5'nizza is a Ukrainian acoustic duo that plays hip-hop, reggae, and funk. In the early 2000s, they proved that all it takes to conquer the world is just two things—an acoustic guitar and two unique voices. The group’s debut album cost the guys just $30, but its impact was enormous. The record instantly caught on with the public, and soon their track “Soldier” was being sung from the Baltic Sea to the Pacific Ocean. In 2007, the duo split up due to creative differences, but reunited in 2015. The musicians continue to perform to this day, giving concerts in Germany and other European countries.
5'nizza: Who Are They? An Acoustic Duo from Kharkiv
5'nizza is a band founded in 2000 in Kharkiv. 5'nizza consists of just two members—Sergey Babkin, who plays guitar, sings, and mimics the sounds of various musical instruments, and Andrey Zaporozhets (Sun), who handles lead vocals and beatboxing. The band’s instrumentation is kept to a minimum: no conventional drums or synthesizers—just pure acoustic sound.
Speaking about themselves and their band 5'nizza, the members say: “We’re complete opposites. But when we’re together, we become carefree again, teasing each other” (from an interview with Sergey Babkin). It is on this contrast that the duo’s unique style was formed.
One of the most frequently asked questions of the members of 5'nizza is: what does the band’s name mean? In response, the musicians explain that the duo got its name completely by accident. One day, Babkin and Zaporozhets told Kharkiv poet Galina Davydova that they were coming up with a name for the band. She suggested “Red Friday” (it happened to be Friday that day). During the discussion, Sergey suggested removing “Red” from the name, since there was already a band called “Red Mold” at the time, and Andrey came up with a more original way to spell “Friday”—5'nizza.
The Early Years of 5'nizza
The official founding date of the band is considered to be 2000, but the duo’s story began much earlier, when the guys were studying at the Kharkiv Art Lyceum.
Andrey Zaporozhets (Sun) and Sergey Babkin: Kharkiv, Families, and Childhood
Sergey Babkin was born in Kharkiv on November 7, 1978. His father was in the military, and his mother worked at a preschool. The future artist’s older brother followed in his father’s footsteps and became a major. Sergey, however, was drawn to the arts from an early age. Starting at age 6, he took ballroom dance lessons, participated in a drama club, and attended art classes. Later, he graduated from music school with a focus on the flute, and at age 12, he learned to play the guitar.
Andrei Zaporozhets is not only a fellow countryman but also nearly the same age as Sergei: he was born on September 5, 1979. From a young age, he also sang, combining it with another passion of his—taekwondo. Later, Andrei’s interests expanded to include Eastern philosophy and Buddhism.
Education and Musical Roots
The fateful meeting between the two musicians took place while they were in school. As a result, a typical school friendship grew into a long-standing creative partnership.
School Years in Kharkiv and Early Musical Experiences
In 1994, the two boys ended up in the same class at the Kharkiv Arts Lyceum and studied together until 1996. Even back then, Babkin was already seriously into the guitar. He would borrow an instrument from the music classroom and play right on the school steps during breaks. One day, Andrei saw Sergei playing, walked up to him, said, “Come on, play some more,” and began singing along.
That’s how the duo was born, with Babkin playing and Zaporozhets singing. At first, they performed at school events, in courtyards for friends, and at house parties. The young musicians covered hits by Nirvana, U2, Aerosmith, the Fugees, Seal, DDT, and other well-known artists, while also beginning to write their first original songs.
After graduating from high school, their paths briefly diverged—Babkin continued his studies at the Kharkiv Institute of Arts, while Zaporozhets enrolled at the local medical school to train as a pediatrician. But as early as 2000, their joint musical career began with the band 5'nizza.
The Beginnings of 5'nizza’s Career
The duo’s emergence was not a planned marketing move or a premeditated decision. The band 5'nizza came about just as randomly as its name.
Meeting in Kharkiv and the First House Concerts in 2000
The musicians’ first listeners were their friends and acquaintances in Kharkiv. Babkin and Zaporozhets sang everywhere—at house concerts, on the street—and once they traveled to the “Kazantip” festival (held in Crimea from 1998 to 2013, one of the most famous electronic music festivals in Eastern Europe), where they gave an impromptu mini-concert right on the shore and caught the attention of many people.
At that time, word of mouth was the duo’s main form of promotion. More and more people wanted to hear the duo sing, and not just in their hometown of Kharkiv. So when Babkin and Zaporozhets recorded their first album, *Unplugged*, featuring 17 songs, in 2002, pirated copies of it spread like wildfire across the country.
5'nizza’s Breakthrough
The turning point that sealed the musicians’ future careers occurred in 2002. That year, Babkin and Zaporozhets traveled to Crimea for the “Kazantip” festival, bringing their first album with them. There, Eduard Shumeiko, the frontman of the Moscow band “W. K.?”, listened to their music and helped arrange for the guys to perform on the main stage. After that, he took the young band 5'nizza under his wing and began promoting the duo throughout the CIS. It took less than a year for the Kharkiv-based acoustic band to become one of the most famous in Ukraine and Russia. In March 2003, the duo received their first music awards in Moscow, and in the summer of that same year, they began working with the “Grand Records” label.
“Jamaica,” “Soldier,” and the album *Friday* (2003)
On July 27, 2003, the band’s first official studio album, *Friday*, was released. It included songs the musicians had already made famous through their self-released material, as well as several new compositions. The album’s biggest hits were the tracks “Jamaica,” “Spring,” “You Cheated,” and, of course, the anti-war song “Soldier,” which achieved cult status in a matter of months. Millions of copies of the track spread across the world, and many people knew the lyrics by heart. To this day, these Ukrainian artists perform old superhits from their debut album alongside new songs at concerts in Europe.
5'nizza’s Style and Genre
5'nizza’s style is a mix of reggae, funk, hip-hop, ska, jazz, and folk songs—all without any unnecessary frills. Just an acoustic guitar and beatboxing.
The musicians have proven in practice that minimalism can be incredibly groovy. Where most bands need an entire horn section to play upbeat ska or laid-back reggae, Sergey Babkin relies solely on the capabilities of his own voice. He masterfully imitates trumpets, flutes, and bass lines. Andrey Zaporozhets is responsible for the vocal hooks, recitative, and a tight rhythmic pattern. All of this is complemented by the sounds of the guitar, which serves as a drum kit thanks to percussive strums on the body, as well as the bass and the harmonic foundation.
The result is a unique “street” flavor—lively, a bit bold, yet surprisingly melodic. 5'nizza has blurred the lines between complex musical genres and simple backyard songs accompanied by guitar, creating their own instantly recognizable style.
5'nizza’s Most Famous Hits
Thanks to their heartfelt lyrics and catchy melodies, virtually every song by the duo instantly became a hit with the public. But there are tracks that, even years later, remain the band’s signature songs:
“Soldier.” The band’s manifesto, which remains relevant to this day. A song about losing one’s bearings, inner strength, and peace, known by heart by several generations of listeners. It was this song that opened the doors to the big stages for the band.
“Jamaica.” The complete opposite of “Soldier”—a sunny, laid-back reggae track. This ironic sketch about a distant island instantly creates an atmosphere of warmth and freedom, making you want to sing along from the very first seconds.
“Spring.” A romantic, light, and incredibly melodic composition. Here, the band’s acoustic minimalism reveals its most poetic side, and the vocal interplay between Zaporozhets and Babkin reaches a peak of sincerity.
“You Cheated.” A dynamic track with a powerful funk and hip-hop vibe. The song perfectly showcases the musicians’ signature humor and their ability to get the audience moving with nothing but a guitar and recitative.
“I Believe in You.” The lead single from their triumphant 2017 comeback album. The track proved that even after a long hiatus, the musicians hadn’t lost their “chemistry” or their ability to write deep, mature hits.
The songs created by 5'nizza vary greatly in mood—from sunny reggae to serious lyrics. Thanks to this, everyone can find a track in their playlist to suit any mood.
5'nizza Discography
The band’s official discography consists of three studio albums. Each one reflects a specific stage in the band’s history:
“Friday” (2003). The band’s iconic debut album, which revolutionized the perception of acoustic music. It features all their early hits, recorded with that signature lighthearted “street” vibe.
“O5” (2005). Their second studio album. The music on this record is characterized by depth and complexity. Here, the musicians incorporate elements of jazz and more mature lyrics.
“KU” (2017). A comeback album following a 10-year hiatus in the duo’s career. It features new, upbeat compositions and a “more mature” yet still unmistakably signature sound.
Over the years, the duo has also released a mini-album (*I Believe in You*, 2015), a compilation (*All the Best in One*, 2015), a live recording (*Live*, 2025), and several singles.
Media Projects and Television
The media industry took notice of 5'nizza almost immediately. The duo made its television debut in 2002 with the support of Andrei Makarevich. The musician spotted the guys at a concert in Moscow and invited them to appear on the TV show “Kukhnya,” which, in the format of an informal house concert, introduced viewers to new names in show business and allowed them to hear live performances. For the young band, this broadcast was a major milestone—it opened the door to an international audience and served as a powerful catalyst for the band’s songs to enter radio rotation.
In the second half of the 2010s, the members of 5'nizza began appearing more frequently on Ukrainian television. Andriy Zaporozhets, with his project SunSay, participated in the national selection for “Eurovision” in 2016, while Sergey Babkin, along with his wife Snezhana, competed on the TV show “Dancing with the Stars” in 2017 and also served as a celebrity coach on the singing competition “The Voice of the Country.”
The band has always valued a lively and unconventional video format. For example, the music video for the song “Mitya” (2018) was filmed in a single take on the legendary island of Khortytsia as part of the national tourism show “Zhivyakom.” The musicians actively use modern digital platforms, maintaining direct contact with listeners around the world.
The Personal Lives of the 5'nizza Members
Offstage, the duo’s members lead different lifestyles, but this doesn’t prevent them from maintaining a friendly relationship.
Sergey Babkin has been married twice. From his first marriage, the musician has a son, Ilya. In 2009, he married for the second time. His wife is Snezhana Vartanyan, who also serves as the band’s concert director. The couple is raising their daughter, Veselina. After 2022, the Babkin family made the difficult decision to leave their hometown of Kharkiv. They now live in Germany, where their children are adjusting to their new environment and attending a German school.
Andrei Zaporozhets tries to keep his personal life private. It is known that the artist was married to Nina Marchenko, who served as the director of his solo project, SunSay, for a long time. The couple had a daughter, Sonya, during their marriage. Buddhism, which Andrei became interested in as a teenager, remains a part of his life today, a fact reflected in his art.
5'nizza Today
The band 5'nizza is currently experiencing a new wave of activity. After a long hiatus, the musicians continue to develop the project and prove that their signature acoustic style is still in demand. The duo regularly delights listeners with new singles, records collaborations with young artists, puts out new releases, tours cities in Germany and other countries, and performs concerts in Ukraine. Alongside 5'nizza, the artists are also developing their own solo projects.
Today, years later, the group’s work proves that a true musical empire is built not on a producer’s millions, but on sincerity and honest songs. Zaporozhets and Babkin are known not only in their native Ukraine. The band tours actively and draws full houses in various countries. You can check where the band’s upcoming concerts will take place and book the best seats on the Kontramarka.de website.
Interesting Facts About 5'nizza
The musicians recorded their first debut album at the “M.A.R.T.” studio in Kharkiv in just an hour and a half, paying $30 for the session.
The musicians drew the cover for their first self-released album, *Unplugged*, themselves and photocopied it onto yellow paper.
About 10 of the musicians’ friends attended 5’nizza’s first debut concert at a club in Kharkiv.
In addition to music, Sergey Babkin acts in theater and appears in films.
In 2007, the duo broke up due to the musicians’ differing views on the project’s future direction: Andrei Zaporozhets proposed incorporating other musical instruments into the band, but Sergei Babkin disagreed with the idea and left the project. On March 4, 2015, the musicians announced the return of 5'nizza.
