Jazz singer Karmen Moxie rebuilds life after fleeing Russia and religious sect

Jazz and blues singer Karmen Moxie, who spent 15 years performing in Russia before fleeing the war in Ukraine, now lives in temporary housing in Vilnius and works as a dishwasher, LRT.lt reports.

Moxie, originally from California, left the Jehovah’s Witnesses as a young adult, severing ties with her family. She later moved to Russia, where she married rapper Andrei Menshikov (known as Ligalize) and built a career as a performer. After Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the couple relocated to Lithuania, but conflicts led to their separation.

Moxie told LRT she called police due to psychological abuse and left their home with nothing. Now residing in a shelter run by Vilnius Archdiocese Caritas, she struggles to afford rent despite working in a café. Returning to Russia is not an option due to the ongoing war, while the U.S. holds no appeal after her estrangement from her family.

### Escaping a restrictive upbringing
Born into a Jehovah’s Witness family, Moxie described the group as an “extreme sect” that forbade celebrating birthdays, holidays, or associating with outsiders—even family. “I spent every classmate’s birthday in the library,” she recalled. After leaving at 18, her family cut off contact.

Believing the sect’s teachings about an imminent apocalypse, she traveled extensively: “I thought, I need to see the world before God kills me.” Her performances took her to 70 countries, including Afghanistan and Iraq, where she sang for troops.

### A career in Russia, then war
Fifteen years ago, a Russian music manager invited her to perform at a Moscow restaurant opening. With little knowledge of the country, she agreed—buying a flexible return ticket “just in case.” She stayed, becoming the only American jazz-blues singer in Russia, touring widely and forming her own band.

Her marriage to Menshikov ended after they fled to Lithuania. Though she received institutional support, she now relies on temporary housing and manual labor. “I went from performing in packed venues to washing dishes,” she said. Despite the hardship, she hopes to resume her music career with local assistance.