our music
about malinka
Let us take you on a journey of music, mystery, magic and medicine … to move your heart and your colita!
Music is the language of the soul. Our group of talented, creative musicians will carry you through the soundscapes of lands near and far, all through groovy, funky beats, drum & bass breakdowns, clarinet, saxophone, juicy guitar and hot violin.. songs in many languages, culminating in greater global awareness, interconnectedness and the feeling that love is universal.
We love bringing people together and creating a delicious high vibe. We love the synergy that is born between us and the dancing crowd. Our songs are alive and fluid, and we often create new arrangements on the spot on stage.
The rich history of world cultures is captured in songs, and through them, Malinka offers a window into the human story. With themes of love, joy, freedom, and hope, the vast landscapes of Eastern European, Balkan, Romani, Slavic, Middle Eastern, Latin, and original music resound as we tap into something high and inherently human, a language we all understand. Come vibe with us and see for yourself!
Through music, we explore culture, melody, rhythm, style, language. As we dig deeper, we see the ancient roots that connect us all.
about malinka
Let us take you on a journey of music, mystery, magic and medicine … to move your heart and your colita!
Music is the language of the soul. Our group of talented, creative musicians will carry you through the soundscapes of lands near and far, all through groovy, funky beats, drum & bass breakdowns, clarinet, saxophone, juicy guitar and hot violin.. songs in many languages, culminating in greater global awareness, interconnectedness and the feeling that love is universal.
We love bringing people together and creating a delicious high vibe. We love the synergy that is born between us and the dancing crowd. Our songs are alive and fluid, and we often create new arrangements on the spot on stage.
The rich history of world cultures is captured in songs, and through them, Malinka offers a window into the human story. With themes of love, joy, freedom, and hope, the vast landscapes of Eastern European, Balkan, Romani, Slavic, Middle Eastern, Latin, and original music resound as we tap into something high and inherently human, a language we all understand. Come vibe with us and see for yourself!
Through music, we explore culture, melody, rhythm, style, language. As we dig deeper, we see the ancient roots that connect us all.
video
find the latest videos on our youtube channel
calendar
Fri, Feb 5, 2025
Skout
First Friday Art Walk, Ashland OR
6-8pm
Fri, Mar 6, 2025
Skout
First Friday Art Walk, Ashland OR
6-8pm
Sat, Apr 25, 2025
Dunbar Farms
Medford, OR
5:30-7:30pm
the collective
Malinka is a collective of many artists and musicians. We love collaborating with fun, interesting people. Each person adds their own flavor and spice to our eclectic medley, making for a rare treat. Our sound is fluid and always evolving as we explore the vast landscapes of music.
Malinka’s core group consists of:
Yelena Valerievna – vocals, guitar, doumbek
Luke Lewis – cajón, percussion
Celia Harris – violin
Lawrence Newcomb – clarinet, saxophone
John Johns – lead guitar
Adam Gill – bass
At the heart of Malinka are Luke and Yelena, who found each other in a beechwood forest in Hungary many years ago. Their love for music, life, and each other carries them through the madness of the world by way of loyalty, whimsy, integrity, sincerity, and at the end of the day, having a good laugh.
Malinka is a collective of many artists and musicians. We love collaborating with fun, interesting people. Each person adds their own flavor and spice to our eclectic medley, making for a rare treat. Our sound is fluid and always evolving as we explore the vast landscapes of music.
Malinka’s core group consists of:
Yelena Valerievna – vocals, guitar, doumbek
Luke Lewis – cajón
Celia Harris – violin
Lawrence Newcomb – clarinet, saxophone
John Johns – lead guitar
Adam Gill – bass
At the heart of Malinka are Luke and Yelena, who found each other in a beechwood forest in Hungary many years ago. Their love for music, life, and each other carries them through the madness of the world by way of loyalty, whimsy, integrity, sincerity, and at the end of the day, having a good laugh.
Yelena
Guitar, Vocals
Yelena Valerievna was born in Latvia, Eastern Europe. Born into a musical family, her love for music began when she started piano lessons at age 6. Yelena sang in many choral groups throughout her schooling years and developed a love for vocal harmony. She grew up internationally, traveling and living in many countries in Europe, Asia, Africa, Central America, and South America. She is fluent in 3 languages. While living in England, Yelena picked up the guitar and began learning songs that her grandmother used to play. She later began exploring many genres of music and composing her own songs, some of which are performed by Malinka. Yelena is also a percussionist and dancer. She plays bendir, djembe, doumbek, and other hand drums and has played with various groups over the years. As a dancer, Yelena spent most of her life studying and performing Jazz, Latin, Ballroom, Swing, Modern, Hip Hop, and Middle Eastern dance, as well as African drum and dance with various ensembles in California and New York. Aside from her endeavors in music and dance, Yelena is passionate about education and has worked as a Waldorf teacher at Waldorf schools worldwide since 2009. Yelena loves collaborating with others and believes that together, we create something that is greater than the sum of its parts.
Luke
Cajón, Percussion
Luke Lewis was born and grew up in Manchester, England. He fell in love with music at a young age and spent years delving into the musical eras of the 1950s, 60s, and 70s, where some of his favorite music originates. He moved to the US in 2014, shortly after he met Yelena in Hungary on a hitchhiking trip around Europe. The two were married a few months later. Luke doesn’t consider himself a musician and says that anyone can tap a drum. Luke also plays guitar and writes songs about social media, war, love, and cloacas. Aside from cajón, Luke is Malinka’s sound guy and loves playing around with production. He has recorded and produced a few tunes for Malinka and is looking forward to more.
Malinka Performance Highlights
Oregon Country Fair (2024, 2025)
Britt Festival – opening for Free Creatures and Dirtwire (2025)
Salamander Fest (2025)
Oregon Shakespeare Festival Green Show (2022, 2023, 2024, 2025)
Bandon Fringe Festival (2025)
Oregon Fringe Festival (2024)
Talent Harvest Festival (2024)
Rogue World Music Festival (2023)
stay in touch
Join our mailing list! We’ll let you know about upcoming gigs.
contact
malinkaworldmusic@gmail.com
gallery
Malinka Music Collective