Ukrainian pop star Olya Polyakova steps into the boxing ring for the striking new music video accompanying her latest single, My Future Ex, bringing the song’s story of a relationship heading for disaster to life in one of London’s most historic boxing gyms.
Olya Polyakova
Filmed at Repton Boxing Club in Bethnal Green, the video captures Polyakova’s larger-than-life performance style, combining attitude, theatricality and fighting spirit. The East London venue provides an atmospheric backdrop for the visual, with its long association with boxing and its distinctive, timeworn interiors adding character to the production.
Established as one of the country’s oldest boxing clubs, Repton Boxing Club has played a significant role in British boxing history. Its former trainees include Olympic gold medallist Audley Harrison, alongside renowned fighters John H. Stracey MBE and Maurice Hope GCH OBE. The club has also become part of London’s cultural landscape through its links to the notorious Kray Twins and appearances in films including Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and The Gentlemen.
Directed by James Slater, whose previous work includes videos for Sam Fender and CMAT, the My Future Ex visual places Polyakova in a setting where the competitive intensity of boxing mirrors the emotional confrontation at the heart of the song.
Polyakova wrote the track alongside its producers, Red Triangle, the songwriting and production team whose credits include work with Sabrina Carpenter, Halsey and David Guetta. Mixing was handled by GRAMMY®-winning engineer Guy Massey, whose credits include The Beatles and Kylie Minogue.
Reflecting on the shoot, Polyakova says: “It was an amazing experience to shoot the video at the Repton Boxing Club, where the Kray Twins trained. To be able to work with some of the most amazing London talent on this video was very special – I am so grateful for the welcome and acceptance I found. It was a crazy day, and the creativity and energy in the boxing ring blasts out of the video. To everyone on set and behind the scenes, thank you and I love you all!”
The release arrives at a significant point in Polyakova’s international career. A major star in her native Ukraine, she has increasingly attracted attention beyond her home country while continuing to navigate the realities of performing during wartime. Following Russia’s full-scale invasion, the singer initially fled Ukraine and believed her career might be over. However, she ultimately returned, determined to continue making music and supporting her fellow Ukrainians.
Since returning, Polyakova has performed for Ukrainian military brigades and staged major shows in cities continuing to face attacks. Her concerts have offered audiences moments of emotional release, with songs reflecting personal and collective struggles giving way to the high-energy pop performances that have established her reputation.
The single’s boxing-inspired video underlines the determination and resilience that have become central to Polyakova’s story, both as an artist and as a public figure continuing to work amid the conflict in her homeland.
Her commitment to Ukraine has also extended beyond the stage. After Russian shelling destroyed a school in Shybene, Polyakova made a significant donation towards its reconstruction and attended the building’s reopening. She has also supported the Childhood Without War project, helping efforts to provide thousands of Ukrainian children with safe accommodation, education and medical care.
The singer has further contributed to humanitarian fundraising through performances of the Ukrainian national anthem at FC Shakhtar football matches across Europe, including at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Proceeds from the club’s Shakhtar Global Tour for Peace matches were directed towards humanitarian assistance for Ukrainians affected by the war.
Now, Polyakova is turning her attention towards an increasingly international audience as she works on her first English-language album. Her ongoing collaboration with Red Triangle and Guy Massey brings together established pop production expertise and her own distinctive performance style, with My Future Ex offering an indication of the direction her new material is taking.
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