[4] Their lyrical themes are 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".

[5] 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[6] and thus have arguably found greater success playing abroad in the neighbouring countries of Poland and Lithuania, where they have frequently performed at numerous points throughout the band's history.

[8][12] Messed Up have played alongside Moscow Death Brigade in Germany,[13] at the Wrocław Tattoo Konwent 2017,[14][15] as well as performing at the fourth edition of the 161 Fest in Warszawa, Poland.

[1] Their first full-length album, released on vinyl and CD in November 2019 via Audiolith Records, was met with positive reviews[17][18][19] and followed by a promotional tour throughout Germany[20][2] with their own workshops about the feminist scene in Belarus.

[22][5][3][23] 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.