Alena Apina (full name — Elena Evgenyevna Apina, née Lyovochkina; born August 23, 1964, Saratov) is a Soviet and Russian pop singer, composer, poet, radio host, actress, and vocal coach. She was awarded the title Honored Artist of the Russian Federation (2002). She is a laureate of the “Ovation”, “Golden Gramophone”, and “Song of the Year” awards.
She rose to nationwide fame as the lead vocalist of the group “Kombinatsiya” (1988–1991), and later as a successful solo artist with hits such as “Uzelki”, “Elektrichka”, “Ksyusha”, “Bukhgalter”, “Lyokha”, “A Song About Women’s Friendship”, “Lunnye nochi” and others.
Early Life
Elena Lyovochkina was born in Saratov. Her father, Yevgeny Viktorovich Lyovochkin, was an engineer, and her mother, Lyubov Vladimirovna Lyovochkina, worked as a shop assistant. Her parents divorced when she was ten.
Her musical talent appeared early: at age five her parents bought her a piano. Alena completed music school with a major in piano and later entered the Saratov Music College in the same field. After graduating, she worked as an accompanist at the Vostok club and as a pianist for a rhythmic gymnastics group at a children’s sports school.
She later enrolled in the Department of Folk Singing at the Saratov State Conservatory named after Sobinov, but was unable to finish her studies due to the intensive touring schedule of her newly formed band.
Career in “Kombinatsiya” (1988–1991)
In 1988, her former partner Vitaly Okorokov invited Apina to temporarily join the new group “Kombinatsiya” as a vocalist. What began as a temporary job quickly turned into a full-fledged career: on September 7, 1988, the band gave its first concert in Saratov and released its first self-published album, “Khòd konyóm”.
In 1989, the song “Russian Girls” brought the band national fame. Apina participated in the recording of five of the band’s albums and performed duets with Tatyana Ivanova, including the hits:
- “Russian Girls”
- “American Boy”
- “Bukhgalter” (“The Accountant”)
- “Ne zabivay” (“Don’t Forget”)
- “Poydyom so mnoy” (“Come With Me”)
- “Russian Hip-Hop” (she wrote the lyrics for the last two)
She also performed the ballads “Don’t Be Sad” and “Love Leaves Slowly…”
After moving to Moscow, “Kombinatsiya” became part of Sergey Minayev’s touring program “Disco on Wheels”.
Solo Career and Nationwide Stardom
In 1991, in Tashkent, Apina met producer Alexander Iratov, who soon became both her manager and husband. She decided to leave “Kombinatsiya” and begin a solo career.
Her debut solo single “Ksyusha” became an instant hit.
In 1992, she released her album “Ulitza lyubvi” (“Street of Love”), featuring her own version of “Bukhgalter”.
In 1993, a new album, “Dance Till Morning” (vinyl version: “Vsyó tak ne prosto”), created together with Arkady Ukupnik, became one of her most successful works — ranking in the top 5 and top 20 albums of the year according to MK. The album included hits such as:
- “Lyokha”
- “The Flying Dutchman”
- “Yves Saint Laurent”
- “Why Do You Talk About Love?”
The Musical “Limita” and Mid-1990s Hits
In winter 1994, Apina staged Russia’s first musical performance “Limita”, with lyrics by Mikhail Tanich. The most popular song from the show, “Uzelki”, later won “Song of the Year 1995”.
In 1997, the mega-hit “Elektrichka” by Oleg Molchanov became one of the year’s biggest songs and earned a “Golden Gramophone”.
The same year, she released a duet with Murat Nasyrov, “Lunnye nochi”, which they performed internationally in 1997–1998.
In 1998, Apina received the “Ovation” award for Best Soloist.
2000s: New Music and Artistic Maturity
In 2000, she recorded a duet with Lolita, “A Song About Women’s Friendship”, included in the 2001 album “About Fate and Myself”.
Songs such as “Zavtra”, “Dorogaya ruka” and others from the album were performed at “Song of the Year”.
In 2002, Apina was awarded the title Honored Artist of the Russian Federation.
Her 2007 album “Flight to Moscow” was followed by a major solo concert at BKZ “Kosmos” in 2008.
2010s: Retro Projects, Teaching, and New Music
In 2010, Apina released a conceptual retro-pop/chanson album, “Once Again About Love”.
From 2012 to 2018, she taught music at her daughter’s school while continuing to tour.
Her 2014 album “Melodia” and 2018 album “Davaĭ tak” (“Let’s Do It This Way”), featuring lyrics mostly written by herself, marked new creative stages.
In 2018, Apina reunited with Tatyana Ivanova to record the song and video “The Last Poem”, followed by the anniversary tour “We’re 30!” with the original lineup of “Kombinatsiya”.
Legal Activity
In 2022, Apina won a lawsuit against Channel One for the unauthorized use of her song “Bukhgalter” on the show “Three Chords”. Damages were set at 150,000 rubles.
Radio and TV Work
She hosted the programs:
- “Field Mail” (TV Center, 1998–2003)
- “International with Alena Apina” (Komsomolskaya Pravda Radio, 2013–2014)
- “Fa-Sol” (Moscow FM, 2015–2019)
She participated in TV shows such as “You’re a Superstar!”, “Superstar! Return”, “Three Chords”, “Duets” and others.
She acted in TV series including “Emergency”, “Parallel to Love”, “Kill Bella”, “Provincial Passions”, “My Beloved Witch”, and more.
In the 2024 series “Kombinatsiya”, Apina was portrayed by actress Anastasia Ukolova, while Apina herself appeared as a vocal coach.
Personal Life
- First husband (1982–1983): artist Valery Apin
- Second husband (1993–2017): producer Alexander Iratov
Daughter — Ksenia Iratova (b. 2001), born via surrogacy.
Stepson — Andrey Iratov, concert organizer.
Awards (Selected)
- “Song of the Year” — 1993–2004
- “Golden Gramophone” — 1997 (“Elektrichka”), 1999 (“Topolya”)
- “Ovation” — 1998
- “Silver Shoe” — 1997
- Honored Artist of the Russian Federation — 2002
Discography (Studio Albums)
- 1992 — Street of Love
- 1993 — Dance Till Morning
- 1994 — Beach Season
- 1995 — Limita
- 1995 — Lost Soul
- 1996 — Rival
- 1997 — Declaration of Love
- 1998 — Love Like Me
- 1999 — Poplars
- 2001 — About Fate and Myself
- 2003 — Come With Me
- 2007 — Flight to Moscow
- 2010 — Once Again About Love
- 2014 — Melodia (Alena Apina)
- 2018 — Let's Do It This Way
Alena Apina is an artist who traveled the long road from a Saratov music school and local performances to becoming one of the most recognizable Russian pop stars of the 1990s. Her songs became part of the cultural DNA of the era. Today she remains active in music, television, public life, and continues to influence multiple generations — from fans of “Kombinatsiya” to audiences of retro concerts and modern music shows.
