Veteran DJ Ro_Ma 4e’s set at Colours of Ostrava: “Gotta be cool!”
- Vlad Fisun
- Jul 27
- 3 min read
Updated: Jul 28
A year ago, Roman Cherkas took the stage name Ro_Ma 4e. It has already appeared on posters for the Sounds of Ukraine collective, where he became a resident, in reports by Suspilne, and in the chronicles of the Kyiv Halfmarathon – and this summer, it graced the lineup of Czech's largest festival.
"The energy gathered around me, and I just channeled it out to the audience," said Ukrainian Defense Forces veteran Roman Cherkas right after his performance on the Fresh Stage in Ostrava. In addition to the tracks Roman selected from his crates, the set featured a premiere – a specially created track, Imagination feat Isadzacviv — "Oh, I Was Riding By the Mill".
Roman Cherkas voluntarily joined the Territorial Defense Forces in March 2022, recalling it was "without a second thought". While stationed in the Luhansk region, he came under shellfire and sustained severe injuries. In the autumn of 2024, while undergoing rehabilitation at the Superhumans Center in Lviv, Roman decided to try our recreational DJing program built on the Victory Beats art-therapy platform and the online methodology created by DJ Vlad Fisun. Beyond gaining a new passion, he noted in interviews with journalists that it provided relief from severe phantom limb pain: "Instead of taking pills, I turn on the controller and immerse myself in music".
"This is a childhood dream of mine," Roma added in a January 2025 survey, recalling his teenage attempts on an amateur setup at a local venue California in the town of Kalynivka. Building on that dream since starting his offline and online studies with the EnterDJ course, the student has added near-daily solo practice, recording numerous sets, and eventually delivering powerful performances in Lviv at Sounds Of Ukraine events, where he was subsequently offered a residency.
In December 2025, thanks to the Music Saves Ukraine tour organized by the Ukrainian Association of Music Events (UAME) for European music industry professionals, the EnterDJ program had the opportunity to present itself. Following the presentation, it received an invitation to perform a slot at the Colours of Ostrava festival in Czechia.
We have lovely stage for electronic acts and sometimes some rap and I am holding one afternoon slot for you – offered Pavla Slívová, Head of Booking & Artist Liaisons
From that moment on, almost every set Roman sent to the project team came with a festival note. In total, he submitted over 20 audio files and received detailed feedback on all of them.
On July 14, Roman Cherkas and EnterDJ co-founder Volodymyr Nedohoda arrived in Ostrava, Czech. The adrenaline of the upcoming performance pushed fatigue aside, and Roman kept rehearsing until the very last minute. Watch the full video to see how the set went – a performance that has truly taken on historical significance. And what does the artist say? "I made a few mistakes – after all, it was my first time performing on a big stage at a major festival," Roman reflects, "but I know for sure: it’s only going to get cooler from here!" And we have no doubt: it will only get cooler. EnterDJ expresses its gratitude to: Pavla Slivová and the Colours of Ostrava festival for their trust. The Superhumans Center for War Trauma for assistance in organizing the trip. The Ukrainian Association of Music Events UAME
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