Ani Lorak
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| Ani Lorak | |
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 Lorak during Eurovision, 2008.
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Karolina Myroslavivna Kuiek (Кароліна Мирославівна Куєк) |
| Also known as | Ani Lorak (Ані Лорак) |
| Born | September 27, 1978 |
| Origin | Kitsman, Ukrainian SSR, USSR |
| Genre(s) | Pop, Soul, Pop rock |
| Occupation(s) | singer |
| Instrument(s) | voice |
| Years active | 1996-present |
| Website | Official Website |
Ani Lorak (Ukrainian: Ані Лорак) (born Karolina Myroslavivna Kuiek, Ukrainian: Кароліна Мирославівна Куєк, 27 September 1978, Kitsman, Ukraine, then USSR) is a Ukrainian pop singer.
She appeared to be a strong front-runner to represent Ukraine at the Eurovision Song Contest on two occasions, but ultimately failed to be selected. Her narrow defeat in the 2005 national pre-selection competition was particularly controversial, given that the winners GreenJolly had, unlike her, not had to qualify for the final by winning one of the fifteen preliminary heats.
Lorak represented Ukraine at the 2008 Eurovision Song Contest with the song Shady Lady and came in 2nd place being defeated by Dima Bilan from Russia[1] [2]. She came second in the «Press Award Eurovision Song Contest»[3] and won the «Artistic Award» for her performance.[4]
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[edit] Biography
Karolina developed the desire to become a singer as early as the age of four. At that time she had already decided what she wanted to achieve in life. Karolina often performed at various school vocal competitions. In 1992, she took part in the popular contest 'Pervotsvit' and was the winner. It was here where she met her ex-producer Yuriy Falyosa. As a result, at the age of 14 she signed her first professional contract.
Karolina became known as Ani Lorak in March 1995 when she took part in a contest at the television program "Morning Star" in Moscow, Russia. There was a Russian singer with the same name already enrolled in that competition. In order to save the situation, Karolina had to invent a stage name. Ani Lorak is the name Karolina read backwards.
Ani Lorak moved to Kiev in 1995. By that time her name was well known in Ukrainian show business. She became even more popular after winning the "Big Apple Music 1996 Competition" in New York, U.S.. She became "Discovery of the Year" at the popular Ukrainian festival "Tavria Games" in 1996. The same year she released her first album "I Want to Fly".
1997 was a year full of hard work for Ani, as she continued recording new songs. Her two videos "The Model" and "My God" were filmed and the latter became a soundtrack to the movie "The Right to Choose".
In the spring of 1998 her new video "I will be back" was shot and in December Lorak's second album "I will be back" was released. Mastering of this album took place in New York. Simultaneously her two music videos "Oh my love" and "A Stranger's City" were filmed to accompany her new album.
At the outset of 1999 she started extensive touring, performing in the US, France, Germany, Hungary, and her concerts took place in every major city of Ukraine. In 1999 she earned the title of the Honored Artist of Ukraine (Zasluzhena Artystka Ukrayiny).
In the spring of 2000 Ani Lorak recorded the soundtrack for an advert for the Chocolate "Korona" at the London studio "Astoria". Here, the singer met world-renowned British composers Burrie Guard and Josh Phillips. Also, in London Lorak recorded new songs exclusively for the European music scene.
In 2004-2005 Ani Lorak was a UN Good Will Ambassador in Ukraine for HIV/AIDS.
In 2008, she was chosen to be the Ukranian singer in the 2008 Eurovision Song Contest, singing the song Shady Lady in the second semi final on May 22, 2008.
Lorak is a face of Schwarzkopf & Henkel in Ukraine.
[edit] Eurovision Song Contest
[edit] 2005
In 2005, Ani Lorak made her first attempt to perform at the Eurovision Song Contest and was virtually certain to sing the home country's entry in Kyiv, but finally Greenjolly with Razom Nas Bahato, Nas Ne Podolaty won, Ani getting the second place with the song Another little shot of love.
[edit] 2008
Having come close to singing the home country's entry in 2005, when Ukraine staged the Eurovision Song Contest, Ukrainian television NTU announced in late December that Ani Lorak, one of the country's most successful singers would represent the country at Eurovision in Belgrade and that the public and a jury would choose the song. On February 23, Ani performed five potential entries, in a special show and the winner, chosen by both the public and by the jury was "Shady Lady"[5], written by Russian songwriter Philip Kirkorov.
She also recorded a Russian version of her Eurovision song "Shady Lady" with the title "S neba v nebo". Ani had visited other countries to present her song, like Malta, Russia, Bulgaria, Spain and Germany.
At the 2008 Eurovision Song Contest in Belgrade, she sang the song "Shady Lady" in the second semi final on May 22, 2008 winning a place in the final. She then went on to second place in the final being defeated by Dima Bilan.
The Italian designer Roberto Cavalli desingned the dress of Ani Lorak in the festival, a dress made with Swarovski Diamonds, and her choreography is made by Fokas Evangelinos who designed the stage show for the entry and also arranged the stage shows of Greece 2005 and Russia 2006.
[edit] Albums
| Album Title | English translation | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Shady Lady | - | 2008 |
| 15 | - | 2007 |
| Розкажи... | Tell me... | 2006 |
| Smile | - | 2005 |
| Ані Лорак | Ani Lorak | 2004 |
| REMIX Мрій про мене | REMIX Dream about me | 2003 |
| Там, де ти є... | There where you are... | 2001 |
| www.anilorak.com | - | 2000 |
| Ангел Мрій Моїх | Dream Angel | 1999 |
| Я вернусь | I will be back | 1998 |
| Хочу летать | I want to fly | 1996 |
[edit] Singles
| Year | Single | Chart Positions | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ukraine | Lithuania | Sweeden | Russia | |||
| 2005 | "A Little Shot Of Love " | — | — | — | — | |
| "Car Song" | — | — | — | — | ||
| "100 kisses" feat. Oleksandr Ponomaryov |
— | — | — | — | ||
| "Smile" | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2006 | "Розкажи (Rozkazhy)" | — | — | — | — | |
| 2007 | "Верни мою любовь (Verny moju ljubov‘)" feat. V. Meladze |
— | — | — | 37 | |
| "С первого взгляда (S pervogo vzglyada)" | — | — | — | 132 | ||
| "Я с тобой (Ya s toboy)" | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2008 | "Shady Lady" | 1 | 36 | 57 | 105 | |
[edit] References
- ^ UNIAN - Ani Lorak to sing song of Kirkorov in Eurovision
- ^ BBC Ukraine's 2008 Eurovision song (including videoclip)
- ^ http://www.umka.com.ua/rus/news/any-lorak-zanjala-vtoroe-mesto-na-evrovydenyy-2008.html
- ^ http://www.gylleneskor.se/artikel/winners-marcel-bezencon-awards-2008
- ^ Clip of preformance of "Shady Lady" at the preselection (Ukrainian) [1]
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
| Preceded by Verka Serduchka |
Ukraine in the Eurovision Song Contest 2008 |
Succeeded by Incumbent |
