Gaitana was born in Kiev , during the Ukrainian SSR , a member state of the Soviet Union ( in present - day Ukraine ) .
Gaitana was subsequently moved to the Republic of the Congo where her father , Klaver Essami , was born .
Gaitana was born in Kiev , during the Ukrainian SSR , a member state of the Soviet Union ( in present - day Ukraine ) , but subsequently moved to the Republic of the Congo where her father , Klaver Essami , was born .