Kupalinka is a popular Belarusian song described as a âÂÂmusical business card of BelarusâÂÂ.
The song's lyrical heroine, the Kupala Night Maiden is âÂÂweeding a rose, piercing her white handsâ and âÂÂplucking flowers, weaving wreaths, and shedding tearsâÂÂ.
It is considered that the song has become âÂÂthe national personification of Belarus as a country with a beautiful and sad womanâÂÂs faceâÂÂ.
Based on folk motives, it was set to music by Uladzimier Teraà Âski, Belarusian composer, in 1921.
Kupalinka was written as a part of a musical play titled âÂÂOn Kupala Nightâ () produced by Belarusian poet Michaà  ÃÂarot, who poetically reframed the lyrics of the folk song. Kupalinka was performed by the main character Alesia. It was played by non-professional actress Aliaksandra AliaksandroviÃÂ, with whom ÃÂarot was in love and to whom he wanted to dedicate the song. The play was a great success and was performed about 400 times.
During Stalin's purges of the late 1930s both Teraà Âski and ÃÂarot were arrested and executed. Until recently, their names had been largely forgotten and the song's lyrics and music had been described as âÂÂfolkâ without identifiable authorsâÂÂdespite Teraà Âski's and ÃÂarot's posthumous exoneration.
The song remained popular in Soviet and post-Soviet Belarus. ÃÂ It is traditionally sung during Kupala Night celebrations and has also been performed by a number of professional musicians and notable personalities, including:
Despite its lyrical nature, the song has become a protest song during the 2020âÂÂ2021 Belarusian protests, alongside patriotic songs such as Pahonia and Mahutny Boà ¾a.