Жанна Агузарова
Zhanna Aguzarova (Russian: Жанна Хасановна Агузарова; b. 1962) is a Soviet and Russian musician and vocalist. She started her career as a part of the Браво (Bravo) ensemble, later leaving the group and focusing on a solo career. Aguzarova is known for her eccentric versatility, and is often credited as being one of the first and most popular female Russian rock vocalists.
Aguzarova was born on 7 July 1967 in Turtas, Tyumen' Oblast of the then-Soviet Russia. She is of Russian and Ossetian heritage; not much else is known about her early life and education. Aguzarova moved to Moscow in 1982, where she eventually joined Evgeny Havtan's group, then called Постскриптум (Postscriptum) and later renamed to Bravo. Together with Bravo she recorded a twenty-minute cassette tape that circulated among acquaintances and earned them gigs at a local dance club.
On 18 March 1984 she was arrested during a concert, in disobedience of the government's ruling against rock music and Western influences. By some accounts she was deported from Moscow after a psychological evaluation and sent home to Siberia, where she had to complete communal service at a logging enterprise. A year later, she rejoined Браво, which had been invited to take part in the USSR's Creative Laboratory of Rock Music in Moscow. They appeared on television, at various festivals and concerts. These years with Bravo, from 1985 to 1987, were instrumental in Aguzarova's development as a pop star.
In 1987 the government-run label Мелодия (Melodia) released the group's first album, Bravo. In these early years Aguzarova is remembered for her off-beat vintage outfits as well as for her energetic performances. The singles of Bravo's Aguzarova phase are "Желтые Ботинки" (Zheltie Botinki; Yellow Boots), "Кошки" (Koshki; Cats), "Верю я" (Veryu Ya; I Believe), and "Чудесная Страна" (Chudesnaya Strana; Wonderful Country), which was included on the soundtrack of the 1988 film ASSA.
By the late 1980s she had gained the status of a pop icon, and left the group to pursue her solo career. Her first and best reviewed solo release was Русский альбом (Russkiy al'bom; The Russian Album). In 1990 Aguzarova went to Los Angeles, California, on the advice of her mentor, Алла Пугачёва (Alla Pugacheva), who told her that only in the U.S. would her talent be fully appreciated. However Aguzarova ended up with a two-year gig at the Black Sea Restaurant. Legend has it that she lived in America with documents that she bought for seven dollars upon arriving. A collaboration with Vasiliy Shumov in 1993 resulted in Nineteen Ninenty's, a collection of cover songs of Центр (Centre). During her American years Aguzarova made occasional appearances touring with Bravo, and gave thirty two concerts around the country.
In May 1996 Aguzarova returned to Russia. She continued performing and occasionally holding reunion concerts with Bravo. Her latest official album of solo material, back 2 future (Back2Future) was released in 2003. Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.
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