In the Year of Unity of the Peoples of Russia, the music label ON Label (part of the MTS Group of Companies), with the support of the Presidential Fund for Cultural Initiatives, launched the project “Source. A New Sound of Tradition.” Its goal is to support young musicians working with the traditional culture of the peoples of Russia. One of the eight tracks in the project is the Tatar folk song “Ak Kalpak,” performed by Kazan singer Beku.

Within the framework of the project, eight songs and music videos will be released in Russian, Tatar, Circassian, Komi-Permyak, Udmurt, and Chuvash languages. An important component of the project is the combination of traditional folk culture with a contemporary, relevant sound. This is not reconstruction but stylization — modern songs that are understandable to the younger generation of listeners. The project launched on June 10, timed to coincide with Russia Day. On August 22, in honor of Russian Flag Day, all the songs will be compiled into a single playlist, which will be published on all music streaming platforms.

On July 8, the Tatar track of the project was released — “Ak Kalpak” performed by Beku (Bella Dzhandzhgava). She is a Kazan-based singer, songwriter, and actress who creates distinctive pop music with a strong emphasis on ethnic and traditional motifs. Interestingly, the singer’s native language is Georgian, and she actively integrates her national roots into her music while simultaneously participating in the cultural life of Tatarstan, recording covers and collaborations in the Tatar language, which creates a unique cross-cultural synthesis.