Marlena Khramov is a singer-songwriter who goes by the name of Ukulena. She is a musician who creates songs that will make her audience dance until the night ends. When I first met Marlena, the very first thing I noticed about her was her sense of style. Her fashion sense was always bright, colorful and she accessorized with the most unique pieces of jewelry. In addition to her distinctive sense of fashion, the first time I saw Ukulena perform was at a tiki-bar in Huntington Beach called Don The Beachcomber. I knew Marlena as this sweet and soft-spoken young woman, but once she is on stage, her loud voice and the magic she brings from her ukulele made every person at the bar turn their heads to look at her. She not only opened for The Adicts at the House of Blues, but she also released a recent album called Don’t Let Go. I admire Marlena so much for all her creativity and confidence, and I know for a fact that she will go so far in the future.
Who is Ukulena?
Ukulena is my persona, she is my stage presence. But I really think that Ukulena is not only a play of my name “Marlena” and my instrument, the ukulele, but I think Ukulena is a very universal vision. I just want to really put all of my inspirations into it. A quote I live by is, “Ukulena is a dreamer who was put onto this earth to let others know that dreams do come true.”
What is the genre of your music?
I have been through so many different genres just throughout all the bands I’ve been in growing up, and I know what got me started in music was rockabilly and loving all the vintage music. But I’ve really expanded my mind, and I used to call the genre of Ukulena “tiki-soul” with a bit of “rock and roll”. It was all the Hawaiian music, the soulful singing and then the rocking out; but lately, my music now is universal. I do not want to put a genre on my music anymore, because I want to try every genre. What really inspired me on my next record is Bob Marley and the love of life. Lately, I’ve been getting into reggae, cumbia, pop, and rock. I’ve just been expanding music but keeping it true to my aesthetics and the inspirations I have. I think that Ukulena is all about creating her own sound.
What do you want listeners to get out of your songs?
I would hope that I am creating music that people could relate to. I want my music to speak to all of the people; any culture, color or interests. The reason I do not put a label or a genre in my music anymore is because I want to do a little bit of everything. For example, if one person likes one specific thing, they will find my music within that common interest. I want someone to relate to a lyric that I wrote. How one line could move someone’s soul, and I want people to relate and understand me. I want us all to be united. With a lot of hate happening in the world, music truly saves us. Music is not a distraction, it is something that brings people together to have a good time, to express ourselves and to feel love.
Who inspired you to become a musician?
I grew up around so many kinds of different music. I was born in America, but my dad was from Russia and I was brought to his shows. My mom, on the other hand, was very into different kinds of music; so I think my main inspirations are my parents. They are both so different, but my mom’s mind for music is so wide. My mom let me find my way, but my dad knew I was going to grow into being a musician. He would always try to make me sing as much as I could. I would not be a musician without my mom and dad.
Artist wise, I would say Elvis Presley made me who I am today. When I was 12 years old, I started my very first rockabilly band.
How do you incorporate fashion as Ukulena?
I think being a musician helps me to become more fashionable. Being on stage, you want to be bright and noticeable. The other day, I was so hard on myself because of the way I was dressed
even though I was the brightest, vibrant person there. Something I learned is that I should always be comfortable wearing whatever I want even if it does not fit with the people around me. It is better to stand out than not to at all.
My style has changed so much. I have a few different styles and it all depends on the environment of the show that I am doing. If I will be in a solo show and the vibe is at a Hawaiian themed bar, then I will go for the floral aesthetic. If my show will be in Los Angeles, then I will dress edgier. I love to dress around on what the theme will be.
Do you have any advice to people who are aspiring musicians?
My advice is to never stop and to never give up because as soon as you do, you already have let the other person win. Do not be insecure and own what you have at all times. It is better to stay true to yourself than to let others control you. For aspiring artists, do not listen to anybody, release what you want.
