Pink Floyd reunited for their first song in nearly three decades for the people of Ukraine.

“Hey Hey Rise Up” features Pink Floyd members David Gilmour and Nick Mason. Ukrainian singer Andriy Khlyvnyuk of the band “BoomBox” performs the vocals on the single. The British rock group released a new song for the first time since their 1994 album “The Division Bell” to raise money for the Ukraine Humanitarian Relief Fund.

How did Khlyvnyuk Get on Board?

Khlyvnyuk was on tour in America when Russia Invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24. He canceled the remaining dates to return to his home country where he joined a territorial defence unit. The rockstar is now a soldier and is desperately fighting to protect his country.

A few days later, he recorded a clip of himself singing a patriotic Ukrainian song. The song was called “Oh, the Red Viburnum.” Khlyvnyuk wore a combat uniform with a rifle slung over his shoulder in front of Kyiv’s St. Sophia Cathedral.

Gillmour came across the newly viral video and told the world what he observed.

“Then I saw this incredible video on Instagram, where he stands in a square in Kyiv with this beautiful gold-domed church and sings in the silence of a city with no traffic or background noise because of the war,” Gilmour said on Pink Floyd’s website.

Gilmour, who previously performed with BoomBox in London in 2015, said the video was a powerful moment that made him want to put it to music.

“Hey Hey Get Up” presents Khlyvnyuk with his signature howling guitar riffs encapsulating his people and his country. Ukraine and Ukrainians can now use this as ammo to elevate their protest.

Pink Floyd’s Passion Ignition

Pink Floyd members David Gilmour, Nick Mason, Nitin Sawhney, and Guy Prat took action because of the provocative events taking place. In an announcement on their official Twitter account, the group said, “We, like so many, have been feeling the fury and the frustration of this vile act of an independent, peaceful democratic country being invaded and having its people murdered by one of the world’s major powers.”

Gilmour told The Guardian that he stimulated the song to his faction in a call. His bandmates expectedly and instantly got on board.

“I wouldn’t do this with many more things, but it’s so vitally, vitally important that people understand what’s going on there and do everything within their power to change that situation,” he said.

The guitarist also indicated that the thought, and his and Pink Floyd’s support of the Ukrainians could help boost morale in those areas. He concluded that they need to know the whole world supports them.

The Final Product

Pink Floyd’s fans will be ecstatic at the sound of new music from the band. Their most recent reunification came in 2008. The project was a tribute to Pink Floyd’s deceased keyboard player, Rick Wright, who died from cancer in 2008.

Pink Floyd released the new song and video on April 8, and the video was filmed and shot on the same day the track was recorded.

Gilmour shared that Janina Pedan made the set in a day. And Khlyvnyuk was singing on the screen while they played. The four of them had a vocalist, albeit not one who was physically present with them.

The invigorating video shows snippets of the band playing and Khlyvnyuk singing. The touching scenes from the invasion of Ukraine were also spread across the video. The ending of the video was something unforgettable, where Ukrainian children are singing along to the protest song.

You can witness the masterpiece here.

Published by: HOLR Magazine.