Svyatoslav Vakarchuk was born on a significant day - when Dynamo Kiev, having scored three unanswered goals against the Hungarian Ferencvaros, won the first Soviet Union European football cup.
He was born in provincial Mukachevo, Transcarpathian region. Svyatoslav’s father is a teacher of theoretical physics, his mother is a mathematics teacher.
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Music
When Svyatoslav was little, his grandmother and uncle helped him fall in love with music. From his grandmother, Vakarchuk inherited a love for Ukrainian folk music, from my uncle - admiration for the "Beatles", "Queen", "Rolling Stones" and " Pink Floyd".
He wrote his first song at the age of 15. And 2 years later the first composition appeared, which later became a real hit - “Vidpusti”.
Education
After graduating from school, Vakarchuk decided to follow in his father’s footsteps and entered the Faculty of Theoretical Physics at Lviv University. At the same time, he studied economics. As a result, the singer received two higher education diplomas. However, he decided not to stop there - after graduating from the university, Svyatoslav entered graduate school at the Department of Theoretical Physics of Lviv National University, where he subsequently received a Candidate of Sciences in Physics and Mathematics. The topic of Svyatoslav Vakarchuk's Ph.D. thesis is “Supersymmetry of electrons in a magnetic field.” By the way, in the future the singer will call one of his albums “Supersymmetry”.
Career rise
At the age of 19, the musician met the Lviv group “Clan of Silence”. A team was formed, which was called "Ocean Elzy". The group successfully performed at several festivals, after which they moved to Kyiv to record their first disc.
Soon everyone knew and was talking about the group.
"Revolutionary" activity
Svyatoslav Vakarchuk took an active part in the “Orange Revolution”, supporting the opposition presidential candidate of Ukraine Viktor Yushchenko. After Yushchenko's victory, he became the president's cultural adviser. In addition, Vakarchuk was Ambassador goodwill UN, worked on many social projects.
At the early parliamentary elections in 2007, Svyatoslav was included in the list of the Our Ukraine - People's Self-Defense bloc. He actively advocated the emergence of socially responsible policies and politicians in Ukraine. In November 2007, Svyatoslav Vakarchuk became a member of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Freedom of Speech and Information.
On September 11, 2008, People's Deputy Vakarchuk submitted an application to resign from his parliamentary powers.
In 2013-2014, Vakarchuk was an active participant in political protests at Euromaidan. He also appeared on air many times, where he expressed his opinion about the situation in Ukraine and Crimea.
– For me, the face of this revolution is the students who came to Euromaidan, as well as those caring people who literally sacrificed their bodies for the future of the country. Indeed, politics got so sick of everyone in this country that many people reacted apathetically even to these events, saying “don’t bother us, we’ve had enough of them with their politics!” And the group of caring people who were on the Maidan took the entire blow upon themselves,” Vakarchuk noted regarding the events at Euromaidan.
Personal life
Svyatoslav Vakarchuk is not officially married. But he is in a civil marriage with the beautiful brunette Lyalya Fonareva, who, almost from the first days of the Okean Elzy musicians’ move to Kyiv in the late 1990s until November 2008, was a photographer, stylist and art director of the group.
To all the questions about being “married,” Slava says, “I have a family, I’m happy,” year after year, but not a word about the stamp in the passport! Perhaps the singer will feel the need to take his beloved to the registry office after they have a baby together - the singer has admitted more than once that he dreams of a son. By the way, in the civil family of Vakarchuk and Fonareva there is a child - 20-year-old Diana, Lyalya’s daughter from her marriage to the owner of a chain of hairdressing salons, Vladimir Tarasyuk.
BRIEFLY ABOUT SVYATOSLAV:
Hobby - Japanese culture and everything connected with it
Height – 1 m 76 cm.
Talent - Vakarchuk is equally fluent in both left and right hand. This rare ability is called ambidextrous.
Languages – Ukrainian, Russian, Polish, English.
Favorite writers are Yukio Mishima and Haruki Murakami.
Favorite bands: “The Beatles”, “Rolling Stones”, “Queen”, “Pink Floyd”.
Favorite drinks are dark beer, Bloody Mary.
Favorite foods are vegetables and fruits.
Sports – basketball, football.
Marital status: not officially married, but in a civil marriage with Lyalya Fonareva.
Favorite TV series: “House M.D.” In general, as he himself admitted, he doesn’t like TV series.
Svyatoslav Ivanovich Vakarchuk (b. 1975) is an outstanding Ukrainian musician, poet, author of music and song lyrics, leader of the rock group “Okean Elzy”. In 2005, he was awarded the title of Honored Artist of Ukraine.
Family and childhood
Svyatoslav was born on May 14, 1975 in the small town of Mukachevo, which is located in the Transcarpathian region almost on the very border of Ukraine with Hungary.
The family where the boy was born was intelligent. Dad, Ivan Aleksandrovich Vakarchuk, worked as a teacher of static physics, dedicated his life to science, and has a doctorate in physical and mathematical sciences. When the family moved from Mukachevo to the city of Lviv, he went to work at the Ivan Franko University as rector. In 2007, Ivan Aleksandrovich was appointed Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine, where he worked until March 2010, after which he returned to the position of rector at Lviv University. He is the author of many scientific books and articles, has honorary titles and awards, Hero of Ukraine.
Mom, Svetlana Aleksandrovna, taught physics and mathematics in schools in the city of Mukachevo. When the family moved to Lviv, Svyatoslav’s mother received the degree of associate professor at the National Academy of Veterinary Medicine. Svetlana Alexandrovna loves to draw.
When the boy was five years old, he had a younger brother, Oleg. Now he works in a bank and has a daughter, Marichka, who was baptized by Svyatoslav.
Vakarchuk received his first music lessons from his grandmother, who taught the child to love Ukrainian folk songs. Later, his uncle instilled in Svyatoslav a love of Western music through recordings of the groups “Queen”, “Pink Floyd”, “ The Rolling Stones." All this was later reflected in the music that Vakarchuk writes, which combines a special Western gloss and Ukrainian national motifs.
Studies
In Lviv, Svyatoslav studied at school No. 4, where he studied in depth English language. Along with this, the boy studied accordion and violin at a music school.
But it wasn't only music that occupied him free time, Svyatoslav loved to kick a soccer ball with friends in the yard, was also fond of basketball, and enjoyed participating in KVN games and productions school theater.
When he was thirteen years old, Vakarchuk first heard the musical composition “Let it be” by the Beatles, fell in love with these British, which became the starting point in his decision to devote his life to music.
In 1991, along with a certificate of school education Svyatoslav received a silver medal, he had one “B” - in mathematics. Despite the fact that he really liked humanities subjects at school, the guy decided to continue his father’s work and entered the Faculty of Theoretical Physics at Lviv University. In 1996, after receiving a diploma of higher education, Vakarchuk remained at the university in the department of theoretical physics and continued his studies as a graduate student.
Vakarchuk is considered the most educated rock musician in the CIS. During his graduate studies, he defended his PhD thesis on the topic “Supersymmetry of electrons in a magnetic field.”
In 2003, he received a second higher education diploma with a degree in international economics.
"Elsa's Ocean"
Svyatoslav wrote his first musical compositions at the age of fifteen. But by his own admission, these first songs were so funny that he no longer remembers them at all. And two years later, when Vakarchuk was only seventeen years old, he composed a composition that later became a hit - “Let It Go.” Very soon this musical work was gathering full stadiums in many cities of Ukraine and beyond.
As a student, in March 1994, Vakarchuk met the guys from the musical group “Clan of Silence”, which mainly performed in palaces of culture and clubs in the city of Lvov. They began to rehearse together, and already in the fall of 1994 he was born new team, called "Elsa's Ocean". Svyatoslav was the lead singer and songwriter in the group. At the end of the year they recorded their first four compositions on a demo tape.
And already in January 1995, the group’s first performance took place in front of an audience of seven thousand near the Lviv Opera House. In the same year, the musicians became participants in the Chervona Ruta and Tavrian Games festivals, after which they began to actively tour Ukrainian, German, Polish and French cities. In 1997, the group held its first solo performance in Lviv. In 1998 they moved to the capital of Ukraine - the city of Kyiv.
By the way, after graduating from university, Vakarchuk had a chance to continue his education abroad, but he chose music. Maybe he would have made an outstanding physicist, but then music world would not have recognized the charismatic and legendary rock musician, who is now adored by millions of fans.
In the fall of 1998, the group’s debut album “There, where we are dumb” was released, songs from which instantly took top positions in the Ukrainian charts. Excellent music, original style of performance, and slightly hoarse voice captivated the audience. New albums were eagerly awaited, and they were not long in coming:
- “I’m in the sky” (2000);
- "Model" (2001);
- "Supersymmetry" (2003);
- "Gloria" (2005);
- "Mira" (2007);
- « Dolce Vita"(2010);
- "Earth" (2013);
- “Without Between” (2016).
Svyatoslav Vakarchuk and his group gained wide popularity in Russia after the premiere of the film “Brother-2” directed by Alexei Balabanov, where two musical compositions from “Ocean Elzy” were performed - “Kavachay” and “If You Are Mute”.
Svyatoslav has his own habits, which are present at every concert he performs; he is not afraid to repeat himself on stage. This is inevitably and carefully tied a scarf on the microphone, throwing off T-shirts, which he then rips off his naked body and throws to the enthusiastic spectators, and then, naked to the waist, the obligatory climb onto a huge speaker.
Many musical groups, even very self-sufficient ones, sooner or later fall apart. “Ocean Elzy” has been going strong for over twenty years thanks to their human qualities and a great desire to be together, to create good music. During this period, the musicians became so accustomed to each other that they consider themselves one close-knit family.
For his creative achievements, Vakarchuk has the titles of Honorary Citizen of Lviv and Kyiv, Honored Artist of Ukraine and the Order of Freedom.
Policy
Vakarchuk takes an active part in political life Ukraine. So, in 1999, together with other stars of the domestic show business, he participated in concerts in support of the country's presidential candidate Leonid Kuchma.
In 2004, at the next presidential election, Svyatoslav actively supported the opposition and its candidate Viktor Yushchenko. Participated in the Orange Revolution on Maidan Nezalezhnosti along with such famous Ukrainian singers, like Oleg Skripka and Ruslana. After Yushchenko won the presidential race, Vakarchuk was appointed his cultural adviser.
In 2007, he became a people's deputy of the Ukrainian parliament from the Our Ukraine – People's Self-Defense bloc. But less than a year later he resigned these powers, deciding that through music he could do more for his country and people than in the deputy chair.
As a UN Goodwill Ambassador, Svyatoslav participated in many social projects.
Personal life
In 2015, in Lvov, Svyatoslav officially registered his relationship with his beloved woman Lyalya Fonareva, with whom they had lived together for fifteen years.
Lyalya graduated from the London school of stylists and then stayed in England, where she worked in her acquired specialty for two years. Then she returned to Ukraine, where she worked as a stylist for domestic singers - Marina Odolskaya, Alexander Ponomarev. When the group “Okean Elzy” moved to Kyiv, Lyalya began to collaborate with them, helping musicians create own style, then she worked for a long time in a team as an art director, stylist and photographer. Since 2007, she started her own restaurant business, also promotes her clothing line.
The relationship between Svyatoslav and Lyalya began immediately when she began working in the Okean Elzy team. They were together always and everywhere: at rehearsals and tours, at work and at home, but they never advertised their love.
In 1993, Lyalya Fonareva had a daughter, Diana, from her first marriage; Svyatoslav raised the girl as his own.
Vakarchuk does not give more information about his personal life, because he really values his and Lyalya’s internal connection and feelings, and does not want to let anyone near them. He absolutely does not need their personal relationship to become public knowledge.
Outside the stage and politics
Svyatoslav believes that everyone loves cats... or almost everyone. The musician cannot imagine his life without these fluffy animals; they always live with him. The first cat who lived with Svyatoslav, when he had already separated from his parents’ home, was Elsa. Many believe that Vakarchuk’s creative team got its name in honor of her.
Since 2008, the cat Seva has lived with Svyatoslav; he had a girlfriend, a little cat Musya, but, unfortunately, she did not live long and died a year later. Seva turned out to be a monogamous man and did not accept the new cat Yasya, which the musician got. The cat Seva is a true connoisseur of his owner’s creativity: when Svyatoslav writes music, the pet can lie on the piano for several hours.
Vakarchuk loves Japanese culture and everything connected with it. Among his favorite writers are Haruki Murakami and Yukio Mishima, and he also likes the style and creativity of the Kharkov prose writer Sergei Zhadan.
The musician has equal command of his right and left hands, which has the scientific name “ambidexterity.”
He prefers vegetables and fruits in food, and drinks include Bloody Mary cocktail and dark beer.
Fluent in four languages – Russian, Ukrainian, Polish and English.
By his own admission, Svyatoslav does not like and does not watch TV series, but among those that he still managed to see, he liked “Doctor House” the most.
Name: Svyatoslav Vakarchuk
Age: 43 years old
Height: 176
Activity: Ukrainian rock musician, songwriter, leader of the group “Okean Elzy”
Marital status: married
Svyatoslav Vakarchuk: biography
Having composed new song, Svyatoslav Vakarchuk lets his wife or bandmates listen to it to get an outside opinion, but the main thing is still his own. The same goes for interviews, which, however, he rarely gives.
The musician is ready to answer any questions, fully aware that people will not hear the answers they want. Svyatoslav is convinced that he has earned the right to say what he thinks.
Childhood and youth
Svyatoslav Ivanovich Vakarchuk was born in Transcarpathia, in the small border town of Mukachevo on May 14, 1975. At that time, Svyatoslav’s father taught theoretical physics, and his mother taught mathematics in high school. Soon the family moved to Lviv, where active creative biography future musician.
Ivan Aleksandrovich Vakarchuk, Svyatoslav’s father, went into science, defended his doctoral dissertation, and was elected rector of Lviv University. After the Orange Revolution, he worked for some time as the Minister of Education of Ukraine. The musician’s mother went to work at the Academy of Veterinary Medicine. In addition to Svyatoslav, he grew up in the family youngest son Oleg, now a bank worker.
During his school years, the future rock musician participated in the school theater and was fond of basketball. Their musical abilities the guy developed while visiting Lviv music school, where he learned to play the violin and accordion.
He graduated from the school where Vakarchuk intensively studied English. The son, like his parents, had a penchant for exact sciences. Therefore, Svyatoslav decided to study physics and economics at Lviv University. Upon graduation, the singer received two diplomas. Soon he entered graduate school, choosing the department of theoretical physics. The result was a written dissertation and a Ph.D. But in my youth I had enough energy for both playing music and scientific research.
Music
As a first-year student at the Department of Theoretical Physics, Svyatoslav Vakarchuk met the musicians of the local group “Clan of Silence”. Mostly the guys performed in city cafes and cultural palaces. Soon, several musicians left the “Clan of Silence”, and, led by Vakarchuk, they formed a new group, which they called.
The founding day of Okean Elzy can be considered October 12, 1994. At first, the band, where Vakarchuk became the vocalist, as well as the main composer and songwriter, played mainly pop and rock music. In December 1994, the musicians recorded a demo tape of four songs. The debut video clip appeared in the same year. “Okean Elzy” held his first performance in his hometown, right on the square in front of opera house.
Since 1996, the group of Svyatoslav Vakarchuk began touring actively. The guys, having toured major cities of Ukraine, go to Poland, France and Germany. And in April 1998, Vakarchuk and his team finally moved to Kyiv, where in the same year they presented their first album “There, where we are silent.”
In 2000, the team led by Vakarchuk participated in the rock festival “Invasion”. This was their first visit to Russia. The team gained wide popularity in the Russian Federation after the release of the film “Brother-2”. Two songs performed by Svyatoslav Vakarchuk - “If You Are Mute” and “Kavachai” - became the soundtrack of the film. The videos of the Ukrainian group are becoming popular outside the country, and each concert attracts tens of thousands of fans.
Vakarchuk’s group made a real breakthrough to fame and fame in 2001. The released album “Model” is considered by fans of “Okean Elzy” to be the best in the discography. In terms of sales, records were broken by the fourth album, entitled “Supersymmetry,” released in 2003 and becoming double platinum. “Gloria”, the fifth album, which appeared in 2005, also became platinum in the first hours of sales. Released in 100,000 copies, it was instantly sold out.
In 2007, Vakarchuk and “Okean Elzy” also worked productively, without slowing down. The musicians are releasing another album, which is dedicated to the memory of Sergei Tovstoluzhsky, who worked as a sound producer in the group and committed suicide. The album “Mira” is the most fatal of all.
But the next disc, released in 2008, is solo project Svyatoslav Vakarchuk. Two lyrical compositions are extremely popular. These are the songs “So, like you” and “Don’t lower your eyes.” Already at the beginning of 2010, the group with the participation of the performer pleased fans with the seventh studio album “Dolce Vita”.
In 2011, Svyatoslav Vakarchuk continues his solo career and will soon present new project"Brussels". To promote it, the singer goes on a concert tour and shoots videos for two compositions – “Airplane” and “Adrenaline”.
Svyatoslav Vakarchuk - “Taka, yak ti”For the next 2 years, nothing is heard again about Elsa's Ocean, but it becomes known that Vakarchuk is working on solo album"Earth" with the support of renowned producer Ken Nelson. "Earth" will be released at the end of 2013. Fans of Svyatoslav Vakarchuk’s work especially note two songs – “Obiymi” and “Strilyay”.
Fans of the Okean Elzy group received a real gift in 2014. The musicians got together again and held a great anniversary concert entitled “Ocean Elzy - 20 years together!” 75 thousand fans gathered there.
Svyatoslav Vakarchuk and the group “Okean Elzy” - “Obiymi”In 2016, the ninth studio album of 11 tracks was released. The new disc was not based on one direction of music. It features tracks of different genres, but fans believe that the new songs have an emphasis on military themes. Vakarchuk himself stated that the record included romantic compositions based on love lyrics, and several songs with social overtones.
In the same year, Svyatoslav Vakarchuk once again participated in the “Voice of the Country” project, where he became the mentor of one of the teams that competed with the teams, and. Based on the results of a music show on the microblogging service "Twitter" and other social networks, they discussed not the achievements of the participants and their leaders, but the conflict between Svyatoslav Vakarchuk and the popular rap artist Potap.
The Ukrainian rapper’s remarks about the students of the lead singer of “Okean Elzy” became the reason for further proceedings. Vakarchuk accused some artists of defending personal interests, thinking only about money, and not putting their soul into the song. Thus, the musician hinted at Potap’s trips to Russia, where the rapper gave concerts.
Speaking about Russia, Svyatoslav himself does not allow harsh statements. Dividing people based on belonging to a state is not a European way of thinking.
“And I’m trying to be European. I have friends with Russian passports who were born in Russia. We must judge people by their words and actions.”
In one of the seasons of “The Voice,” Vakarchuk took a liking to a student of the Faculty of Philology at Lvov University, Kristina Solovy. Svyatoslav turned the girl into a personal production project, which is why the aspiring singer was nicknamed the female continuation of “Ocean Elzy” and Vakarchuk’s protégé. Although Christina says that the influence " godfather“in music ended back in 2017, and the reason for this is its rebellious nature. The creative tandem managed to record an album and release 2 videos.
Svyatoslav Vakarchuk and Kristina Solovy - “Gameritsky region”As part of a tour of Canada and the United States in 2017, the rock band Okean Elzy performed in New York, where they presented both new songs and long-loved compositions.
Policy
The musician does not stand aside from political processes. IN different years famous Ukrainian performer often participated in political actions, but such actions were more than once negatively perceived by fans, who accused the singer of bias and inclination towards a specific political position.
Interest in public life Svyatoslav Vakarchuk showed it back in 1999. Then the singer, together with other candidates, spoke in support of the election campaign of the President of Ukraine, who was running again for main position countries.
In the 2004 elections, the rock musician dramatically changed Political Views, supporting the opposition leader at that time. Svyatoslav Vakarchuk was an active participant in the Orange Revolution, performing at concerts in support of Viktor Yushchenko on Maidan Nezalezhnosti together with Ruslana and other musicians.
Limitless fame and popularity allowed Vakarchuk to become a people's deputy of Ukraine in 2007 on the lists of the Our Ukraine - People's Self-Defense bloc. This political movement nominated Father Svyatoslav to the post of Minister of Education.
Large quantity voters believed in the honesty of the musician’s intentions, because Vakarchuk was not at the center of high-profile political scandals, and his desire for change inspired people with hope for making positive changes that would affect the life of every Ukrainian.
However, the musician’s work in parliament was not remembered by ordinary citizens. In 2008, Svyatoslav announced that he had submitted an application to resign as a people's deputy of Ukraine. It was assumed that the famous rock musician had become disillusioned with politics and would no longer try to implement his plans in this area, but it happened differently.
In November 2013, mass protests began in Ukraine. Vakarchuk will take an active part in the large-scale event after law enforcement officials used force against peaceful protesters. On December 14, 2013, the group “Okean Elzy” gave a concert in support of the protesters. The singer will speak more than once about the events in Ukraine later, commenting on the situation in the state.
Vakarchuk’s opinion about Russia changed dramatically after Euromaidan. If earlier he visited the neighboring country with concerts, then later he revised his plans, refusing to visit the Russian Federation on tour. However, Svyatoslav opposes the introduction of “black lists” for Russian artists who are prohibited from entering Ukraine.
Personal life
In the heart of the popular Ukrainian rock musician was and remains the only woman– Lyalya Fonareva, from the first days of the group’s move to Kyiv, she has been the stylist and art director of Okean Elzy. The couple lived in a civil marriage for 15 years, and only in 2015 did the singer’s chosen one officially become his wife. The personal life of Svyatoslav Vakarchuk is a closed topic for the press. The musician answered only one thing to all questions: “I have a family, and I’m happy.” The artist has no children in common with Fonareva. The only child is Diana, Lyalya’s daughter from her first marriage.
Also in 2015, according to some media reports, the singer became a student at Yale University for 4 months in the Yale World Fellow program for training world leaders. Among the graduates of the prestigious educational institution are: former secretaries of state USA and Russian oppositionist.
Vakarchuk himself in different times lectured at Harvard, Columbia, Stanford and California Universities. Students from Ukrainian universities, the London School of Economics, as well as Oxford, Sorbonne and Cambridge listened to him.
Svyatoslav maintains an interest in science and follows publications.
“Natural sciences help me analyze what is happening, because you know that the world is much deeper and more multifaceted than it seems, and that some things you can describe with mathematical formulas. The same fundamental laws apply in society - the principle of conservation of energy, the law of action and reaction, the principle least action. It’s impossible to go against them.”
The singer reported that Vakarchuk opened a page on Instagram. The only thing is that the photos are not available for viewing - the account is closed.
Svyatoslav Vakarchuk now
Presidential elections are due to take place in Ukraine in March 2019. Since the fall of 2017, the name of the leader of Okean Elzy has appeared on the lists of possible candidates for the highest post of the country. In ratings compiled by various agencies and sociological services, Svyatoslav was certainly among the top five. At the same time, Vakarchuk never publicly declared his political ambitions. However, the release of the new song “How Much of Us” was regarded as the beginning of the election campaign.
Svyatoslav Vakarchuk and the group “Ocean Elzy” - “How Many of Us” (premiere 2018)Society has an ambiguous attitude towards the situation. Some considered the singer a “decorative candidate” whose task is to draw votes away from another election participant, hinting at. Others believed that a musician with an army of fans, whose opinions are listened to, is being groomed as at least the head of a parliamentary faction. When in June 2018, Svyatoslav called to oppose the authorities and the political system in the country, the public assessed this as entry into the election race.
Later, while giving lectures to students at a Ukrainian university, Vakarchuk said that he was not interested in his position, but in changes in Ukraine. At the YES conference, the musician said that it is the politicians who have been robbing the country for the last quarter of a century.
The composition “How Many of Us” was performed at the group’s first Independence Day concert after almost a year’s break, held at the Kiev Olympic Stadium. According to Vakarchuk, it is premature to talk about a full-fledged studio album, but new songs are already available, and he performed “To the Sky for My Wife” and “Without You.” The audience also heard “Koli Tobi Vazhko”, “My Little Independence”, “Don’t Go” and others.
Discography
- 1998 – “There, where there are no us”
- 2000 – “Yananebibuv”
- 2001 – “Model”
- 2003 – “Supersymmetry”
- 2005 – “Gloria”
- 2007 – “Mira”
- 2010 – “Dolce Vita”
- 2013 – “Earth”
- 2016 – “Without Between”
Honored Artist of Ukraine Stanislav Vakarchuk in his youth could go abroad and continue his education as a theoretical physicist; he had excellent abilities in this direction. He could have become an international economist in accordance with his second higher education. Instead, Stanislav chose music and was not mistaken: the rock group “Okean Elzy”, the leader and creator of songs for which, as well as the vocalist, he is one of the most famous and beloved groups not only in Ukraine. Created in 1994, the group quickly gained popularity and, having successfully performed at several festivals, began to be considered one of the brightest musical ensembles modernity. Its frontman is quite an influential person in his homeland and has a huge number of fans. For a very long time there was no exact information about the wife of Stanislav Vakarchuk.
Until recently, he was not officially married, so the news that Vakarchuk decided to register his relationship with the woman who has been his life partner for fifteen years became a real sensation. Wife famous singer and the composer was named Lyalya Fonareva, who was its stylist throughout the existence of the Ocean Elzy group. In May 2016, group member Milos Jelic made a post on social network about the wedding of Stanislav and Lyalya, which took place in Lvov and, after that, a real stir began around the unexpected news. However, Stanislav himself was very angry about these rumors: firstly, they turned out to be untrue, and secondly (and mostly), he never allows outsiders to interfere in his personal life.
His relationship with Lyalya began at the very beginning of the group’s activities. Stanislav was a client of a fashionable Kyiv hairdresser - stylist Fonareva, whom he really liked. However, Lyalya was the wife of the famous designer Vladimir Tarasyuk in the capital and was not going to change anything either in her personal life or in her life. professional activities. Vakarchuk, then an aspiring musician, young, handsome and persistent, showed considerable persistence to please someone else’s wife and finally succeeded. Lyalya left her husband for him along with her five-year-old daughter Diana, whom Stanislav accepted as his own and raised all these fifteen years. His common-law wife has always been the permanent stylist and photographer of the group, and once, she was even persuaded to star in the “Cold” music video, where she looks great and completely organic.
Lyalya participated together with the whole team in concert activities and went on tour. In practice, she and Stanislav never parted. It is not known why this couple never wanted to formalize their close relationship in a legal way, but, according to Vakarchuk, who, reluctantly, had to give an interview to a journalist after the hype that arose around him, he and Lyalya were happy with everything as it was. The main thing in their love is that they are still close not only physically, but also internally and understand each other in everything, and the stamp in the passport is only a purely external side of their relationship, which does not have much meaning.
It is worth noting that Stanislav himself was born into a wealthy family, his father is the former Minister of Education of Ukraine. Having been separated from his family, the young musician immediately began to earn good money and fully provided for his wife and stepdaughter. In such situations, formalities often fade into the background, allowing a person to do only what gives him not the pragmatic, but the spiritual side of existence. True, Vakarchuk and his common-law wife also never appeared at social events and parties; only a narrow circle of his closest friends knew about their many years of inseparable connection.
No matter how strange the explanations for this mystery and closeness of the intimate life of the famous Ukrainian rock singer and musician may seem, there are no others. Now that everything has become known, Vakarchuk still insists on non-interference by outsiders in his personal life and assures the curious that everything is fine with him. All marriages are made in heaven and he never intended to “make his name day, christening, wedding public knowledge...”. When asked if he wanted to have his own children, Stanislav replied that he still had time to take care of this. He dreams of his own son, but his appearance also depends on God’s providence, which must be awaited patiently and with hope.
Although evil tongues They explain the pop star’s exorbitant secrecy for completely different reasons; the public has no reason yet to disbelieve Vakarchuk’s words. He began appearing with his girlfriend at concerts and other events and, from time to time, answers questions about his family life. Stanislav is a fairly prominent figure in the political life of his country and even served as a people’s deputy for some time. His political and civic activity could well have provoked opponents and envious people to use slander and slander against Vakarchuk regarding unconventional preferences and weaknesses. Until he himself made the corresponding statements, we can only speak with complete certainty about what he reports about himself.
In 2016, the leader of Okean Elzy turned forty-one years old and he considers Lyalya’s gift the best surprise for his birthday. Stanislav Vakarchuk’s wife found for him an antique black Austrian piano of amazing beauty, which is 120 years old.
Exactly nine years ago Svyatoslav Vakarchuk told Viva! about his home, parents and brother, about how he studied at school, about love and, of course, about creativity. Slava also admitted that he wants to become a father, although at heart he is still a harmless child who from time to time wants to fool around with friends, completely forgetting about the rules invented by adults.
On the day of the 41st birthday of the leader of Okean Elzy, the site publishes exclusive interview musician from the archives of Viva!
- Svyatoslav, who chose this name for you?
Parents. But I don’t know which one of them.
- Do you prefer to be called Svyatoslav or, for short, Slava?
Svyatoslav is better. Then they definitely won't get confused. And when they hear “Slava,” they may decide that I am Vyacheslav. For some reason people confuse these two names.
-Are you baptized?
Yes. I am Orthodox. Although I can say that I am a deeply religious person and observe everything church canons, I can't.
-Have you never wanted to be born a woman?
No. And not because I don't like women. I have a priori sympathy for them, because I am a man... I just have absolutely male character. If I, with my views, with my life values, turned into a woman, it would be very difficult for me in this world.
-Who instilled such beliefs in you?
Both parents and grandmothers. My maternal grandmother, her name was Nina, was a teacher junior classes. She taught me to read. And at the age of 5 I read the first book in my life about the adventures of Baron Munchausen. And Grandma Vera - my father's mother - was a simple woman. But I knew few people with higher education who could look at life wisely like she did.
- Has your family influenced you for a long time? When did you become independent?
At the age of 17, I realized that my parents no longer had any influence on me; for example, they could not forbid me to come home late at night. Since then I have been responsible for my actions.
- When did you stop taking money from your parents?
When I started living on my graduate student salary. Mom and Dad, of course, helped me for a while, but rarely. And after moving to Kyiv, virtually no one supported me financially.
- Do you have a brother or sister?
I have a younger brother Oleg. He lives in Kyiv and raises beautiful daughter Marichka is my niece and goddaughter.
Well, since you were chosen as godfather, it’s clear that everything is fine with you now. What was your relationship with Oleg like before?
We have classic difference at the age of 5, and the relationship also developed according to the classic scenario. When I was conscious and he was not yet, we were friends. During adolescence, conflicts began. This went on for quite a long time, 5-6 years, until Oleg entered the Kiev Institute of International Relations. Now we find a common language.
- We started talking about your childhood again. Continuing this topic, tell us how you studied at school?
I studied well, but there were always problems with behavior. I was often called to the director. As I remember now, I sat on the last desk and painted a pioneer tie with verses from The Beatles songs. IN junior classes I did minor mischief - I once broke a window with a soccer ball. And when he got older, he refused to join the Komsomol, because at the age of 14 he seriously joined the Ukrainian nationalist movement.
-Have you had any problems with the police?
When I moved from Lviv to Kyiv, we rented an apartment with Yura Khustochka (ex-bassist of “Okean Elzy” - author’s note). And then one day at 6 am they came to us from the department for especially dangerous crimes. Without asking any questions, they took our passports, told us to pack our things and took us to the police station with several other guys. It turned out that Yurin’s classmate, who came to visit for one day, looked like a sketch of some rapist.
- Were you involved yourself?
Yes. All the newspapers wrote about it then. In 2004, a criminal case was opened against me “for the illegal seizure of government buildings.” Several deputies and I went into the red building of Shevchenko University, the rector invited us to tea. And then it turned out that we had illegally seized the building...
- Slava, admit it, have you dabbled in drugs?
I have experience, not personal, but the experience of close friends who tried drugs before me. And I realized that this shouldn’t be done. They are especially contraindicated for people with subtle soul. And I'm very sensitive.
- How do you react to porn films then?
I watched them in my youth. Well, like everyone else, probably. And now I don't need it. People watch pornography to get aroused, I’m fine in that regard.
- Do you remember when you started staring at girls?
I showed sympathy for my classmates, probably from the age of 13. And he started his intimate life quite late. Believe it or not, I was not popular among my classmates. They communicated with me because I knew a lot, joked wittily, but nothing more. I think it could have been applied to me at that time English word like. In general, all the girls liked me, but didn’t love me.
- When did you first learn about sex?
We rarely discussed sex with our school friends, and only as something abstract, from adult life. I don’t remember any of my friends bringing up their personal lives for discussion. And at school I was a big kid. I learned about the world around me, took in the knowledge, figuratively speaking, that lies under my feet, and not hidden in the bushes. Sex then, in 1988-89, was not underfoot.
- Well, when did you really fall in love?
Still at school. My heart ached then, I suffered from insomnia... And now, having lived a certain part of my life, I understand that I am not one of those who quickly fall in love and can quickly fall out of love. In general, I am accelerating slowly, but I am moving through life thoroughly and consistently.
- Is everything going according to plan?
I have never met people more predictable than me. Nothing has ever happened to me suddenly. Unfortunately, I can even predict negative things.
- So you wouldn’t like to find out your fate from a professional fortune teller?
No, I have never done this in my life and I don’t want to. If someone tells you something, you begin to live as if with an aftertaste or in anticipation of something. And anticipation somehow limits... I myself have a presentiment of what is going to happen to me. That’s why I always act intuitively. This gift was passed on to my dad by his mother, and by my father to me.
- And what does your intuition tell you now?
I must move on, not stop there. It's come in my life new stage growing up. I have a huge responsibility for many people: for my parents, for my friends, for the group, for my fans, for my beloved woman...
- Slava, since you mentioned your beloved woman, tell me why you hide her from everyone?
In my opinion, everyone already knows about Lyala. And I just don’t want my personal life to become public knowledge. I value feelings too much, our internal connection, and I don’t want to let anyone in with us.
- How many years have you been together?
Enough to understand how serious it is.
- When is the wedding?
All marriages are made in heaven. And I don't want to say anything more. This is our internal matter, we will sort it out ourselves. You know, so far I haven’t even thought about how I will celebrate my birthday, although the date is just around the corner. I am only sure that it will not be a public event. And never, no matter how famous I become, I am not going to make my name days, christenings, weddings public knowledge... I don’t want to do theatrical performances on the topic of personal relationships.
- Slava, do you want children?
Yes. It's probably time already.
- And when will this happen?
They say that children live inside us, and God decides when they should be born. So I wait patiently for God's decision.
- But after all time goes by, and, unfortunately, we are not getting any younger...
And I’m even interested in growing old. Finding wrinkles on my face, I understand that something is changing in my life. I'm growing up, gaining experience. Of course, many girls will not agree with me and will say that growing old is not interesting. But maybe because I'm a man and because I don't pay much attention appearance, this fascinates me. I understand that there is no point in denying it, old age will take its toll anyway, this is how our world works. But, in my opinion, it’s too early to talk so much about old age. I still want to live! (Smiles) I like to feel like a full participant in life.
- Do you often allow yourself to fool around?
Sometimes I act like a child. With friends, for example, I am quite spontaneous in communication. I can’t be mannered with people close to me, or set up barriers that no one needs.
- How many real friends do you have?
A little. First of all, this is Lyalya and her father. Then, probably, the musicians of my team. After all, you can’t be internal strangers and play in the same group. It wouldn't be fair to the fans.
In general, I don’t understand how there can be many friends. There can be any number of acquaintances with whom I have common interests, but I personally can count my friends on the fingers of one hand.
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- Do you like meeting friends? Do you often arrange friendly parties in your home?
No, unfortunately, not often, because I’m practically never at home. But on weekends, close people come.
-Where is your house?
The house where I live now is in Kyiv. And my roots are in Lviv. My parents live there.
- Do you visit them regularly?
Like when. It so happened that over the past two weeks I went to Lviv three times. Before that, I hadn’t been there for two or three months.
- Does your beloved travel with you?
Yes, on Easter we visited my parents with the whole family.
- By the way, how is your relationship with Diana? (Lyalya’s daughter from her first marriage - author’s note)
We get along well.
- Does she listen to “Okean Elzy”?
Probably not as much as I would like (smiles). There are songs that she likes. And there are those that she does not perceive. I like that she has her own opinion, her own taste. It is important to me how teenagers perceive my work. She told me that her friends respect Okean Elzy.