This is Baba Yaga!

The figure of Baba Yaga, deeply rooted in Slavic mythology, has long been a source of artistic and musical inspiration. It inspired the band Baba Yaga to embrace the sounds of Eastern Europe, deliberately break musical boundaries, and combine them with skill and imagination. Their sound is virtuosic and fiery, inviting listeners to an ecstatic dance. The music remains pure and authentic: violin, double bass, guitar, vocals, accordion and percussion… because what else could possibly be needed?

The five young artists come from three different countries and have been playing together since 2022, with the current line-up established in December 2023. Over the past few years, Baba Yaga has filled numerous concert halls and festivals across Austria, including Porgy & Bess, Metropol, Kultursommer Wien, Donnerszenen Klagenfurt, ORF Radiokulturhaus, Klezmore Festival and many others. In the summer of 2025, the band took their music beyond Austria, performing in Germany, France and Switzerland.

Their repertoire ranges from wild Balkan tunes, klezmer melodies, lively swing, gypsy jazz and oriental dances to contemporary compositions written, reinterpreted and arranged by the band themselves, always leaving plenty of room for free improvisation. Baba Yaga embraces a freedom without boundaries. Their sound is pure, and their entirely acoustic instrumentation makes it authentic, clear and sincere. Baba Yaga captivates all the senses of its audience and draws them into unpredictable and adventurous realms, places where people dance, dream, sing and celebrate, just as Baba Yaga desires. After all, dancing is more carefree without boundaries.

Album: Grenzenlos

After two years of intense collaboration, the time had finally come: Baba Yaga presented their debut album on 5 June 2024 at Wiener Metropol. The album is entitled Grenzenlos (meaning “boundless”, “limitless” or “without borders”) and was funded by the Austrian Music Fund. The title refers not only to the deliberate breaking of stylistic boundaries, but also to political and geographical ones. As a multicultural band whose members come from three different countries, their aim is to unite rather than divide.

Raffaella della Gemma explains: “Borders do not really exist; they only exist in our minds. We live in Vienna, where there is a beautiful diversity of cultures, including musical cultures, that naturally blend together. The language of music knows no boundaries and works without words. We seek what unites us, we want to connect, celebrate the joyful sides of life and embrace peaceful coexistence through music. Baba Yaga simply lives without boundaries.”

In his 2024 review for MICA, Michael Ternai wrote: “Baba Yaga know how to translate all their diverse influences into captivating musical stories. You can celebrate and dance to the rhythm of their songs just as easily as you can let yourself be carried away by their profound melancholy. The band ignites a fascinating musical firework in Boundless. The album is full of charm, emotion, wit and sheer joie de vivre. Truly a beautiful musical experience.”

The album is available on vinyl and CD and is distributed by Hoanzl. It was released by THE NEW, an independent Austrian label. The recording took place at TIC Music Studios in Vienna (1070), under the direction of Filippo Gaetani and Florian Hager. Mastering was handled by Martin Scheer. The vinyl was pressed by Austrovinyl. The album artwork was created by Austrian artist Victoria Santibanez, with photography by Katharina Scholz.