Artists - Biography and discography, all albums and songs | Pages: 46

Hi-Fi is one of the most recognizable pop projects of the post-Soviet music scene. The group was created in the summer of 1998 by producers Erik Chanturia and Pavel Yesenin, who had already spent several years working together on musical and television projects in Novosibirsk and later in Moscow. They developed the concept, visual aesthetics, and musical identity of the band — the very sound that became iconic after the very first music videos. Formation and the first lineup Originally, Hi-Fi consisted of: Dmitry Fomin — frontman Oksana Oleshko — vocalist Timofey Pronkhin — dancer, choreographer, backing vocals Fun fact: During the casting process, the members didn’t know each other at all, and the project creators worried whether their…

Mikhail Yuryevich Shcherbakov is one of the most distinctive and subtle authors in contemporary Russian song. He was born on March 27, 1963, in the city of Obninsk, Kaluga Region, into an educated family that treated literature and language with deep respect. Even in school, his talent for the written word was evident: the future bard wrote poetry, admired the lyrics of Vladimir Vysotsky, Yuz Aleshkovsky and Igor Guberman, yet from the very beginning sought his own voice. Early Years and First Songs At the age of 15, Mikhail began writing his first songs — immediately recognizable for their unusual imagery, philosophical depth and a signature sense of “Shcherbakovian” irony. His early recordings circulated within a small circle, but soon gained cult status among…

Shahzoda (real name — Zilola Musaeva) is an Uzbek singer, actress, and one of the brightest stars of modern Eastern pop music. Her soft timbre, romantic stage persona, and natural charisma have made her a beloved artist in Uzbekistan, Central Asia, Russia, and across the CIS. Early Life The future artist was born in June 1979 into an intellectual family. Her mother taught Russian language and literature, while her father was a Doctor of Philosophy. The family spent her early childhood in Moscow, where her father was completing his postgraduate studies, and later returned to Tashkent. It was in Tashkent that young Zilola met her friend Natella — a friendship that would later become the foundation of her first musical project. From early childhood, Zilola took part in…

The Russian group “Unesyonnye Vetrom” (“Gone with the Wind”) appeared on the music scene in 1997 and quickly became a bright and memorable phenomenon of the late 1990s – early 2000s. The project was created by two talented artists: Tatyana Morozova — vocalist, the face and voice of the group, Dmitry Chizhov — poet, composer, arranger, and ideological leader. The creative tandem of Tatyana and Dmitry became the core of the group and remained unchanged throughout its entire history, while the surrounding lineup shifted from time to time, giving the project flexibility and room for experimentation. Early Years and First Success (1997–1999) The band’s first album, “Poltergeist” (1998), marked the official start…

«Otpetye Moshenniki» are one of the most recognizable and charismatic groups of the late 1990s and early 2000s, whose music and image became part of an entire era of Russian dance floors. They themselves describe their style as «cultural chaos» and «gop-stop jazz» — a mix of rap, street-style folk chants, dance elements and a strikingly mischievous aesthetic. This unique formula combines humor, irony and a touch of theatricality, which quickly turned the «Moshenniki» into audience favorites. Early years: how it all began Although the official birth date of the group is considered to be December 1996 — their performance at the «Dancing City» festival in Cherepovets — the story of the band members started much…

The story of Mika Newton is often compared to a modern-day Cinderella tale: a young, talented girl from a small Ukrainian town becomes an artist known far beyond her home country. But unlike a fairytale plot, her success was built not on chance, but on years of hard work: by the time Mika became widely recognized, she already had more than fifteen years of stage experience behind her. Childhood and first steps in music The future singer was born on 5 March 1986 in the town of Burshtyn in the Ivano-Frankivsk region. At birth she was given the name Oksana Hrytsai. Her creativity showed very early on: she constantly took part in school concerts, sang, danced, and had an unusually strong character for her age — persistent, determined and vivid. Her family fully supported her talents.…

Madonna Louise Veronica Ciccone, known worldwide simply as Madonna, was born on August 16, 1958 in the industrial town of Bay City, Michigan. She was the third child in a large Catholic family: her father, Silvio Ciccone, worked as an engineer, and her mother, Madonna Fortin, was a homemaker from a French-Canadian family. At home, the little girl was affectionately called Nonni. Childhood: strict rules, discipline and first acts of rebellion Madonna’s childhood unfolded in an atmosphere of strict Catholic morality. Her father banned television, demanded discipline and top grades at school. The family went to church regularly, and the school curriculum included Catholic rites and religious classes. The future star’s life was marked by tragedy when her mother died of breast…

The story of the band Tokiо began in 2002, when director Aleksandr Shein introduced two young musicians to each other — Yaroslav Maly and Demyan Kurchenko. Later both would laugh about this first meeting: wanting to show off his virtuoso playing, Demyan accidentally broke a string on Yaroslav’s guitar — and instead of friendship, they almost ended up in a conflict. But this uneasy beginning became the starting point for the future band. The duo was soon joined by bass player Ilya Yazov and keyboardist Maksim Bogoyavlenskiy. All of them had different musical backgrounds and had already taken part in studio projects, which allowed the band to sound confident and professional from day one. Interestingly, some members came into music through cinema: even before the band was…

Alexander Igorevich Rybak is a Norwegian musician of Belarusian origin — a singer, violinist, composer and musical theatre performer who became one of the most striking winners in the history of the Eurovision Song Contest. People really started talking about him “out of nowhere”: his triumphant performance with the song “Fairytale” in 2009 brought him a record-breaking score and made his name known all over Europe. But this rapid success was not accidental — behind it stood a long story of deep immersion in music from an early age. Early years and musical family Alexander was born on 13 May 1986 in Vitebsk into a creative family: his father is a professional violinist, his mother is a pianist and music editor. His first music lessons…

Reflex is a Russian pop and dance group formed in 1999 by singer Irina Nelson and producer Vladislav Tyurin. The act became one of the most recognizable and successful projects of the early 2000s, giving listeners numerous hits that topped Russian radio charts. Background: Irina Nelson’s early path Irina Nelson (née Irina Tereshchenko) was born in Novosibirsk and was connected with music from early childhood. She graduated from a music college as a piano major, but soon realized that her true calling was pop music. In 1994, Irina moved to Moscow, where she began a solo career under the stage name Diana. In 1996, she signed a contract with the label “Soyuz” and released several successful songs, including the hit «Ne govori, chto ty lyubish’…

Geri Halliwell (full name — Geraldine Estelle Halliwell) was born on 6 August 1972 in Watford, Hertfordshire, England, to an English father and a mother of Spanish descent. Bright, charismatic and temperamental, she became one of the key figures in British pop culture of the 1990s and entered history forever as the legendary Ginger Spice — the flame-haired member of the iconic group Spice Girls. Early years and first jobs Before becoming part of a global pop phenomenon, Geri tried her hand at many different professions: she worked as a waitress in a bar; was an aerobics instructor; danced in a nightclub; worked as a photo model; hosted an entertainment show on Turkish television. From a young age, Geri dreamed of the stage. Despite having no…

Flёur is a Ukrainian band from Odesa, founded in February 2000. The group took its poetic name from the French word fleur — “flower”, which reflects the characteristic softness and fragility of their sound. At the heart of the project were two songwriters and vocalists — Olya Putilova (vocals, piano) and Lena Voynarovskaya (vocals, guitar), whose creative worlds complement each other in a remarkable way. Formation and first performances (2000–2001) The story of Flёur began when Putilova and Voynarovskaya decided to unite their original songs in a single project. Just a month after the band was formed, flutist Yulia Zemlyanaya joined the duo, and the group played its first concert at the Odesa House of the Actor in a program called “Atmosfera”…

Yohanna (full name — Jóhanna Guðrún Jónsdóttir, born 16 October 1990, Copenhagen, Denmark) is an Icelandic singer working in the genres of pop and soft rock. She gained international fame after taking part in the Eurovision Song Contest 2009 with the song «Is It True?», where she finished second, equalling Iceland’s best result in the history of the contest. From childhood she performed as a “child prodigy” and at the age of 9–10 was already releasing albums in her home country. Her work combines a gentle, “crystal-clear” vocal tone, melodic pop and Scandinavian melancholy. Early years and beginnings Born in Copenhagen to an Icelandic family. At around two years old, her parents moved back to…

Anastasia Kamenskikh (NK) Anastasia Alekseevna Kamenskikh was born on May 4, 1987, in Kyiv, into a creative family. Her mother was a ballerina in the Pavlo Virsky Ensemble, and her father was a musician and conductor. Nastya was an only child, and her parents supported her artistic ambitions from an early age. At the age of five, she first said she wanted to become a singer. Her parents sent her to France to study vocal performance and choreography. After returning home, Nastya continued her education at the prestigious Pechersk Gymnasium while also taking ballet, vocal, and English lessons. At 15, she entered the Ukrainian-American Humanitarian Institute, where all courses were taught in English. In 2004, she participated in the Black Sea Games Festival, and the following year…

Queen is a legendary British rock band formed in London in 1970. The group became a symbol of an era and had a tremendous impact on the development of rock music, pop culture, and the live concert industry. Their unique style — blending elements of hard rock, glam rock, arena rock, and opera — created an entirely new approach to musical artistry. All eighteen of Queen’s studio albums topped charts worldwide, and their hits still resonate across major radio stations and festivals around the globe. Early Years and Formation The story of Queen began when Imperial College London students — guitarist Brian May and drummer Roger Taylor — formed the band Smile. In 1970, vocalist and pianist Farrokh Bulsara (better known as Freddie Mercury) joined them, proposing…

Natalia Mohylevska (born 14 August 1975, Kyiv, Ukraine) is a Ukrainian singer, songwriter, actress, producer, TV host and one of the key figures of contemporary Ukrainian pop music. A People's Artist of Ukraine, winner of numerous music awards and one of the most recognisable and influential artists in the country from the late 1990s through the 2000s and 2010s. Early years Natalia was born in Kyiv into a cultured, creative family. From early childhood she showed a strong interest in the stage: she took part in school concerts, studied singing and choreography. After finishing school she entered the R. M. Hlyer Kyiv State Music College, where she studied pop and jazz vocals. Her studies at Hlyer laid the foundation for her future professional career. During her student years Natalia…

Lady Gaga (real name — Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta) Early Life and Formation Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta was born on March 28, 1986, in New York City to an Italian-American family, Joseph and Cynthia Germanotta. She grew up in Manhattan, where her father, a music enthusiast, often played in bars. At home, sitting at an old piano, four-year-old Stefani began composing her first melodies. From childhood, she was inspired by Michael Jackson, David Bowie, Queen, and Madonna — artists capable of turning music into theatrical art. At eleven, Stefani entered the Catholic Convent of the Sacred Heart School, where she first demonstrated her artistry by performing in plays, concerts, and writing her own songs. Later, she enrolled in the Tisch School of the Arts at New…

Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958, Gary, Indiana — June 25, 2009, Los Angeles) was an American singer, dancer, songwriter, producer and one of the most influential artists in the history of popular music. Known as the “King of Pop”, he became a true symbol of 20th-century culture, shaping the sound of pop, R&B and dance music for decades to come. His groundbreaking music videos, choreography, stage persona and albums had a colossal impact on the entire industry. Early years and the Jackson 5 Michael was the ninth child in the musical family of Joseph and Katherine Jackson. His father formed a band from his sons called The Jackson Brothers, and later Jackson 5, where Michael soon became the lead vocalist. At just 11 years old, Michael signed a contract with…

Origin Unknown is an English electronic duo in the genres of jungle and drum & bass, consisting of producers Andy C (Andrew Clarke) and Ant Miles. The project was active in the 1990s and early 2000s and is considered one of the key acts in the development of early drum & bass and the RAM Records label. It was under the name Origin Unknown that one of the main anthems of the entire scene was released — the legendary track «Valley of the Shadows». Line-up and origins Country: United Kingdom, England Members: Andy C (Andrew Michael Clarke) — DJ, producer, co-founder of RAM Records Ant Miles (Anthony Miles) — producer, co-founder of RAM Records In addition to Origin Unknown, the duo also worked under other aliases connected…

Bianka (real name Yana Lipnitskaya), born on September 17, 1985 in Minsk, is rightfully considered one of the brightest and most distinctive singers on the post-Soviet scene and one of the pioneers of the style that would later be called “Russian R’n’B”. Her sound blends Black music, Slavic nuances, folk motifs, sincerity and powerful emotional delivery. Early years and musical education From childhood, Yana grew up in a creative environment and showed strong musical abilities. She: played the cello, studied folk dance, won international competitions «Malva» and «Belaya Rus», took 3rd place at the Ogiński Competition. Her talent was noticed very early, and while still at school Yana became a soloist of the State…