Malden singer supports Ukraine with music

  As people around the world rally to aid Ukraine, international opera singer Natalja Sticco of Malden is sharing her voice to help the cause. Sticco was born in what was then the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) and is a native of Riga, Latvia. In 2018 she immigrated to the United States after marrying U.S. Air Force Veteran Staff Sgt. Gene Sticco. The couple now lives in Malden with Sticco’s 13-year-old son, AJ, who aspires to serve in the Air Force and has begun his journey as a cadet in the Civil Air Patrol.

  In 2020, Sticco released her first single, “Requiem for a Soldier,” as a tribute to the generations of soldiers, including her husband, who served in the cause of freedom and to remember the unity of her great-grandfathers, who both died fighting alongside American soldiers during World War II. “It’s a message to all soldiers that you may not see the results of what you’ve done, but it will change the life of a little girl you’ll never know,” said Sticco.

  Since its release, Sticco has donated the proceeds from the single’s streaming and downloads to various veterans’ organizations. She is now on a mission to use that streaming revenue to donate to Ukrainians in need and spread the message of unity between nations and their soldiers once again.

  “Having been born in the USSR and seeing Russia’s aggression, my heart breaks for Ukraine and fears for my own homeland,” said Sticco, adding that she feels the pain on all sides of this war. “My son’s step-family and half-brother are Ukrainian, I have many close friends who are Ukrainian. I am ethnically Russian and have family in Russia, friends and colleagues in Russia, none of who support this and are stuck there and in fear. My stepson, Gene’s oldest son, is a U.S. Army officer currently assigned to the U.S. Embassy in Slovakia.”

  To stream “Requiem for a Soldier,” visit Sticco’s website at https://www.nataljasticco.com or search for it by name on your favorite streaming service. All proceeds from streams and downloads will be donated to organizations that help meet the needs of Ukrainian families and soldiers.