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KraskiPop group
Country:
 Belarus |
Content:
History and Formation
The history of the pop group "Krasnye" officially began on January 1, 2001 in Minsk. The music producer Alexey Voronov gathered four professionals together: singer Oksana Kovalevskaya, choreographer Ekaterina Borovik, and musicians Vasily Bogomuy and Andrey Chigir. Oksana became the driving force behind the group, and the other members were selected through a casting process conducted in the Belarusian capital. At the time of their debut, Oksana was just 18 years old.
Music
The period when Kovalevskaya was part of the group is considered golden. Her voice was behind the hits that made "Krasnye" stars in the CIS countries. In the fall of 2001, the artists released their debut album titled "Ty Uzhe Vzrosly" ("You're Already an Adult"), which was presented to fans at the "Blindazh" nightclub in Minsk.
The catchy melodies of the group's songs quickly gained popularity among the younger generation. Soon, their song "A Vy Ne Trogayte, Ne Trogayte Menya" ("And You Don't Touch, Don't Touch Me") began playing on the radio. "Krasnye" embarked on a tour across Belarus, giving 172 concerts with an audience of around 100,000 people. The release of their debut album also met with success, selling over 200,000 copies in the country. The group's success caught the attention of Russian colleagues, leading to the release of their album "Starshiy Brat (Zheltyy Album)" ("Big Brother (Yellow Album)") in the Russian market.
In 2003, the group underwent some changes in its lineup, with both keyboardists leaving and being replaced by Dmitry Orlovsky. The choreographer also left for personal reasons. These challenges were further compounded by legal problems. In April, the office of "Krasnye" was visited by Belarusian riot police. Several arrests and searches were conducted due to suspicion of extortion. According to the producer's statement, the project suffered from attempts to deal with pirates who were selling illegal copies of the group's debut album.
The group relocated to Moscow and released a new album titled "Ya Lyublyu Tebya, Sergey (Krasnyy Album)" ("I Love You, Sergey (Red Album)"). The performers of the hits "Mamochka Moya" ("My Mom") and "V Gorode Zima" ("Winter in the City"), included in the new album, quickly gained popularity throughout Russia. The lead singer was invited to music programs, and the photos of "Krasnye" members appeared in glossy fashion magazines. To solidify their success, the group released the album "Oranzhevoe Solntse (Oranzhevy Album)" ("Orange Sun (Orange Album)"), which mainly consisted of remixes of previously released songs. These releases, as well as subsequent ones, were published under the Real Line Music label.
The year 2004 was also productive for "Krasnye". The artists released the album "Vesna (Siniy Album)" ("Spring (Blue Album)"), with one of the featured singles being the song "Lyubov' Obmanchiva" ("Love is Deceptive"). With enough material, the members embarked on a major tour, including Russian cities and towns in the CIS countries.
After returning from the tour, "Krasnye" released the album "Te, Kto Lyubit (Fioletovyy Album)" ("Those Who Love (Purple Album)"), which featured a music video for the eponymous single. Apart from the group members, the video also starred Andrey Gubin, who played the role of a pianist.
By 2006, "Krasnye" had gained popularity beyond the CIS countries. The musicians performed at major venues in Russia and occasionally went on international tours. Over the next few years, the members filled halls in the United States, Germany, and the Netherlands.
At the height of their fame, Oksana Kovalevskaya left the group. Her departure was motivated by various reasons, including pregnancy and a desire to pursue a solo career. She was replaced by up-and-coming artist Ekaterina Sasha.
In this lineup, the group released a new album titled "Zelenyy Album" ("Green Album"). The album did not replicate the success of its predecessors, but it did not diminish the group's popularity. The musicians continued to regularly perform concerts.
In 2012, there were changes in the lineup of "Krasnye" once again. Marina Ivanova joined as the new vocalist, and the group's hits, including "On Ne Znaet Nichego" ("He Doesn't Know Anything") and "Oranzhevoe Solntse" ("Orange Sun"), once again resonated with audiences. At the same time, the group's choreographers left. For a period, the dance part of the performances was handled by Mikhail Shevyakov and Vitaliy Kondrakov.
The name of the group soon made headlines, but not due to their creative achievements. Shortly after Ivanova became the lead singer, she was kidnapped by her ex-boyfriend. The unstable man ambushed her outside her home and forced her into the trunk of a car. Fortunately, she was not searched, and she managed to call her mother. Marina was released after a day.
Afterwards, Ivanova continued to work with the group for another three years, but her contract expired, and she decided to leave. She was quickly replaced by a new vocalist, Darya Subbotina. Darya became a prominent face and voice of the project but eventually had to leave as well.
"Krasnye" Today
Currently, the members of "Krasnye" continue to perform concerts. The group is managed by Voronov, and the lead singer is Marina Ivanova. She gladly agreed to resume collaboration and replace Subbotina. During their tours, Ivanova is accompanied by choreographers Vitaliy Kondrakov and Denis Barvinok.
Former lead singer Oksana Kovalevskaya also continues to perform the group's hits, which often leads to confusion. Many fans consider her a member of the current lineup, but she has been pursuing a solo career for a long time. During her concerts, she performs her own songs and delights the audience with the songs that became beloved during her time with the group. In February 2022, the star held a series of concerts in Moscow clubs.
Kovalevskaya believes that she has the same rights to the old hits as Voronov. In interviews, the celebrity has repeatedly claimed that she is the author of those songs and that the producer appropriated her intellectual property. Former spouses and colleagues cannot reach an agreement on this matter, and some fans are convinced that the "Krasnye" vocalists perform to pre-recorded tracks featuring Kovalevskaya's voice.
