Zemfira Talgatovna Ramazanova (August 26, 1976) is a Russian rock singer, songwriter, musician and composer. She is often called the founder of a new musical direction – female rock.
Childhood
Zemfira Talgatovna was born on August 26 in Ufa, in an ordinary average family. Her father was an engineer at an automobile plant, and her mother worked as a kindergarten teacher. Zemfira was only child in the family, so all the attention and parental love only went to her.
From the very early childhood Thanks to her mother, Zemfira begins to study music. Initially, her parents planned to send her to choreography classes, but the girl said that she wanted to study in a singing club, which at that time was opening at her mother’s place of work. So, young Zemfira signed up for choral singing and was a member of the children's group, in which her mother began to teach.
Incredibly talented and creatively gifted, young Zemfira constantly wanted to learn something new. In addition to music, she still signed up for dancing, basketball, and even foreign language courses for children. She willingly attended absolutely all classes, and at the age of 7 she asked her parents to enroll her in music school. It was from this moment, according to the singer herself, that her serious craving for everything related to this type of art began.
Youth
As a schoolgirl, Zemfira continued to attend numerous electives, but only two of them occupied a special place: music and basketball. In third grade, she began playing on the national team and was taken as a point guard. Despite her small stature (the other members of the basketball team were head and shoulders taller than her, as Zemfira admitted), she managed not only to make successful passes, but also to win matches. The team coach, Yuri Maksimov, spoke more than once about the sports talent of young Zemfira, so when, having graduated from school and faced with the choice “sports or music,” she decided to leave the team and take up musical career, was incredibly upset.
After graduating from school, Zemfira already knew exactly what she wanted to be. Since there were still a few months left before entering the university, the girl decided not to waste time and engage in self-improvement. She started by singing and playing the guitar in passages and on the street. She performed compositions by such domestic performers as the Kino group, Nautilus Pompilus, Aquarium and others. She did not forget about foreign compositions: according to Zemfira herself, she always liked the singles of Freddie Mercury and George Michael.
As soon as the time came to enter the university, Zemfira successfully entered the second year of the Ufa College of Arts. No one knows for certain what exactly caused this, since even the singer herself has never spoken about this topic. One way or another, the young and talented person was immediately accepted into the second year and assigned to teacher Masalimova, who became not only for the girl artistic director, but also a good friend, and even a PR agent in the future, when Zemfira had already successfully graduated from university and needed sponsors to perform her songs. By the way, she's finished educational institution in 1997, having received a honors diploma in the specialty " entertainer».
Career
After leaving the educational institution behind, Zemfira, for several months, agrees to joint performances with saxophonist and her childhood friend Vlad Kolchin, with whom they perform in small restaurants and bars in the city. However, the singer absolutely does not like the atmosphere and the way visitors receive their compositions, so after a couple of months she abandons such dubious popularity.
The next step is the radio station "Europe Plus", which happily takes a girl to record jingles - short commercials. Since the work was absolutely not difficult, and the recordings took place only in the mornings, Zemfira devotes the rest of her time to writing her first songs. During this period, she composed such compositions as “Rockets”, “Forecaster”, “Why”, “Snow” and others.
In parallel with her, Arkady Mukhtarov is working on recording his own album in the studio. Seeing that with his help she can promote her own songs and gain recognition, Zemfira asks him to make a joint album. After numerous persuasion and, according to Mukhtarov himself, thanks to the singer’s rock-solid character, he briefly leaves his own album and works in tandem with an aspiring artist.
As soon as Zemfira realizes that her first songs will soon be heard by the public, she begins to collect own group. Initially, only bass guitarist Sergei Sozinov was present there, and Zemfira herself performed both vocal and instrumental parts of many songs. For rehearsals, a room was rented in the Orange teenager club, the director of which the singer begged and begged for a long time.
Gaining popularity
A year later, the whole republic begins to learn about the songs that Zemfira performs. This happens quite unexpectedly: journalist Svetlana Rutskaya, trying to get exclusive material in the music field, decides to conduct a short interview with a young, talented and as yet unknown girl, Zemfira. She talks about her plans for the future, allows you to take a few photos from the band’s rehearsals, and gives you already created entire compositions to listen to. Impressed by the talented guys, the journalist later even makes some sacrifices so that her article about the group would be published in a regional magazine, which becomes the group’s first step to fame and popularity.
A few months later, when more and more people begin to learn about the beginning group from Ufa and its creative soloist, musical group, finally assembled in its entirety: last participant keyboard player Sergei Mirolyubov becomes, and before him solo guitarist Vadim Solovyov joins the group. With this lineup, the group records several more songs, which, thanks to the same journalist, “come” to the annual musical event“Maxidrom”, where they accidentally fall into the hands of Leonid Burlakov (producer of “Mumiy Troll”).
In 1999, together with the producer of the group, Zemfira recorded several songs at the Mosfilm studio. They become such tracks as “Snow”, “Scandal” and “-140”, which will later be included in the singer’s debut album. At the same time, Zemfira accepts an invitation from the lead singer of the Mumiy Troll group, Ilya Lagutenko, to travel together to London, where the group’s home studio is located. There Zemfira’s first album was created, which immediately occupied top positions in several domestic charts and radio broadcasts.
Personal life
Despite the fact that today Zemfira is the idol of many young people, and also has solid authority in the music industry and show business, she openly states that young man, and especially for a husband, he has no plans to look for yet.
“At the moment I am too passionate about creativity. Music career, touring, performing and recording CDs is my only pleasure so far. Look for a soul mate and tie yourself hand and foot family relations I haven’t even planned it yet.”.
Zemfira Talgatovna Ramazanova was born in Ufa, the capital of Bashkortostan. Having been born on August 26, 1976, she clearly stated that she was a leader here and would achieve her goals at all costs! She grew up in a fairly intelligent family: her mother was a doctor, her father was a history teacher. Already at the age of four, young Zemfira was interested in music. At the age of five she began attending music school to study piano. At the age of seven, Zemfira composed her first song, which she performed at her mother’s work.
Influenced by her older brother Ramil, she suddenly became interested in rock, listening to Black Sabbath and Queen. I studied well at school and was an excellent student. Since the seventh grade, she managed to study in seven clubs and sections at once, focusing her attention mainly on music and basketball. Possessing athletic anger, determination and assertiveness, Zemfira achieves considerable results in basketball: in 1990 she became captain of the Russian girls' team. By this time, the music begins to gradually become boring; the incessant pounding of the same thing depresses it. Question about continuation music education stands up straight, but the wise mother forces Zemfira to finish her studies. At the same time, he acquired an “applied” character and a passion for rock music. Right on the streets of her hometown, together with her friends, Zemfira performed songs with a guitar that were at the crest of success at that time “KINO”, “Aquarium”, “Nautilus”.
In the eleventh grade, basketball began to greatly interfere with her studies, and she abruptly left the sport, she also graduated from music school with honors, slamming the lid of the piano, as it seemed to her, forever... Quite by accident, Zemfira decided to go to the philology department after school, but she was cool the leader instructs her on the true path and invites her to go to a music school. Walking past the building of the art school, she sees an announcement about the entrance exams that will take place the next day. Zemfira decided to try, and she was immediately accepted into the second year of the pop vocal department. Her group also included two drummers, two pianists, a bassist, a guitarist and she, a vocalist. At the same time, Zemfira and her friend, saxophonist Vlad Kolchin, sing jazz standards and famous Western hits in Ufa taverns and restaurants. Literally a year later she gets tired of it, but she still finishes college.
Since 1996, Zemfira has worked as an operator at the Ufa branch of radio "Europe +": during the day she makes commercials, which taught her how to work with sound, and at night she records her first real songs on the computer: "Why", "Snow", "Forecaster". ..
At the beginning of 1998, Zemfira organized her own group, “Zemfira,” with which she recorded her songs no longer on a computer. The group performs for the first time on June 19 at the birthday celebration of the radio "Silver Rain Ufa". Already having enough material for more than one album, Zemfira, through her friend, passes on a promotional tape with several songs at the MAXIDROM rock music festival to Leonid Burlakov, producer of MUMIY TROLL. Leo immediately calls Ufa and asks to send more. Confident that this girl is a real future star, he invites Zemfira to Moscow with her musicians to record an album. From October 19 to October 23, several songs were recorded at the Mosfilm studio. These were the first sketches for the debut album. Ilya Lagutenko directly acted as the music producer, and Vladimir Ovchinnikov acted as the sound engineer. By November 7th, the recording of the album was completely finished. 15 songs lasting 50 minutes. So large number songs is explained by the fact that Zemfira has about 40 more ready-made compositions - enough for more than one record. During the recording of the album, both Zemfira musicians (Vadim Solovyov, guitars; Renat Akhmadiev, bass guitar; Sergei Mirolyubov, keys; Sergei Sozinov, drums) and MUMIY TROLL musicians (Yuri Tsaler, guitars; Oleg Pungin, drums) took part.
Since mid-January, Zemfira has been leaving for London without a band to mix the album. Layout took place at Beethoven Street Studio, sound engineer was Chris Bandy. The track "Don't Let Go" was dropped from the original album, leaving a total of 14 songs.
Since mid-February, first “Our Radio”, and then radio Maximum, “Silver Rain”, “M-Radio” have received the song “AIDS”, and then “AriveDerchi”, “Rockets”.
From March 5 to 6 in Prague, local video makers shot a video for the song "AIDS" based on the script of Pavel Ruminov. This song was not chosen by chance after 150 respondents chose this particular song. On March 8, a collection of completely different music, “U - 1,” went on sale, the first track of which is “Rockets.” On March 24, at the Moscow club "Republic Beefeater" a press conference of the record company "Utekai Sound Recording" was held, at which the new Ufa singer Zemfira was introduced to journalists for the first time. She answered questions and even sang a song in Bashkir. From April 5 on the MTV Russia channel, a presentation of the video “AIDS” was planned, but for unknown reasons it was postponed until July. The release of the debut album was planned on April 24, but the press conference was postponed to May 8, and the release itself to May 10. On April 24, the shooting of the video for the song “Arivederchi” took place, which was released into rotation before the video for “AIDS”. On May 8, a joint presentation of the album and the May issue of OM magazine took place at the 16 Ton club, organized by the record company Decade Music International, OM magazine and the Europe + radio station. There were so many people that Zemfira herself, according to her admission, felt somehow uncomfortable. At the concert they tried in every possible way to recreate the mood of spring, which never came into its own: green leaves were scattered all over the stage, although by the third song they had faded slightly, there were also flowers, or rather one flower in Zemfira’s hair, a chamomile, with which she wondered while singing the song "Daisies". For those who were unable to get to the stage, a timely edited video for the song “Arivederchi” was shown on the big screen. But, according to the impressions of all those present, everything was a great success, and Zemfira herself really liked it.
On June 19, Zemfira performed at the next City Day in Ufa, and she opened her concert tour on September 1 in Moscow. The schedule was scheduled literally day by day, which could not but affect the health of Zemfira herself. On October 15, due to illness, she was hospitalized and the concert tour had to be interrupted for 15 days.
But let's go back to August 1999. Again, the mixing and mastering of the band's second album was completed at Beethoven Street Studio. Which will be released next year.
In the meantime, after Zemfira recovered, the concert tour continued and ended in Riga on January 5, 2000. The last concert was recorded on video and shown on ORT. At the same time, Zemfira’s single was released, containing a remix of the song “Snow” and “London Sky”, performed live at one of the concerts. And at the same time Zemfira appears in New Year's program NTV, and performs the song “The blue ball is spinning, spinning.”
March 28, 2000 - all of Russia experienced another explosion of “Zemfiromania”, it was then that the second CD, “Forgive me, my love” or abbreviated as “PMML”, was released. “Iskala” and “Ripe” were played literally 3 times a day on every music radio station. Around the same time, the video clip “Iskala” was released; it remained in the top 5 of MTV clips for a very long time. A little later, other songs from this album became, one might say, folk songs. “You Want”, “Don’t Let Go”, “Dawns”, “I Hate”, they know the lyrics of these and other songs by heart and sing along with Zemfira at her concerts. Immediately the next day after the release of the album, a new tour started. Among all the concerts, it is worth highlighting Zemfira’s performance as the “headliner” of the Maxidrom festival, held on May 20, 2000 at the Moscow Olympic Stadium.
During the concert tour, the single “Goodbye” is released, which includes the favorite hits “Goodbye (my favorite city)”, “Splashes”, V. Tsoi’s song “Cuckoo”, specially recorded for the Screen Test disc, and several remixes. The record is given an ambiguous assessment, indicating its pop nature. But overall it is a positive effect.
The situation was overshadowed by a concert in Yakutsk, where an unpleasant incident occurred: poor organization of the concert led to a stampede and several people were injured and hospitalized. Of course, Zemfira again becomes the No. 1 hero of many magazines and newspapers, sometimes with yellow tint. A large number of frankly invented articles and interviews appear, in connection with this Zemfira limits all communications with the press.
Version 1
Real name: Ramazanova Zemfira Talgatovna.
Zemfira was born in Ufa. Her mother is a doctor, her father is a history teacher. At the age of five she began studying piano at a music school. Under the influence of her older brother, she became interested in rock music, already in preschool age listening to Black Sabbath and Queen. At the age of seven she composed her first composition. At school I managed to study in seven clubs and sections at once, emphasizing special attention on music and basketball. Possessing a purposeful character and sporting anger, Zemfira achieves considerable success and in 1990 became captain of the Russian girls' national team. By this time, her passion for rock music acquired an “applied” character. Right on the street she performs songs from “Kino”, “Aquarium”, “Nautilus” with a guitar. She sings not only in Ufa, but also in St. Petersburg, where she often goes to visit friends.
Soon Zemfira is faced with a choice: rock music or basketball. Zemfira chooses music, enrolling in the Ufa College of Arts, from which she graduates with honors with a degree in pop vocalist. At the same time, she became interested in jazz, folk and blues.
Since 1996, Zemfira has been working as a cameraman at the Ufa radio station "Europe Plus", and at night she records her first real songs in the studio: "Snow", "Forecaster", "Rockets". At the same time, she performs as a singer-keyboardist (in a duet with a saxophonist) in small nightclubs, performing soul, blues, reggae and "quality pop music".
At the end of 97, she organized the group “3emfira”, with which she performed in front of an audience of thousands at the City Day celebration in Ufa. The composition is stabilized; Zemfira (vocals, guitar, percussion), Alexey Mirolyubov (keys), Vadim Solovyov (guitar), Rinat Akhmadiev (Bass), Sergey Sozinov (Drums). In the summer, the group records a promotional tape of 15 songs, which several Moscow producers are interested in at once. One of the tapes ends up with Ilya Lagutenko and Leonid Burlakov, who help Zemfira record her first record. This session of the Zemfira group takes place in October 1998 at Mosfilm. Sound engineer - Vladimir Ovchinnikov, art producer - Ilya Lagutenko, metaphysical producer - Leonid Burlakov." Guest musicians: Oleg Pungin (Drums), Yuri Tsaler (guitar, double bass in the song "Zemfira").
The album of the same name "Zemfira" is being brought to perfection in London in the winter of 1999. The final sound cosmetics are carried out within the walls of Beethoven Street Studio by sound engineer Chris Bandy, who recorded all the albums of the Mumiy Troll group. The radio single for the song "Speed" instantly becomes one of the main hits of the season, causing a storm of conflicting emotions among listeners. Zemfira's debut album was released on May 10, 1999 by Decade Music International with the support of Real Records. His presentation took place at the Moscow club "16 tons", which was attended by almost all the sharks of the domestic show business. On the same day, the premiere of the video clip for the song “Arivederchi” took place.
During the summer, “Zemfira, who became the main discovery of the season, as they say, kept a pause. She ignored all the major rock events and festivals, performing only once in her native Ufa. It was during this concert that the third video “Why” was filmed, which will be released aired in August.
In the summer, Zemfira concentrated all her attention on preparing her second album. “Out of forty compositions, I had to leave more than half overboard,” the singer admits. “And this problem of choice depressed me and put pressure on my consciousness.” In September, Zemfira, together with the musicians of her Ufa group, goes on a solo tour to the cities of Russia, Ukraine, the Baltic states and Belarus. Will an impulsive girl destroy guitars at concerts, break cameras, pour water on spectators and tear her T-shirt? On the eve of the tour, the 23-year-old singer is determined - although not without a touch of self-irony: “We will be performing concerts for about six months, and then, at the peak glory, let's retreat into ourselves... During these performances there will be no slides shown or any pyrotechnic excesses used. I have to get the audience going myself - warm it up, burn it and leave."
Creation
Zemfira is one of those few representatives of the fair sex on the modern pop scene who “made themselves.” It is clear that now a team of image makers is working on her, bringing her appearance closer to “European standards”; that to “mix” and “master” the group goes to London, where the best sound specialists work. But with regard to the original - music, emotional depth, energy - Zemfira did not need any special “promotion”, only support. And for this self-sufficiency she is appreciated and loved by many thousands of fans across the country. “Zemfira, you proved that you don’t have to be as smart as you are and sleep with your daddy to achieve something.” Many of those girls who saw her on the first day of April on the stage of the Olimpiysky Sports Complex, who sang her songs with her, danced to her music - many, perhaps without realizing it, identified themselves with their idol. A native of the “city on the mountain” sung by Yu. Shevchuk, a graduate of the Ufa music school, Zemfira Ramazanova left her native “harbour” and, turning the clocks back exactly two hours, began to conquer space. The space of our hearts.
She burst into our lives, and we were all stunned. Songs from her first self-titled album were played everywhere a person could set foot. They are still spinning. She left no one indifferent - even those who see in her another “caliph for an hour” with immensely inflated popularity. Teenagers and their parents, rock musicians and ordinary listeners of both sexes and a variety of professions - everyone you ask has their own opinion about it. From the branding “impudent” and “hooligan” to the jubilant: “Zemfira, you are the best!” Journalists are unanimous: “Yes, this is a talent of extraordinary strength and significance.” Dozens of interviews and articles have been published. There is a growing number of sites dedicated to it on the Internet. All details about the star’s life have already become available to the media. The details of her life in Ufa are known, her breakthrough to the big stage with the help of Leonid Burlakov and Ilya Lagutenko, her friendship with Slava Petkun from Dancing Minus, her illness associated with hearing impairment, her often provocative behavior on the stage and in everyday life... The public is interested in everything.
Today Zemfira is an idol. We haven't had a cultural leader of this caliber for a long time. Perhaps from the moment the “old guard” of rockers began to retire. Zemfira's status is somewhat closer to the status of Viktor Tsoi, who also had the East with its special mentality behind him. Of course, you need to be careful in comparisons, and it’s difficult to call Zemfira a rock star, although in essence she is a real rock and roller. But, willingly or unwillingly, she took on the role of leader. Her audience is mostly younger than herself, and the greater the responsibility of the artist. They see her not just as a singer, but as something more, which makes her, forgetting about herself, write the Latin Z (Zemfira’s “sign-symbol”) on notebooks, fences and cheeks. Write poetry. Strive for a concert at the Olympic Stadium, which did not attract such a crowd even at the venerable Depeche Mode. Almost praying for this “sign-symbol” flashing in a huge circle hanging above the stage. Walk through life with her songs, measure yourself by them.
The songs are the main thing. Undoubtedly a strong voice, at first glance, not devoid of the influence of J. Aguzarova and D. O'Riordan, with a wide range, rich in nuances. Her signature vocal "baubles" coming from an open, "rock" type of intonation. You can feel it in the manner of her writing a good school, traditions laid down by academic education. These traditions do not lie on the surface, but are latently captured in everything: in the subtle use of classical and jazz harmony, which so strikingly distinguishes Zemfira from the modern “youth pop” with its notorious “three chords”; in compositional discoveries that avoid the annoying repetition of phrases and depressing “squareness”. In the variety of arrangements, in the unexpected mixture of stylistic components covering a variety of layers. musical culture: from bossa nova to grunge, from romance to new wave.
The first impression from listening to her songs was freshness. It was as if a spring wind was blowing. And at the same time - familiarity, as if I had already heard this melody somewhere inside myself. And the poems seemed to float in the air, they seemed to be taken from ordinary life, with all her words (remember the same “comebacks”, with light hand Zemfira released into circulation). But I so wanted to listen and listen attentively to these phrases with dangling endings, to these lines playing with phonemes, rhythms and meanings. Get to the bottom of it. Everyone has their own.
A college school, a restaurant school, a sports school - in everything Zemfira is a professional, not a self-taught genius. Zemfira has amazing command of her voice, and in “Olympic” she showed it in all its glory: in more than two hours, not only not a single wrong, dead note, but also not a shadow of fatigue. At this concert, the audience got their due in full. All songs from both albums - old and new - were performed, plus some unreleased ones. "Rockets" - twice. The speech consisted of three parts; During breaks, psychedelic “adventures” were broadcast into the hall from huge screens. Zemfira rushed around the stage, ran up to drum kit, in order to desperately bludgeon the plate in “Snow”, with a practiced movement she took it from the hands of a concentrated technician acoustic guitar, sang, lying on the floor, changing into a dress, then into a heavy leather raincoat, then into a blouse with large yellow daisies... The 100% “live” performance turned on the listeners. The band's musicians also showed themselves, playing two virtuoso instrumental compositions. The audience's delight knew no bounds when, at the very end, a real piano appeared before its eyes and string quartet, to the accompaniment of which Zemfira sang the dreamy “London”.
Zemfira knows how to save money and take care of herself. Or rather, she learned this too. Because with the release of her first album, her burning was so strong that it became scary. There are many sad examples of how such an irrevocable burning of oneself ends, such an opening of the soul, when every emotion seems to be torn out of the heart by the roots in order to give it to the listener. “Time, you see, I’m burning,” Zemfira sang in “Arivederchi,” and everyone understood this. But, thank God, it passed. It seems to have passed.
Perhaps, from the first listen, the album "Forgive Me, My Love" is disappointing. Not the quality of the music, not the level of performance. It seems that something important, special, has been lost that made Zemfira a symbol of the current younger generation, gave her songs a sacred meaning. What made her a scandalous girl, who turned into a girl who matured in a year. Zemfira has become more mature, wiser, and has experienced difficult relationships. She loved and hated, sought and proved. And having proven it, she seemed to become calmer. But, having lost something external, Zemfira gained something internal. The fact that it is not readable immediately.
After long comparisons, you come to the conclusion that the debut album with its freshness, brightness, spontaneity, with all its daisies, T-shirts, whys and refrains, the “naked and tramp” rhumbas, was still in many ways a “children’s” work, a little naive. Now - another step. Zemfira seemed to have “matured”; she had a new, more stable sense of the world. She stands firmly on the ground, never stopping her flight.
The singer's voice sounded more gentle and lyrical. The grunge-punk layer has almost disappeared from the sound, replaced by detail, even sophistication of arrangements with an emphasis on multi-timbre keyboards, with a more clearly outlined retro slant (including a la Doors in "Zero"), with a special emphasis on instrumental parts (guitar “finishing” in “Do you want?”). Although, although... Other melodies instead of the “expected” ones seem too familiar. The structure of the compositions has become simpler and clearer. The lyrics sometimes almost break into cute girly pop platitudes. But at the same time, poetry and living air do not disappear from what Zemfira creates.
Of course, the second album in many ways continues what was started by the first: there are strong emotions, elements of shocking (“I Hate”, “Looking for”), and acute social problems (this time we are talking about drugs - “The sensors are off scale”), and biting banter ( “Ripe”), and the theme of love-death (“Do you want?”). New - the image of family, home, homeland. “Mom is reading Nabokov on the subway / I’m sitting next to / Tied with a rope / It’s been proven to mom / The most important thing” (“Proved”) - such autobiographical details say a lot about the character of the artist herself. And loneliness still cuts me: “If I could stick portraits deeper into my heart / I’ll leave my cigarettes as a souvenir...” (“Cigarettes”). For a cigarette, as you know, is a person’s best friend, comrade and brother. And the hope for happiness, for simple female happiness within the framework of a single Universe, is still strong (“Forgive me, my love,” “Don’t let go”).
Now Zemfira has gone on a large-scale tour in support of the new album. On August 26, her birthday, the singer plans to give a concert in her native Ufa. Of course, new trends in Zemfira’s work can attract a new audience to her - more mature, with traditional tastes. Zemfira has moved closer to the establishment, and therefore we can be calm about the future of the national stage. It's in good hands. The artist has more to come long haul: With such data, she will not become a “hero of yesterday.” The Z sign will not turn into zero. The general excitement surrounding her name, from which the people are already tired, will subside a little. And then Zemfira will go into outer space. Perhaps this will be the Big Jazz space. Perhaps - international recognition, which is now increasingly being awarded to stars from the East.
Source: "Audio Video Salon" magazine.
Version 2
History: 1976 - 1996
On August 26, 1976, Zemfira Ramazanova was born in Ufa (in a family of teachers).
He has been singing almost since birth. The first song written for ice cream was dedicated to the group Black Sabbath.
Ufa. Early 80s. Little Zemfira turned 5 years old; mother Florida Khakievna decided that it was time for her daughter to take up music, and sent her to music school. At this time, the first television debut of the future star took place - Zemfira sang on Bashkir television. They recorded the program, after which the entire group in the kindergarten where Zemfira was raised watched it on TV. Zemfira soloed:
“Once upon a time there lived a worm, a lazy worm
I went to sleep on my side...” (... Zemfira, unfortunately, doesn’t remember the rest of the words).
“Some kind of stupid song,” Zemfira laughs, having difficulty imagining a barrel of worms.
By the age of 10, along with music, Zemfira had another hobby - basketball. The coach for this sport called Zemfira a computer because she managed to coordinate the entire court and quickly respond to difficult situations in the game.
In 1989, the young basketball player Zemfira was recognized as the best point guard among juniors, and then became the captain of the Russian national team among girls.
Despite the workload (in addition to basketball, Zemfira attended about seven more sections and clubs), Zemfira graduated from music school with honors. By this time, she was already writing some songs, although she did not take them seriously: she wrote songs for ice cream, at the request of her mother (for some evenings), etc. I wrote at the age of 14, when adolescence began. Then Zemfira played in the passage, thereby earning money for fruit and cigarettes, as well as for a trip to St. Petersburg - to the cemetery to visit Viktor Tsoi (there, of course, something was born, but two years later Zemfira laughed terribly at those songs) .
The first song Zemfira wrote at a conscious age was the song “Snow”.
© “Chronicle” from “Our Radio”)
History: 1997
Zemfira: a city that always has a couple of stars in its stash in any style, a lot of ambitions, curiosity and free time. Of course it’s all Europe’s fault +. the place where we spent all our and other people’s time. it was still not enough) I remember the feeling from my very first recorded song. I was torn - it seemed to me: I can, even more than I think. in short, if I hadn't enjoyed the first experience so much, I might not have had enough reasons to pursue it further. I jumped into the computer, I was absolutely uninterested in the Internet at that time; music software - I and about 10 other people spent all our money, nerves and every free minute on this. fundamental fight for a place on the propeller. 5 groups and a 1 GiG screw.
© www.zemfira.ru
History: 1998
Zemfira: Rena and I sat on the computer all winter, then spring, learned cakewalk by heart and recorded 20-30 songs. In the summer, we decided to collect the necessary living minimum and play at the holidays, which were then often organized by Europe+. Rena brought a drummer, and the three of us began to rehearse. I played the keys, but then I didn’t have enough guitar. I tried to play the guitar - it turned out even worse. Mirolub appeared very timely and unobtrusively. I don’t even remember if anyone asked anyone for anything. a month later, at the next European festival, Vadik heard our performance. so we got a guitarist and the first thoughts about big concerts, travel and future profession. the story with the group stimulated me, I wrote constantly, the guys went crazy and believed me unconditionally. Soon I did a desperate thing - I borrowed money for the group’s trip to Moscow, saying that they were waiting for us big people(how did they believe me?)) in Moscow claimed that the group was selling out hometown(and how did these people believe it?)) bluff and luck assigned us the time and place to record the first album. of course Burlakov and Lagutenko. I almost went crazy, the guys, in my opinion, went crazy) we left to write the album, having absolutely no idea what we were getting into. © www.zemfira.ru
History: 1999
Zemfira: my first trip abroad, straight to London, which many people dream about. and the first experience of mixing a record. I didn’t know a damn thing and understood little. stuck in the studio from morning to evening. 2 weeks later, by the end of the mix, I had formed a definition of the concept of “sound”. in May the first record was released, which by that time all young journalists and journalists knew; Lenya simply sold demo tapes to everyone. I remember the summer of 99 for the stupid hype, to which I reacted nervously, waiting for a catch. Then Lenya drew me a diagram:
“The fact that they are now writing and saying good things about you means nothing, except that soon they will start writing and speaking bad things, but don’t be upset, then they will start doing good things again, and then bad things again.” maybe that's not true. in July-August we recorded our second album. at the same Mosfilm studio. On September 1, we played our first concert in front of a huge crowd in Moscow, on the street, in honor of the magazine’s birthday. We played very poorly, we didn’t know how to play at all then. and went on tour until the end of the year. Yes, I also found a week to mix the second record, but it didn’t turn out quite the way I wanted.
© www.zemfira.ru
Despite the fact that the album was released in May 1999, the Zemfira group announced the start of a concert tour only on September 1, 1999. In the summer of 1999, “Zemfira” refrained from performing and gave only one concert - in Ufa, during which the video for the song “Why?” was filmed. The tour started on September 1 as part of a large group concert in honor of the birthday of Yes! magazine. On this day, the Zemfira group performed as the headliner. This was the musicians' first appearance in front of such a large audience and only the fifth concert in their lives. After Moscow, the group went on a long and intense tour, which covered many cities in the country and neighboring countries and lasted until January 2000. About the first concerts of the group, held in Eastern Siberia and on Far East, Zemfira says this: “We were just trying: a) to get along with each other; b) play the right notes in the right places; c) don’t be shy, after all, about people (understand that the stage is a common place where you need to work).”
On December 11, 1999, the Zemfira group became the headliner of a grandiose two-day music festival“Invasion”, which was dedicated by the Nashe Radio station to its first birthday.
In December 1999, the group independently began producing and financing a new record. Shortly before the New Year, on December 26, a gift single “Snow” was released in a circulation of five thousand, which, in addition to a remix of this song, included a concert version of the composition “London” as a bonus track. On December 26 and 27, Zemfira musicians distributed “Snow” to visitors of four large music stores in the capital. The release of the single was intended as an anti-piracy action: it did not go on sale, and its appearance on music shelves can only indicate active work pirates.
History: 2000
Zemfira: the year consisted of sold-out houses, awards, filming, and endless rumors. there were claims against each other and a new drummer - Javad. In the summer my dream came true - we played in Ufa, on the main square, on my birthday. on the same day they released the maxi-single “goodbye”, with Salavat Yulaev on the cover, and actually said goodbye to the city. Later I came only to visit. By the end of 2000, few people realized it. Having played 150 concerts in less than a year and a half, We were waiting for vacation and there was still silence. New Year's gift by the beginning of 2000 - a single with London and a remix of snow.
© www.zemfira.ru
Other source:
On January 5, 2000, the Zemfira group gave a concert in Riga, the last as part of the tour and the first in the new millennium. It was there that the group managed to hold the first real show, film the first high-quality version of the concert, using complex technical techniques and effects.
Upon returning from Riga, Moscow greeted the group with a pleasant surprise. The song “London” took over all radio airwaves during the New Year’s week. A beautiful and touching composition with a fairly simple arrangement turned out to be competitive among newfangled rhythms, becoming the leader of all kinds of charts. Zemfira herself was sincerely touched by the soulfulness of her listeners and admitted that she never expected such a breakthrough for this song. For this reason, it was decided to include the composition “London” in the collector’s edition of the new record as a bonus track, recording a chamber version of the song.
Throughout January, the leading media published the results of 1999 in the field of music. Zemfira Ramazanova and the group “Zemfira” won in four categories of the magazine “OM”: “Performer of the Year”, “Bandalasist of the Year”, “Breakthrough of the Year” and “Album of the Year”. On April 8, 2000, the Zemfira group was awarded the FUZZ magazine award based on the results of 1999 in two categories: “ Best Group" And " Best Album" - "Zemfira".
On February 9, 2000, the shooting of a video for the song “Iskala” took place in a tunnel in the Moscow district of Severnoye Chertanovo. The director of the video was Roman Prygunov, and the cameraman was Max Osadchiy. During the filming, the tunnel was blocked, since, according to the director of the video, 40 cars were involved in it. Having carried out the main preparatory work for the release of the album, Zemfira began to improve her health. On February 15, she underwent surgery, and doctors allocated a month and a half for the rehabilitation period. But already at the beginning of March, the rehearsal period began in preparation for the second round, which started on March 24 in Minsk.
And on March 28, with the support of Real Records, the second album of the Zemfira group, “Forgive me, my love,” was released. The album includes 12 compositions: “Sensors are scaling”, “Zero”, “Ripe”, “Do you want”, “Dawns”, “City”, “I Hate”, “Cigarettes””, “Proven”, “P.M.M .L”, “I was looking”, “Don’t let go.” The record was released in two editions: standard and collector’s edition, which is distinguished by the presence of a bonus track “London” and a sixteen-page booklet, illustrated with a photo series for each song. In the case of the first record, it belongs to Zemfira.
As part of the tour, on April 1, 2000, the group gave its first solo concert in Moscow, at the Olimpiysky sports complex, where about 20 thousand people were present. 27 songs from the first and second albums were performed on the Olimpiysky stage. Subsequently, the press suggested that the performance of the Zemfira group at the Olimpiysky would become the highlight of 2000.
On May 20, 2000, the Zemfira group closed the Maxidrom festival. From the newcomer of Maxidrom-99, where she managed to sing only half a verse from Arivederchi, Zemfira moved into the category of headliners of Maxidrom-2000.
Five days after the performance at Maxidrom, the shooting of Zemfira’s new video for the song “Do you want?” took place, which had previously been in heavy rotation on radio stations for a long time. The video was directed by Pavel Vladimirsky (studio “Vilks Filma”), and the cameraman was Vlad Opelyants. The filming took two days: the film crew spent May 24 in the courtyards of old houses in Moscow, and on May 25 in the Mosfilm pavilions.
On August 20, 2000, “Zemfira” again performed at the closing ceremony, but now of the “Invasion” festival, which took place in Ramenskoye. The team already included the new drummer of the group - Igor Javad-Zade. At the concert, “Zemfira” performed two new songs included in the single, which was released on August 25, 2000 with the support of Real Records: “Splashes” and “Goodbye”.
On Zemfira’s twenty-fourth birthday, August 26, 2000, in the House of Government of the Republic of Bashkiria, Deputy Prime Minister Mr. Ishmuratov presented her with the State Youth Prize in the field of culture. Shaykhzady Babich. Zemfira received an order with the image of Babich and a cash prize in the amount of 14 thousand rubles. The official presentation ceremony was attended by high-ranking officials from the government and administration, representatives of the Bashkir media, the team of the Zemfira group, and Zemfira’s relatives and friends. As a birthday present, Zemfira received a Rus snowmobile from the authorities.
In the evening, at 21:00, the group gave free concert(the idea of the concert belonged to Zemfira, who had long dreamed of giving a gift to her fellow countrymen) on the square named after. Lenin in Ufa, where about 100 thousand spectators were present. 25 songs were performed, including “Splashes” and “Goodbye,” which Zemfira dedicated to her hometown. At the end of the concert, the group presented Ufa with a five-minute fireworks display.
In November 2000, “Zemfira” took part in FILM tests, performing in Moscow, at the Olimpiysky Sports Complex and in St. Petersburg, in Ice Palace. At both concerts the group performed two songs by Viktor Tsoi - “Cuckoo” and “Every Night”. By the way, the song “Cuckoo” performed by “Zemfira” was also included in the single “Goodbye”. The end of December 2000 marked the end of the concert tour in support of the album “P.M.M.L.” The last three performances took place: December 23, at the Gorbunov House of Culture, where Pavel Vladimirsky made the second high-quality video filming of the concert; December 24 in St. Petersburg and December 28 in Vilnius.
History: 2001
Zemfira: nothing happened until May, everyone was busy with themselves and their own problems. spontaneously edited a video of the concert in Gorbushka (12/23/00), the second in a row (the first was the Riga concert a year earlier). they wanted to release it - they ran into legal problems, they spat on it, gave it to MTV and forgot. in May the group returned to Moscow for rehearsals and work on new songs. We didn't succeed. I accused them of lack of desire, they accused me of lack of trust. Without thinking twice, they decided to part ways and the musicians left for Ufa. I was in weightlessness for some time. I recorded new songs with excellent musicians, but strangers to me. I tried new ones, but I couldn’t imagine myself on stage with them at all. The situation was saved by Mirolyub, who again appeared very timely. We hired a professional rhythm section, finished recording the third record and went to London once again to mix.
The single "Traffic" is released on November 11
© www.zemfira.ru
History: 2002
Zemfira: the year was much brighter compared to the previous one. In April the record was released and concerts began. after a 15 month break. We acquired a lighting engineer, a monitor engineer, and a permanent concert apparatus. changed arrangements, stopped playing some songs, provoked hundreds of pink balloons, gave thousands of autographs and took thousands of photographs. concerts are a strange thing in general) there are a lot of them - you die, no - you also die. I was happy all spring and summer. best concerts groups. at the end of the year they parted ways with the rhythm section. however, less is better.
© www.zemfira.ru
History: 2003
Zemfira gave several concerts, performing at “Invasion” on August 3, 2003.
History: 2004
On her official website, Zemfira presents a cover version of the song “How to Be” by gr. "Bravo", after which he performs in St. Petersburg (November 21) and in Moscow (November 26-27) anniversary concerts groups.
Zemfira's new song "Skymoreoblaka" appears on her official website, and then on all CIS radio stations. “Skymoreoblaka” is only one song from the future album, which I already want to listen to. After all, there is every reason to believe that the remaining songs will be made at the same high level.
Zemfira is working with the famous St. Petersburg electronic musician Igor Vdovin on her new album. Their first collaboration was the hit song “Love is like an accidental death,” which became the soundtrack to Renata Litvinova’s film “Goddess: How I Loved.”
Zemfira enters the Faculty of Philosophy of Moscow State University.
An enchanting performance at the Maxidrome and the performance of the song “Bear” in a duet with gr. "Mumiy Troll" undoubtedly becomes the main event of the festival. This performance does not leave the press indifferent, which is not surprising: Zemfira has not appeared on stage for a long time.
On December 13, a video for the song “Walk” appears on the singer’s official website; on December 15, the video is presented on MTV, and the song breaks into all radio stations and music channels.
The performance of the song “Walk” at the Megahouse festival closes Zemfira’s show activities this year.
The release date for the album is announced: 01/21/2005.
History: 2005
Numerous interviews in anticipation of the release of the new album. The magazine "Afisha" states that the album will be called "Oil". Everyone is in anticipation, massively intrigued.
Postponement of release to March 1st.
At the last moment it was decided that the album would be called "Vendetta".
The day before the release of "Vendetta", Zemfira announces the track list of the album in her official chat.
03/1/2005 - the long-awaited release of the new album "Vendetta". The magnificent song “Blues” and an equally wonderful video for it, shot by Renata Litvinova, appear on the official website.
A new album appears on store shelves, and its presentation takes place in one of the capital’s clubs. Nobody expected such a stir around Zemfira and her new album. The entire press, radio and TV are actively discussing the album. Within three days it became clear that Vendetta had undoubtedly become the main event of the year. Zemfira gives very successful concerts. The super set at Maxidrom does not leave the audience indifferent.
Presents in Kyiv new clip, filmed by Renata Litvinova, for a live version of the song “Airplane”.
Zemfira performs at the Wings festival, congratulating Lyudmila Gurchenko on her anniversary, singing the song “London”.
The concert schedule ends with an enchanting concert in Moscow at the Gorbunov House of Culture. People will be talking about this concert for a long time...
History: 2006
Due to personal circumstances, Zemfira disbands the team and cancels previously announced concerts. The singer’s official website is closing for “reconstruction” on April 8.
On August 9, the official website opens after reconstruction.
The release of the album "Zemfra.LIVE" is scheduled for October
The album "Zemfra.LIVE" is released on October 16
On December 14, a performance in Moscow, at the Orange club, at the birthday party of zvuki.ru and presents a new team and a new song.
On December 31, he gives an unforgettable gift to the “Results” video and announces that the new album is ready.
September 27, 2007
Presentation of Zemfira's new album "Thank you". “THANK YOU” - twelve completely new songs by Zemfira, composed and recorded within one year, from the fall of 2006 to the fall of 2007. The album was recorded in London and mixed in Moscow at Mosfilm.
Zemfira - about the new album: “This album is a reflection of me today. I turned thirty, and as a result of some internal storms, I realized a lot. Yes, the album is very positive! If Vendetta was restless, I was looking for something, then here I found it. The relationship between these albums is like the relationship between Queen's "A Day At The Races" and "A Night At The Opera". A period of misunderstanding is a period of understanding.”
The album “Thank You” is a clear, live sound without any synthetics. All main parts were recorded current composition singers: Zemfira Ramazanova (voice), Dmitry Shurov (piano), Konstantin Kulikov (trumpet), Dan Marinkin (drums), Alexey Belyaev (bass), Yuri Topchiy (guitar). Yuri Tsaler (Mumiy Troll group) performed as a guest guitarist. The Cinematography Orchestra under the direction of Sergei Skripka also took part in the recording. The release of the album was preceded by the appearance of the radio single “Boy” and a video for the song “We Are Breaking,” filmed by Renata Litvinova and which became a top topic in the Russian media.
The release of the album “Thank You” is an unprecedented event for Russian show business. The album comes out outside the sphere of influence of any record companies and production centers. It was published by the Kommersant Publishing House and will be sold from October 1 along with the first issue of the new Citizen K magazine - a publication about fashion, music, and style. Zemfira will appear on its cover. Inside there is maximum information about the singer and the new album, including her long interview, a photo shoot done in Paris, childhood photos and much more.
On October 5, the album “Thank You” will appear exclusively in Euroset stores. On October 20, Zemfira’s tour in support of the new disc will begin in Khabarovsk, which will end with a concert at the Olimpiysky sports complex on April 1, 2008. During the tour, Zemfira organizes special autograph sessions in Euroset salons. A special maxi-single “10 Boys” will be sold at the concerts, which includes 10 remakes of the song “Boy” sent to the singer during a competition held on the Internet. During the same period, Zemfira intends to release a film filmed by Renata Litvinova during a concert at the Green Theater in the park. Gorky June 8, 2007. Then the singer will begin preparing her next release - a collection of “B-sides”, which will be released under a contract with Real Records.
Beloved and adored by many, Zemfira, whose biography will be described in this article, grew up on the music of such legendary performers as Viktor Tsoi, and the groups Queen, Aquarium, Nautilus Pompilius, Black Sabbath. Her older brother introduced her to rock. We can say that thanks to him the world learned about who she was.
Biography of the artist: childhood
Born future singer August 26, 1976 in the city of Ufa. The girl showed talent for music with early years. At five I went to music school for the first time, and at seven I already wrote my first song. Zemfira was born to a father who taught history, and a mother who worked as a doctor. The daughter pleased her parents - she was an excellent student at school and achieved considerable success in sports: in 1990 she became captain of the Russian women's basketball team. Despite the fact that the monotony at the music school began to get on Zemfira’s nerves, at the insistence of her mother she still completed her studies, and with
Zemfira: biography - education and early career
At first, the future singer planned to enroll in the Faculty of Philology, but she accidentally saw an announcement about entrance examinations at the music school - I decided to try it. She was immediately accepted into the second year, but after a year Zemfira becomes bored, she regrets her choice and has difficulty graduating from the school that has disgusted her. In 1996, he worked during the day at radio “Europe+” (branch in Ufa) as an operator, and at night he recorded his first songs on a computer, which later became real hits: “Forecaster”, “Snow”, “Why”, etc.
In 1998, the singer created her own group “Zemfira”. At that time, the singer’s arsenal had already accumulated a lot of material, which she decided to transfer through her friend Leonid Burlakov (producer of the Mumiy Troll group). Leonid does not doubt for a minute that Zemfira is a real gem and immediately invites her to the capital to record an album. On March 24 of the same year, at a press conference of the Leakage Sound Recording company, it was first presented to the public new singer Zemfira. The biography of the extraordinary artist, of course, contains information that not everyone accepted her work, and there was also criticism. Vladimir Polupanov, in a review of the album, wrote that Zemfira’s texts are illogical, “do not bring truths to the world” and have philological flaws. But this did not stop the singer from capturing the hearts of millions of fans.
Zemfira: biography - on the wave of fame
In 2000, the country heard the artist’s second album, which sold an incredible amount of copies (more than one and a half million copies). The album became one of the most successful in the history of Russian show business. 2002 gave fans a third copy of which more than one hundred and eighty thousand were sold on the first day. In 2003, Zemfira became a laureate of the Triumph youth award. And in 2004 her dream came true big dream— she sang the song “We are the Champions” in a duet with Queen at the MTV Russia Awards.
Zemfira: biography - personal life
It is known that the singer is not married. Rumors of an affair with musician Petkun in the late 1990s turned out to be just a well-thought-out marketing ploy to promote her first album. The press contains unconfirmed information about Zemfira’s unconventional orientation and her special relationship with actress Renata Litvinova.
Zemfira Talgatovna Ramazanova (Tat. Zemfira Talgat kyzy Ramazanova, Zemfira Tälğät qızı Ramazanova, Bashk. Zemfira Talgat ҡyҙy Ramaҙanova). Born on August 26, 1976 in Ufa (Bashkir Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic). Russian singer, musician, composer, songwriter. Stage name - Zemfira.
One of the most commercially successful performers in the history of Russian music. Zemfira became the personification of a new movement in Russian rock, which journalists dubbed “women’s rock.”
Father - Talgat Talkhoevich Ramazanov (1943-2009), history teacher.
Mother - Florida Khakievna Ramazanova (born 1947), a doctor-specialist in physical therapy.
The elder brother, Ramil Ramazanov, died in 2010 as a result of an accident during spearfishing.
At the beginning of 1998, Zemfira moved from her native Ufa to Moscow, where she began working with her group “Zemfira” on her first studio album, released a year later. Since 1999, Zemfira has released six studio albums, which received significant attention from the press and public. Her discography also includes a collection of B-sides and two live albums.
In her lyrical quests, mental suffering and searches were embodied modern youth. In 1999, Ogonyok magazine called Zemfira “the breakthrough voice of the generation.” Throughout the singer’s career, many of her songs hit the top lines of the Russian music charts, including “Arivederchi”, “Iskala”, “Traffic”, “Walk”, “We are breaking” and “Without a chance”.
Zemfira also became a producer musical film Green Theater in Zemfira (2008), which received many positive reviews from critics. Together with director Renata Litvinova, Zemfira became a co-producer of the film The Last Tale Rita (2012), for which she wrote the music. The film took part in the competition program of the 3rd Odessa International Film Festival and the 34th Moscow International Film Festival. She also wrote music for Renata Litvinova’s films “Goddess: How I Loved” and others. Several of Zemfira’s songs from the album “Thank You” are heard in Kira Muratova’s film “Melody for a Barrel Organ,” and in the film “Eternal Return” a concert recording appears repeatedly in the frame “ Songs of the Duke" from the opera "Rigoletto" performed by the singer.
Since her appearance in show business in 1999, Zemfira has undergone numerous changes in appearance, manner of behavior on stage and communication with journalists. Her behavior in public was often shocking and caused rejection by the press.
Zemfira is also distinguished by perfectionism in her work and severe disagreements with music producers. Therefore, she often produces her albums herself. Musical style Zemfira belongs to the rock and pop-rock genres. Her music is influenced by both guitar pop and the harmonies of jazz and bossa nova.
In 2004, a Russian history textbook for grade 9 included a mention of Zemfira in the section “Spiritual Life” as the founder of a “completely different” musical youth culture (the author of the manual is a professor at the Moscow Pedagogical University state university Alexander Danilov). Zemfira had a great influence on the work of young groups of the 2000s and on the younger generation in general.
In November 2010, her debut album was included by Afisha magazine in the list of “50 best Russian albums of all time.” Choice of young musicians”, where he took fifth place. The rating was compiled based on a survey among representatives of several dozen young musical groups Russia. The list also included the album “Forgive Me, My Love” (43rd place).
In 2012, 2013 and 2014, the singer was included in the rating of “One Hundred Most influential women Russia”, compiled by the radio station “Echo of Moscow”, information agencies RIA Novosti, “Interfax” and the magazine “Ogonyok”.
Zemfira went to Ufa kindergarten No. 267. From the age of five she studied at a music school, taking a piano class, where she was accepted into the choir as a soloist. At the same time, the singer made her television debut: she sang solo on local television a song about a worm: “Once upon a time there lived a worm, a lazy worm. I went to sleep on my side...” At the age of seven I wrote my first song, which I performed at my mother’s work.
Already at preschool age, Zemfira became interested in music. At school, Zemfira managed to study in 7 clubs at the same time, but placed the main emphasis on music and basketball; she graduated from music school with honors, and at the beginning of 1990 she became the captain of the Russian women's junior basketball team, despite the fact that she was not very tall (Zemfira's height is 172 cm). “I was the point guard. I was the smallest, but the most important,” said the singer, adding that she had been involved in this sport since the third grade. National team coach Yuri Maksimov recalled: “Zemfira was very passionate about basketball, she was the best player and captain of the team. In 1990-1991 we won the Russian youth championship, and, of course, I was a little upset when she decided to quit the sport.”
At the same time, Zemfira learned to play the guitar and, according to one version, performed songs from “Kino,” “Aquarium,” and “Nautilus Pompilius” right on the street. According to another version, she performed hits of foreign performers in the original language, in particular, George Michael and Freddie Mercury. After graduating from school, Zemfira faced a very difficult choice for herself: music or basketball. The girl chose music and immediately entered the second year at the Ufa College of Arts, which she graduated in 1997 (class of A.K. Masalimova) with honors in pop vocals. After college, she worked part-time in Ufa restaurants, performing songs to the accompaniment of her classmate, saxophonist Vlad Kolchin. A year later, Zemfira got tired of this activity, and she stopped performing.
Since 1996, Zemfira worked as a sound engineer at the Ufa radio station "Europe Plus" - recording commercials (jingles). At the same time, she is trying to write songs in the Cakewalk program that will later be included in her first album (“Snow”, “Why”, “Forecaster”, “Rockets”). Participates as the second vocalist in the then popular band Spectrum Ace. Zemfira's backing vocals can be heard in the song “What a pity that he is not a black man.”
Sound engineer Arkady Mukhtarov worked on his material at the radio station's studio. Together with him, Zemfira records her first demo disc. Arkady was determined to record his own songs, but the performer convinced him to record her material: “I, of course, was sure that my own creativity was much more important... but her rock-solid character... did its job. And with a lot of hassle, we still recorded the first demo disc,” the musician later said.
At the same time, Zemfira is forming her own group. The first musician with whom she began to work was bass guitarist Rinat Akhmadiev. Together they decide to record a program minimum of songs. Rinat brings drummer Sergei Sozinov, and they begin joint rehearsals, at which Zemfira alternates playing guitar and keyboards. Zemfira persuades the director of the Orange teenage club, Liliya Khrabrina, to provide the group with space for rehearsals.
In 1997, the press wrote about the group for the first time. Journalist Svetlana Rutskaya wrote an article about the group for a regional newspaper and later recalled: “It was 1997, two years remained before the release of her first album, and the future celebrity was then just a talented Ufa girl, unknown to anyone even in her hometown. But you can’t hide charisma, and the songs that the heroine of the material gave me to listen to were attractive. That’s when we decided to tell the whole republic about it. I remember that even then Zemfira made a policy statement: “I have so much music in my head that there’s nowhere to go.”
Zemfira continues to recruit musicians for the team. With the arrival of keyboard player Sergei Mirolyubov, the group is almost completely assembled, only missing a lead guitarist. They become Vadim Solovyov, who joins the group after one of the concerts. Zemfira borrows money for a trip to Moscow and begins to “promote” the team. On annual festival The “Maxidrom” cassette, on which three songs were recorded (“Snow”, “-140” and “Scandal”), through the journalists to whom Zemfira gave to listen to demo recordings, falls into the hands of the producer of the Mumiy Troll group, Leonid Burlakov. He decides to take a risk and record an album.
From October 19 to November 7, 1998, the first album was written in the Mosfilm tone studio. The sound engineer is Vladimir Ovchinnikov, the sound producer is the vocalist of the Mumiy Troll group. In addition to the band members, guitarist Yuri Tsaler and drummer Oleg Pungin from Mumiy Troll take part in the recording.
In mid-January 1999, Zemfira and Ilya Lagutenko mixed the album in London at the “home” studio of the Mumiy Troll group, Beethoven street studio, with sound engineer Chris Bandy, who worked on all of their previous albums. Of the 15 recorded songs, the composition “Don’t Let Go” was discarded, which would later be included in Zemfira’s second album.
The debut album is called “Zemfira” (the final song bears it).
On April 8, 2000, the Zemfira group was awarded the Fuzz magazine award for 1999 in two categories: “Best Group” and “Best Album” (for their debut work).
On August 26, the performer was awarded the State Youth Prize of the Republic of Bashkortostan in the field of culture named after Shaikhzada Babich for 1999. The singer's second album became the best-selling disc in Russia in 2000. Zemfira received awards from the 2001 Record Prize in the categories “Performer of the Year” and “Album of the Year”. Having sold more than one and a half million copies, the album became the most commercially successful in the singer's career.
In April 2003, the artist performed at the Fuzz magazine music awards ceremony, where she received two awards - in the categories “Best Live Band” and “Best Live Band”. Best Video"(for the video clip for the song "Infinity", directed by Victor Vilks). At the ceremony, Zemfira performed three songs, including “London” and the previously unpublished “You’re Selling My Love.” “Fourteen Weeks of Silence” won the “Album of the Year” nomination at the Muz-TV Prize 2003. In the same year, Zemfira became a laureate of the Russian independent “Triumph” award for 2003 (youth award) for achievements in the field of literature and art.
In 2004, Zemfira entered the Faculty of Philosophy at Moscow State University. During the first winter session, she took academic leave in connection with the recording of a new album, but did not regain her position at the faculty, and was expelled in August 2006.
On October 16, 2004, at the 2004 MTV Russia Music Awards, Zemfira performed the famous composition “We Are The Champions” in a duet with Queen.
On March 1, 2005, the release of the fourth studio work, “Vendetta,” took place. The album was enthusiastically received music critics, who called it Zemfira’s second “takeoff” after her debut album. The album became the best-selling release in Russia in 2005 and won the “Domestic Album of the Year” nomination at the 2006 Record Award.
On October 1, 2007, Zemfira’s new album, “Thank You,” was released, which included twelve songs written, according to the singer, based on the same inspiration, over the course of a year (from the fall of 2006 to the fall of 2007). The album was recorded in London and mixed in Moscow at Mosfilm.
On February 15, 2013, the official release of the sixth studio album “Live in Your Head” took place.
Zemfira - Do you want it?
In February 2016, Zemfira gave a concert tour called “ Little man" During the tour, the performer visited 20 cities in Russia, and also gave concerts in Belarus, Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia. The first part of the tour began in February 2016 from Omsk and ended in April in Moscow. During this tour, the singer announced the end of her touring activities.
Zemfira's height: 172 centimeters
Personal life of Zemfira:
Not married. The media often hints at the singer’s unconventional orientation. She was credited with a connection with. However, they themselves did not confirm this, pointing to the friendly nature of their relationship.
Zemfira discography:
1999 - Zemfira
2000 - Forgive me my love
2002 - Fourteen weeks of silence
2005 - Vendetta
2007 - Thank you
2013 - Live in your head
