attitude toward her career became calmer: many of her former ambitions faded, and health, family and inner balance came to the forefront. She has repeatedly stressed that she wants to live “not only for the stage,” but for a normal, human life.
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Fighting cancer and the topic of health. In candid interviews in recent years, Mika has spoken about serious health challenges and her treatment for cancer. She has described this period as “the hardest, but the most sobering” in her life: the illness forced her to rethink her relationship with herself, her body, her career and the time she has been given. After treatment, she has increasingly raised the topics of prevention and self-care.
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Connection to Ukraine despite years in the U.S. Although Mika has lived in Los Angeles for a long time, she constantly emphasizes in interviews that she feels deeply connected to her hometown of Burshtyn and to Ukraine as a whole: her family is there, as are memories of her first stages and the feeling of “her own land,” to which she mentally returns whenever she needs inspiration or support.
Legacy and significance
The story of Mika Newton is an example of how strong character, hard work and family support can lead to international success. She remains an artist whose path inspires a new generation of Ukrainian singers. Her voice, her journey and her ability to overcome hardships have made her one of the symbols of the Ukrainian music scene of the 2000s and 2010s, and her story is far from over: Mika continues to delight fans with new projects and musical ideas.
