ALEKSEEV: about creativity, Eurovision and the most unusual gift. Interview with Nikita Alekseev, performer of the hit “Drunk Sun - Why Indian? I was there recently

Singer Nikita Alekseev, known as ALEKSEEV, told his unusual story of life and development in an interview with OK!

Photo: Olga Tuponogova-Volkova

An artist of rare beauty, with a snow-white smile - ALEKSEEV (Nikita Alekseev) - will represent Belarus at the next Eurovision Song Contest. The path of the wildly popular artist to the top of the national selection was paved not only with hearts from numerous fans. Under pressure from competitors, ALEKSEEV had to change the original competition track Forever: he was accused of performing this composition not according to the rules, ahead of schedule. The final decision rests with the European Broadcasting Union.

Perhaps, with the help of EBU, ALEKSEEV will once again confirm his reputation as a “big lucky guy” and perform Forever in its original version at the competition. Colleagues in show business in his native Ukraine remind him every time they meet how lucky he is, hinting at experienced producers nearby and the hit “Drunk Sun”. The singing boy also turned out to be talking - this is fortunate for our readers. IN exclusive interview“SB” the artist hospitably invited us to his private territory, where for the first time he spoke about his adopted family, difficult relationships with his own father, endless gratitude to his mother and the fans who surrounded him with love.

- Nikita, I re-watched your performance in the final of the national selection - the excitement is noticeable...

- So it was. I don’t like the competitive effect in music, although I am aware that this is a competition, these are the rules of the game and I need to accept them. The atmosphere around the selection itself was incredibly tense, and this made it difficult to enjoy the process. And for a musician, the most important thing is to lose yourself in your song. This is a very fragile state, it is easy to disturb, and it is completely impossible to understand nature. I'm sure everything will be different in Lisbon.

Are you and the organizing team already thinking about what will have to be changed in the room for the competition? Will you be able to implement all the technical ideas and creative solutions mobile in Lisbon?

- One of the best directors of our time and part-time creative producer, Oleg Bodnarchuk, will work on our performance. He has more than three thousand productions of varying complexity behind him, including performances for America’s got talent with projecting an image onto a water screen and for the M1 Music Awards, where I floated above the stage in a geometric space. These performances were much admired and discussed online. I am sure his experience will help us reach the best solution. While I can’t say anything about the issue, one thing I know for sure is that we will go to Lisbon with a new idea.

I was very touched by the story about your father: he left your mother when she was pregnant with you. And you have never seen him in 24 years?

- Yes, my own father did not raise me. But I can't say that I didn't grow up in complete family. My vocal teacher always said that I was wrapped in a huge and warm blanket of immense love that my family - my mother and aunt - gave me. They did everything to ensure that I never needed anything: I had a happy and carefree childhood, an unforgettable youth period. Now I am firmly on my feet and doing what I love, largely thanks to their care and faith in me.

- Do you know where your father is now, what country he lives in?

As far as I know, in Israel.

History knows many examples when children who have not known their father's love become famous and their fathers recognize them in the end. Do you have such a dream - to have a heart-to-heart talk with your father? How do you imagine your meeting?

Nikita with his adoptive parents in Spain. 1997

Yes, I have thought about this often at different stages of my life. When I was 12, my mother had problems at work, we were having a hard time, and we had to call my father to help. I remember that I was very scared then, I couldn’t dial the number myself, I asked my mother to do it. I was completely unprepared for the conversation and did not know where to start... Then my father refused to help us, he did not want us to communicate with him. After some time, things started to improve for my mother. But she always said that I shouldn’t be angry with him and that I should definitely get to know him at the first opportunity. This has not happened yet, but I think that someday we will definitely meet and shake hands.

Well, God forbid. In an interview with the famous English Eurovision blog, you called your Belarusian fans “truthful”, which means truthful and sincere. But tell me honestly, were you ready to face such a violent reaction from your competitors in the national selection?

We understood that no one could guarantee us access to final part"Eurovision". Therefore, we prepared for any outcome. In addition, the level of performers in the final was high. At rehearsals I was completely convinced of this. Everyone had a chance. I am very glad that the audience and the jury believed in me and gave me the opportunity to represent Belarus this year.

On the eve of the qualifying round in Minsk, you had a meeting with Alena Lanskaya, Dima Koldun and NaviBand. Each of them has experience of participating in Eurovision. What were you whispering about?

Nikita with mom (photo from home archive)

First of all, I want to thank them for the fact that the artists responded to my offer to meet and supported me in such a important point. We mainly talked about the preparatory stage, about the nuances of the rehearsal process. NaviBand, Alena and Dmitry unanimously argued that it is necessary to place emphasis on stage performance and acting skills no less than on vocal lessons. At a television competition, everything is important, not only pure singing, but also the ability to capture the attention of the viewer. The guys shared their impressions and told some funny stories. We laughed a lot, and the conversation turned out to be heartfelt. We agreed to meet again, but only after I had something to tell.

As a child, you spent a lot of time in a Spanish family; this practice of sending children to Europe for the summer “on exchange” was also popular among us. But one fine day your mother forbade you to go there, because you loved Spain too much. I saw your photos from Lisbon on Instagram the other day. How did you feel in this city? Do memories of your Spanish childhood come flooding back?

Thanks for the question. During the three days spent in Lisbon, that’s for sure, I seemed to return to childhood again. Pictures from Mula (the city where I lived in Spain) kept awakening my imagination. Architecture, people, general mood the cities are very similar. I immediately wanted to return to that carefree time, and now I am looking for a meeting with dad Fernando and mom Pepa - adoptive parents in Spain, my second family. This year, during preparations for Eurovision, one of the countries on my promotional tour is Spain. I really hope that we will have time to come to Mulu. It is very important for me. I look for inspiration in everything and everywhere, and meeting Spanish parents will certainly be very inspiring. So many sunny and bright memories remain from those times. We haven't seen each other for 15 for long years. We stopped contacting when I was eight. Last year they found me on social networks, and since then we have been in touch. Imagine, they recognized me 15 years later. What a surprise Fernando and Pepa were when they realized that I had become an artist. Six months ago we spoke with the help of a translator. I was so worried then, it was very difficult to find words. In general, we agreed that I would come to visit soon.

As a certified marketer, Nikita, tell me what needs to be done to take first place at Eurovision? What song do Eurofans want to hear this year?

The last two years, the winners were the performers who were in natural harmony with themselves and their composition. They didn’t play a role, they were honest with the audience, and they believed them. Their image was remembered due to their individuality. Cunning, technological complex numbers will certainly lose to a sincere performance and a coherent piece. And I say this not as a marketer, but I feel as an artist.

- Thank you for your openness and good luck at the competition!

The performer of the song "Drunk Sun" Nikita Alekseev gave frank interview before his big solo concert in Moscow. The 24-year-old musician told how he managed to break into show business.

Two years ago, singer Nikita Alekseev, who performs under the pseudonym ALEKSEEV, gained popularity. His track “Drunk Sun” was loved by many listeners and entered the top 100 of the world Shazam chart. The musician is only 24 years old, but tomorrow he will give his first big solo concert in Moscow. He did not manage to break into show business right away. He spoke about his failures and love for music in a recent interview.

Alekseev did not hide the fact that he began singing at the age of 10, and a few years later he and his friends began performing in small venues and for classmates. At that time he began to receive his first royalties. The singer admitted that he does not have an academic music education, but he does not exclude the possibility that he will still receive it later. According to Nikita, for the first time he tried to get on music project and take his place on the stage at the age of 18, but he was prevented. “For some reason he asked if I served in the army, I answered that no, and that’s where we said goodbye,” the artist said, but noted that he was not ready to participate in television project and now I’m even glad that he was refused.

Later, Alekseev tried to get into the show “X-Factor”, but was completely without a voice, as he was ill, but he was miraculously allowed to proceed to the next stage. True, he again felt that he was not ready and did not show up for the casting. Having already appeared on the Ukrainian version of the show “The Voice,” he met, who inspired him, since he had already begun to think about quitting music. “Ani Lorak turned to me and began new life“, the singer admitted. And now, having become popular artist, Nikita continues to communicate with Lorak, and, according to him, he always consults with her when he writes new song, ALEKSEEV told StarHit about this.

CANDID INTERVIEW OF NIKITA ALEXEEV VIVA The 23-year-old handsome guy has a whole army of fans besieging his dressing room after the concert... Nikita is in demand and happy, but all this could not have happened if our hero’s mother had compromised and made a wrong decision. .. - Nikita, I heard that Alekseev is a pseudonym, and your real name another. N: My passport says the surname Alekseev, but it’s not exactly mine. My grandfather, whose last name was Chumak, took the last name Alekseev after a soldier with that last name shielded him from a bullet at the front. Since then we are all Alekseevs. I am sure that there is some kind of magic in this surname and many of my successes are connected with this story. - They say you're in great demand. I arrived in Kyiv this morning, and already at night you have another flight. Well, at least we won’t meet at the airport. N: Yes, this happens. Unfortunately, I rarely visit Kyiv, but, fortunately, there is a lot of work. I've done about 50 shows in the last three or four months. - Where are you performing? N: In Ukraine, Estonia, Moldova, Israel...I visited all the CIS countries. - Are there differences in the reaction of the Estonian audience compared to, for example, Israel? N: Mostly girls come to my concerts, so there is a warm welcome everywhere. I don't even know what this is connected with. Maybe I’m able to reach their hearts, or maybe there’s some kind of special energy exchange between us... - Nikita, maybe you’re able to reach their hearts, but don’t you think that with such a warm welcome from the girl audience you owes primarily to his appearance? You do realize that he's handsome, right? N: (laughs) For this, of course, I am grateful to my mother, she is my most beautiful. I thank her so much for making girls like me. But without a good song, without music that can awaken emotions, nothing would have happened. No amount of appearance will help here. Be that as it may, people know and love artists not only for beautiful eyes. There must be something more here. Sometimes I read very sincere words in the comments... It's worth a lot when people believe you. This helps a lot in achieving the goals you set for yourself. - And what, Nikita, is your highest goal? What do you see as the pinnacle of your creative path? N: It’s so far away that I don’t have enough notes to reach it. - Too abstract. Let's be more specific: Grammy, world tour, 10 platinum albums? N: And the Grammy, and the world tour, and big stadiums - all this is my dream. From early childhood I imagined myself going out to big stage and people sing along with me. - What songs did you sing in front of the mirror with your mother’s hairdryer-microphone? N: I grew up on Western music: Queen, Led Zeppelin, from pop music: Michael Jackson, Timberlake, George Michael. Another question is how it sounded in my childhood performance. I tried very hard, studied with the teacher. There was one song that I learned for four months. In the end, I finally mastered it. It was Lenny Kravitz. - And did you have enough patience? N: I was raised in such a way that you need to go towards your goal, you can’t stop. Perhaps this hardening remains from the time when I played tennis. Sports have significantly influenced my character. After all, sometimes a game of tennis can last three to four hours. My personal record is an hour and a half; I was training at an amateur level. But, believe me, it was very difficult, because tennis is not a team game, basically everything depends only on you, on the soloist. This is very energy-consuming, enormous stress - both physical and psycho-emotional. But you cultivate a sports spirit and endurance. - Listen, your mother not only gave birth to you as a handsome boy, but also provided you with a luxurious education - tennis, vocal lessons... Didn’t you take up horse riding and fencing? N: (laughs) No. This set was enough for me. - Who is your mother? N: She is a cosmetologist. - That is, everything that she earned, she invested in her beloved son. Not in vain on its own solo concert In Kyiv, you addressed so many warm words to your mother from the stage. N: That's right. I will always remember the good that she did for me, keep the warmth that she gave me as a child. This is a man who dedicated his entire life to me, so I owe him a favor. I must say that not only my mother played an important role in my destiny. This is my aunt - my mother's sister. It so happens that she has no children, and she treats me like a son. I also call her mom. So I have two mothers in life and two in show business. - Who are your parents in show business? N: This is Ani Lorak, who pressed the fateful button on the “Voice of the Country” project. She was the only one of the four coaches who believed in me, and I will always remember that. Well, Irina Bilyk, whose song “And I’m Swimming,” sung by me, strengthened my belief that I can become famous singer. I am sure that these two moments became decisive in my life. If I hadn’t gotten into this project and then sung this song, I would have given up music. It was a period of doubt, and I was finishing university. - What specialty? N: Marketer. I never stopped playing music and played in a student band. But I began to understand that I couldn’t keep up with two birds with one stone and I still needed to decide what my path was - music or marketing? - If I were sitting in the office right now... N: Yes, it would be so. Although I can’t imagine myself in this field. Of course, I would work, perhaps I would become a professional, but happy man- No. I have something to compare with. When I went as a free student to the Institute of Culture to study as a stage director, I realized that I was in my element - acting, the basics of directing... When I was really interested in listening, watching, observing, experimenting at the lectures, I realized what I made a mistake when I decided to study to become a marketer. Then I thought that I should have a real profession in my hands, that applied education would not be superfluous. It was self-deception, as it turned out, a delusion. I endured for a year, two, three. By the fourth year, I had already gotten used to the fact that I would have to work as a marketer. It was sad. I went to Golos Kraina, realizing that there I should get an answer to my question - what next? And in fact, Caroline answered, showed me the world of show business, which I immediately fell in love with and grabbed onto it so much that nothing could get me off. - If you had such an opportunity, would you change something in your destiny? N: No. Firstly, at the university I met the guys with whom we created music group. It was mine creative family, the only joy at that moment in life. After classes, I immediately ran to the rehearsal and spent all my time there. I grew a lot with the guys, both professionally and spiritually. I believe in fate and understand that everything in this world is not accidental. You should never regret anything. Any mistake is made so that a person can then analyze it and draw conclusions. This is the only way to gain experience. I wouldn't change anything in my life. - Tell us about your happiest moments in life? When did you realize that you were absolutely happy? I already understood about “The Voice”. N: When, as a child, I learned one of the first songs and performed it either at school or at camp. Seeing that people liked it gave me such a rush of adrenaline! - You're talking about creativity. What if it’s about something material? A child is happy when they buy him his first phone or tablet, bicycle, or sneakers. Have you ever had such moments when you received what you had long dreamed of? N: Of course, it was a bike that I was really looking forward to, and I got tired of it after two days (laughs) - Are you even a material person? Are things important to you? Rider? Comfort? N: Recently the administrator was making a new rider and asked what I would like? I say: "Pistachios." She laughs: “Is that all that will make you happy?” In fact, I can't eat them before a show. And after the performance they are no longer there - the guys eat them up, the team is large. And so I don’t need anything else, I have everything. - What other sacrifices do you have to make for the sake of star status? N: My career took off so quickly that I had to transfer straight from the metro to planes. I had to get used to this very quickly. What "deprivations"? I was forced to give up chocolate after twelve, and this is very difficult for me. Also, I can't afford to sleep anymore extra hour. Unfortunately, in Lately I rarely see my family, but again, we all understand that this lifestyle is for my benefit. I talked about the fact that there is a debt to loved ones. And everything that happens to me is for the benefit of my professional development. - Do you remember your first income? Why was it received? N: For singing. I was 12 years old, I performed in open air, where Alena Vinnitskaya was the headliner. I performed a couple of world hits by Queen and Scorpions. I remember Alexey Bolshoi praised me and said that for a 12-year-old boy I did an excellent job with such an adult repertoire. This compliment greatly encouraged me and became decisive in my desire to continue vocal training. I was paid 50 or 100 euros for the performance. But I didn’t spend them - my mother said that the first fee should remain as a keepsake, and hid them somewhere in a book. Perhaps they are still kept in the home library. - Do you like to spend money? N: Yes, I’m a terrible spender. I don't know how to save at all. In this I took after my aunt. Mom laments that I waste money and don’t know how to save it. And honestly, I never bother about this at all. When I was a student, it used to be that I would get some money for a song in karaoke or for working part-time as an operator in a call center - and immediately with my girlfriend or friends I would go to night club . I’ll spend it all and go around without money all week again: I sit at home, read, listen to music. I know for sure: the more you spend, the more will come to you. - Are you and your mother friends? N: Yes. This is a person very close to me. I probably talk about this a lot in interviews. But all because she really made me a person. She dedicated her life to me. - Mom tried to do everything so that you did not feel deprived. After all, you grew up without a father. Sorry if I touched on a topic that is painful for you. N: It's okay. My story is the most common one. This is absolutely true. I don't know my father. He didn’t want a child, he abandoned me before I was born. We don’t know each other, but maybe I’ll be able to talk to him someday. At least that's what I really want. And I’m not at all offended by him. I have no anger, negativity, or hatred. Everything happened as it should have happened. I know that he does not live here - abroad, he has a family and two twin children. So I have two brothers. I really want to meet the guys, it’s interesting to talk to them. Mom says that I am very similar to my father. I would like to look at them too. Honestly, I probably found them on Facebook. I know their first and last names. True, I can’t say for sure whether it’s them. And I'm also not sure if now is the right time to meet them. - Did he leave when it became known that your mother was pregnant with you? N: He didn’t want a child, he insisted that the mother have an abortion. “I’m sure if he had known in advance that such a wonderful boy would be born, everything would have been different.” N: It was my mother’s decision. She did not accept her father’s ultimatum: either he or the child. They quarreled over this and the father left. And soon he moved abroad altogether. Once I met with my father’s good friend, he greeted me very cordially! And he said: “If father saw you now, he would want to change everything.” This man offered to help me talk on the phone with my father. But I was 15 years old, and I was not ready to communicate. Difficult age. I doubt I could have a normal conversation with him. Even now I am not sure that I will be able to construct a dialogue correctly. It should happen spontaneously. - Has your mother communicated with him all these years? N: She called him once when I was a teenager. It was hard for us financially, we didn’t have enough money, and my mother asked my father for help - he is a fairly wealthy man, a successful doctor, he has his own business. But he refused. He said: “You had a chance for everything to be fine, you didn’t use it. Now solve your problems yourself.” That is, he didn’t mind the money, it was just a matter of principle - to punish his mother for disobedience. - I know that you spent your entire childhood in Spain. How did you get there? N: I lived in Spain from the age of 3. It was my aunt’s initiative who wanted me to know the language. And indeed, I spoke Spanish as if it were my native language. After all, on one of my visits I lived in Spain for eight months. For several years in a row I was sent to the same family. They didn’t have children of their own, and they treated me like one of their own. At some point they wanted to keep me. They called my mother, said that they loved me, convinced me that I would be better off with them, because it was difficult for her to raise a child alone. Moreover, I added fuel to the fire: I once again flew to Kyiv and started whining that I wanted to go back. Right in Boryspil he said that it was bad here and I would happily return to Spain. Mom burst into tears and had a very strong fight with her aunt. After all, it was her idea that I go to Spain to learn the language. In a word, one fine year I didn’t fly anywhere - my mother cut off all communication with the Spanish family. But again: everything happens as it should happen. I was destined to be born - I was born. Destined to stay in Ukraine - and here I am. Who knows what would have happened to me if my mother had made a completely different decision at one time... But I understand the value of this chance and appreciate even more all the benefits that I receive from life today. I am ready to fight every second for myself, my loved ones and friends and to thank every day for the fact that it has come.

In 2016 he became the winner of the Ukrainian music award YUNA in the “Discovery of the Year” nomination and Russian awards"Muz-TV" and RU.TV in the categories "Breakthrough of the Year" and " Best Song" This award was brought to him by the song “Drunken Sun”, which became the first Russian-language composition to enter the Top 100 of the world Shazam chart.

Childhood and family of Nikita Alekseev

Nikita has never seen his father, but he knows that he, a successful, wealthy doctor, lives abroad, is married and has two twin sons. Despite the circumstances preceding his birth and the complete lack of material help from his father, the young man never held a grudge against him and dreamed of getting to know him and his brothers.

Its meteoric rise to musical Olympus the singer considers it not only his merit or the will of chance, but also a certain magic of his surname. It turns out that he got it from his grandfather Nikita’s friend at the front, who saved his life by shielding him from a bullet. In memory of him, my grandfather changed his surname - Chumak - to the surname of the deceased soldier.

IN early childhood Nikita had to travel a lot. At 6 months old, his mother took him to Chita for two years, then returned with her son to the Ukrainian capital. From the age of three, now on the initiative of an enterprising aunt, he was periodically sent to visit a Spanish family to study foreign language. Once he spent about 8 months with “foster parents” who did not have children of their own.

As a result, he spoke Spanish as well as in native language, A married couple wanted to adopt him. But Nikita’s mother, of course, was against this turn of events, although he himself (to her horror) did not want to return home - the Spanish family treated him like their own child.

Nikita Alekseev answered fans' questions

IN school years he played tennis for five years, which contributed to his harmonious physical development, improved coordination, rhythm, and cultivated the will to win. These qualities also came in handy in music, which came into his life at the age of ten, when Nikita began attending vocal lessons with a well-known teacher in professional circles, Konstantin Pon. The teacher helped him develop his performing skills, instilled a refined musical taste, a love for the classics of world rock and high-quality pop music.

As a teenager, Nikita, dreaming before going to bed, often imagined himself on stage in the spotlight in front of an applauding audience. And he did everything possible to achieve his dream: he tried to get to Junior Eurovision, organized the rock group “Mova” (translated from Ukrainian language"Speech").

Once, the singer recalled, when he was 12 years old, he was preparing to perform with the song “We are the champions” by the British Queen, and his mother gave him incredible white trousers especially for the concert. And in the height of his feelings, he rode in them on his knees on the mastic-covered parquet floor of the stage and hopelessly ruined them.

After graduating from school, he chose a specialty that, as it seemed to him then, would allow him to have Fixed salary and support his family - he began studying to become a marketer. From his first year, in parallel with his studies, he worked part-time in call centers and in a karaoke bar. Despite his workload, he could not give up music - after about six months, he and his friends put together another rock band. In addition, he attended the Kiev Institute of Culture as a free listener.

Musical career of Nikita Alekseev. Alekseev

At the so-called “blind auditions”, of all the jury, only Ani Lorak turned to the contestant, predetermining him with her choice future fate. He confidently overcame the first stage of the show, but did not reach the final. To support and console the mentee, the mentor assisted him in creating the first video clip for the song “Drunk Sun”. This song and the accompanying video became a sensational event in domestic show business, marking the beginning of a successful creative path vocalist.

The video director was the famous music video director Alan Badoev. Filming took place on the Kiev Sea during a suddenly violent storm. For the singer then there was a real danger of ending up in the water and drowning, but, fortunately, everything worked out.

Alekseev – Drunken Sun (2015)

In April 2015, he congratulated singer Irina Bilyk on her birthday by recording a cover of her song “And I’m Swimming.”

In 2016, he released his debut mini-albums “Drunk Sun” and “Hold.” Highly appreciated creativity The musician was given by Philip Kirkorov himself. In October of the same year, he presented to the public a new song, “Oceans of Steel.”

Alekseev's songs conquered iTunes and half the world afterwards

The video for the song “Snov Oskolki” with Ukrainian model Stasya Smerechevskaya, like the previous video, caused a stir. Most listeners found it insightful, quality and moving.

Alekseev – Dream fragments (2016)

The Kiev resident, together with a team of like-minded people, continues to hone his skills, rightly emphasizing that talent is only a small part of success, the rest depends on perseverance and work. The artist actively tours, is always in search, works on himself, filling the gaps in studying music theory, Special attention pays attention to solfeggio because he wants not only to perform songs, but also to write music.