Varvara (singer)

Career

Varvara (real name Elena Vladimirovna Susova; Russian: Елена Владимировна Сусова) was born on 30 July 1973 in Balashikha. She began her career in musical theatre, studying in Odessa, Ukraine at the Gnesinskoe Academy under director Matvei Osherovskiy, where she was repeatedly rejected for record contracts. While working at a theatre under Lev Leshchenko, she graduated from Russian Academy of Theatre Arts GITIS. Having wanted freedom from directors her whole theatre career, Varvara began a solo career.

In 2000, NOX Music signed Varvara, and in 2001 released her debut album, entitled "Varvara". The majority of the songs on the album were written by authors who were virtually unknown in the Russian music scene. Varvara's backup musicians were also unknowns, but later became known as "The Varvaras" as Varvara was their only gig.

At the time of Varvara's debut, radio stations were hesitant to play the music, considering the sounds and influences in Varvara's music ranged from Russian to Arab. Despite the hesitation from radios and little airplay, Varvara enjoyed success with songs like "Varvara", "Butterfly", and "Fly to the Light".

In summer of 2002, Varvara received a rather unexpected proprosal from Norm Bjorn, founder of Swedish Cosmo Studio, to record some songs with the Swedish Symphonic Orchestra. Recording with the Swedes resulted in the song "Eto Pozadi". The remaining songs that needed to be recorded for Varvara's next album, however, were recorded in Russia.

Varvara travels to the United Arab Emirates frequently with her family, and is supposedly going to record an all-Arabic album. Besides the East, Varvara has traveled to northern and western Europe, as well. The Celtic influence on Varvara during her travels to Ireland resulted in the song "Two Sides of the Moon" for her second album, "Blizhe", which was released in February 2003. Most of the songs for "Blizhe" were recorded at "Bratia Grimm" studio in Russia, and were released by ARS-Records.

Varvara released another album, "Грёзы" ("Dreams"), in 2005 which enjoyed much success in Russian.

In 2005, Varvara took part in the Russian national final for the Eurovision Song Contest with the song "Letala Da Pela". She came fourth in the final.

The following year, Varvara sent an entry to C1R for the Russian selection, which was an internal selection. She sent, "We'll Be There", the English version of the song "Otpusti Menya Reka". Varvara failed to become Russia's representative.

Singles

Albums

1. ВАРВАРА(varvara)
2. БАБОЧКА(babochka)
3. ЛЕТЯ НА СВЕТ(letya na svet)
4. НА ГРАНИ(na grani)
5. ДВА СЕРДЦА(dva serdtsa)
6. ЛЕД И ВОДА(led ya voda)
7. СТЕКЛЯННАЯ ЛЮБОВЬ(steklyannaya lubov')
8. ПРОГОНИ(progoni)
9. АНГЕЛ ПЛОХИХ ВЕСТЕЙ(angel plohih vestey)
10. НЕ МЕШАЙ(ne meshay)
11. ЛЕТИ НА СВЕТ (Grimm RMX/Grimm Brothers)
12. БАБОЧКА (Club mix/Grimm Brothers)

1. БЛИЖЕ(blizhe)
2. СЕРДЦЕ НЕ ПЛАЧЬ(serdtse ne plach)
3. ОД-НА(od-na)
4. НЕКУДА БЕЖАТЬ(nekuda bezhat')
5. ЭТО ПОЗАДИ(eto pozadi)
6. БЕЗДОМНЫЕ ДЕТИ(bezdomnye detya)
7. МОЖНО-НЕЛЬЗЯ(mozhno-nel'zya)
8. ДВЕ СТОРОНЫ ЛУНЫ(dve storoh luny)
9. Я ЖИВАЯ(ya zhivaya)
10. ВСЁ ПРОЙДЁТ(vsyo proydyot)
11. МУЗЫКА РОЖДЕСТВА(muzyka pozhdestva)
12. СЕРДЦЕ НЕ ПЛАЧЬ (Club mix/Iron Beat)
13. OД-НА (Club mix)

1. ЛЕТАЛА ДА ПЕЛА(letala da pela)
2. ГРЁЗЫ(gryozy)
3. АНГЕЛ МОЙ(angel moy)
4. ТАЯЛ СНЕГ(tayal sneg)
5. ОТПУСТИ МЕНЯ РЕКА(otpusti menya reka)
6. ВАРВАРА(varvara)
7. МОСТЫ В РАЙ(mosty v ray)
8. НА КРАЮ(na krayu)
9. Я ЗНАЮ(ya znayu)
10. ЗИМА(zima)
11. ВЕТЕР И ЗВЕЗДА(veter ya zvezda)
12. Бонус трек AVE MARIA (Bonus track)

1. Книга судеб» — Музыка: А. Шоуа, Слова: К. Арсенев
2. Кто ищет, тот найдёт» — Музыка: А. Малахов, Слова: А. Малахов
3. Дудочка» — Музыка: В. Малежик, Слова: А. Ахматова
4. Боль и любовь» — Музыка: А. Орлов, Слова: А. Лепская
5. Красивая жизнь» — Музыка: А. Орлов, Слова: А. Лопатин
6. Выше любви» — Музыка: А. Покутный, В. Адаричев, Слова: А. Покутный, В. Адаричев, Э. Мельник
7. Быстрая река» — Музыка: И. Рахимжанов, Слова: И. Ражимжанов
8. Танец-зима» — Музыка: В. Молчанов, Слова: А. Лопатин
9. Влюблена» — Музыка: В. Молчанов, Слова: А. Лопатин
10. Чужие» — Музыка: А. Орлов, Слова: Д. Орлова
11. Белая птица» — Музыка: А. Орлов, Слова: А. Лопатин
12. Сон-трава» — Музыка: А. Орлов, Слова: О. Бордиловская