Olya i Monstr Ukrainian musical rock band Date of Birth: 05.2004Год Country: Ukraine

Biography of Olya and Monstr

Olya and Monstr is a Ukrainian rock band that performs darkwave, cardio-wave, and ethereal compositions. The band was formed in May 2004 by Olga Pulatova and Alexey "Monstr" Radionov, former members of the disbanded group "Aeroplan" in December 1999. They decided to reunite and start a new chapter in their musical careers. They had to abandon the old band name as they embarked on a new creative journey. Since one of the band members was Olga, and Alexey was nicknamed "Rock Monster" in his youth, they decided to form a group with the intriguing name "Olya and Monstr". At that time, Olga was also performing with the well-known band Flёur, which had released three albums. However, Olga wanted to experiment with new songs and sounds that were different from what she did with Flёur. The birth of the band "Olya and Monstr" provided a platform for all of Olga and Alexey's creative experiments.

In August 2004, the audience first saw "Olya and Monstr" at the "Atmosfera" festival, along with other bands, including Flёur. This was followed by performances at the "Meduza" club (January 21, 2005), the gothic festival "Children of the Night" (September 17, 2005), the "Kvartira Babuin" club (November 27, 2005), and the "Vykhod" club in Odessa (March 10, 2006). In March 2007, 9 demo recordings of the band's songs appeared online, marking the beginning of work on their debut album, which was scheduled to be released on August 14, 2007. The album, titled "Olya and Monstr", was presented to the public at the "Vykhod" club on August 18, 2007. The album was highly anticipated and differed from the songs Olga Pulatova had previously released with Flёur. Olga's sensual vocals, emphasizing every line and every word, combined with Alexey Radionov's beautiful melodies and rich musical sound, showcased another aspect of their magnificent and highly intelligent music. The songs of "Olya and Monstr" reflected a mix of intensity, aggression, tenderness, and affection.

After releasing their debut album in Ukraine, the band decided not to stop there. At the same time, the band Flёur, in which Olga Pulatova sang, gained popularity in Russia. Together with Flёur, Russia also discovered "Olya and Monstr". The residents of St. Petersburg were the first to experience this on October 30, 2007, when the songs of "Olya and Monstr" were performed at the "Friday" club (along with a side project by the second vocalist of Flёur, Elena Voinarovskaya, called M.R.F.). The concert had a cozy, almost homely atmosphere. They also performed a new song, "Shadows," which was not included in the album. The people of Moscow had their first opportunity to see and hear "Olya and Monstr" on February 14, 2008, at the "Ikra" club, where the first Cardiowave music label festival took place in Russia. Alongside "Olya and Monstr," other Odessa-based bands such as "Belka i Strelka," "Legendary Clay Feet," and two side projects by Elena Voinarovskaya, "M.R.F." and "Amurekimuri," also performed. The concert was a great success, with each song accompanied by unique and carefully selected visuals, adding even more meaning to each performance.

The band ceased to exist in August 2008. The members of the band included:
- Olga Pulatova: keyboards, vocals
- Alexey Radionov: programming, keyboards, guitar
- Ekaterina Sokolova: violin