Ukulena is a Russian-American singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist.

She was born in the Los Angeles County city of Santa Monica, California in 1997 and raised in the smallest Orange County city of La Palma, California.

Piano being the first instrument she learned how to play, Ukulena grew up twirling on Jimmy Durante’s piano stool, which was gifted to her great-grandmother, Theone Lindgren (Davis) - the mysterious “Mrs. Calabash”. Marlena has been singing, song-writing, and recording since before she can even remember, in the arms of her father, Igor Khramov from the “folk and roll” bands Limpopo and the Red Elvises. Her father saw the music in Marlena very early on & noticed she had the ear for it. He would play anything and her voice could repeat it. He would record anything she wrote and have her and her older sister sing on his music as well. And while staying in Hawaii around age five with her family, Ukulena picked up her first ukulele, and began her music adventures. She’ll never forget her Hawaiian ukulele teacher, teaching her how to tune the strings before even learning how to play a chord, he was impressed by how well she could tune by ear.

Marlena has been singing and dancing her whole life, and has been performing professionally since age thirteen after her first band showcased & won 3rd place in the city of La Palma’s Battle of the Bands. Formed in 2012 with her older sister, Mikayla “Theone” Khramov, The Rad Cats played around So Cal at various events and celebrations. The sisters were always introduced as “Orange County’s Collins Kids”. And in 2012, the sisters and their mom got to meet the lovely Lorrie & Larry Collins, leading them to so many opportunities and experiences of opening for bigger bands, etc.

But in 2013, the Khramov sisters tragically lost their father, Igor Khramov. He not only was an unbelievably talented young man, but he was the most gentle soul, could never hurt a fly, and was so beyond loved by all who knew him. He was born in Yegoryevsk, Russia in 1962. He immigrated to America from the Ukraine in 1991 after the Soviet-American peace-walk from Odessa to Kiev. He toured the country only to end up in Santa Monica, California with his band, Limpopo. Meeting Janelle Frese, a published author, writer, teacher, and drummer at a wedding. Janelle ended up marrying Igor, giving him his green-card, where she then became his bands manager, getting them into festivals like SXSW, and on television shows, like Star Search, where the group won the international band competition in 1993. They performed on the Santa Monica peir, and main streets promenade. They starred in a Kit Kat commercial that aired regularly, they were Venice’s favorites. Janelle and Igor sadly separated in 1997, only six months after Marlena was born. She grew up with her sister basically having two separate lives. And in 2013, after losing their father, this prompted them to change their band name from The Rad Cats to The Nesting Dolls in homage to their Russian heritage. They released their first EP, From The Nesting Dolls With Love in 2015, (getting the HUGE opportunity to open for punk band, The Adicts, at the original Anaheim location of the House of Blues), and embraced the opportunity to play their father’s instruments, especially his trombone, balalaika and ukulele.

Thus, Marlena created the persona of “Ukulena”.

A play-on words of her name, Marlena, and her instrument, the ukulele.

In 2016 she released her first original Ukulena EP, and has been blossoming ever since, generating seasonal music over the years for special holidays like her favorite, Halloween (Spook-A-Lena) & Christmas (Have Yourself a Ukulena Christmas), plus extra singles, EP’s, and album’s through the years, including, her “I Hurt” EP, a bunch of singles, and releasing her first full-length original album, Don’t Let Go, in 2018.

Her musical style has beautifully grown and developed over the years, from Rockabilly to “Tikibilly” to “Tiki-Soul-Rock-and-Roll” with a splash of new influences, including Reggae & Cumbia. Ukulena’s upcoming 2nd album (coming soon) will feature a whole new aesthetic from her musical world. Ukulena has a very universal vision. She pours all of her soulful inspirations into her music. She doesn’t live by one genre alone. She incorporates all inspirations, shapes, sizes, colors, cultures, genres, and interests, and naturally reinvents herself as her musical styles go through transformation constantly. When she writes, it’s usually a sudden impulse of emotion. She gets blocked often, but when there’s that moment of clarity, sometimes her spirit connects and channels a power that just pours her feelings or experiences onto paper. Ukulena offers a fresh creative sound that highlights many styles of music with something for everyone to enjoy. She honors every client hiring her with whatever they may need for events, venues, etc. She’s a dreamer, who was put on this earth to help people know that dreams do come true. Wherever she performs, Ukulena keeps true to herself. She makes a grand entrance like a vintage Hollywood star, strolls like a beauty queen swaying with the ocean waves, singing sweet songs while she strums along on the strings of her ukulele. She can light up any tiki room with her beautiful siren voice and dreamy music, or blow the roof off any downtown venue with her soulful voice and full band. She can even perform an entire Selena experience in Spanish with her 6-piece Cumbia band. She can do it all! Don’t miss the opportunity to see Ukulena. Look now!

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