Messed Up

{{short description|Belarusian girls' punk rock band from Grodno}}

{{Infobox musical artist

| name =

| image = File:Messed Up live in Grodno (08.03.2020).jpg

| caption = Messed Up live in Grodno (March 2020)

| image_size =

| landscape = no

| origin = Grodno, Belarus

| genre = Punk rock

| years_active = {{hlist|2015–2021|2022–2025}}

| label = Audiolith Records

| associated_acts = Mister X
The Goonzz!

| website =

| current_members = *Nastya

• Liza
• Masha

| past_members =

}}

Messed Up were a punk rock band from Grodno, West Belarus.{{Cite web|url=https://www.racyja.com/kultura/u-garadzenskikh-messed-up-debyutny-albom/|title=У гарадзенскіх Messed Up – дэбютны альбом|date=2016-10-13|publisher=Radyjo Racyja|language=be|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191107071753/https://www.racyja.com/kultura/u-garadzenskikh-messed-up-debyutny-albom/|archive-date=2019-11-07|accessdate=2019-11-07}}{{cite web|url=https://www.fireandflames.com/en/messed-up-album-everything-you-believe-in/|title=[FFM066] Messed Up – Everything You Believe In|publisher=Fire and Flames|date=October 14, 2019|accessdate=November 6, 2019}} Formed in 2015, they have been referred to as the first all-female punk band in Belarus{{cite web|url=https://cafebabel.com/en/article/belarus-messed-up-punk-scene-5ae00bcbf723b35a145e7ecc/|title=Belarus' messed up punk scene|publisher=Cafébabel|author=Noah Groves|date=June 19, 2017|accessdate=November 6, 2019}} and compared to the riot grrrl movement.{{cite web|url=http://www.messedmag.com/2019/12/15/creating-the-legacy-for-the-belarusian-punk-scene-interview-with-grodno-punks-messed-up/|title=Creating the legacy for the Belarusian punk scene: Interview with Grodno punks Messed Up|publisher=Messed!Up|author=Jimi Nilsson|date=December 15, 2019|accessdate=December 16, 2019}}

Their lyrical themes were mostly concerned with "how a post-Soviet society favours an ordinary person, and how people in positions of power oppress those who choose to live differently".{{cite web|url=http://www.messedmag.com/2019/09/10/messedup-presents-belarus-punkers-messed-up/|title=Messed!Up presents Belarus punkers Messed Up|publisher=Messed!Up|author=Jimi Nilsson|date=September 10, 2019|accessdate=November 6, 2019}} Due to their country's authoritarian government, restriction of personal and political freedoms, as well as its patriarchal social norms, Messed Up have oftentimes had to organise concerts practically illegally{{cite news|url=https://www.prettyinnoise.de/messed-up-everything-you-believe-in.html|title=Messed Up – Everything You Believe In|publisher=PrettyInNoise|author=Paul Schall|work=Pretty in Noise |date=November 5, 2019|accessdate=November 7, 2019}} and thus had arguably found greater success playing abroad in the neighbouring countries of Poland and Lithuania, where they had frequently performed at numerous points throughout the band's history.{{cite web|url=http://cojestgrane24.wyborcza.pl/cjg24/Lomza/1,30,45309,Koncert---Mister-X--Messed-UP--Belarusian-Punk.html|title=Koncert - Mister X, Messed UP- Belarusian Punk|publisher=Gazeta Wyborcza|date=January 29, 2017|accessdate=November 10, 2019}}{{cite web|url=https://www.newsweek.pl/swiat/spoleczenstwo/fragment-reportazu-evy-leny-lorzer-wszystkich-nie-moga-zamknac-z-ksiazki-ojczyzna/ecxgvrs|title="Nie jesteśmy w Korei Północnej. Nie od razu zabierają cię do paki. Wszystkich nie mogą zamknąć"|publisher=Newsweek Polska|author=Eva-Lena Lörzer|date=November 8, 2019|accessdate=November 10, 2019}} Igor Bancer, frontman of Grodno-based street punk group Mister X, helped the band grow and aided its members with translation as well as promotion; Messed Up and Mister X had also performed together at various concerts in several countries across Eastern Europe. For a time, Messed Up founding member Katya also played as the drummer for Mister X.{{cite web|url=http://www.kidsandheroes.com/beloruska-sharp-uderka-mister-x-se-vraci-do-ceske-republiky/|title=Běloruská SHARP úderka Mister X se vrací do České republiky|publisher=Kids and Heroes|author=Misantroop|date=August 25, 2016|accessdate=November 7, 2019}}

All members of the band were activists in their personal lives and strictly opposed sexism, homophobia, racism, fascism, and ageism.{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JP4kxh_wpvc|title=Messed Up - Из-за чего вся эта суматоха?!!!|publisher=YouTube|author=Street Beat Records|date=June 8, 2019|accessdate=November 6, 2019}} Inspired by left-wing and anarchist themes,{{cite web|url=https://audiolith.net/en/2019/11/messed-up-shi-offline-interview/|title=Messed Up / Shi Offline Interview|publisher=Audiolith Records|author=Lizzie and Alisa|date=November 6, 2019|accessdate=November 7, 2019}} all the founding members were in their late teens when the band was formed and identified as feminists.{{Cite web|url=https://hrodna.life/2019/11/22/feminizm-zachapiu-u-15-gadou/|title="Фемінізм зачапіў у 15 гадоў". У Гродне арганізавалі гендарны лекторый для моладзі|date=2019-11-22|publisher=Hrodna.life|author=Ірына Новік|accessdate=2019-11-28}} Messed Up have played alongside Moscow Death Brigade in Germany,{{cite news|url=https://klubhaus-ev.de/event/moscow-death-brigademisterx-messed-up/|title=Moscow Death Brigade+MisterX & Messed Up|work=Förderverein Klubhaus Saalfeld e.V. |publisher=Klubhaus Saalfeld e.V.|date=February 9, 2018|accessdate=November 10, 2019}} at the Wrocław Tattoo Konwent 2017,{{cite news|url=https://gazetawroclawska.pl/wroclaw-tattoo-konwent-2017-w-weekend-festiwal-tatuazu-bilety-program/ar/12095452|title=Wrocław Tattoo Konwent 2017. W weekend festiwal tatuażu (BILETY, PROGRAM)|newspaper=Gazeta Wrocławska|author=MAL|date=May 20, 2017|accessdate=November 10, 2019}}{{cite web|url=https://wroclaw.onet.pl/wroclawskie-swieto-tatuazu-coraz-blizej/t4nxn6x|title=Wrocławskie święto tatuażu coraz bliżej|publisher=Onet.pl|author=Tomasz Pajączek|date=May 8, 2017|accessdate=November 10, 2019}} as well as performing at the fourth edition of the 161 Fest in Warszawa, Poland.{{cite web|url=https://allevents.in/warsaw/161-fest-4-warszawa-2019/20002877911922?ref=past-event-page|title=161 Fest #4 - Warszawa 2019|author=161 Crew|publisher=All Events in City|date=March 16, 2019|accessdate=November 7, 2019}} They released their first demo available for free download in October 2016. Their first full-length album, released on vinyl and CD in November 2019 via Audiolith Records, was met with positive reviews{{cite news|url=https://taz.de/Weissrussische-Punkband-Messed-Up/!5635737/|title=Weißrussische Punkband Messed Up: Nicht einverstanden|author=Du Pham|newspaper=Die Tageszeitung: Taz |publisher=taz.de|date=October 24, 2019|accessdate=November 6, 2019}}{{cite web|url=https://minutenmusik.de/rezension/messed-up-everything-you-believe-in|title=REZENSION: Messed Up – Everything You Believe In|author=Julia|publisher=minutenmusik|date=October 28, 2019|accessdate=November 6, 2019}}{{cite web|url=http://www.trvelove.de/reviews/plattenreviews/messed-up-everything-you-believe-in/|title=PLATTENREVIEWS: Messed Up – Everything You Believe In|author=Max|publisher=TRVE LOVE|date=October 29, 2019|accessdate=November 6, 2019}} and followed by a promotional tour throughout Germany{{Cite web|url=https://www.racyja.com/kultura/garadzenski-messed-up-edze-u-tur-pa-polshchy-i-n/|title=Гарадзенскі Messed Up едзе ў тур па Польшчы і Нямеччыне|date=2019-04-09|publisher=Radyjo Racyja|language=be|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191107060644/https://www.racyja.com/kultura/garadzenski-messed-up-edze-u-tur-pa-polshchy-i-n/|archive-date=2019-11-07|accessdate=2019-11-07}} with their own workshops about the feminist scene in Belarus.{{cite web|url=https://www.plastic-bomb.eu/wordpress/?p=2523|title=Messed Up: Record release und tour im November|author=Henni|publisher=Plastic Bomb|date=October 25, 2019|accessdate=November 7, 2019}} The band has been featured in a number of international media, from interviews in old-school punk zines to articles in online multilingual projects.{{cite web|url=https://www.ox-fanzine.de/web/aktuelles_ox.217.html|title=Das aktuelle Ox: Ox-Fanzine #146|publisher=Ox-Fanzine|date=November 1, 2019|accessdate=November 7, 2019}}{{cite magazine|author=|title=Wywiad z Messed Up|magazine=Chaos w mojej głowie|location=Krapkowice|number=19|date=June 28, 2019}}

In early to mid August 2020, when the 2020 Belarusian protests escalated following the announcement of falsified election results, two members of the band (first Timofei and then Maryia) were imprisoned by police forces of the authoritarian government for taking part in demonstrations against the regime. However, eventually they were both released after some time in arrest.{{cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/messedUPgrodno/photos/a.579888098868239/1433680850155622|title=Messed Up on Facebook|publisher=Facebook|author=Messed Up|date=August 11, 2020|accessdate=August 16, 2020}}{{cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/messedUPgrodno/photos/a.579888098868239/1435719973285043/|title=Messed Up on Facebook|publisher=Facebook|author=Messed Up|date=August 11, 2020|accessdate=August 16, 2020}} Most members of Messed Up were eventually forced to leave Belarus due to political repression and found refuge in Poland; due to this and the damaging effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, in July 2021, the band decided to indefinitely cease their activity.{{cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=225873642871212&set=a.133517265440184|title=Hey punxx|publisher=Facebook|author=Messed Up|date=2021-07-24|accessdate=2021-08-09}} Nearly a year later, in March 2022, the band announced a return.{{Cite web |title=Hey Punks |url=https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=386308820161026&set=a.133517268773517 |access-date=2024-03-22 |website=www.facebook.com}} Finally, on 4th May 2025, the group disbanded.{{Cite web|title=Disbanding announcement |url=https://www.facebook.com/messedUPgrodno/posts/pfbid0VsxyEJkDtxW7vGa1jyQduUFHSjDYbdhmfEX3jsfzdgWJasb7Brk4jvaJd9NFftM5l |access-date=2025-05-04 |website=www.facebook.com}}