Kelsie Kimberlin Honors Ukraine’s Strength on “Champ”
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Kelsie Kimberlin is probably the only pop star who spends more time in active war zones than at fancy award galas. On February 24, 2026, which marks four years since the full-scale war in Ukraine began, she released her new single, “Champ.” This isn’t just another catchy song; it is a massive tribute to the grit of the Ukrainian people.
The track is an anthem about dignity. Lot of the time, we loose our pride and fall to our enemies hand, when we’ve got to stand as a champ and not just welcome the enemy because we were the underdogs. To make the point, the music video features 16-year-old Mariia Hnes. Mariia is a real-life karate champion who went viral for refusing to stand on a podium with a Russian athlete while her father was away fighting in the Ukrainian army. Kelsie traveled to Kyiv to film with her, even as missiles were being shot down overhead. Talk about dedication to the craft—most artists complain if their latte is cold, but Kelsie is out here filming under martial law.
Kelsie herself is Ukrainian-American and has a pretty wild backstory. She won five grand from Yoko Ono when she was eight years old and spent it all on music lessons. Since then, she has recorded over a hundred songs and worked with the same people who produce for Adele and Taylor Swift. She’s even got a Royal Medal of Honor from King Charles.
The song “Champ” feels big and empowering. It’s got that high-quality polish you expect from Grammy-winning producers, but the message is what really sticks. It’s built to give a voice to kids living through impossible stress. The aftermath of war is always felt by the people who fought in the war, their families and the kids they leave behind should the unthinkable happen. And this is something that purges societies. And I love Kelsie for how she stands up for them, she even started a foundation to help the children of Ukrainian soldiers stay in sports, which is a pretty cool way to use her platform.
If you like music that actually stands for something, you should definitely give “Champ” a listen. It’s loud, it’s proud, and it’s a middle finger to anyone trying to break the human spirit. Plus, the proceeds go to a good cause, so you can feel helpful while you’re headbanging.
Enjoy More From Kelsie Kimberlin here;
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