Vitas

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Vitas

Background information
Birth name
Vitaliy Vladasovich Grachyov (Виталий Владасович Грачев)
Also known as Vitas
Born 19 February 1981 (1981-02-19) (age 28)
Origin Daugavpils, Latvian SSR, Soviet Union
Genre(s) Pop, Classical, Synthpop, Alt rock, Chillout, Easy listening
Occupation(s) Singer, Composer, Songwriter, Actor, Fashion designer
Instrument(s) Voice, Piano, Accordion
Voice type(s) Countertenor (also sings in Bass, Baritone and Tenor ranges)
Years active 2000–present
Website vitas.com.ru

Vitas (Russian: Витас, born 19 February 1981, Daugavpils, Latvian SSR), is a Russian pop singer, composer, actor, and fashion designer. He is most commonly known by his shortened first name, Vitas, or Витас in Russian, also sometimes written or typed as Bumac which is how his name in Russian cursive appears when compared to letters in the Roman alphabet. Much of his music is mainstream pop sometimes influenced by techno, and occasionally classical opera.

He has received much of his fame through Russian television and is planning to sign to entertainment labels in countries such as China, Korea, and Japan in order to expand to those markets. Vitas' 2000 video "Opera #2" (which includes a scene in which he plays the accordion naked)[1] has been forwarded frequently via the Internet, which accounts for much of his worldwide recognition.

His total CD sales reportedly exceed 100 million [2], and he has performed duets with many other singers including Demis Roussos, Lucio Dalla, and Vitas' grandfather Arkadiy Davydovich Marantsman (Аркадий Давыдович Маранцман) with whom he sings "Friendship".

Contents

[edit] Biography

[edit] Early life and success

Vitas was born Vitaliy Vladasovich Grachov (Russian: Виталий Владасович Грачев) on 19 February 1981 in Latvia. His first appearance was in Russia in December 2000 with hit Opera #2, which was notable for use of Vitas' surprisingly high-pitched and energetic countertenor voice.

[edit] 2001-2003: Rise to fame

Vitas got an invitation from Lucio Dalla, the composer, who created "Caruso", to perform this famous song together with the author at the concert "San Remo in Moscow" held in the State Kremlin Palace in 2001. Vitas’ voice enchanted not only the audience but Mr. Dalla himself, so the composer invited Vitas to come to Rome to take part in the rehearsals of "Toska", the modern version of the legendary opera.

Vitas established an indisputable record having organized the premiere of his solo concert in the State Kremlin Palace on 29 March 2002. He is the youngest artist who performed a solo concert at the Kremlin. He also presented his collection of the clothes "Autumn Dreams" on the stage of the State Kremlin Palace in 29 September 2002.

Vitas presented his second solo program "The Songs of My Mother" in the Concert Hall "RUSSIA", Moscow in November 2003. Two albums: "The Songs of My Mother" and "Mama" of the artist were released for the premiere. The album "The Songs of My Mother" included the songs which are considered to be the gold reserves of Russian pop-music. Another album "Mama" included only the new songs composed by Vitas. The two albums were a dedication to his mother who died in 2001. In 2003 he gave 264 solo concerts in places including Russia, Australia, Canada, Israel, Germany, Kazakhstan, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Georgia, Tajikistan, Ukraine, Belarus.[citation needed]

Vitas starred in a murder mystery television series called "Beloved Scoundrel" in English, and "Сволочь ненаглядная" in Russian in which he played (appropriately) a pop singer with an unusually high voice. He also starred in a comedy called Crazy Day.

[edit] 2004-2006: Development of music and image

The album A Kiss As Long As Eternity, was released on October 8, 2004.

Vitas's producer, Sergey Nickolaevich Poudovkin, signed a contract in August 2005 with the Taiwanese record company Avant Garden Records, which planned to release a Vitas album in Taiwan in September 2005. However, as of November 2005, Pudovkin has broken the contract without explanation, thus canceling the release. Around 2004 to 2005, Vitas became the most popular touring artist in Russia. His premiere "The Songs of My Mother" was acknowledged "the best musical event of the year."[citation needed]

The Production Center Pudovkin organized an unprecedented tour with the program "The Songs of My Mother" in Russia and the USA, Canada, Australia, Germany, Kazakhstan, Israel and the Baltic States in 2004-2006. Vitas gave more than 250 performances with the program "The Songs of My Mother" in 2004.

In June, 2006, Vitas was invited by CCTV to take part in the grand event "The Year of Russia in China" in Beijing. Vitas performed two songs, "Star" and "Opera #2," in that program.

[edit] 2007

Vitas' premiere "Return Home" took place in March, 2007 on the stage of Kosmos. More than 20 new Vitas' compositions were included in the premiere. Many new songs have become favorites for fans via the Internet such as "Crane's Crying", "Shores of Russia", "I Ask All Saints", "The Little Prince", "I Repeat Your Name" and others.

In October 2007, Vitas was signed with American company Gemini Sun Records. Gemini Sun plans to release his previous DVD and CD releases in the spring of 2008 with new packaging and English subtitles.[1][2]

[edit] 2008

Vitas was the only foreign artist to sing at the Olympic kickoff concert in July.

[edit] 2009

"Sleepless Nights" tour includes concerts in China. Vitas performed in Bucharest, Romania on 25 February. This concert was broadcast on Romanian television networks TVR2 and TVRi, achieving their highest ratings in 12 months [3] Also, a charity performance of "The Star" was held on May 12, 2009 in Sichuan province in memory of the victims of the earthquake that occurred the previous year.

Vitas has a starring role in the live action movie version of "Mulan" to be released in 2010. You can view the movie trailer here: [4] He has recorded music for the film's soundtrack.[5]

[edit] Awards and achievements

Year Category Recording
2001, 2002, 2003 Best selling single Russian Record Prize "Opera # 2"
2001 "Komsomolskaya Pravda" and Internet Survey "FORUM 2001" Musical Discovery of the Year —
2000, 2001, 2002 Three-time-laureate of the festivals "The Song of the Year-2000", "The Song of the Year-2001" and "The Song of the Year-2002" —
2001, 2002 Two-time-laureate of the People Prize "Golden Gramophone" "Opera # 2", "Smile!"
2001, 2002, 2003 Three-time-laureate of the Musical Prize "PODIUM" for the most stylish achievements in pop music —
2001, 2002, 2003 Russian "People’s HIT" Prize "Opera # 2", "Smile!" ,"The Star"
2001, 2003 Radio station "HIT FM" Prize "100 Per Cent HIT" —
2002 National Musical Prize "Ovation" Soloist of the Year —
2004 Russian Internet portal AFISHA.COM —
2007 Order of Service to the Arts —

[edit] Discography

[edit] Albums

Russian English Year
Философия чуда Philosophy of Miracle 2001
Улыбнись Smile! 2002
Мама Mama 2003
Песни моей мамы The Songs of My Mother 2003
Поцелуй длиною в вечность A Kiss as Long as Eternity 2004
Возвращение домой Return Home 2006
Vitas - Myth of the Shaking Soul Voice The China release with the best of Vitas 2007
Krikom zhuravlinym, Возвращение домой II Crane's Cry,Return Home Part 2 2007
Хиты ХХ века XX-th Century Hits 2008
СВЕТ НОВОГО ДНЯ Light of a New Day 2008

[edit] Singles

Russian English Year
Опера №2 Opera #2 2001
До свидания Good-bye 2001

[edit] Videos

Russian English Year
Опера №2 Opera #2 2000
Опера №1 Opera #1 2001
Блаженный Гуру Blessed Guru 2001
Улыбнись! Smile! 2002
Звезда The Star 2003
Мама Mama 2003
Птица Счастья The Bird of Happiness 2004
Поцелуй Длиною В Вечность Kiss As Long As Eternity 2004
Берега России Shores of Russia 2005
Лючия ди Ламмермур Lucia Di Lammermoorr 2006
Криком Журавлиным Crane's Crying 2006
ЯМАЙКА Jamaica 2007
** China Triumph 2008
** Tibetan Plateau 2008

[edit] See Also

List of honorific titles in popular music

[edit] References

  1. ^ Opera #2 MV: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GaxhqiLpmh8
  2. ^ http://www.vitas.com.ru/pressa_eng.php
  3. ^ http://www.vitas.com.ru/titul_eng.php
  4. ^ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5nPdnNTWtIE
  5. ^ http://www.vitas.com.ru/pressa_eng.php

[edit] External links

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitas"
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