Vera Brezhneva
Vera Brezhneva | |
---|---|
Віра Брежнєва | |
Born | Vira Viktorivna Halushka 3 February 1982 Dniprodzerzhynsk, Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union |
Other names | Vera |
Occupations |
|
Years active | 2003-present |
Spouses |
|
Musical career | |
Genres | Pop |
Instrument | singing |
Labels | |
Formerly of | Nu Virgos |
Website | brezhneva |
Vira Viktorivna Halushka (Ukrainian: Віра Вікторівна Галушка; Russian: Вера Викторовна Галушка, romanized: Vera Viktorovna Galushka; born 3 February 1982), better known by her stage name Vera Brezhneva (Russian: Вера Брежнева), is a Ukrainian singer, television presenter and actress.[1]
During her career she achieved international success in Eastern Europe and the Baltic countries.[2][3] Winner of ZD Awards.[4] In 2016 she received the International Music Prize “Big Apple Music Awards” in the category “Best Eastern European Artist”, as well as a special award for charitable activities “Person” in New York.[5] She performed several times at the Laima Rendezvous music festival in Jurmala, Latvia.[6][7]
She is a UN Goodwill Ambassador.[8]
Early life
[edit]Vera Brezhneva was born on 3 February 1982 in Dniprodzerzhynsk, in the Ukrainian SSR of the Soviet Union.[1] Her father, Viktor, worked in a chemical factory. Her mother, Tamara, a medical school graduate, worked in the same factory as Brezhneva's father.[9][10] She has three sisters;[1] one older sister named Halyna, and younger twins Nastya and Vika. She bought a flat for her parents in Boryspil, a town close to Kyiv. The father of Brezhneva's daughter, Sonia, is Vitaliy Voychenko, to whom Brezhneva was married for a few years.[11] She earned a degree by correspondence from the faculty of economics of the Dnipropetrovsk Institute of Railway Engineering.[1]
Career
[edit]2002–2007: Nu Virgos (also known as "VIA Gra")
[edit]In 2002, Brezhneva was invited to a casting organised to find a girl to replace Alena Vinnitskaya in the group Nu Virgos, in which she succeeded. In January 2003, Nu Virgos started performing in the new lineup; Nadiya, Anna and Vera, that, due to its massive popularity, gained the name of "the golden line up".
In July 2007, Brezhneva decided to take a break from the band. In December 2007, an official announcement was made stating that she was leaving Nu Virgos.[12] She was then replaced in the group by Tatiana Kotova.
2008–2012: TV presenting and return to music
[edit]Brezhneva was the presenter of the Russian version of the Power of 10 game-show called Магия 10-ти (lit. Magic of 10), which ran on Channel One Russia for two seasons from 7 January 2008 to 31 August 2008.[13]
In May 2008, Brezhneva premiered her first single called "Ya ne igrayu" (Я не играю; I Don't Play). The song was written by her former producer Konstantin Meladze. The second single "Nirvana" was released on 27 October 2008. The third single "Ljubov v bolshom gorode" (Любовь в большом городе; Love in the Big City) was released in 2009. She then appeared in the music video for the song "Leto vsegda" (Лето всегда; Summer always) by the group Diskoteka Avariya, with actresses Anastasia Zadorozhnaya & Svetlana Khodchenkova. The fourth single was released in April; "Ljubov spasyot mir" (Любовь спасёт мир; Love will Save the World) and reached No. 1 in Russian Airplay Weekly. The next single "Pronto", a duet with Potap was released in September. Her sixth single "Lepestkami slyoz" (Лепестками слез; Petal Tears) was a duet with Dan Balan. In early 2011, Brezhneva premiered her new single "Realnaya zhizn" (Реальная жизнь; Real Life), and the single "Sexy Bambina" at the end of that year. In early 2012, the single "Ishu tebya" (Ищу тебя; Searching for You) was released.
2022 and recent years: Career in Russia and break with Russia
[edit]Brezhneva continued her careers in Russia after the start of the Russo-Ukrainian War in 2014.[14] After the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine she expressed her support for Ukraine and left Russia.[14] Brezhneva also divorced Konstantin Meladze, to whom she had been married since 2015.[14] She moved to Riga, Latvia; Brezhneva returned to Ukraine a couple of times during the war.[15] Brezhneva also started to release her first songs in the Ukrainian language; in October 2022 and in September 2023.[16]
Brezhneva continues to raise her two daughters— Sonya, from her first marriage to Vitaliy Voychenko, and Sara, from her second marriage to Mykhailo Kiperman.[14]
Films
[edit]Brezhneva has appeared in numerous Russian-language films. She played Katya in the film Love in the Big City (Любовь в большом городе) in 2009, and its two sequels in 2010 and 2013. In 2016, she starred in 8 Best Dates. She also had a major part playing as herself in Yolki (Ёлки) and Yolki 2, and also appeared in Jungle (Джунгли). Most of her film work has been in romantic comedies.
Television
[edit]She appeared in the second season of Russian ice show contest Ice Age.
Discography
[edit]Singles
[edit]Year | Single | English translation | Chart Positions | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Ukraine | Russia | |||
2008 | "Я не играю" | I don't play | — | 6 |
"Нирвана" | Nirvana | — | 80 | |
2009 | "Любовь в большом городе" | Love in the big city | — | 19 |
2010 | "Любовь спасёт мир" | Love will save the world | 1 | 1 |
"Пронто" (with Potap) | Pronto | — | 31 | |
"Лепестками слез" (with Dan Balan) | By the petals of tears | 1 | 1 | |
2011 | "Реальная жизнь" | Real life | 1 | 1 |
2012 | "Sexy Bambina" | 1 | — | |
"Бессонница" | Insomnia | 6 | 20 | |
"Ищу тебя" | I am looking for you | 7 | — | |
"Любовь на расстоянии" (feat. DJ Smash) | Love from a distance | 48 | 14 | |
2013 | "Хороший день" | Nice day | 2 | 11 |
"Дом" | Home | — | — | |
2014 | "Доброе утро" | Good morning | 1 | 12 |
"Luna"(feat. Aleksandr Revva) | Luna | 142 | — | |
"Девочка моя" | My girl | — | — | |
2015 | "Мамочка" | Mommy | 15 | — |
"Этажи"(feat. T-killah) | Floors | — | — | |
2016 | "Номер 1" | Number 1 | 16 | — |
"Feel" | Feel | 854 | — | |
2017 | "Близкие люди" | Close people | — | — |
Albums
[edit]Studio albums
- Lyubov spasyot mir (2010)
- VERVERA (2015)
EP
[edit]- V. (2020)
Awards
[edit]Vera Brezhneva received the title "Woman of the Year" from Glamour Russia in 2010.[17] In 2007, 2012, 2015, and 2016 she was named the sexiest woman in Russia by the men's magazine Maxim.[18][19]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d "brezhneva.com Биография". Archived from the original on 10 August 2015. Retrieved 10 August 2015.
- ^ "Вера Брежнева - Женщина года". TOPClub (in Russian). 21 November 2010. Retrieved 4 August 2024.
- ^ "В Риге выступит украинская певица Вера Брежнева". Grani.LV (in Russian). 23 August 2023. Retrieved 4 August 2024.
- ^ ""Афиша": вручение премии "Звуковая дорожка"". m24.ru (in Russian). Retrieved 4 August 2024.
- ^ "состоялась музыкальная премия Big Apple Music Awards". mboxtv.ru. Retrieved 4 August 2024.
- ^ Laima Rendezvous Jūrmala (19 December 2018). Вера Брежнева - Реальная жизнь |Laima Rendez Vous'2018 22.jul. Retrieved 4 August 2024 – via YouTube.
- ^ Laima Rendezvous Jūrmala (25 January 2024). VERA BREZHNEVA - ДОБРОЕ УТРО | LAIMA RENDEZVOUS JŪRMALA 2023. Retrieved 4 August 2024 – via YouTube.
- ^ "Вера Брежнева призвала проверится на СПИД". podrobnosti. 1 December 2014. Retrieved 4 August 2024.
- ^ Вера Брежнева / Vera Brezhneva (биография и фотоподборка) | Блог X3M-Slider(а)
- ^ Виталий Войченко: Пресс-Портрет. Archived 2012-04-27 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Когда продюсер «ВИА Гры» Дмитрий Костюк узнал, что принятая в группу вера галушка из… — Газета «ФАКТЫ и комментарии»
- ^ "Вера Брежнева навсегда покидает "Виа Гру"". Randevucity.net. 30 July 2007. Retrieved 27 October 2011.
- ^ "Первый канал. Зарубежное и тематическое вещание / Эфир / Магия десяти". 1tvrus.com. 14 January 2008. Archived from the original on 4 August 2008. Retrieved 27 October 2011.
- ^ a b c d "42-річна Брежнєва здивувала фанів сміливими фото: співачка позувала напівоголеною на коні". RBC Ukraine (in Ukrainian). 8 August 2024. Retrieved 26 August 2024.
""Злочин не має терміну": Скрипка назвав провину Лободи та Брежнєвої". UNIAN (in Ukrainian). 24 September 2023. Retrieved 26 August 2024. - ^ "Вайкуле розповіла, де зараз живе Брежнєва". Gordonua.com (in Ukrainian). 10 June 2023. Retrieved 26 August 2024.
"Соловій у ромпері та Квіткова в двоколірних джинсах засвітилися на Куражі, де Брежнєва прикрасила себе "тату"". Tablo ID (in Ukrainian). 4 September 2023. Retrieved 26 August 2024. - ^ "Брежнєва у яскравих міні потанцювала на Київському морі в кліпі про вдячність. ВІДЕО". Tablo ID (in Ukrainian). 29 September 2023. Retrieved 26 August 2024.
"У майках та джинсах: Брежнєва під новим ім'ям заспівала з Tayanna про вишиванку". Tablo ID (in Ukrainian). 19 October 2022. Retrieved 26 August 2024. - ^ "Вера Брежнева — главная «Женщина года Glamour»-2010". Tatler. 19 November 2010.
- ^ Shumov, Vasily (1 October 2013). "The evolution of Russian female pop singers". Russia & India Report. Archived from the original on 28 February 2021. Retrieved 31 July 2014.
- ^ "Russia's sexiest woman announced". NEWS.am STYLE. 19 November 2012. Retrieved 31 July 2014.
External links
[edit]- 1982 births
- Living people
- People from Kamianske
- 21st-century Ukrainian women singers
- Ukrainian pop singers
- Ukrainian women pop singers
- English-language singers from Ukraine
- Nu Virgos members
- HIV/AIDS activists
- Ukrainian film actresses
- Ukrainian women television presenters
- Winners of the Golden Gramophone Award
- Russian-language singers of Ukraine
- Actresses from Dnipropetrovsk Oblast