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Inna Kovtun carries the folk songs of Ukraine within her: songs that have survived years of suppression and attempted erasure, songs that tell stories, celebrate traditions, and preserve culture. A folklorist, ethnomusicologist, and performing artist of Ukrainian folk music, she sang to crowds of thousands back in Europe. When the war started, she fled to Portland to protect her young daughter. Today, she struggles to do what she loves while making a living, all the while facing uncertainty about what the future holds.
Many Roads to Here is a production of The Immigrant Story.
All of the music you heard in this episode is from Inna’s latest solo album, released in March 2026. The title of this album translates in English to “Princess” and it’s a collection of Ukrainian traditional songs along with a few original compositions inspired by folk traditions. You can find it on all major streaming platforms or buy it on the Magnetic West Music Bandcamp page. To hear more of Inna’s music, go to https://www.magneticwestmusic.com/innakovtun.html
This episode was hosted, produced, and edited by Selene Ross. Storyboard was edited by Meg Ritter with audio post production by Gregg Palmer. Our Executive Producer is Sankar Raman.
This episode was made possible through a generous contribution from the Zidell Family Foundation.
For more stories, visit theimmigrantstory.org/manyroads, listen live at prp.fm, or stream us wherever you get your podcasts.