Vitas
| Vitas | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Vitaliy Vladasovich Grachov |
| Born | 19 February 1979 |
| Origin | Daugavpils, Latvian SSR, Soviet Union |
| Genres | |
| Occupation(s) |
|
| Instruments | Vocals, piano, and accordion |
| Years active | 2000–present |
| Associated acts | DIVA (ДИВА) |
| Website | vitas |
Vitaliy Vladasovich Grachov (Russian: Виталий Владасович Грачёв; born 19 February 1979), known professionally as Vitas (Russian: Витас), is a Russian singer. He is known for his unique falsetto and possesses a five-octave vocal range. His music is often difficult to categorize, incorporating elements of techno, dance, classical, jazz, and folk music. His 2000 song "Opera 2" was released as a single in 2001, and has been forwarded over email and on various social networks frequently, which accounts for much of his worldwide recognition.
Vitas designs his own stage costumes. DIVA (ДИВА) is the name of the band that accompanies Vitas during his concerts. He has achieved much notability through Russian television, and since 2005, his career has advanced into Asian markets. He has sung with entertainment labels such as Universal which distributes his music in Taiwan, and he has toured extensively in China and several other countries. He has performed duets with many other singers including Demis Roussos, Lucio Dalla, and his own grandfather, with whom he sang "Friendship".
Vitas was born in Daugavpils, a city in southeastern Latvia known for its overwhelmingly Russian-speaking population. He showed an interest in music from an early age. His grandfather taught him to play the accordion, and he began writing songs as a child. He later studied music more formally. He attended an art school in Odessa, and appeared in various theatrical productions as a teenager. He was discovered by a visiting producer and manager, Sergey Pudovkin, who asked Vitas if he would come to Moscow. This invitation was extended on the basis of Vitas' acting skills: Pudovkin had not yet heard him sing. Vitas traveled to Moscow with demos of his music and began working with Pudovkin.
Vitas came to public attention in Russia in December 2000 with the song "Opera #2", which was notable for his surprisingly high-pitched and energetic vocals. In the music video, Vitas portrays an eccentric lonely man with fish gills who lives in a bathtub with jars of fish and plays the accordion naked.
Vitas' concert program Philosophy of Miracle premiered at the State Kremlin Palace on 29 March 2002, establishing a record for Vitas as the youngest artist ever to perform a solo concert at this prestigious venue. He also presented his fashion collection "Autumn Dreams" on the stage of the State Kremlin Palace on 29 September 2002.
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Wikipedia