An Interview with THE HARDKISS (Part 1 of 2)

In our two-part interview, we talk with Julia Sanina of The Hardkiss about the new album “Grey Hound,” cold concrete, the concept of “time,” and the changes she has witnessed over the band’s 15-year history.

Orkus: When did you start working on your new album, “Grey Hound,” and how did the creative process go?
Julia Sanina: Work on “Grey Hound” began in early 2025. After a very successful European tour, we decided to take a break to rethink our creative direction, plan our next steps, and focus on writing new music. The songs came almost immediately, and in the end, we spent more than a year creating the album.
In fact, it was the first time in our career that we completely put all other activities on hold to focus exclusively on writing and recording new music. We made this decision quite deliberately because we wanted the album to feel like a cohesive work, both conceptually and sonically. Each song was meant to be part of the same story and the same musical world.

O: Why did you choose the title “Grey Hound,” and what role does the theme of time play in the album’s concept?
JS: When we started thinking about the concept for the album and our emotional state at the time, the first thing that came to mind was the color gray. Gray felt like the color of an uncertain future, the color of cold concrete.
As the concept evolved, we realized that the album needed a central figure—someone whose perspective would guide listeners through the story. I’ve long been fascinated by the idea of time as a healer of human souls. People often tell us that our songs help them get through difficult phases of their lives. In many ways, time does the same thing. It helps us heal and move on, even though we sometimes view it as an enemy
As this idea took shape, I began playing with words and searching for a title that would capture this notion of time in a metaphorical way. That’s how the phrase “Grey Hound” came to me. On the one hand, it evokes a gray pursuer—something that constantly chases us. On the other hand, it refers to the Greyhound, the fastest dog breed in the world. Just like time, it is both our faithful companion and something that is impossible to catch up with.

O: How did the idea come about to turn “Grey Hound” into a cohesive concept album?
JS: These days, making an album is almost a luxury for musicians. In the age of TikTok and quickly released singles, deciding to make a full-length album is a bold move. But we felt ready for it. More importantly, we needed it creatively
“Grey Hound” is our fifth album, and we wanted it to be something special. It’s an album meant to be experienced from start to finish. When listened to as a whole, it unfolds into an atmospheric and very cinematic story.
Visual storytelling has always been an integral part of The Hardkiss, and this album is no exception. We’ve already released seven music videos related to “Grey Hound,” and they all follow the same concept. In these videos, you see a mysterious figure dressed in gray—the embodiment of time itself, our “Grey Hound.”
We deliberately left many clues, symbols, and unanswered questions in both the music and the visual elements. We wanted listeners to discover them, recognize the connections, and decipher the deeper layers of the story for themselves.

O: Time is one of the central themes of the album. What does time mean to you personally?
JS: As a Ukrainian, I find much of what is happening to us today—and, in a way, to the world around us—absurd. It feels like a world without rules, without principles, and without justice. And when you truly grasp that, it hurts.
For me, time is one of the few things that helps put everything into the right perspective. It helps us process what’s happening, accept the inevitable, and find the strength to move forward. It doesn’t take the pain away, but it allows us to live with it. In many ways, this idea became one of the emotional foundations of “Grey Hound.”

O: How does the songwriting process usually work for The Hardkiss?
JS: Val and I wrote all the songs on the album. We both write demos, which we then develop further together. I think that’s why you can still hear the two sides that have always defined The Hardkiss: the “Hard,” which comes from Val, and the “Kiss,” which comes from me.
The songs I bring to the table are usually more lyrical and dramatic (“Intro,” “Outro,” “Take Me to the Start”), while Val’s songs are typically more energetic and driving (“Nice,” “I Love You,” “Ai Ai Ai”).
Once the idea for a song is fully developed and part of the arrangement is in place, we share it with the rest of the band and continue to develop it together. Then everyone brings their own unique touch to the music.
Our drummer Zhenya infuses the tracks with his character and energy, while Klym crafts the basslines and helps shape the songs’ final sound.

O: What made working on “Grey Hound” different from your previous albums, and what was the creative process like for you?
JS: This album was a complete experiment for us. We’ve never written music so quickly and yet so deliberately before. At the same time, it was a challenge because the entire band was living in different countries during the process, so a large part of the work had to be done remotely.
One of our main goals was to write songs that would come across powerfully on big festival stages. We knew we’d be playing at major festivals this summer, and we wanted the new songs to have exactly that energy and scale. At the same time, we had our upcoming European tour in mind. That’s why it was important to us that the songs not only work in the studio but also come alive on stage and connect with the audience.

O: The album artwork is impressive. How did the idea for it come about, and who is responsible for it?
JS: The idea to design the album cover ourselves came from Val. Within the band, he’s not only responsible for the musical side, but also for the visual direction. He’s directed all of our music videos.
He also has a background in the visual arts, so this kind of work really suits him. In fact, he painted the cover himself. The portrait was completed in just a few days, although he struggled with my eyes for a long time and repainted them several times until he was satisfied with the result.

Annabelle Reiter

We’ll continue our interview shortly!

Lineup:
Julia Sanina – vocals
Valeriy “Val” Bebko – guitar
Klym Lysiuk – bass
Zhenya – drums

Listen to The Hardkiss on our “Current Issue” playlist on Spotify: