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Grigory Leps

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Grigory Leps
Григорий Лепс
Leps in 2021
Background information
Birth nameГригорий Викторович Лепсверидзе
Grigory Victorovich Lepsveridze
Also known asГригорий Лепс
Grigory Leps
Born (1962-07-16) 16 July 1962 (age 62)
Sochi, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union
OriginGeorgian
GenresSoft rock, Russian chanson
Occupation(s)Singer-songwriter, musician
Instrument(s)Singing, guitar, piano, drums
Years active1987–present
LabelsМистерия Рекордс
Websitewww.grigoryleps.ru

Grigory Viktorovich Lepsveridze (Russian: Григо́рий Ви́кторович Лепсверидзе, Georgian: გრიგორი ვიქტორის ძე ლეფსვერიძე), known as Grigory Leps; born 16 July 1962), is a Russian singer-songwriter of Georgian origin. His musical style gradually changed from Russian chanson in his early years to soft rock recently. He is known for his low, strong baritone voice.[1][2][3] People's Artist of Russia (2022). Grigory Leps reported the highest income of all singers in Russia in 2013 with $15 million,[4] 2014 with $12 million[5] and 2015 with $12.2 million.[6]

Biography

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Grigory Leps was born Grigory Lepsveridze in the city of Sochi, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union in an ethnically Georgian family. He finished music school in the class of percussion instrument. After the army he started to play and sing in a few rock bands, and worked as a singer in restaurants.[7]

He suffered from alcoholism and drug addiction, and to get far from that life he went to Moscow. There he started singing in restaurants, until he received a record deal, and in 1995 he released the album May God Keep You (Khrani vas Bog). The song "Natali" became a hit, but he didn't know that because he was hospitalized for drugs and alcoholism. The doctors told him that one more drop of any of the drugs could kill him.[2][7][8] In 1997, he released his second album, A Whole Life (Tselaya zhizn), which had a few hits including "Chizhik", "Gololed", "A whole life".[8]

In 2000, he released the album Thank You People, with the hits "Shelest" and "Nu i chto". At that album was seen the change in Leps's style, with him completely leaving the Shanson and moving to rock music.[2] In 2002, he released the album On Strings of Rain (Na strunakh dozhdya), with a hit "Rumka vodki na stole".[2][8]

In 2004, he released a cover album of songs written by Vladimir Vysotsky in rock versions, Parus. The song "Parus" had a video clip and the album took top places at the selling charts.[9] The second part of the album, Vtoroy was released in 2007 with its presentation concert being held in the Kremlin hall.[8][10] In 2005, he released a compilation album called Izbranoye... 10 let.

In 2006, he released two albums, both reaching high success. Labirint, with the hits Labirint and Vyuga,[11] and the album V tsentre zemli, with the hit Zamerzayet Solntse. The premier concert for the V tsentre zemli album took place in the Luzhniki Stadium.[1] In 2007, he released two compilations. I'm Alive (Ya zhivoy, videoclips), and All My Life – a Road (Vsya moya zhizn – doroga, best songs).[2] In 2009, about the presentation of the album, "Waterfall ".

On 18 March 2022, Leps sang at Vladimir Putin's Moscow rally celebrating the annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation from Ukraine and justifying the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.[12] The Presidential Administration of Russia put him on the list of singers who were recommended to be invited to state-sponsored events.[13]

On 22 February 2023, Leps sang at Vladimir Putin's 2023 Moscow rally.

In June 2023, Leps' concert in the Almaty Region of Kazakhstan was canceled following pressure from the Kazakh public and activists over his support for the Russian invasion of Ukraine. In 2023, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan canceled a music festival where pro-Kremlin Russian singers, including Leps, were scheduled to perform.[14]

Musical style

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Leps is known for his wide vocal range. He has a low growling voice. His style mixed rock music, pop music, and used to also have shanson in it.[3]

Trivia

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  • Leps, a Georgian Orthodox Christian, always chose an apartment so a church would be seen through the window, or at least a road, because it "always leads to a church".[15][16]
  • He collects old books.[15]
  • He collects Icons, and for one of them he once gave his car. Among his collection he has an icon that belonged to the Romanovs, as well as another icon from the 15th century.[3]

Connections with International Criminal Groups

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In October 2013, the US Department of the Treasury blacklisted Grigory Leps, over links with an international criminal group.[citation needed] He was accused of being a money courier for the Brothers' Circle, which the Treasury describes as a Eurasian criminal organization chiefly based in countries of the former Soviet Union.[17]

Sanctions

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In December 2022 the EU sanctioned Grigory Leps in relation to the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.[18]

Awards

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Awards
World Music Awards
Preceded by Best-Selling Russian Artist
2014
Grigory Leps 		Succeeded by
No ceremony held

Videos

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  1. 1995 — «Натали»
  2. 1995 — «Храни Вас Бог»
  3. 1997 — «Раздумья мои»
  4. 1999 — «Первый день рожденья»
  5. 2000 — «Крыса-Ревность»
  6. 2001 — «Шелест»
  7. 2002 — «Рюмка водки на столе»
  8. 2002 — «Я верю, я дождусь»
  9. 2004 — «Кровь, пот, слезы, любовь»
  10. 2005 — «Ну и что»
  11. 2005 — «Вьюга»
  12. 2006 — «Она»
  13. 2006 — «Лабиринт»
  14. 2006 — «Замерзает солнце»
  15. 2007 — «Я тебе не верю» duet with Irina Allegrova
  16. 2007 — «Бессонница»
  17. 2008 — «Она не твоя» duet with Stas Piekha
  18. 2009 — «Уходи красиво» (cover-version of Bryn Christopher's "The Quest")
  19. 2009 — «Что может человек»
  20. 2010 — «Измены»
  21. 2010 — «Обернитесь» duet with Valery Meladze
  22. 2011 — «Вечерняя застольная» Trio with Alexander Rosenbaum and Joseph Kobzon
  23. 2012 — «Реквием по любви» duet with Timati
  24. 2012 — «Водопадом»
  25. 2012 — «Лондон» duet with Timati
  26. 2013 — «Зеркала» duet with Ani Lorak
  27. 2014 — «Господи, дай мне сил»
  28. 2014 — «Бай-бай» duet with Natalia Vlasova
  29. 2015 — «Бабосы боссам» duet with Green Grey

Song of the year

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Year Final Title in English
2007 Я тебе не верю I do not trust you
2008 Озеро надежды, Она не твоя Hope Lake, She is not yours
2009 Я тебя не люблю I do not love you
2010 Обернитесь, Уходи красиво Turn around, Get out beautifully
2012 Лондон, Водопадом London, Waterfall
2013 Зеркала, Я – счастливый Mirrors, I'm happy

Discography

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Albums[19]
  • 1991 — Гриша Сочинский (Grisha Sochinskiy)
  • 1994 — Храни Вас Бог (Khrani Vas God)
  • 1997 – Целая жизнь (Lifetime)[20]
  • 2000 – Спасибо, люди... (Thanks, people ...)
  • 2002 – На струнах дождя... (On the strings of rain ...)
  • 2004 – Парус (Sail)
  • 2006 – Лабиринт (Maze/Labyrinth)
  • 2006 – В центре Земли (In the center of the Earth)
  • 2007 – Второй (Second)
  • 2009 – Водопад (Waterfall)
  • 2011 – Пенсне (Pince-nez)
  • 2011 – Берега чистого братства (Bank of pure brotherhood) together with singer Alexander Rosenbaum
  • 2012 – Полный вперед! (Full speed ahead)
  • 2014 – Гангстер No.1 (Gangster #1)
  • 2017 – ТыЧегоТакойСерьезный (WhyAreYouSoSerious)
  • 2021 – Подмена понятий (Podmena ponyaty)
  • 2023 – Завтра (Tomorrow)
DVDs[19]
  • 2005 – Парус Live (Sail Live) Concert at the State Kremlin Palace in Moscow 13 March 2004
  • 2007 – В центре Земли Live (In the center of the Earth Live) Concert in SC "Olympic" 16 November 2006
  • 2007 – Я – живой! (I (am) alive) Collection of video clips
  • 2010 – Что может человек (What can a man) Sat ornik videos
  • 2010 – Водопад Live (Waterfall Live) Presentation album, "Waterfall", SC "Olympic" 20 November 2009, Full version concert
  • 2011 – Научись летать Live (Learn to fly) Presentation album, "Pince-nez", Crocus City Hall, 7 mat, Full version concert
Collections[19]
  • 1995 – Натали (Natalie)
  • 2005 – Избранное... 10 лет (Favorites... 10 years)
  • 2007 – Вся жизнь моя – дорога... (All my life – the road ...)
  • 2010 – Берега. Избранное (Shore. Favorites)

References

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  1. ^ a b www.grigoryleps.ru https://web.archive.org/web/20071219101938/http://www.grigoryleps.ru/images/shanson.jpg. Archived from the original on 19 December 2007. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  2. ^ a b c d e "Григорий Лепс Биография портал русский шансон".
  3. ^ a b c Lapteva, Elena (23 May 2008). Григорий Лепс: "За одну икону я отдал машину". Komsomolskaya Pravda (in Russian). Retrieved 1 April 2009.
  4. ^ "50 главных российских знаменитостей — 2013: рейтинг Forbes – Рейтинги". Forbes.ru. 25 July 2013. Retrieved 17 December 2018.
  5. ^ "50 главных российских знаменитостей — 2014: рейтинг Forbes | Рейтинги". 24 July 2014.
  6. ^ "50 главных российских знаменитостей — 2015: рейтинг Forbes – Рейтинги". Forbes.ru. 23 July 2015. Retrieved 17 December 2018.
  7. ^ a b "Шансон года - Билеты на концерт Лепса 2015 в Крокус Сити Холл, Игорь Крутой и Дмитрий Хворостовский билеты на концерт, цирк на вернадском, билеты в цирк на Цветном, заказ билетов (985) 768-65-75". Archived from the original on 1 November 2016. Retrieved 26 August 2008.
  8. ^ a b c d "Leps, Grigory" (in Russian). Russkoye Radio. Archived from the original on 2 December 2017. Retrieved 26 August 2008.
  9. ^ Alekseyev, Aleksandr. "Перепеть Высоцкого". Rossiyskaya Gazeta. Archived from the original (JPG) on 19 December 2007.
  10. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 19 December 2007. Retrieved 26 August 2008.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  11. ^ Belova, Olesya (28 May 2006). "Лабиринт" Григория Лепса. Nasha Versia (in Russian). Archived from the original (JPG) on 19 December 2007.
  12. ^ "По приколу пошли, не всерьез". Meduza (in Russian). 18 March 2022.
  13. ^ "Кремль предложил регионам и телеканалам поддержать в Новый год "патриотичных" артистов. В список попали Shaman, Григорий Лепс, "Земляне" — и бывший "военкор" из Мариуполя". Meduza (in Russian). 4 December 2022.
  14. ^ "Russian Singers -- Whether For Or Against The War In Ukraine -- Unwelcome In Central Asia". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. 23 June 2023.
  15. ^ a b "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 19 December 2007. Retrieved 26 August 2008.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  16. ^ http://www.grigoryleps.ru/images/7d.jpg[permanent dead link‍]
  17. ^ "Treasury Designates Associates of Key Brothers' Circle Members". www.treasury.gov. Retrieved 17 December 2018.
  18. ^ "COUNCIL DECISION (CFSP) 2022/2477 of 16 December 2022". Retrieved 8 February 2023.
  19. ^ a b c Discography Archived 14 June 2011 at the Wayback Machine
  20. ^ Not mentioned in the discography, but quoted here: 1997. Archived 10 August 2011 at the Wayback Machine ... We are releasing the album "Lifetime", where I experiment with different authors ...
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