Planet Vitas - Vitas Biography

2001-2002

"Operas No. 1 & 2″ seem to constitute a symbol. The two songs are from the same album and look so similar in the name. Despite this, the ideas that the two music videos convey form a sharp contrast– "Opera #1″ depicts an extraordinary person worshipped by his pious followers whereas "Opera #2″ a marginalized person suffering from grave loneliness. These two music videos of utterly different styles reflected the very two sides of Vitas, a singer who had just made his debut on the Russian stage. In"Opera #1″, the singer, fully aware of his astonishing gifts, has a feeling of defiance of the earthly world; on the contrary, in "Opera #2″, he is all gentle and elegant, showing compassion for the mankind. Miraculously, these two seemingly contradictory sides co-existed in the singer.

These seemingly contradictory styles appeared again in the following album Smile! "The Blissful Guru” inherited the mysterious and enigmatic style of "Opera #1″, continuing with the portrayal of "the extraordinary person”. The only difference was that the identity of Vitas was changed from a hierarch into a guru, no longer feeling unparalleled in the world. Meanwhile, Smile! was completely a story of "an ordinary person”, with focus on the depiction of his emotional and mental states.

The writer holds that in terms of appearance, these two years was the period when Vitas enjoyed his supreme beauty. His eyes sparkling with transparent comeliness exerted particular fascination on others, and that belongs only to a pure and naive child.

2003-2004

After Smile! (2002) was a distinct transformation in style. A transformation in an artist’s style usually takes place for a reason. Due to the limited resources available, the writer does not know what exactly it was that led to this change. However, judging from the songs released during this period, the influence of the famous artists such as Alexandra Pakhmutova was noticable, yet the death of Vitas’s mother was the major reason. No one likes misfortune, but a man has to go through the vicissitudes of life before he matures. "Star” and "Mama” were created by the singer, suffering gravely from the bereavement of his deeply-loved mother, the very closest person ever to him. There was less flaunt in these two songs: the heart-piercing countersoprano part was immersed with emotions. His voice, so pure as if filtered, ravishes the ear with heart-rending grief. However, rather than a hysterical emotional catharsis, Vitas expressed "grief without being hurtfully excessive”, in Confucius’s words. Vitas’s music perfectly blends passion, inebriating lure, reason and faith. His belief in eternity bestows his works a touch of transcendece over ephemeral earthly life.

His performance in these two music videos exerts gripping infulences on the viewers and he virtually creates an atmosphere of chilling melancholy only with his facial expressions.Generally speaking, a man like Vitas who holds fast to his faith never abandons himself to despair, to which the fact that "The Bird of Happiness” was listed as the first track in the album The Songs of My Mother may well serve as a testimony.So far, the music video of this song stands out with a unique look, virtually being a collection of footages of his live recitals. Filled with triumphant joy and burning enthusiasm, the music video of "The Bird of Happiness” looks, in a sense, like a "school report” of a straight A student to his late mother. The album The Songs of My Mother contains Vitas’s renditions of the time-honored Russian folk songs; hence the widespread popularity since its release.

2005-2007

After the previous two albums with a focus on "telling his own life stories”, Vitas returned to impersonation, that is, playing a given role in the music video. His viewers were delighted to notice his acting, demonstrated in the music video of "A Kiss as Long as Eternity”, more mature and expressive than that in "Smile!”.

"A Kiss as Long as Eternity” and "Shores of Russia” contained a lot of traditional Russian elements. The architectures that appear in the former feature spacious halls, cool colors and simplistic grandeur, so much so that one takes no more than one look before he can recognize the distinctive Russian architectural styles. This trait becomes more noticable when compared with the indoor scenes in previous music videos, such as "Opera #2″ and "Smile!”. It was also delightful to find his baritone and bass richer and smoother than fbefore.In the year 2006, Vitas presented his new music videos: "Crane’s Crying” and "Lucia Di Lamermoor”. Seeing from the lyrics alone, one may readily mistake "Crane’s Crying” for a typical love song. However, the music video is a tribute to love of a much broader sense, that between husband and wife as well as parents and children. Vitas, in the music video, is an angel of love, witnessing the joyous moments enjoyed by three generations in a family over time.

"Lucia Di Lamermoor” is the most famous and popular of Gaetano Donizetti’s operas. Its popularity was further enhanced with the exquisite performance of the Blue Diva in the movie The 5th Element (1997) starring Bruce Willis and Milla Jovovich. After its premiere in 1835, the aria was sung by innumerable singers around the world. Vitas’s version, adapted with stunning creativity, however, stands out from its peers with his exraordinarily gifted voice and breath-taking voilin obbligato. Even his hardcore fans, who are so familiar with his voice, would be seized immediately withamazement at his voice in bel canto operatic style: so beautiful yet sonorous, so mellow yet forceful, just like a stream of mountain spring, so limpid and lush with breathless flexibility.

All in all, a brief look back on his works reveals his nonstop innovation and boundless creativity. As his audience, we have every reason to expect more spectacular works from this prominent artist we all have been waiting for.It is our sincere hope that Vitas lives up to his motto: "Veni, Vidi, Vinci (Latin)”, or "I came, I saw, I conquered” in English.

Who is Vitas?

Vitas is a Russian pop singer, fashion designer and composer. His music is of pop influence usually associated with techno and classical opera.

First Appearance

Vitas first appeared on the Russian stage with his hit "Opera #2" in December 2000.

Achievements

He released seven albums which were entered into the Top Three most popular albums in 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006. He released two singles "Opera # 2" and "Goodbye". According to the official sales results, the single "Opera #2" was awarded a Russian Prize as the bestselling single of 2001, 2002 and 2003 in Russia. He became a winner of the Prize "100 Per Cent Hit" established by the radio station "Hit FM" in 2001 and 2003. And subsequently has been acknowledged as the Soloist of the Year according to the results of the National Musical Prize Ovation in 2002. Vitas also established an indisputable record having organized the premiere of his solo concert in the State Kremlin Palace on March 29, 2002, and became the youngest artist who performed a solo concert at the Kremlin.

Participation of Worldwide League

In 2002 at the personal request of the Council of the Worldwide League "Intellect Without Drugs" Vitas and his producer Sergey Pudovkin joined the Board of Guardian of the Worldwide League and became its honorary members alongside with Patriarch of All Russia, Dalai Lama, Koffey Annan, Tina Turner,the presidents of more than 20 countries. Vitas was presented "the Stone of the World", which is 350 million years old, at the ceremony of purification at the foot of the sacred mountain Tashtar Ata. According to the legend, this stone has absorbed all the good deeds of the world during the whole history of the mankind.

Life as Fashion Designer

Vitas presented his collection of the clothes "Autumn Dreams" on the stage of the State Kremlin Palace in September 29, 2002. The show included 42 styles of ladies’ outfits some of which had already been displayed in Almaty, Vilnius, Berlin, Tashkent, Tel Aviv, Ashkelon. At present Mr. Pudovkin is holding negotiations with western companies to create and promote the Vitas brand as his own line of clothing.

Life as Actor

In December 2002 Vitas took part in the TV series which was a screen version of Mrs. Dontsova’s novel "A Beloved Scoundrel". He played the part of an artist coming to the capital from the provinces and causing a sensation on the pop stage with his unique voice and songs. Vitas created two soundtracks for the movie. During the filming the producers of the series offered Sergey Pudovkin to prolong the contract for the next serial cycle. The premiere of the dramatic performance "Victor or Kids in Power" by Rogeur Vitraque took place on the stage of Mayakovsky's Theatre in spring, 2003. Vitas played the leading role of a nine-year-old boy. The director Dmitry Tcherniakov (a three-time-laureate of "The Golden Mask") and the producer Pavel Kaplevich invited Tatyana Drubich, Renata Litvinova and Mr. Romanov to participate in this project.

Vitas took part in the Festival of Indian Films which was held in Delhi from January 6 till January 11, 2003. Within the framework of the festival program, Vitas gave a solo concert and took part in the opening ceremony.

Vitas got an invitation from Lucio Dalla, the composer who created "In Memory of Caruso", to perform this famous song Vitas together with the author at the concerts "San Remo in Moscow" held in the State Kremlin Palace. 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.

Second Solo Program

Vitas presented his second solo program "The Songs of My Mother" in the Concert Hall Russia, Moscow in November 2003. It consisted of more than 30 compositions, 19 of which were being created by Vitas specially for the premiere. Two new albums of the artist were prepared and released for the premiere. One album included the songs which are considered to be the gold reserves of Russian pop-music, such as "Kings Can Do Everything", "Winter", "Chrysanthemums", "And the Gypsy is Going", "The Bird of Happiness" and much more. The second album included only the new songs composed by Vitas – "An Autumn Leaf", "The Star", "God, How I Love", "Even Stars will Like Letters", "Mother".

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.This concert program is favorite for the Spectator. The actor has come to many towns 3 and even 4 times with it, performing for the halls full of audience.

Vitas gave more than 600 performances with the program "The Songs of My Mother" in 2005, 2006. His touring schedule is filled till the premiere on 8, March 2007

Vitas became the most popular touring actor in Russia in 2004-2006. His premiere "The Songs of My Mother" was acknowledged "the best musical event of the year".

A Kiss As Long As Eternity

The album "A Kiss As Long As Eternity" released on October 8, 2004 had unprecedented record sales in Russia and CIS: more than 2 million copies were sold less than half a year. The total number of CD's sold during the period of the singer’s creative activity exceeded 10 million copies. A bit unpleasant fact: according to the estimation of the independent agency "RINKON" Vitas’ albums are the most "favorite" for pirates. 1300 variants of different albums of the actor were registered. And it’s only in Russia.

Asian Market

Vitas' entry to the Asian market took place in 2005. Mentality and perception was absolutely different from ours, the lack of knowledge of Russian were not on the way for dozen thousands of admirers from China, Taiwan, Singapore and Japan first to pay attention and then to love Vitas' creative work, his voice and songs. At the end of 2004 the site Vitas China Online was opened, and now the number of registered members of this the fan-club has exceeded 20 thousand people. There are more than one million people in the guest book. More than 600 fan-clubs have been formed in this region for half a year. Letters from Chinese friends overfill an electronic box of the actor daily.

Life in 2007

And 2007 has been a premiere year for the actor. The Premiere "Return Home", which has been produced for three years, took place in March 2007. More than 20 new Vitas' compositions were included into the premiere. Many songs have already become favorite for the audience. "Crane's Crying", "Shores of Russia", "I Ask All Saints", "The Little Prince", "I Repeat Your Name" are a small part of new songs which were presented to the audience at the premiere. There were duet works with I.Kobzon, N.Kadisheva, B. Moiseev with a symphonic orchestra conducted by N.Ustjuzhanin, and the chorus of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

A release of a new singer's album took place on the occasion of the premiere. It was presented in two parts. A new page in the life of the actor has been opened since this moment.

Vitas will arrive in Russia and China, the Ukraine and Belarus, the Baltics and Kazakhstan, Germany and the USA, Israel and Australia with the new program "Return home", with new feelings and emotions, with new songs. It will be a real return home because there is a Spectator who is waiting for and loves the Actor in all these countries. The Actor has been appearing on the stage in brilliant mood for several years amazing and admiring million people with his voice, nobleness of music and lyrics, light energy, atmosphere of happiness and love.

There is a new important event in a creative life of the artist in November 2007. The contract was signed between Gemini Sun Records (USA) and the producer center "Pudovkin" after a stunning Vitas' success in Asia and a sensation among Vitas' solo concerts on the largest stages of Asia and the sale of CD and DVD. The contract was signed to release Audio-Visual Connect Series™ , two CDs - Musical Video DVD and Musical collection CD on the territory of the USA. This event marked the beginning of Vitas' world premiere.

As a world star. Vitas constantly receive invitations to participate in national festivals, at the most prestige concert hall of the world. Attention of the world audience requires more efficiency and effort from the artist in creation of The title of "The Best Foreign Artist" according to the version MTVASIA in 2011 officially proved Vitas’s status as new shows and performances. The singer’s repertoire is getting larger and larger and widens with works of the world classic: Italian compositions "La Donna Mobile", "О Sole Mio", "Nessun Dorma", "The Tibetan Plateau" in Chinese, songs in Romanian, Polish and English are being recorded. Thus, there is material for a premiere album called "Masterpieces of Three Centuries" which is released by the company "KVADRO-Disk". More than 20 foreign companies are buying a license for an album release in their countries.The level of the singer’s popularity in the world also favours the signing of the largest advertising contract with MERCEDES Company which has offered Vitas to become a brand face of a new series of the first class autos. Now Vitas "has to” drive an exclusive auto that there is a double bed, a shower, satellite TV, the Internet, the system of active air cleaning and a lot of other useful developments which are necessary during long hours of traveling both in Russia and in Asia, Europe and the USA.

At this very period Vitas is preparing a new album to be released where there will be only the songs of the musician himself. The songs that are devoted to Vitas’s family and in memory of his mother "Mother and son” is the name of a new release. The main song of the album "Mother and son” has struck hearts of many Vitas’s admirers. The basis of the lyric became a real SMS – a kind of correspondence between mother and a little boy, her son who turned out to be under the obstruction after a terrible earthquake in Sichuan province. The composition "Dedication to Mother”, "Parents’ House”, "A Little Rook”, "Teach Me, Father” are a new creative tendency in the artist’s life. These songs have become popular in many countries of the world. It is this repertoire which has become a basis of the concert program "Mother and Son” which Vitas will perform in 2011-2012..

Every time staging in all countries Vitas thanks people for their support and attention, for their ability to empathize and love, for the opportunity to share their innermost feelings, give their light energy and see people’s happy eyes after the concert.