Victoria Niro
Igor Yuryevich Nikolaev (born January 17, 1960, in Kholmsk, Sakhalin Oblast) — is a Soviet and Russian composer, lyricist, singer, arranger and music producer. Igor Nikolaev's songwriting career began in the first half of the 1980s with songs such as «Айсберг», «Расскажите, птицы», «Паромщик» and «Комарово», while he later became known as a solo performer of Russian pop music.
As a composer and lyricist, Igor Nikolaev has worked with Alla Pugacheva, Natasha Koroleva, Irina Allegrova, Philipp Kirkorov, Valery Leontiev, Mikhail Shufutinsky, Diana Gurtskaya, Kristina Orbakaite, Alexander Buynov, Larisa Dolina, Lyudmila Gurchenko and dozens of other performers. Songs associated with his songwriting catalog include «Айсберг», «Паромщик», «Комарово», «Жёлтые тюльпаны», «Дельфин и русалка», «Маленькая страна», «Странник мой», «Третье сентября», «Немного жаль» and «Ты знаешь, мама».
Igor Nikolaev's own repertoire includes «Мельница», «Королевство кривых зеркал», «Фантастика», «Такси, такси», «Малиновое вино», «Выпьем за любовь», «Рояль в ночи», «Пять причин», «Прости и отпусти», «Как ты прекрасна», «Линия жизни» and other songs. One of the characteristic features of his writing is a melody built around a short phrase that often serves simultaneously as the title and the central line of the chorus.
Childhood on Sakhalin
Igor Nikolaev was born in the port town of Kholmsk on Sakhalin Island.
His father, Yuri Ivanovich Nikolaev, was a maritime poet and a member of the Union of Soviet Writers. The sea and Sakhalin occupied a prominent place in his literary work. His mother, Svetlana Mitrofanovna Nikolaeva, worked as an accountant.
Igor Nikolaev began studying music as a child. He attended music school as a violin student and later became interested in music theory and composition.
In 1974, Igor Nikolaev entered the theory department of the Sakhalin Music College. A year later, he moved to Moscow and continued his education at the music college affiliated with the Moscow State Tchaikovsky Conservatory.
Musical Education in Moscow
After graduating from college, Igor Nikolaev studied in the pop music department of the Moscow Institute of Culture. His teacher was jazz pianist and composer Igor Bril.
Igor Nikolaev graduated from the institute in 1980. By that time, he played keyboards, worked on arrangements and wrote his own music.
The combination of compositional and performing skills soon enabled him to begin professional work in one of the leading Soviet pop ensembles of the period.
«Рецитал» and Alla Pugacheva
From 1980, Igor Nikolaev worked as a keyboardist and arranger in the ensemble «Рецитал», which accompanied Alla Pugacheva.
For his first few years, he remained primarily a member of the live band. In 1983, Alla Pugacheva recorded two of his compositions — «Айсберг» and «Расскажите, птицы».
The songs were performed on the television program «Новогодний аттракцион». «Айсберг» quickly became one of Alla Pugacheva's biggest hits of the mid-1980s and Igor Nikolaev's first major success as a composer.
After that, songs by the young songwriter began to occupy an increasingly prominent place in Pugacheva's repertoire.
«Паромщик» and «Комарово»
In 1985, two Igor Nikolaev compositions that later became part of Soviet pop culture were performed at the «Песня года» festival.
«Паромщик» was performed by Alla Pugacheva. Igor Nikolaev wrote the music, while the lyrics were based on a poem by Nikolai Zinoviev.
The second song, «Комарово», became widely known in the performance of Igor Sklyar.
These works represented two sides of Igor Nikolaev's songwriting style: the dramatic pop song designed for a powerful vocalist and the lighter composition built around a simple, instantly memorable melody.
«...Счастья в личной жизни!»
In 1986, Alla Pugacheva released the album «...Счастья в личной жизни!», consisting entirely of songs by Igor Nikolaev.
The record included «Сто друзей», «Балет», «Прости, поверь», «Паромщик», «Две звезды» and other compositions.
The album presented Igor Nikolaev not simply as the author of several successful songs, but as a composer capable of shaping an entire pop program. His collaboration with Alla Pugacheva continued in later years.
Beginning of a Solo Career
In 1986, Igor Nikolaev began performing as a solo singer.
One of his first solo compositions was «Мельница», also known as «Старая мельница». Igor Nikolaev wrote the music, while the lyrics were by Pavel Zhagun.
The same year, he appeared on television with the song «День рождения».
In 1987, his debut solo album «Мельница» was released.
In his own recordings, the emphasis was not on demonstratively powerful vocals but on the songwriter's personal intonation: melody, lyrics and a recognizable manner of performance.
Japan and International Projects
In 1987, Igor Nikolaev toured Japan with Alla Pugacheva at the invitation of singer Tokiko Kato, who performed his composition «100 друзей» in Japanese.
In the late 1980s, Igor Nikolaev also worked with Scandinavian musicians. Some of his songs were recorded in Sweden and received international and English-language versions.
«Королевство кривых зеркал» and «Фантастика»
In 1989, «Королевство кривых зеркал» and «Фантастика» were released.
By this point, Igor Nikolaev had firmly established himself as a solo performer alongside his work for other artists.
The title track «Фантастика» became one of the most enduring songs in his own repertoire. Igor Nikolaev continued performing it decades later, and in 2025 recorded a new studio version.
Natasha Koroleva and «Жёлтые тюльпаны»
At the turn of the 1980s and 1990s, one of Igor Nikolaev's most important creative partnerships began — his collaboration with the young Kyiv singer Natasha Koroleva, whose real name is Natalia Poryvai.
In 1990, the program and album «Жёлтые тюльпаны» appeared. Igor Nikolaev became the principal composer of the singer's early repertoire.
In addition to the title track, this period produced «Синие лебеди», «Почему умирает любовь?» and other songs.
For Natasha Koroleva, Igor Nikolaev created bright, youthful pop material built around romantic stories, fairy-tale motifs and easily memorable choruses.
«Мисс Разлука»
In 1991, Igor Nikolaev released the solo album «Мисс Разлука».
In his own repertoire of this period, themes of memory, autumn, separation, late meetings and the impossibility of returning to the past became increasingly prominent.
Romantic lyricism later became one of the permanent features of Igor Nikolaev's artistic identity.
«Дельфин и русалка»
In 1992, Igor Nikolaev and Natasha Koroleva presented the joint program «Дельфин и русалка».
The premiere took place at the Olimpiyskiy Sports Complex in Moscow. An album of the same name was released at the same time.
The title track became one of the best-known duets in Russian pop music of the 1990s. The images of the Dolphin and the Mermaid remained associated with the two performers for many years.
The album received the «Овация» award. Their creative collaboration continued with the albums «Поклонник», «Конфетти» and «Бриллианты слёз».
«Маленькая страна»
One of the best-known songs written by Igor Nikolaev for Natasha Koroleva was «Маленькая страна».
Igor Nikolaev composed the music, while the lyrics were written by Ilya Reznik. The song appeared on the album «Конфетти» and gradually reached an audience far beyond the usual pop music format.
Other notable works from the partnership include «Такси, такси», «Лето кастаньет», «Киевский мальчишка» and «Поклонник».
Irina Allegrova and «Странник мой»
In the early 1990s, Igor Nikolaev began working actively with Irina Allegrova.
In 1992, she released the album «Странник мой», a significant part of which consisted of songs by Igor Nikolaev.
For Irina Allegrova, he wrote more mature and dramatic material designed around her recognizable low timbre and large concert climaxes.
Well-known songs from this collaboration include «Странник мой», «Суженый мой» and other compositions.
«Малиновое вино»
In 1994, the album «Малиновое вино» was released.
The title track became one of Igor Nikolaev's best-known solo numbers. Its unhurried melody, memories of a relationship and easily remembered chorus reflect his songwriting style of the period particularly well.
Another notable work was «Мастер и Маргарита», with lyrics by Nikolai Zinoviev.
«Третье сентября»
In 1994, the song «Третье сентября» entered the repertoire of Mikhail Shufutinsky.
The music was written by Igor Krutoy, while the lyrics were by Igor Nikolaev.
Years later, the song gained renewed popularity through internet culture: September 3 became an annual meme, while the song became one of Igor Nikolaev's most recognizable works as a lyricist.
«Выпьем за любовь»
In 1995, Igor Nikolaev released the album «Выпьем за любовь».
The title track became one of the biggest hits in his own repertoire and remained part of his live programs for many years.
The phrase «Выпьем за любовь» functions simultaneously as the title, the chorus and a standalone conversational expression — a technique characteristic of many Igor Nikolaev songs.
Other lyrical compositions from the same period include «Благословляю этот вечер», «Храни вас Бог» and others.
Igor Nikolaev as a Lyricist
Igor Nikolaev does not always serve as both composer and lyricist on the same song.
Over the years, he has written music to lyrics by Nikolai Zinoviev, Ilya Reznik, Pavel Zhagun, Robert Rozhdestvensky, Andrei Dementyev and other poets. On other projects, he has written lyrics to music by fellow composers.
«Третье сентября» is one of the best-known examples of the latter: Igor Krutoy wrote the music, while Igor Nikolaev wrote the lyrics.
His songwriting catalog therefore includes both fully self-written songs and works created through the traditional pop music partnership between composer and lyricist.
The Second Half of the 1990s
In 1997, the compilation «Пятнадцать лет. Лучшие песни» was released, bringing together notable works from the first fifteen years of his songwriting career.
In 1998, the album «Игорь Николаев-98» followed. Songs from this period include «Рояль в ночи», «Незнакомка» and other compositions that later became permanent parts of his live repertoire.
At the same time, Igor Nikolaev's songs continued to appear in the repertoires of Philipp Kirkorov, Kristina Orbakaite, Alexander Buynov, Diana Gurtskaya and other performers.
Philipp Kirkorov
Igor Nikolaev worked with Philipp Kirkorov during several periods.
One of their best-known collaborations was «Немного жаль», for which Igor Nikolaev wrote both the music and lyrics. The song entered Philipp Kirkorov's repertoire in the early 2000s.
Works of this kind occupy an important place in Igor Nikolaev's songwriting catalog alongside the songs he performs himself.
«Разбитая чашка любви»
In 2000, the album «Разбитая чашка любви» was released.
Russian pop music was changing rapidly at the time, but Igor Nikolaev retained melody and lyrics as the foundation of his songs while gradually updating their arrangements.
«Пять причин»
In 2001, Igor Nikolaev released «Пять причин», which became one of his biggest hits of the new decade.
The song received the «Золотой граммофон» award.
The same period also saw the release of the albums «Самая родная», «Дочка... и я», recorded with his elder daughter Yulia, and, in 2002, «Прости и отпусти».
«Ты знаешь, мама»
One of Igor Nikolaev's well-known songwriting works of the early 2000s was «Ты знаешь, мама», performed by Diana Gurtskaya.
For other vocalists, Igor Nikolaev often wrote material that was more dramatic than the more intimate performing style of his own repertoire.
«Миллион красивых женщин» and «Как ты прекрасна»
In 2003–2004, Igor Nikolaev held a series of songwriter concerts titled «Миллион красивых женщин», where his songs were performed by artists of different generations.
During this period, the albums «На обложке журнала», «Здравствуй» and the two-disc collection «Миллион красивых женщин» were released.
In 2006, he released «Как ты прекрасна».
From the mid-2000s onward, Igor Nikolaev's own studio albums became less frequent, but he continued writing for other performers, touring and presenting songwriter concerts.
Yulia Proskuryakova and Their Joint Songs
In the late 2000s, Igor Nikolaev met singer Yulia Proskuryakova. They married in September 2010.
The couple recorded several songs together. In 2010, the projects «Одна надежда на любовь» and «Игорь Николаев и Юлия Проскурякова: Новые песни» were released.
Their joint songs include «СМС», «Мой мужчина», «Я люблю эту зиму» and others.
Yulia Proskuryakova continued developing her own career, while duet recordings became one of the recurring directions in Igor Nikolaev's later work.
«Линия жизни»
In 2014, Igor Nikolaev released the album «Линия жизни».
It included «Песня для тебя», «Линия жизни», «Поздняя весна», «Мы совпали с тобой», «Лучшая из лучших», «СМС», «Я становлюсь всё старше», «В золотых теремах сентября» and other songs.
In his later work, themes of time, age, family and memory became increasingly prominent. This direction is expressed especially directly in «Я становлюсь всё старше».
«Олимпийский вальс»
In 2014, Igor Nikolaev wrote the lyrics for Igor Krutoy's «Олимпийский вальс».
The composition was performed at the closing ceremony of the Winter Olympic Games in Sochi by Hibla Gerzmava, the Russian Children's Choir and an orchestra conducted by Valery Gergiev.
The same year, Igor Nikolaev received the special MUZ-TV award «За вклад в развитие музыкальной индустрии».
Connection with Sakhalin
Despite living in Moscow for many years, Sakhalin periodically returns as a theme in Igor Nikolaev's songs.
He recorded «Человек, влюблённый в Сахалин» and later «Под сахалинским небом».
The island, the sea and the work of his poet father helped shape part of Igor Nikolaev's personal imagery even before the beginning of his professional career in Moscow.
New Songs and a Return to the Early Catalog
In the 2020s, Igor Nikolaev has released new material considerably less frequently than in previous decades, but he continues to work in the studio.
In 2021, he released the single «Лето, вернись!».
On November 15, 2024, the song «Неисправимый романтик» was released, and its title was later also used for a new album.
In 2025, he released «Это не ты, это не я», a new version of «Твоя улыбка», «Благоверная», created in collaboration with Igor Krutoy, and a new studio version of «Фантастика».
As a result, Igor Nikolaev's new material now exists alongside reinterpretations of songs written several decades earlier.
«Неисправимый романтик»
On October 22, 2025, the album «Неисправимый романтик» was presented on vinyl, while on July 3, 2026, it became available on digital platforms.
The album contains ten tracks:
- «Неисправимый романтик»;
- «Восемнадцать лет»;
- «Это не ты, это не я»;
- «Синий ветер, белый лён»;
- «Под сахалинским небом»;
- «Заблудилась осень»;
- «Фантастика»;
- «Любовь моей жизни»;
- «Разговоры по душам»;
- «Родные люди».
The record became Igor Nikolaev's first major solo album release after a long break and combined new material with songs linking his current period to his earlier catalog.
Igor Nikolaev's Songwriting Style
The arrangements of Igor Nikolaev's songs have changed with the times — from Soviet pop and synthesizer-driven music of the 1980s to modern digital pop production. His melodic language has remained much more consistent.
A song is often built around a short phrase that is easy to remember after the first listen. The title frequently becomes both the conceptual center and the main line of the chorus: «Айсберг», «Комарово», «Дельфин и русалка», «Маленькая страна», «Выпьем за любовь», «Пять причин», «Третье сентября».
His main themes include love, separation, memory, family, age, autumn and the road. Simple language and clear melodic structures have allowed many of his songs to remain recognizable decades after their original release.
Songs for Other Artists
Igor Nikolaev's own discography represents only one part of his creative work.
His songs have been performed by Alla Pugacheva, Natasha Koroleva, Irina Allegrova, Philipp Kirkorov, Mikhail Shufutinsky, Valery Leontiev, Igor Sklyar, Diana Gurtskaya, Kristina Orbakaite, Alexander Buynov, Larisa Dolina, Iosif Kobzon, Lyudmila Gurchenko, Laima Vaikule, Tatiana Ovsienko and many other artists.
For some performers, Igor Nikolaev wrote individual songs; for others, he created a significant part of their repertoire. His collaborations with Alla Pugacheva, his work on Natasha Koroleva's early career and his songs for Irina Allegrova were particularly long-running.
As a result, many of Igor Nikolaev's best-known works became famous through performances by other artists.
Television and Music Projects
Igor Nikolaev has taken part in television music programs, festivals and competitions for many years.
He has repeatedly served on the jury of the international competition «Новая волна», participated in songwriter tribute concerts and appeared in other televised music projects.
In 2013, Igor Nikolaev worked as a mentor on the project «Фактор А».
Television nevertheless remained an extension of his main work as a composer and performer rather than a separate profession.
Personal Life
Igor Nikolaev has been married three times.
His first wife was his school friend Elena Kudryashova. They married in 1978. Their daughter Yulia was born on October 27 of the same year.
The marriage lasted until 1991. Yulia Nikolaeva received a musical education, wrote songs and later chose a different profession. She lives in the United States.
On April 4, 1992, Igor Nikolaev married Natasha Koroleva. Their personal relationship existed alongside their well-known creative partnership. The marriage ended in 2001.
On September 23, 2010, singer and actress Yulia Proskuryakova became Igor Nikolaev's third wife. Their daughter Veronika was born on October 8, 2015.
Igor Nikolaev Discography
Main Solo and Songwriter Albums
- 1987 — «Мельница»
- 1989 — «Королевство кривых зеркал»
- 1989 — «Фантастика»
- 1991 — «Мисс Разлука»
- 1992 — «Дельфин и русалка» — with Natasha Koroleva
- 1994 — «Малиновое вино»
- 1995 — «Выпьем за любовь»
- 1997 — «Пятнадцать лет. Лучшие песни»
- 1998 — «Игорь Николаев-98»
- 2000 — «Разбитая чашка любви»
- 2001 — «Самая родная»
- 2001 — «Пять причин»
- 2001 — «Дочка... и я» — with Yulia Nikolaeva
- 2002 — «Прости и отпусти»
- 2003 — «На обложке журнала»
- 2003 — «Бедный Моцарт»
- 2004 — «Здравствуй»
- 2004 — «Миллион красивых женщин»
- 2006 — «Как ты прекрасна»
- 2010 — «Игорь Николаев и Юлия Проскурякова: Новые песни»
- 2014 — «Линия жизни»
- 2026 — «Неисправимый романтик»
Selected Songs Performed by Igor Nikolaev
«Мельница», «Королевство кривых зеркал», «Фантастика», «Мисс Разлука», «Такси, такси», «Дельфин и русалка», «Малиновое вино», «Мастер и Маргарита», «Выпьем за любовь», «Благословляю этот вечер», «Рояль в ночи», «Незнакомка», «Разбитая чашка любви», «Пять причин», «Прости и отпусти», «Как ты прекрасна», «СМС», «Линия жизни», «Под сахалинским небом», «Лето, вернись!», «Неисправимый романтик», «Это не ты, это не я», «Благоверная» and «Фантастика (версия 2025)».
Selected Songs for Other Performers
«Айсберг», «Расскажите, птицы», «Паромщик», «Две звезды», «Прости, поверь», «Комарово», «Жёлтые тюльпаны», «Маленькая страна», «Странник мой», «Третье сентября», «Немного жаль», «Ты знаешь, мама» and other compositions.
Awards and Honors
In 1992, the album «Дельфин и русалка» received an «Овация» award. In later years, Igor Nikolaev also received this award as a composer and lyricist.
In 2001, Igor Nikolaev was awarded the title of Honored Artist of the Russian Federation. The same year, «Пять причин» received the «Золотой граммофон» award.
In 2014, MUZ-TV presented Igor Nikolaev with the special award «За вклад в развитие музыкальной индустрии».
On December 27, 2019, Igor Nikolaev was awarded the title of People's Artist of the Russian Federation.
Igor Nikolaev as Songwriter and Performer
In Igor Nikolaev's career, his own recordings and the music he created for other artists exist as parts of one songwriting catalog. «Айсберг», «Комарово», «Жёлтые тюльпаны», «Третье сентября» and «Маленькая страна» became famous through other performers, while «Мельница», «Малиновое вино», «Выпьем за любовь» and «Пять причин» became part of his own stage repertoire.
His newer recordings continue the same melodic language that took shape in the 1980s. The album «Неисправимый романтик» combines new material with a return to earlier songs and themes that run throughout Igor Nikolaev's career: love, memory, family, time and his connection with Sakhalin.
