Meet Andrei Tsiapin

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Andrei Tsiapin a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

ANDREI, thanks so much for taking the time to share your insights and lessons with us today. We’re particularly interested in hearing about how you became such a resilient person. Where do you get your resilience from?

…You know, it’s hard to say where I get my resilience from. It feels like it’s a question I ask myself often, and I’ve been hearing it from friends and acquaintances ever since 2020. More and more, it seems that resilience is like a dish, a salad with a mix of many ingredients. There’s personal experience, and then there are the people who shape who you are. There’s also faith in common sense, and of course, optimism, because in the current situation my country—Belarus—and Ukraine, which is so close to my heart, find themselves in, it’s difficult to believe in something good and bright.

I believe that optimism is the essential, irreplaceable ingredient that helps you make the right decisions in life. For example, like many, I searched for ways to realize my creative potential from a young age. For me, that became music. I started writing lyrics, and soon people gathered around me, ready to create arrangements. Concerts and tours started happening, and for a moment, it felt like things were going great. The events of 2020 in Belarus gave us hope that everyone in our country, with a change in leadership, would have the chance to realize their full potential. But unfortunately, after the peaceful protests were forcefully suppressed, I, like many others, was forced to leave Belarus.

My escape from home felt more like an action-packed Hollywood thriller. A stranger guided me past Belarusian border checkpoints. The sound of dogs barking at the fence echoed around us. And at that moment, I realized I was smiling. Maybe the only thing that kept me going in that difficult moment was, once again, that same optimism.

A two-month, nerve-wracking journey through Russia and Ukraine led me to Warsaw, where, for a year, I traded rap for journalism. My knowledge, skills, and ability to string words together came in handy at Belarus’s most popular independent media outlet—NEXTA. I became a managing editor and hosted Belarusian news on the NEXTA Live YouTube channel. And it turned out to be quite the “tricky business.”

Note: The phrase “tricky business” first appeared when a Belarusian DJ, hired for a pro-government event, played Viktor Tsoi’s song “Changes,” which had become a protest anthem. After being detained, he was forced to appear in a video expressing “regret,” where he described his action as a “tricky business.” The phrase quickly turned into a meme and became widely used by supporters of democratic change.

At the beginning of 2022, I decided to leave journalism. I continued my activism but in a role that felt closer to home—as an artist. Musicians gathered around me, and we launched a project called Tyapin CREW. In just two months, we managed to play at six major festivals in Poland and Lithuania. We spoke about what genuinely concerned us. And then, on February 24th, Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

It felt like optimism had completely left me. But it was precisely then that I discovered the full strength of unity and the boundless generosity of good, honest, amazing people willing to help each other without hesitation in hard times. It was a time as dark as it was bright. A time when all the shades disappeared, and only black and white remained. From Belarus, my country, military planes took off, and missiles rained down on the homes and rooftops of my friends, of my family, in Ukraine. Of course, this changed how people viewed all Belarusians, yet countless nonprofits and charities quietly started helping not only Belarusians but also Ukrainians.

And so, the two things that help me keep my resilience—wonderful people and optimism—came together. I was able to bring a team together, and we organized a music festival called “Resistance.” On one stage, rock bands from Poland, Ukraine, and Belarus performed together. We expressed our discontent—not just against one dictatorship but two, both of which had started killing democracy advocates and peace supporters.

Now I live in Los Angeles. I already have the most reliable “vaccine” against hardship—a community of dependable people and an unbreakable optimism.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

As I mentioned before, I currently live in Los Angeles. This is my third time emigrating, my fourth language to learn, and an entirely different way of life. I continue to make music, writing songs with Tyapin CREW. Even though the musicians are still based in Warsaw, we’re working on new releases. I’m currently trying to put together a new band here so I can perform in the United States.

For new immigrants, it’s always challenging to find their place in society. I’ve always been interested in tattoos and already have quite a few. Now I’m diving even deeper into it. I found a friendly Ukrainian tattoo studio with amazing artists who are ready to teach me. I hope that in the near future, I’ll be able to grow in this field as well.

In addition, I’ve come up with a media project that could unite many creative Belarusians who are in exile, while also supporting artists who stayed in the country. Right now, I’m studying U.S. laws and looking for the right options. I’m thinking about forming a non-profit, but going through all the paperwork takes time. Maybe someone reading this today could offer advice—I’d be happy to discuss the details in a private conversation.

I see each new step—whether in music, tattooing, or the media project—as an opportunity not only for personal fulfillment but also to unite creative people who, like me, are seeking a place far from home. Los Angeles is full of connections and ideas, and I’m excited to see what this new adventure will bring.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

A similar question was asked by the directors of the documentary Young Belarus, in which I was fortunate to be one of the main characters. The film was directed by Łukasz Ruciński and Patryk Szczepaniak. At that time, my answer was simply: “To be a good person.”

It’s just one answer, but I believe it holds many facets of this invaluable gem.

One of our goals is to help like-minded folks with similar goals connect and so before we go we want to ask if you are looking to partner or collab with others – and if so, what would make the ideal collaborator or partner?

I am easy to contact via my personal Instagram page
https://www.instagram.com/tyapincom/

Contact Info:

Image Credits

all photos from my instagram

Suggest a Story: BoldJourney is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems,
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
Productivity
Where do you get your work ethic from?

We’ve all heard the phrase “work hard, play hard,” but where does our work ethic

Productivity
Tactics & Strategies for Keeping Your Creativity Strong

With the rapid improvements in AI, it’s more important than ever to keep your creativity

Productivity
From Burnout to Balance: The Role of Self-Care

Burning out is one of the primary risks you face as you work towards your