Sergey Lazarev: biography
Sergey Lazarev is a popular Russian singer, who performs songs both in English and Russian. He performed in the musical duet ''Smash!!'' and also as a solo artist. Sergey hosted entertainment programmes ''New Wave'', ''The Song of the year'' and ''Dance!''. He won in the TV show ''Сircus of the stars''.
Sergey Lazarev was born in Moscow in the family of Valentina Viktorovna Lazareva and Vyacheslav Yurievich Lazarev. He was the second child in his family, his elder brother Pavel was 5 years older than he. After some years his parents divorced and he didn’t see his father until he became famous. In his early childhood, the boy did gymnastics in children sports club. But when he was 9 he got bored of sporting competitions and he shifted to music and theatre.
During two years Sergey and his brother were participants of the folk trope of Vladimir Loktev. Alongside this activity, Sergey attended acting classes at the studio in the theater of Boris Pokrovskiy. Sergey frequently performed at the stage of this theater.
Being 12 years, Sergey Lazarev joined a famous children ensemble ''Neposedi'', due to which he participated in various musical contests and TV shows. Sergey completed primary school #389 in Moscow and then continued his studies at school #1061. Later, director of this school created a museum here, dedicated to Sergey Lazarev. The boy was a very active and hard-working pupil, the leader of the class and the captain of the scholar KVN ("Club of the Funny and Inventive People") team.
After receiving school-leaving certificate, Sergey entered Moscow Art Theater School, where he studied at the theatre workshop with Roman Efimovich Kozak directing it. At the second year of studies, Sergey became a member of the Pushkin Drama Theater troupe. Here he acted in the plays ''Romeo and Juliette'', ''The Marriage of Figaro'', ''Lend Me A Tenor'' and ''Talent and the dead''. Also, he played the character of Alyosha Karamazov in the stage play ''A few days of the life of Alyosha Karamazov'' of Moscow Art Theater School.
As a drama artist, Lazarev was recognized by professional critics, so that he got the awards of Oleg Tabakov Foundation, ''Chaika'' dramatic debut and ''Crystal Turandot''.
In «Smash!!»
Sergey Lazarev and his friend Vlad Topalov had an idea of creating a musical band since their activity in children group ''Neposedi''. In 2000 guys recorded songs of this ensemble at the recording studio, because father of Vlad Topalov decided to release an album to the 10th anniversary of this group.
At the same time, Sergey and Vlad recorded the ballade in French language ''Belle'', which was heard for the first time in the world-famous musical ''Notre Dame de Paris''.
This version of the famous song was of great demand in Russia and its success inspired guys to create the band ''Smash!!''. The same year Lazarev and Topalov concluded the first professional contract with the recording studio ''Universal Music Group''. In spring 2002 the duet took part in the popular song contest ''New Wave'' and won it.
After this, guys concentrated on the recording of their own songs. At first, they released a promo-single ''Should have loved you more'' and a video for this song. In 2003 they released the full-length album ''Freeway'', which became the platinum record in a short time. It’s curious, that this album brought them fame not only in Russia but also in many other countries of CIS and South-East Asia.
In the end of 2004 the second and last album ''2nite'' was brought to light. Almost immediately after releasing this album, Sergey Lazarev announced the fans about his leaving from the band.
Solo career
Sergey Lazarev recorded his solo debut ''Don’t Be Fake'' at the recording studios Rive Droite and Metrophonic situated in London. He released this album in December 2005. His disc was sold in more than 200 000 copies and became famous quickly enough.
This album includes 12 English songs, three of which became hits and stayed on the charts for a long time. These were the following songs ''Eye of the Storm'', ''Fake'' and ''Lost without Your Love''.
Next year Lazarev recorded the song ''Just Because You Walk Away'' from this album in a new version in Russian under the title ''Daje Esli Ty Uydiosh'', which became one of the most popular songs in 2006. Moreover, at the end of the same year singer was called the best performer at MTV Russia Music Awards ceremony.
The second album ''TV Show'' was released in spring 2007. The disc was recorded in England and Norway and included 12 new English songs; a Russian version of the song ''Everytime'' and a couple of remixes.
The songs ''Everytime'' (''Vspominay''), ''Shattered Dreams'', ''Girlfriend'' and a separately released single ''Zachem Pridumali Lyubov'' became the most famous songs of this album. Music for the latter song was taken from the ballade ''Almost Sorry'', though Russian text was not a literary translation of the main song and was written additionally.
His fans had to wait for the new album for 3 years. The album ''Electric Touch'' included 14 songs, one of which was performed in Russian language. This album came in demand very quickly and, as a result, became a golden disk.
The songs ''Naydi menya'', ''Lazerboy'', ''Stereo'' and Russian version of the song ''Heartbeat'' under the title ''Bienie serdca'' became the best songs of this album.
The song ''When You Tell Me That You Love Me'', which he sang in a duet with Ukrainian singer Ani Lorak, was performed by them at the musical festival ''New Wave''. The song mentioned above and also a song ''Moscow to California'', recorded together with Timati and DJ MEG were released as separate singles. The video for the last song with Timati, filmed in Moscow and California, entered the final MTV TOP-20.
The fourth studio album ''Lazarev.'' was released in December 2012. This album became a golden disk, as the previous one. It’s interesting, that before the disc appeared in shops, it was possible to buy and download its online version in iTunes Store.
The songs ''Unreal love'', ''Take It Off'' and ''Stumblin’'' were of the greatest interest. Also, the composition ''Cure the Thunder'', recorded in duet with the American hip-hop singer T Pain, became a hit. It was included in the extended album version together with the Russian version of the songs ''Tears In My Heart'' and ''Into The Heart''.
On his 32-nd birthday, Sergey Lazarev presented the collection of his best songs in ''The Best (Russian Edition) ''. This edition included his most popular songs in Russian. In autumn of the same year, he released the similar edition of is English songs and included a new composition ''Hard To Love''.
In 2016 Sergey Lazarev presented Russia at the Eurovision Song Contest at Sweden with the song ''You Are the Only One'', composed by Philipp Kirkorov.
In the final, Sergey reached the 3-rd place. This happened because of the innovation of the contest in 2016 – the voting was held by the professional jury, who put Sergey Lazarev at lower positions. Meanwhile, the spectators decided, that Russian singer was worth the 1-st place. However, in total, Lazarev managed to gain ''bronze'', giving up to Australian singer Dami Im and to the final winner Jamala, the representative from Ukraine.
Films and TV
In 1996 Lazarev became the winner of the TV children talent show ''Morning Star''. In 2007 Sergey Lazarev took part in the first season of the entertaining TV-show ''Circus of the Stars'' and won in it. The same year he took the second place in the dancing show ''Dancing on ice''.
The singer hosted the following TV programmes: ''Dance!'', ''New Wave'', ''The Best Song of the Year'', ''Maydans''. Also, he was a coach in the musical project ''I want to get to Meladze'' and in the Ukrainian show ''The Voice''.
Also, Sergey tried himself in voicing-over the movies. He voiced-over Troy Bolton in all parts of the musical TV movie ''High School Musical'', Arthur, the heir to the throne, in Russian version of the animated series ''Shrek the Third'' and Omega wolf Humphrey in the animated movie ''Alpha and Omega''.
Personal life
Since 2008 Sergey Lazarev dated popular TV host Lera Kudryavtseva, who was 12 years older than he. They separated at the end of 2012, but they stayed good friends. Later he was seen with the Ukrainian singer Santa Dimopulos.
During autumn 2015 in one of his interviews, a young man told, that he had a beloved girlfriend. He didn't call her name and only mentioned, that she was related to show business.
In spring 2015 his elder brother Pavel, with whom Sergey was very close, lost his life in a car crash.
In December 2016 journalists announced that Sergey Lazarev concealed the fact of the birth of his son Nikita for 2,5 years. The singer was captured by paparazzi when he was attending church with his mother and his little son. Friends and closest friends of the singer admitted, that he really has a son, but he concealed his private life thoroughly because it only concerned his family. Nothing is known about Nikita's mother.
Discography
• 2003 - Freeway
• 2004 - 2nite
• 2005 - Don’t Be Fake
• 2007 - TV Show
• 2010 - Electric Touch
• 2012 - Lazarev.
• 2015 - The Best
