British musician Lemez Lovas and Ukrainian journalist Maksym Butkevych became friends in 2003 while the former was performing in his Jewish fusion group, Oi Va Voi, and the latter was working for the Ukrainian sector of the BBC World Service. Their friendship was halted when Maksym, Maks for short, became a prisoner of war.

Maks, a human rights activist and co-founder of the human rights centre ZMINA and Hromadske radio, volunteered to join the Ukrainian army when Russia invaded in February 2022. After a few months on the front line, he was captured by the Russian military and sentenced to imprisonment for 13 years in the occupied Luhansk region of Ukraine. Lemez was devastated when he found out: “One day, I saw that his social media accounts had disappeared, and I contacted our friend Svitlana to ask if she knew what was going on. A few days later, she told me. Maks has been captured. In shock, I asked her what we could do. She said, 'do what you know.' Music was the way that we met, so I tried to write something based on his personality, his courage, the bands he loved. It was the hardest thing I’ve ever tried to write.”

In 2024, Lemez, alongside collaborators Yuriy Gurzhy, producer SneakyBeats, vocalist Maiya James and guitarist Tom Welham, completed ‘Call Me Maks’, the first track for The Stronger We Become campaign and a tribute to Maks and all POWs and civilian detainees. Just as the song was completed, Maks was freed during a prisoner exchange after 2 years and 4 months in Russian detention. After years behind bars, Maks was moved to tears. He recalls: “Hearing the song for the first time, it was probably the second time since my release [from prison] that I felt tears filling my eyes and rolling out when I listen [sic] to it. With a few minor exceptions, everything is so precise, not only about the circumstances, but also about the mood of it and what went on, not only outside, but also inside of me. It's every human being's essence to be free.”

The Stronger We Become campaign, led by ZMINA and the Media Initiative for Human Rights (MIHR), seeks to raise awareness about Ukrainian prisoners of war and civilians held in Russian captivity, and to support families of Ukrainian captives through music. “MIHR has interviewed dozens of released Ukrainian POWs. We see how Russia uses music as a tool of pressure and torture — forcing Ukrainian captives to learn and sing the Russian national anthem and other propaganda songs,” says Tetiana Katrychenko, head of MIHR. “But while in captivity, they are being broken, in freedom, artistic initiatives can become their voice. Songs can remind the world about those still in captivity and fight for their return.”

Now free, Maks remains committed to advocating and fighting for those still imprisoned. “I am going to join with all my heart and all my force the fight for those who are still in captivity, for my brothers and sisters that I had to leave behind”, he says. “They are not left behind, we'll get them out as soon as possible, they really need it and their families need it.”

MIHR calls on all musicians, songwriters and beatmakers from around the world to contribute in any way they can. Artists can reach out to @the.stronger.we.become on Instagram with their testimonies or music to get involved - alternatively, visit bit.ly/call-me-maks-reel​ to find out more.