Tristar (band)

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Tristar
Origin	Almaty, Kazakhstan
Genre(s)	Pop, rap
Years active	1998-2002

Tristar is a pop-rap band formed in Almaty, Kazakhstan, in spring of 1998.

Band members: Inga Ruff, Sergei "Dr. Fox" Chik, Alina Mandrykina (replaced by Yulia Romanova in 2000, who was replaced by Elena Murushidi in 2001).

Ruff and Mandrykina used to work together at Almaty-based Channel 31 and a radio station with the same name and had access to station's resources. Ruff's husband, Chik, and the women recorded three songs at a home studio, made a music video and pitched everything into the airwaves and television. The gun shot into the right direction. Shortly after, their first ever performance sold out at one of the biggest dance clubs in Almaty where they sang five songs in the summer 1998.^[1]

Dr. Fox said the group came up with its name after seeing a Korean electro-grill that happened to be at the right place at the right time. The group's first single "Uhodi" ("Go Away") appeared on the radio first, then the video was made. It caused a lot of critique as well as kudos. People started talking about the band. "Odna" ("Alone") was the second single, which became a hit right away. To this day, "Odna" is considered Tristar's best song.^[2]

After the first triumph, unpleasant things started happening. It was hard to record an album, play concerts and work at the radio station. Ruff and Mandrykina left Channel 31. In January of 1999, the band started filming a video for another song "Angel," which made its way to MTV-Russia. On March 8, 1999, Tristar released their first album, "Igra."The first 10,000 copies sold out in a week in Almaty. Album was re-released many times and is still popular.^[3]

By fall of 1999, there started conflicts between the band and the producers. Ruff started working for Russian Radio-Kazakhstan, which started a new period in Tristar's development. They filmed a video for a new song "Doroga" ("Road"), a sad ballad, which not all stations accepted to transmit. The band still toured at sold-out venues. Meanwhile, Mandrykina's interests changed and she left the group. Yulia Romanova, who had been a group's choreographer, took Mandrykina's place as a new member. In April 2000, Tristar came back on stage with their new member.^[4]