Personal data
- Name: Vera, Ukrainian Vira
- Patronymic: Viktorovna, Ukrainian. Viktorivna
- Last name: Kiperman, Ukrainian. Kiperman (before marriage – Galushka)
- Date of Birth: 3. 02. 1982
- Place of birth: Dneprodzherzhinsk, Ukrainian SSR (Ukrainian URSR)
- Zodiac sign: Aquarius
- Eastern horoscope: Dog
- Occupation: singer, actress, TV presenter
- Height: 171 cm
- Weight: 53 kg
Vera Brezhneva is known in Russia as a singer. She became famous when she performed songs as part of the VIA Gra group. In addition, she tried herself as an actress and TV presenter. He is a UN Goodwill Ambassador for HIV/AIDS.
Photo by Alexey Vorobyov
The childhood and youth of Vera Brezhneva
Vera was an ordinary Soviet child. Her parents worked at the Dnieper chemical plant. In addition to Vera, there were 3 more children in the family, also girls: older sister Galina. She was born 5 years earlier. 3 years after Vera, twin girls, Anastasia and Victoria, were born. Therefore, the house was always noisy, life was literally in full swing. Vera and Gala had to look after the younger ones when their parents were at work.
When the girl was 11 years old, her father was hit by a car. Money became difficult in the family. Therefore, Vera began to earn extra money. She helped in cafes, at the market and even babysat for children. She gave all the money she earned to her mother.
Vera Galushka in her youth
Vera studied at the most ordinary secondary school No. 41 in Dneprodzherzhinsk. The girl was fond of sports. She practiced both team (handball, basketball) and individual sports (karate, rhythmic gymnastics). She also danced and took part in school theater productions. Vera really liked the classes at the theater for young spectators. It was here that she fell in love with performing in front of the public; in the Youth Theater, many of the girls’ natural abilities were developed. In addition, she went to music school. But for now her thoughts were far from her career as a singer and the world of show business. Vera dreamed of becoming a lawyer. However, fate turned out to be such that she entered the correspondence department of the Dnepropetrovsk Institute of Railway Engineers. Here she mastered the specialty of economist. In parallel with this, Vera diligently and in depth studied foreign languages, for this she had to study with tutors. She also attended secretarial assistant courses.
Over the years, Vera has blossomed
"VIA Gra" in the life of Vera Brezhneva
Vera did not consciously strive to get into the world of show business. She didn’t look for producers or record songs. But one day a girl attended a concert of the group “VIA Gra”. It was 2002, the musical group was on a tour of the cities of Ukraine. Vera did not hesitate to go on stage and sing together with the singers the popular song “Attempt No. 5” in 2002, when one of the group members asked a volunteer to leave the hall. The producers were impressed by what they heard and saw. And a few months later, after Alena Vinnitskaya left, they sent Vera an invitation to the casting. The girl successfully passed the test. She had to move from the Ukrainian hinterland to Moscow. Since 2003, Vera became an official member of the team. She sang with Anna Sedokova and Nadezhda Granovskaya. It was this composition of the group that was later recognized as the best, “golden”.
The golden composition of the group "VIA Gra"
It was this trio that brought the group to the pinnacle of success. In a short period, a huge number of songs were recorded, including collaborations with Valery Meladze and Verka Serduchka. All the songs instantly occupied the top lines in the pop charts, were constantly rotated on the radio, and the videos were on television. And the hits of that time do not lose popularity to this day.
Vera immediately threw herself into her work. She took part in the recording of the band’s new album and starred in videos. And, of course, no one canceled the tour. It was a constant nomadic life, scheduled literally in seconds. There was practically not a second of rest in the schedule. While the composition was unchanged, Vera still held out. However, in 2004 Anna Sedokova left the team, and in 2006 Alena Vinnitskaya left. An endless search for new singers began. But no one else managed to complete the lineup so successfully. As a result, in the summer of 2007, Vera decided to leave the team. This was a major blow to both fans and producers.
Scandalous and incredibly sexy: all the soloists of the group "VIA Gra"
The golden composition of the group "VIA Gra"
On September 3, 2000, the premiere of the video “Attempt No. 5” took place on the Biz-TV channel, and it was after this that the VIA Gra group became known throughout the post-Soviet space. It's hard to believe that 20 years have passed since then.
During this time, the composition changed many times. Soloists left VIA Gra to try their luck in independent swimming, but only a few managed to make a successful solo career. In honor of the anniversary of the StarHit team, I decided to remember all its stars and find out how their destinies turned out.
Alena Vinnitskaya
Alena Vinnitskaya
Alena was a member of the very first composition of the VIA Gra group. Bright and charming, the producers immediately liked her. For three years in the team, Vinnitskaya was able to achieve great success: the songs “Attempt No. 5”, “I will not return”, “Stop! Stop! Stop" became hits, which were later sung by millions of listeners in both Ukraine and Russia.
And yet, it became increasingly difficult to withstand long tours and work without days off. After three years of fame, Alena decided that she had to leave VIA Gro. Among the main reasons for leaving, she named an overly busy work schedule, problems in her relationship with her husband, and conflicts with Anna Sedokova. “Nadya Granovskaya and I never seriously quarreled. When Anya Sedokova joined us, it became, of course, more difficult,” Vinnitskaya later said in the “Zirkovy Shlyakh” program on the “Ukraine” TV channel.
Alena does not regret leaving the group
A sharp drop in popularity and pressure from the public led to the fact that after leaving the group, Alena ended up in a psychiatric clinic for several weeks and spent a long time restoring her emotional balance. Now Vinnitskaya continues to make music, but she can only dream of her former popularity.
Nadezhda Granovskaya
Nadezhda Meikher-Granovskaya
It is difficult to overestimate the contribution that Nadezhda Granovskaya made to the work of VIA Gra. Konstantin Meladze immediately saw the incredible potential of the brunette beauty, so without hesitation he invited her to the team. Later, the so-called golden composition of the legendary trio was formed: Granovskaya-Sedokova-Brezhnev, which fans continue to miss to this day.
Perhaps Nadezhda could not boast of phenomenal vocal abilities, but her charisma was overflowing. Videos from concerts are still circulating on the Internet, during which Granovskaya allowed herself daring dances that went beyond the bounds of decency.
Nadezhda still remains a sex symbol
The artist left the group several times, but returned each time. Overwhelming popularity did not prevent Nadezhda from becoming a mother three times and finding personal happiness next to businessman Mikhail Urzhumtsev. Now the 38-year-old singer continues to perform on stage, also managing to act in films and write poetry.
Tatyana Naynik
Tatyana Naynik
Tatyana became the lead singer of the group just at the moment when Nadezhda Granovskaya left the group for the first time, going on maternity leave. Naynik was part of VIA Gra for a little less than a year, and it was a very productive period. The artist starred in videos and for the covers of famous magazines, although she was well aware that after Granovskaya’s return she would have to leave.
The separation occurred in September 2002. Tatyana parted ways with the producers peacefully, although later she didn’t particularly like to remember her experience working with the team. But “VIA Gra” gave Naynik the popularity she so desired. The vocalist continued her career as a solo performer, but did not gain much success with the public.
Tatyana found personal happiness long ago
And in 2008, Tatyana began to have serious health problems. The star was diagnosed with severe anxiety and depression, which constantly provoked panic attacks. They tormented the artist even during pregnancy. Despite the doctors' fears, Naynik was able to carry her daughter to term. Now Tatyana is married to Margarita Terekhova’s son, Alexander.
Anna Sedokova
Anna Sedokova
Almost immediately after joining VIA Gro, Anna became the main star of the team. She got the best parts in the songs, and many could envy Sedokova’s charisma. Then it seemed that Anya had settled in the group forever, but in 2004 she left the team to devote herself to her loved one and her unborn child.
Anna Sedokova: “Kostya is no longer standing on VIA Gro, but as soon as he starts to get up, they quickly clamp his testicles”
Later, the star recalled her work at VIA Gre mostly in a negative way. “We all declared a cold war on each other. No, we communicate very nicely with each other when we have to, but, in fact, we don’t love. Kostya Meladze all the time harshly manipulated us, not as artists, but as women. A very strong manipulation at the level: “Well, who will be my muse today?” Such competition was created in which you constantly had to prove that you were better,” said the performer during a live broadcast with Olga Polyakova.
Anna with her fiance Janis Timma
In the mid-2000s, many fans were sure that Sedokova would join the list of performers who were unable to make a solo career after working at VIA Gre. However, Anna surprised everyone. She still works successfully on stage and produces hits. Even constant failures in love did not break the performer, and recently it became known that the star was marrying basketball player Janis Timma. So it’s a definite success on all fronts.
Vera Brezhneva
Vera Brezhneva
Vera joined the group in January 2003 and immediately became everyone's favorite. Bright and sexy, charming and attractive - this is exactly what Brezhneva was like at that time. It’s unlikely that anyone could have imagined that one of the biggest scandals in the history of the group would be associated with the blonde. But more on that later.
Vera left the team in the summer of 2007, and even then she was very popular. And yet, few people expected that the artist would be able to make such a successful start in solo swimming. Brezhnev released several hits, starred in a couple of films and finally gained a foothold in Russian show business.
In just a few years, Vera has become one of the most sought-after artists in Russia.
Even then there were rumors that Brezhnev had a relationship with Konstantin Meladze, but fans did not believe in them. Only in 2013, when the producer divorced his wife, they began to talk seriously about the romance between the composer and his muse.
Two families of Konstantin Meladze: why the producer hid his affair with Vera Brezhneva for many years
In 2020, Vera and Konstantin officially got married. Now the artist is not only the producer’s muse, but also his main support. “With the advent of this man, my life changed. I finally lifted my head from the keyboard... It wasn’t even me who lifted it, but she grabbed me by the hair. I didn’t care where I rested or what I ate. I missed out on a lot because I was obsessed with my work. And Vera gave me a kick and awakened my interest in a life other than the studio and music,” the composer said in an interview for the program “Visiting Dmitry Gordon.”
Together, the spouses really look harmonious. There have long been rumors that the couple dreams of having a child together, but so far Vera has denied speculation about pregnancy.
Svetlana Loboda
Svetlana Loboda
Now many people don’t even remember that Svetlana Loboda began her career in the VIA Gra group. She sang in the group for only a few months. The artist then faced a difficult task - to replace Anna Sedokova, who had gone on maternity leave. And she failed in this task. Fans greeted the new soloist with such hostility that they organized real boycotts for her.
But who cares now? After leaving VIA Gra, Svetlana changed her image and focused on charisma and the European sound of her songs. As a result, we got one of the brightest artists of the CIS. Loboda was never afraid to shock the public, so fans discussed not only her hits, but also her appearance, as well as her stormy personal life.
Svetlana is not only a successful artist, but also a happy mother
It is still unknown from whom Svetlana gave birth to her youngest daughter, Tilda. Well, over the past five years, in principle, no information has appeared about Loboda’s personal life, but this has not diminished her popularity at all.
Albina Dzhanabaeva
Albina Dzhanabaeva
And here is another scandalous soloist. Albina received an invitation to the group in 2004, when Svetlana Loboda was fired after four months of work. The artist’s candidacy seemed strange to many. Fans argued that Dzhanabaeva did not have enough charisma and sexuality to sing in VIA Gre, but this did not stop the producers.
It turned out later that by that time Albina had long been Valery Meladze’s mistress and even managed to give birth to a son from him. The couple successfully hid their relationship until 2009, when the singer’s high-profile divorce broke out. Valery’s wife spoke about many years of infidelities and lies about Dzhanabaeva, forever making her an enemy of the people in the eyes of all women in Russia.
Albina Dzhanabaeva about the children of Valery Meladze: “They live well, no one abandoned them”
“I began to guess about two years before the final break. I felt that something bad was happening. Valera refused to talk, although I tried to find out the reason for the change in his behavior. And one day he simply lost his temper and told everything, but did not mention her name. What I heard was a shock for me. Later, I learned from a friend that this was Albina Dzhanabaeva. The news came as a surprise to me. Of course, I knew Albina, but I couldn’t even imagine that she already had a son from Valera,” Irina said in the “Fate of a Man” program on the Rossiya 1 TV channel.
The relationship between Meladze and Dzhanabaeva has been tested for strength
In 2012, Konstantin Meladze temporarily closed the VIA Gra group, and Albina began to pursue a solo career. True, she did not reach great heights in this field. But in her personal life, everything worked out perfectly: now Dzhanabaeva is married to Valery Meladze and is raising two sons with him.
Christina Kotz-Gottlieb
Christina Kotz-Gottlieb
Christina replaced Nadezhda Granovskaya, who temporarily left the team in 2005. Then a five-year contract was signed with Kots-Gottlieb, and the producers were confident that the cast of performers was finally complete. However, in April 2006, the girl unexpectedly disappeared from the group.
Later, Christina said in an interview that she herself was not aware of the dismissal. After several performances, she went to Donetsk for a week to see her loved ones. At home, the artist received a message from the producers that they no longer intended to work with her. For Kotz-Gottlieb, this came as a complete shock.
The artist had a hard time getting fired
As a result, the artist had to start everything from scratch. She performed solo, and in 2009 she even won the title “Miss Ukraine Universe 2009”. True, all this did not bring Christina her former popularity. In 2017, she became the lead singer of the Queens group, but the demand for this group was much less than that of VIA Gra.
Now Christina continues to work in show business. She records tracks and appears on television, but for now she can only dream of a successful solo career.
Olga Romanovskaya
Olga Romanovskaya
Christina was replaced by the very young Olga Koryagina, who after her marriage became Romanovsky. The bright brunette had both a memorable appearance and magnetic sexuality. It seemed that she was ideal for working at VIA Gre.
And at first Olga was really happy in the group. Even her fans received her surprisingly warmly. However, exactly a year after signing the contract, the artist left the team. Then the producers explained her decision due to pregnancy. Romanovskaya herself admitted in an interview that working at VIA Gre turned out to be psychologically very difficult.
“I think about that period, and an episode immediately comes to mind when I received a message from Kostya Meladze. He wrote that I was a nonentity, that without VIA Gra I was nothing. Moreover, I did not understand why I was guilty. I tried to call him, ask what happened, but no one answered the phone. Later Kostya behaved as if nothing had happened. Messages from Meladze are still my main fear,” the star shared.
Olga has long been happy in her personal life
After her wedding to Ukrainian businessman Andrei Romanovsky and the birth of her son Maxim, Olga took a break from her career. Only occasionally she recorded new tracks and appeared at social events. And then, in 2020, the artist unexpectedly became the host of the “Revizorro” program. Fans did not accept Olga, constantly comparing her with Elena Letuchaya. As a result, after filming 28 episodes, Romanovskaya left the project.
Olga Romanovskaya called work at Revizorro unbearable
Now the artist continues to perform solo and work on television. True, for most fans she remained the ex-soloist of VIA Gra.
Meseda Bagaudinova
Meseda Bagaudinova
Meseda was that rare person who made everyone happy. The fans received her well, the producers treated the girl positively, and even with Albina Dzhanabaeva, with whom the other participants had a row, Bagaudinova quickly found a common language.
The brunette was the lead singer of the group for a year and a half, and during this time she managed to star in four videos. Then Nadezhda Granovskaya returned to VIA Gro once again. The producers understood that the two brunettes would not be able to work together, so the contract with Meseda was terminated.
In an interview, the girl admitted that she was not offended by the team and was grateful to VIA Gre for the chance. After this, the artist began a solo career, while simultaneously managing to build her personal life. In 2011, she got married, and a few months later gave birth to a son, Aspar. True, the marriage did not last long.
Mesada is happy with the way her career has turned out
Now the artist still performs in Ukraine and Russia, periodically taking part in television shows. But she never managed to get rid of the label of “former lead singer of VIA Gra.”
Tatyana Kotova
Tatyana Kotova often quarreled with her bandmates
In July 2007, what fans were so afraid of happened: Vera Brezhneva left the group. It seemed almost impossible to find a replacement for the blonde. Actually, the producers could not cope with this task for 8 months, so the team again became a duet.
Battle of dresses: who is hotter – Anastasia Kostenko or Tatyana Kotova?
And in March 2008, Tatyana Kotova joined the group. At that time, the artist had already won the Miss Russia title and was very popular. Tatyana fit into the team well, but almost immediately she began to have conflicts with Albina Dzhanabaeva. Later in an interview, she said that Albina was jealous of Valeria Meladze, which is why she constantly started scandals.
“Meladze is truly dear to her. If Albina and Valera had a fight, it is immediately noticeable in her state of mind. She is all on edge and can lose her temper over any little thing. Albina is already a rather harsh and unrestrained person, but in such cases she becomes simply unbearable,” said Kotova.
Kotova recalls working in a group with negativity
Tatyana was in the group precisely during the period when Meladze divorced his wife, and everyone suddenly found out about his relationship with Dzhanabaeva. At that time, the atmosphere in the team was unbearable. Kotova quarreled with Albina every now and then and at some point she simply could not stand it. In April 2010, the artist announced her departure from VIA Gra.
Valery Meladze's ex-wife thanked him for his betrayal
Tatyana began performing solo. She still records tracks and often appears at social events. But she doesn’t like to answer questions about VIA Gre: this topic is too painful for her.
Eva Bushmina
Eva Bushmina
Eva joined the group at a time when the group’s popularity began to fade. Rumors about the dissolution of the group began to appear more and more often, but this did not stop the singer from working at VIA Gre for more than two years. By the way, at the time of joining the group, Bushmina was already known in Ukraine thanks to her participation in the “Star Factory” project.
In December 2012, the group finally broke up. Eva had to start a solo career, but fans had mixed reactions to her new compositions.
Eva Bushmina
In mid-2016, the artist decided to completely change her pseudonym and creative direction. “For a long time, the name “Eva Bushmina” was in harmony with the image and creativity, but due to many experiments and transformation of the musical style, it ceased to be relevant. It's time to close the door to the past and start all over again, without the echoes of the “Star Factory” and the “Via Gra” group. Now you will see me real, frank, original. Eva Bushmina is an artificially created character and it’s time to say goodbye to him. I want to be real with my audience. My name is Yana. Inside I am completely different, and I want the viewer to understand this and accept me, my creativity and attitude. Now my music will sound under the name LAYAH,” the star said then.
The artist continues to perform on stage. True, it works mainly in Ukraine. LAYAH has its own audience, but, of course, there is no talk of its former popularity.
Santa Dimopoulos
Santa Dimopoulos
Santa followed the same path as Bushmina: first she became a participant in “Star Factory”, and only then in “VIA Gra”. The bright and charming brunette was supposed to replace Nadezhda Granovskaya, who once again went on a solo voyage. Actually, Dimopoulos succeeded in this. Later, fans repeatedly called her one of the sexiest VIA Gra soloists in history.
It is noteworthy that at the time of her participation in the team, Santa was already a mother: she alone raised her son Daniel, whom she gave birth to from showman Andrei Dzhedzhula.
Santa has long found personal happiness
Like many performers who worked in a popular group, Dimopoulos quickly got used to fame and in October 2012 decided to pursue a solo career. True, she has not yet achieved much success in this field.
But Santa always had very wealthy men as suitors. Her relationship with businessman Vladimir Samsonenko turned out to be scandalous. The lovers got married in 2012, but divorced a year later. Then the artist even stated that the ceremony was fake.
Only on the third attempt did Santa get lucky. In 2020, she married the owner of a chain of sports clubs, Igor Kucherenko, and in 2019 the couple had a daughter.
Erica Herceg
Erica Herceg
In December 2012, a truly historical event took place - Konstantin Meladze disbanded the VIA Gra group. At first there were rumors that the team had ceased to exist forever. However, it soon became clear that Konstantin Shotaevich intended to recruit new soloists, and for this he even launched the project “I Want V Via Gro”.
Based on the results of the competition, three new soloists were selected. One of them was Erica Herceg. From the very beginning, fans noted that the blonde was better suited for the team than others, since she had incredible sexual magnetism.
Erica carefully hides her personal life
Actually, Erica is still working in the group, although she is going to start a solo career in the coming months. The main scandal involving Herceg was associated with the name of Konstantin Meladze. About a year ago, rumors appeared that the producer and singer were having an affair. They refuted the speculation in every possible way, but the fans could not be stopped.
VIA Gra soloist Erica Herceg: “Rumors of an affair with Meladze are poisoning our lives”
Even Vera Brezhneva was forced to make a statement, denying gossip about Meladze’s infidelities. One way or another, Erica still sings in the group, and the producer is still married to Brezhneva. So the rumors of betrayal did not find any real confirmation.
Misha Romanova
Misha Romanova
Misha was also among the winners of the show “I Want V Via Gro”. By the way, Romanova had a successful solo career before this. Back in 2012, she began performing on stage with compositions written by Max Barskikh. The producer of the star was then Alan Badoev.
During the period of Misha's participation in VIA Gre, great attention was focused on her personal life. Fans continually discussed her affair with Vladislav Ramm and Max Barskikh, and the artist herself invariably remained silent about the relationship. In 2020, she left the team altogether for maternity leave.
Misha Romanova has been friends with Max Barskikh for many years
Romanova still hides the name of the father of her heir. At the same time, it is known that she broke up with her chosen one long ago, and with a scandal. “My child’s father put us out on the street. Apparently he didn’t like something I said in the interview. I don’t know why he was offended, because I didn’t say his name. They asked me: “Who supported you during pregnancy?” I answered - parents, friends, Max... But, apparently, this somehow hurt him. That’s why he decided to take revenge on me in this way,” Romanova said in an interview for the YouTube channel “Rumor Has It.”
But even personal problems did not affect Romanova’s plans. She still dreams of ascending to the musical Olympus and continues to work on new creative material.
Anastasia Kozhevnikova
Anastasia Kozhevnikova
Anastasia Kozhevnikova was one of the main favorites of the public. The artist saw the blossoming of the new “VIA Gra”, when two hits were released in succession - “Truce” and “I Got Another One”. However, after this there was a decline in the team. Every now and then fans speculated that Meladze was preparing for changes in the group.
When Misha Romanova left VIA Gra, Kozhevnikova also thought about starting a solo career. As a result, a few months later she informed fans that she was leaving the trio. Anastasia’s debut composition did not take long to arrive. But, alas, she did not gain much success with the public.
Anastasia continues to work in the music business
In an interview, the artist admitted that she does not regret leaving the group. According to Anastasia, she got the most from VIA Gra, and it’s time to move on.
Olga Meganskaya
Olga Meganskaya (middle) at one of the performances
Olga came to the group to replace Misha Romanova. She faced a difficult task: she had to replace an artist who had performed for five years at VIA Gre, to whom the fans were accustomed. Of course, Meganskaya had to face both criticism and insults from fans.
Olga coped with all this, because for a very long time she dreamed of becoming a popular singer. She performed on stages in St. Petersburg and even tried her hand at the show “The Voice”. But they didn’t hire her for the project.
Olga was glad to become part of the legendary group
Meganskaya still performs as a member of VIA Gra. During this time, she managed to make friends with the rest of the soloists, and the fans finally got used to Olga. True, there are now rumors that the team will be disbanded again after the departure of Erica Herceg. And what Olga will do after this is unclear.
Ulyana Sinetskaya
Ulyana Sinetskaya
Ulyana began her musical career at a very young age. Back in 2006, she became a Junior Eurovision finalist, and even then music experts paid attention to the future star.
Singer Alekseev started an affair with the lead singer of VIA Gra
In 2014, she tried to become famous thanks to the “Voice” project. The girl ended up on Alexander Gradsky’s team, but was unable to win. This did not stop Sinetskaya, and a few years later she successfully passed the casting for the “New Star Factory”. Actually, it was on the show that Ulyana had her moment of fame.
Ulyana Sinetskaya
After the end of the project, she was the lead singer of the group CASH, and only then received an invitation to VIA Gro, where she still works. Some fans of the trio are sure that Ulyana is not very suitable for the sexiest group in the CIS, but this did not stop her from starring in three videos and touring many countries.
What awaits the legendary group “VIA Gra” next is unknown. The only shame is that due to constant personnel changes, the popularity of the team is falling. Perhaps Konstantin Meladze will try to assemble a group from scratch, but it is unlikely that he will be able to find such bright stars as Brezhneva, Sedokova and Granovskaya.
Based on materials from “7 days”
Photo: Legion-Media, Sergey Milansky, Andrey Kalmykov/Woman.ru, press service archive, Facebook.com, Instagram.com
The origin of the pseudonym, or why Vera Brezhneva
Vera came to the VIA Gra group with her maiden name - Galushka. The combination “Vera Galushka” did not seem impressive or harmonious to the producers. So they thought about choosing a stage name. This was not a very simple question, because... Vera was still not particularly remarkable. Except for one thing: she was a fellow countrywoman of Leonid Brezhnev, the former Secretary General of the USSR. The surname is sonorous, famous, and attracts attention. Thanks to this simple move, the producers managed to draw attention to the new singer in the group and intrigue listeners and journalists.
With family: Vera with her mother, daughter and sisters
Singer Vera Brezhneva - about love, beauty and HIV
Moscow, December 8. To get into the VIA Gra group, she had to lose weight, persistently take up vocals and change her last name. Brezhnev is the pseudonym of Vera Galushka. It all started with a performance by VIA Gra in Ukraine. Vera came to the concert as a spectator. But when the singers invited fans to sing with them, the girl gladly went on stage. Every song is a hit. Since the beginning of the 2000s, the golden members of the group: Anna Sedokova, Vera Brezhneva, Nadezhda Granovskaya have more than once become owners of the Golden Gramophone. But after four years of working at VIA Gre, Vera decided it was time to go solo.
The next hits were not long in coming. Invitations to film and television projects followed. Many times the singer became the country's sex symbol, but in recent years she has changed her role. She opened her own charity foundation and began helping children with oncohematological blood diseases. Now the singer is working on issues of discrimination against infected women in Asia and Eastern Europe. UNAIDS says such an active ambassador has not been seen here for a long time. Vera happily meets with infected women and protects their interests.
Between filming films, concerts and charity work, Vera manages to start a family. The eldest daughter Sofia is 14 years old. The youngest Sarah is 6. Despite the fact that the girls spend most of their time with their grandmother, their mother’s care is always felt. In the Galushka family, it’s one for all and all for one. Journalists have been hunting for details of the singer’s personal life for many years. Recently, the paparazzi tried to take photographs from her wedding, but Vera is sure that the main thing is not external beauty, but internal beauty. She wants to be seen as a caring mother, a professional and a person who is not indifferent to the troubles of others.
ALSO READ: Vera Brezhneva burst into tears on the air of the MIR TV channel
— Your predecessors as UN Ambassador on AIDS were Naomi Watts, Miss World Lara Dutta, Oleg Gazmanov. Are you pleased to add your name to this list?
- Yes, sure. I had already been to the UN headquarters in New York and gave a presentation there, where I met Ban Ki-moon.
— What are the responsibilities of an ambassador?
The main responsibility is information attack.
— You are probably aware that the famous American actor Charlie Sheen publicly announced that he is HIV-positive.
I think this is a very big step. I have to communicate a lot with women who live with HIV. And I see that it takes a lot of courage to tell everyone about it.
— Were there any women who surprised you with their courage?
Yes, and not alone. Basically, these are activists who stand their ground. They look great, they are not afraid or shy.
— How do you raise your daughters? Do you tell them about AIDS?
My eldest and I are already having these conversations carefully. She herself is interested in what I do.
— At what age should a child be told that such a danger exists?
When you realize that your child is beginning to be interested in such topics, you need to try to tell him that this can happen.
— Does your mother help you raise your daughters?
She doesn't help - she's a second mother to my children.
— Few people know that a woman who is a carrier of HIV infection can give birth to a healthy child.
Absolutely right. If you receive therapy during pregnancy, have a caesarean section, do not breastfeed the baby, and give the correct therapy to the baby after birth, you can give birth to a healthy baby.
— Are there any statistics?
Yes. I recently visited Kazakhstan. They have very good results. And I was inspired by this. For example, 15-17 years ago there was no therapy. Women, finding out that they had HIV, still gave birth to children, without being able to change anything.
— Is it true that you are one of the first in Russia to take an HIV test in public?
Yes it's true. This, by the way, relates to the issue of education. The best education is your own personal example. And I encourage people to get tested. It's fast, anonymous and free.
— The foundation of health is laid in the family. You have a wonderful family. And the video “My Girl” stars three generations of your family.
Yes, ten girls.
- Was this your idea?
Yes, I made that up. When I wrote the song, I realized who I was dedicating it to. I dedicate it to my daughters, my sisters, their children and my mother.
— You are the Ambassador of Eastern Europe and Central Asia. Why are those infected with HIV mostly women?
The epidemic has taken on a female face, because a man may sometimes not become infected, but a woman will become infected 100%.
— Working as a goodwill ambassador, you spend a lot of time on this. Do you have enough time for creativity?
I try to properly distribute my energy and my time. I have practically no free time. Sometimes I put on headphones on the plane just to be alone and recover. I communicate a lot with people, and it takes a lot of energy.
— How do you recover then?
I recover in my sleep, in communication with my loved ones. I am guided by love and live by it. I’m talking now not only about love for a man, but about love in principle. Love is my air.
ALSO READ: Vera Brezhneva and Konstantin Meladze secretly got married
— If we talk about children, what kind of mother are you?
I have to be strict.
— This year your eldest daughter attended the debutante ball. This is what she writes: “What a pity that my mother is not with me. I love her so much".
After that evening, she came up to me and said: “Mom, I want to go back this evening.” And it’s so nice that I was able to give her this fairy tale.
-What does she dream of becoming?
She has the ability to be a pastry chef, and she is also very smart. I try not to praise her, but sometimes I do.
— Isn’t Sarah jealous of Sonya?
Sarah kissed and loved.
— By the way, why did you call her Sarah?
When I was pregnant, I wanted my daughter's name to have an "R" in it, just like mine. Besides, she has Jewish blood flowing in her, which is why I decided to call her that.
- How does grandma raise them?
Grandma is softer than me.
— Tell us what you do to look good.
If a woman runs an average of five kilometers, she will have good health and figure. I often read what they write about me: “Of course, you have everything to look like this - plastic surgeons, and you have plenty of money.” In fact, this is what lazy people say, who cannot get their butts off the couch and do something to be in good shape.
— Do HIV-infected women come to you with personal problems?
Yes, once I was sitting with girls in one of our cities, and they told me: “Vera, we don’t have a gynecologist. We are not accepted in regular hospitals.” As a result, we managed to solve this problem through the Ministry of Health and my leader.
— It turns out that your activity as an ambassador comes first, and creativity comes second?
No, I'm trying to get everything done. There is only one life, and you want to live it to the fullest. At the same time, of course, I give myself a rest. I’m planning to go somewhere after the New Year.
— You have a song “Good morning”. How is your morning going?
My morning must start with a smile.
-*If you have a free day, how do you spend it?*
I ask the children: “What do you want?”, and that’s how they want, that’s how we spend our day.
— Do you have any restrictions at home?
It depends on the situation, on the mood and on the possibilities. I try to give children inner freedom. I don’t want them to be tense and complex.
Thanks for the interview!
Vera Brezhneva's solo career
After leaving the group, Vera decided to take a vacation and take a little break from the endless bustle, constant travel and flights, from life scheduled by the minute. However, very soon she became bored and depressed. She missed the usual frantic rhythm of life. And she decided to return to show business. But already as a solo singer. In the spring of 2008, she released a solo video for the song “I Don’t Play.”
In 2010, she recorded a duet with Dan Balan “Petals of Tears”. For this composition they received the RU.TV award. In the fall of the same year, Vera presented her first solo album, “Love will save the world,” to the attention of listeners. The composition of the same name from the record became an undisputed hit. For her, Vera Brezhneva received the first Golden Gramophone award in her solo career from Russian Radio.
In her solo career, the singer is not afraid to experiment and often records duets
In 2020, Vera Brezhneva’s 2nd solo album “VERVERA” was presented to the public. Here she recorded a song in English for the first time. A duet with DJ Smash was a completely successful experiment.
Vera Brezhneva on television and radio
After leaving VIA Gra, Vera Brezhneva received greater freedom. She had the time and opportunity to try herself in other roles, not only as a singer. So, she agreed to host the “Magic of Ten” program on Channel One in 2008. This was a new role for her, but she handled it well. Therefore, they began to invite her to other shows and programs. However, Vera temporarily switched to other activities.
In 2008, she agreed to become a participant in the Ice Age 3 program. Her partner was the Armenian figure skater Vazgen Azroyan. Unfortunately, the couple did not make it to the finals. But it was an interesting and useful experience.
At the show "Ice Age 3"
In the same year, Vera twice refuted the myth that all blondes are stupid. She became a two-time winner of the show “The Smartest” on the STS TV channel.
In 2009, Vera took part in the show “Southern Butovo”, hosted by Alexander Tsekalo. But after 4 episodes, the singer went on maternity leave and disappeared from television screens for some time.
In 2010, Vera Brezhneva began hosting the radio program “Demobilization Album” on Russian Radio. However, after some time, she passed the baton to Anna Semenovich and plunged headlong into a musical career, and also became more involved in acting.
In 2013 and 2014 Vera hosted TV casting shows where new singers were chosen for the group “VIA Gra”: “I want V “VIA Gro”” and “I want to go to Meladze”.
Show business and music news NEWSmuz.com
I don’t win anything, so I don’t play – Have you tried playing with the participants on your show?
“I tried, but I can’t guess the correct numbers,” Vera tells Zheltaya Gazeta.
– What about women’s intuition?
– I can’t say that it’s very well developed for me, because it often lets me down.
Although sometimes there was such a strong intuitive feeling that I listened to. And for good reason. Once in Dneprodzerzhinsk, where I lived, a disaster happened - a tram went off the rails, many people died. This tram line just passed next to our dacha. My mother and I did not run to the tram that had approached the stop - some force held us back. And then it turned out that this tram crashed a few minutes later. I don’t know if it’s intuition or not... - Maybe these are your guardian angels?
– I believe that I have a guardian angel who guides me through life.
I constantly feel his presence. Maybe this is not a guardian angel, but God himself. Although he already has enough to do, so he personally sent an angel to me. – Have you ever won big money yourself?
– No, I didn’t win, I practically don’t play at all.
Once in my life I had a situation when I really needed money. I played one of these lotteries, where you buy a ticket and then watch the drawing on TV. As a result, I won 10 hryvnia, which is about 2 dollars. But I was incredibly happy, because then even these 10 hryvnia were very necessary for me. – Imagine, Vera, if you became the winner of your show, what would you spend ten million rubles on?
– I’ve already thought about this.
Fortunately, I now have everything for life, I have a place to live. Therefore, I would not spend this money on things for myself. I don’t miss the terrible fatigue - Do you now communicate with your former classmates?
Are you calling each other? – Yes, I communicate, but mostly with Albina, we worked with her for two and a half years.
I didn’t work at VIA Gra for five years - I lived through them
- What can bring you back to VIA Gra?
– I don’t even know... First of all, it should be my decision and the consent of all members of the team.
I didn’t work these five years – I lived them. This means a lot to me, and when I left, it was very difficult for me. I still live with those feelings. Thank God, my life goes on, although I took a slightly different path, but everything is nearby and everyone is heard. Of course, I miss the concerts, the girls, the musicians, our director and the people who came to our concerts. The only thing I don’t miss is being terribly tired. – Do you remember the first reaction of your parents when you told them that you had decided to become a singer?
– It turns out that my whole family always follows my achievements.
I was an independent child, so my parents could expect anything from me. After all, first she did something, achieved something, and then she came and reported about it. She confronted them with a fact. This happened with VIA Groi. I called home when I was already approved. My parents couldn't believe it for a long time. I remember the producers said that I had four days to go home and pack my things... But until the first publications, no one really believed it. And then various publications began to publish photographs, and not only my parents, the whole of Dneprodzerzhinsk was on edge. She came to VIA Gro completely uncouth - How can a girl become as beautiful and cheerful as Vera Brezhneva?
– To begin with, I think it is important to have beautiful parents. What is inherent in genes and Mother Nature is the main thing in a person. I realized late that I needed to take care of myself, at the age of 17–18. As a child, I was always such a tomboy. And I really wanted to be feminine... When I got to VIA Gro, I was still completely uncouth. But the producers fixed it. Professionals started working with me. When I started training with the choreographer, my gait had already changed. Even now I go to dances. I just do it for myself, because dancing only changes a woman for the better.
– But dancing probably doesn’t solve everything?
- Certainly!
First of all, a woman must have a sense of self. After dancing, I gained self-confidence, I began to behave differently. Plus, they took me to a professional makeup artist, who showed me how to apply makeup correctly, how to highlight my strengths and hide my flaws. I had no problems with my hair; long blond hair is always beautiful. The main thing is to take good care of them. I began to slowly transform, I began to love myself for working and seeing the results of my work. And when you treat yourself differently, those around you treat you the same way. - Yes, now you are a recognized beauty...
- Really? Who would have thought about this 7 years ago! I have never been a recognized beauty. At the age of 17, my breasts had just grown, and before that they asked: “Why are you flat?” They even called me a “board”. Well, the breasts grew a little, because of this, a posture appeared, some shapes appeared, then representatives of the opposite sex began to pay attention. Before that it was completely zero.
Vera Brezhneva in cinema
Vera Brezhneva managed to star in several films. She got both main and minor roles. She has established herself as a good actress. She managed to behave as naturally as possible, without pretense in the frame, without being afraid of movie cameras. In addition, she has a spectacular appearance.
2005 – “Sorochinskaya Fair”, Motrya. This was Vera's debut on television. In 2006, Gorov invited Brezhnev to star in the film “Star Holidays.”
In 2007 and 2008, the singer took part in the filming of the New Year’s show for Channel One, “New Year’s Eve on Channel One.”
In 2009, she starred for the first time in the feature film “Love in the City,” where she played one of the main roles, Katya. This was Vera's first serious film success. Therefore, without hesitation, she agreed to take part in the continuation of the film. And in 2010, the film “Love in the City 2” was released, where Vera again played Katya.
In 2010 and 2011, she starred in the New Year's comedies "Yolki" and "Yolki-2", where she played herself, singer Vera Brezhneva.
At the premiere of the comedy film "The Jungle"
In 2012, a new comedy “The Jungle” was released, where the main roles went to Vera and Sergei Svetlakov.
In 2013, Vera delighted her fans with the continuation of the film “Love in the City.” Episode 3 is coming out.
In 2020, she starred in the film “Best Dates,” where she plays the main female role.
Films and TV projects
Vera Brezhneva first appeared on the big screen in 2004, starring in the musical “Sorochinskaya Fair”. After that, she appeared in several more musical films, playing different characters.
In 2008, Vera was invited to host the TV game “Magic of Ten,” which was broadcast on Russian TV. At the same time, she was a participant in the famous show “Ice Age 2”, where she performed together with Vazgen Azroyan.
Vera Brezhneva without makeup
Brezhneva’s first success in big cinema came after participating in the romantic comedy “Love in the City,” in which she got a key role. The film turned out to be so successful that the following year the management filmed a sequel to this film.
After this, Vera appeared in 2 parts of “Christmas Trees,” which starred such stars as Ivan Urgant, Sergei Svetlakov, Sergei Garmash and others. An interesting fact is that in total these films grossed over $50 million at the box office.
In 2012, Brezhneva played the main role in the comedy “The Jungle”. And although this film had mixed reviews from film critics, its box office receipts exceeded 370 million rubles. In 2020, the premiere of the film “8 Best Dates” took place, where the key roles went to Vladimir Zelensky and the same Vera Brezhneva.
In 2020, the actress was seen in the psychological thriller Major-2, in which she played herself. Over the years of her biography, Brezhnev repeatedly starred in commercials, attended various television shows, and also participated in photo shoots for a number of reputable publications.
Personal life of Vera Brezhneva
Vera's personal life is no less stormy than her public life. No, she did not have short-term affairs and did not drive many celebrities crazy, although many men lost their minds under the influence of her charms. The paparazzi never managed to obtain a single piece of incriminating evidence of any value. However, in 2020, Brezhneva got married for the second time. The singer does not like to advertise her personal life.
Vitaly Voichenko, Ukrainian politician and official, is Vera’s first husband
In her youth, when Vera still bore the surname Galushka and was studying at the institute, she lived with Vitaly Voichenko. The young people did not formalize their marriage. At the age of 19, Vera gave birth to her first daughter, Sonya. However, soon circumstances developed such that the couple could no longer be together, and the girl, packing her things and taking her daughter, left. The young people broke up completely.
Mikhail Kiperman, businessman - second husband of the singer
In 2006, the singer met Ukrainian businessman, Mikhail Kiperman. They met for 3 years. Vera gave birth to a second daughter, whom her parents named Sarah. The couple decided to formalize the relationship only in 2010. Then Vera changed her maiden name to Kiperman. However, after 2 years, in 2012, the couple filed for divorce. This was shocking news both for the singer’s entire circle and for her fans. Many did not believe it and considered such statements to be just another PR stunt. However, at the end of 2012, Vera and Mikhail actually divorced. Various versions were voiced: from Mikhail’s debts and his jealousy to the connection between Brezhneva and Konstantin Meladze. However, no one has ever voiced the exact reasons.
In 2020, Vera Brezhneva got married again. For Konstantin Meladze. They decided to get married secretly, without fuss and festivities. They got married in the small Italian town of Forte dei Marmi.
Producer Konstantin Meladze became third
Personal life
In her youth, Vera lived in a civil marriage with Vitaly Voichenko, with whom she gave birth to a daughter, Sofia, at the age of 18. Later, their relationship began to crack, as a result of which the couple decided to separate.
In 2006, the artist married businessman Mikhail Kiperman. Later, the couple had a girl, Sarah. After 6 years of marriage, Vera and Mikhail announced their divorce. Then Brezhneva allegedly met with director Marius Weisberg, but the singer herself refused to comment on such rumors.
In 2020, Brezhneva accepted an offer from composer and producer Konstantin Meladze. The lovers secretly got married in Italy, not wanting to attract the attention of journalists. The couple does not have children yet.
Vera Brezhneva and her husband Konstantin Meladze
Brezhnev is the founder of the Ray of Faith charity foundation, which provides assistance to children with oncohematological diseases. In 2014, as a UN Ambassador, she worked on issues of rights and discrimination against women living with HIV in Eastern Europe and Central Asia.
Vera is the official face of the advertising campaign for the Golden Crown money transfer system, as well as the face of the Italian lingerie brand CALZEDONIA in the Russian Federation.
Vera Brezhneva at present
Despite the fact that the singer has already achieved a lot and has won a huge number of prizes and awards, she is not going to stop. Vera Brezhneva does not like to talk about her plans. However, she is already recording new songs and, quite possibly, will soon delight fans with a new album. Vera also tries to pay enough attention to her two daughters.
With two daughters: Sarah and Sonya
