That Lately They've been saying this since last summer. The impetus for rumors and speculation was a program on one of the Russian TV channels, where the singer looked terrifying. However, judge for yourself:

A wrinkled and haggard face, a wrinkled and somehow folded neck, sagging breasts and sagging skin... Unfortunately, disgusting makeup also does not contribute to good appearance artists. Literally the next day, after the program aired, the Internet exploded with messages that Irina was seriously and seriously ill. True, no one could confirm this fact. But the assumption that diet is to blame for the way Irina Otieva looks bad seems much more plausible.

Looking at the singer’s figure, I believe this much more. The fact is that Irina has never been particularly slim. Quite the contrary. Genes and a national predisposition to obesity, aggravated by childbirth, have long turned Otieva into a plump woman, which, however, did not affect her voice in any way. But having become a participant in a fashionable television project designed to remind viewers of forgotten stars, Irina decided to take coordinated measures. Many TV viewers were surprised at how quickly the singer began to lose weight.

And considering that when sharp decline weight, the skin usually sags, the result looks depressing. However, judging by the pictures, Irina did not stop there and continued to lose weight, which led to such results. Instead of a young and slender middle-aged woman, we see a tired and “sick” lady of indeterminate age, with blurred features and excess loose skin. Perhaps if Irina started playing sports or didn’t cut her hair so short, her appearance would be healthier and more presentable.

Irina Otieva chose a thorny path to success, starting to perform jazz that was “wrong” for the Soviet Union. She was not invited to competitions, festivals ignored her, and the press was forbidden to publish about her. At that time, Irina survived, continued to sing jazz and became one of the best.

Childhood and youth

Irina was born in 1958 in the capital of the Georgian USSR, Tbilisi, into a family of doctors. The singer’s paternal surname is Otiyan, and she is Armenian by nationality. On his father's side, his roots go back to the ancient princely dynasty of Amatuni.

Natalya, Irina’s older sister, followed in her parents’ footsteps and also entered medical school. The same was expected from the youngest, but the biography future star turned out differently. For a long time, parents did not pay attention to their daughter’s talent and her desire for the stage. However, they allowed, in addition to classical school, attend music. It was there that it became clear that the child had a surprisingly rare voice range of 3.5 octaves. After graduation music school Irina began performing with different groups in Tbilisi - and thus began the path to success.

Music

Her first success is considered to be a victory at the Moscow Jazz Music Festival, when Irina was only 17. Otieva was accepted into the pop department at Gnesinka without exams - by that time she had just received a certificate. Irina often said that she attaches great importance to education and theoretical knowledge, which is why she received a second higher education degree Teacher Education. In fact, Otieva was the first to Soviet stage certified singer.

Irina transformed the surname Otiyan to Otieva, which is more familiar to Russian ears. After graduating from college, she was accepted by a jazz orchestra led by Oleg Lundstrem. In 1984, the masterpiece joint composition “Music is My Love” was recorded, which is still covered by modern stars.

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Despite the fact that it was customary to be wary of jazz at that time, as part of the orchestra the singer received a large number of music prizes and awards. The Ministry of Culture prohibited Otieva from entering international competitions and inviting her to radio and television.

Despite the machinations, in 1982 she managed to receive an award for performing a Soviet song on All-Russian competition, then - in Berlin “8 hits in the studio”. In 1983, Irina took first place in another important competition of pop artists, which was held in Sweden. In 1985, Otieva decided to create her own group “Stimul-Band” and became more recognizable and loved, recording albums one after another.

In the early 90s, she toured extensively in Europe and Asia: she was well received in Poland and Vietnam, Bulgaria and Cuba, Japan and Slovakia. Irina gave about 10 concerts in America, where jazz music was especially popular.

In 1995, on trial Russian viewer a project was released that became incredibly popular in the country for many years - “Old songs about the main thing.” There, Irina, together with Larisa Dolina, performed the song “Good Girls,” after which she became famous not only in jazz circles, but also among the ordinary viewer.

In 1996, Irina released her last album, “20 Years in Love,” which she dedicated to her twentieth anniversary of creativity. She also put an end to their tour schedule by stopping concerts. One of her latest creations is the final song for the popular film “You Never Dreamed of” - “The Last Poem”.

In the early 90s, Irina was compared to. They even said that the two stars quarreled due to rivalry. However, Otieva denied this, saying that she did not seek to become Alla Borisovna’s double. Pugacheva avoided answering questions about comparisons with a jazz star.

Personal life

Otieva is constantly surrounded by male attention, but she never officially got married. For a long time she lived in a civil marriage with Alexei Danchenko, the concert director of the group. In 1996, the couple separated, maintaining working and friendly relations.

At that time, Irina was 32 - no family, no children, only songs and videos. The star practically began to rave about the child: she admits that once, in a moment of despair, she shouted at God. Irina appealed to the fact that “all evil spirits give birth, and normal people- No". Apparently, the cry got through, and in 1996, Otieva’s daughter Zlata was born. It is unknown who the girl's father is. According to rumors, he was married at the time of his affair with Irina, and the singer broke off the relationship as soon as she realized that she was pregnant.

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Irina Otieva in her youth

After the birth of Zlata, the young mother does not stop having affairs. She has repeatedly stated in interviews that she prefers younger men, as they charge with energy. Moreover we're talking about about young Apollos - the youngest, according to the singer, was 20. Without an ounce of embarrassment, Irina said that her favorite hobby was making love.

More than once Otieva said that she was a small and weak woman. The main weakness is bad habits: Irina smokes and drinks strong alcohol, preferring vodka with tomato juice. The singer has developed intuition and also has mystical abilities: Irina often encounters déjà vu and is able to understand the motivation for the actions of others.

Irina Otieva today

Little is known about Irina’s life today: she does not appear at public parties, and rarely speaks at corporate events. They said that Irina preferred a measured and calm life, realizing herself as a vocal teacher at the Academy. Gnesins.

In January 2020, Andrei Malakhov released a scandalous issue about Irina Otieva, who, according to the message of the program, lost her relevance, lost all connections and began to abuse alcohol. On the air of the show, Otieva opened up with the journalist in a one-on-one conversation, saying that all her former friends, including Larisa Dolina, had long forgotten about her existence.

Recently, singer Irina OTIEVA, known for her puritanical views, shocked the music scene by taking on a lover who is 29 years younger than her. The couple lives in a civil marriage and is planning to have a big wedding in the fall.

Vladimir POZHARSKY, Dmitry LIFANTSEV

Rodion Babayan was born and raised in the small Kabardino-Balkarian town of Maisky. As a child, he was friends with Vitya Belan, who is now known under the pseudonym Dima Bilan. Tied up cute boys great love to art. And at that early stage, Rodya even beat Vitya, becoming the winner of the “Grand Prix” at the regional competition children's creativity"Starfall" and receiving a diploma 1st degree at the Morning Star competition. After which Babayan had only one way - to the stage.

After graduating from school, Rodion went to Moscow, where he entered the pop-jazz vocal department Russian Academy music named after the Gnessins. Irina Otieva became his teacher.

Got it right with the bouquet

Before meeting Rodion, Otieva was already completely disappointed in men. She lived with her former husband, concert manager Alexei Danchenko, for 12 years, but her daughter Zlata was born after their divorce in 1995. Having become a mother for the first time at the age of 37, Irina began to give all her love and care to her only one to a loved one- to your baby.

“Men have become uninteresting to me,” Otieva asserted quite recently. “When I see them, I almost instantly get the feeling that I’ve known everything about each of them for a long time: what they will say, what they will laugh at, how they will start courting them.” And if the blood doesn’t boil, then why start a relationship? For 12 years, not one of her many fans could win the heart of the star. No one could have imagined that the impregnable stronghold would be conquered almost overnight by a beardless youth with a magnificent body and tenor voice. After only a month of classes, Irina and Rodion began to linger in the classroom for a long time and already after dark went out into the street together.

As soon as I saw Irochka, I immediately fell head over heels in love with her,” admitted Rodion. “She seemed so defenseless to me that I wanted to kiss her tenderly, and then pick her up and cradle her all night.” But for a very long time he did not dare to declare his love. If not for chance...

As I now understand, Ira also had her eye on me, and how, more experienced and courageous, she herself took the first step. One day, when the bell signaled the end of classes, Otieva looked sternly at the bustling students and said: “And you, Babayan, I’ll ask you to stay.” “Okay, Irina Adolfovna,” Rodion nodded obediently. Then there was the first official date on Sunday, at which Rodion gave Otieva a huge bouquet of chrysanthemums. He guessed right. As it turned out later, these are the singer’s favorite flowers.

Now like a girl

Now Irina and Rodya live together, and are planning to get married in the fall. In the evenings, the young man prepares satsivi for his beloved woman and mixes a Bloody Mary cocktail. Otieva is in seventh heaven from his care and attention.

In order to go out together and not make the age difference noticeable to everyone, Irina tries to keep herself in shape, and recently she completely changed her image. While the singer’s stylist was conjuring her hair, Rodion constantly stood nearby and carefully watched the makeup artist’s hands.

“Oh, Irochka, you’ve become just like a girl,” the young man smiled. - The students at the conservatory won’t recognize you!

Her real name— Otiyan, Irina is Armenian by nationality, although she was born in the capital of Georgia, Tbilisi. Here she sat down at the piano for the first time, and here her path to the stage began. She achieved her first notable success at the age of 17: she won the jazz music festival in Moscow.

Disgraced Jazz

After this, the girl was accepted into the pop department of the music school named after. Gnesins. Even after becoming famous singer, Irina will continue to study and improve her skills. After college, she also graduated from the Gnessin Music and Pedagogical Institute.

“This is the first Soviet singer with a higher pop vocal education,” they would say about her on television in 1988.

By that time, Irina Otiyan had already become Irina Otieva, changing the sound of her surname to a more Russian one. After studying, she immediately joined the famous jazz orchestra under the direction of Oleg Lundstrem. As part of its composition, Otieva won a lot of music awards - despite difficult circumstances.

Those who sing jazz were not trusted in the USSR. This is the music of the West, their influence. “Today you play jazz, and tomorrow you will sell your homeland,” wrote Soviet newspapers. By the 80s it became easier, but Otieva’s work still caused discontent in the Ministry of Culture and the State Concert.

She is not invited to radio and television, is not allowed to participate in international competitions, and is not interviewed.

Despite everything, in 1985 Irina created her own group, wrote music and lyrics herself - and achieved popularity.

Yelled at God

By the early nineties, she toured a lot, performed solo in New York at the World jazz festival at Lincoln Center, where her partners on stage are the legendary Ray Charles and Stevie Wonder.

She is in demand - but still lonely. By the age of 32, Irina Otieva had neither a husband nor children. And she really wanted to become a mother.

“...Very much, I even shouted at God. I said: all evil spirits give birth, all kinds of creatures give birth, but normal people do not give birth. After that I got pregnant. Apparently, my scream reached him.”

On the singer’s official website, next to the “Music”, “Photo” and “Video” sections there is a “Daughter” section. A girl named Zlata was born in 1996, when Irina turned 33. “There is no father,” the website says briefly.

Otieva never hid the fact that she has always enjoyed great success with men. The novels were bright and stormy, but not a single one ended in marriage. Zlata's father, according to rumors, was married - Irina broke up with him as soon as she found out about her pregnancy.

After the birth of her daughter, Otieva continued to have affairs: she does not hesitate to admit that she always preferred men younger than herself - because she was “charged” with energy from them. And the singer without embarrassment called lovemaking her hobby.

But most main love her life, without a doubt, remained jazz. 20th anniversary creative life Irina celebrated with the release of the album “20 Years in Love.” I noted it and said goodbye to my active touring schedule.

Now she teaches vocals at the Academy. Gnesins, communicates a lot with his Armenian family, raises his daughter and only occasionally appears in public. Irina admits that she has no friends in show business, and she does not strive to maintain popularity with public parties.

And he hardly needs it. Those who once heard Otieva’s “Last Poem” can no longer imagine this song in a different performance. This means that everything was not in vain.

Childhood and youth of Irina Otieva

In 1976, Otieva entered the State University School of Music them. Gnesins to the pop department in vocal class. In parallel with her studies, she improved her vocal abilities at the Experimental Jazz Studio, sang in the jazz ensemble of Igor Bril, and in the orchestra of Joseph Kobzon.

Irina Otieva's work in Oleg Lundstrem's orchestra

Irina performed such popular works at that time as “Unique Spring”, “Moscow Windows”, “One Hundred Hours of Happiness”, “Come Out as You Can”, “Two”.

She toured with various groups in Bulgaria, Germany, USA, Czechoslovakia, Sweden. At her performances she was invariably accompanied by success and audience recognition. Otieva became a laureate of the “8 hits in the studio” competition in Berlin. At the All-Russian Competition of Soviet Song Performers in Sochi in 1982 and at the All-Union Competition of Variety Artists in 1983, her unique singing was awarded first prize, as well as the Grand Prix at a song competition in the Swedish city of Karlshamn. Moreover, jazz compositions were performed by her for the first time in Russian.

It is worth noting that Irina has a magnificent strong voice of 3.5 (out of eight existing) octaves. The range of modern singers is usually only two of them. Sound volume singing voice is given by nature and cannot be expanded. Only the most outstanding singers captivate audiences with this kind of talent. For example, Freddie Mercury had a range of 3 octaves, Whitney Houston - 5, and singer from St. Petersburg Tatyana Dolgopologova - a record 5 octaves and 1 tone (her gift is recorded in the Guinness Book of Records).

Disgrace of jazz singer Irina Otieva

New hits of Irina Otieva

1989 marked a new stage in demonstration and improvement creative potential artist - she graduates from the Gnessin State Musical and Pedagogical Institute and receives the highest award in the Russian television competition “Step to Parnassus”.

Otieva’s songs are heard behind the scenes in fifty films (“You Never Dreamed of It,” “The Maid of Rouen Nicknamed Pyshka,” “The Magicians”). In 1991, she starred in the thriller “Thirst for Passion,” and in 1993, in the musical “The Fool’s Revenge.” Films about the singer’s work were shot in Sweden, the Republic of Bulgaria, and Poland.

Each performance of the Russian jazz legend is different the highest art improvisation, exciting insight and dynamics, high musical culture and emotionality, subtle nuance and sincerity. She toured a lot again. She has attended concerts in Poland, the Republic of Bulgaria, Germany, Cuba, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia. The talented and hardworking singer performed successfully in Korea, Vietnam, Sweden, Japan, Denmark and other countries. In 1994, at the song forum “Song of the Year,” she was awarded the award “For Preserving Creative Individuality.” In 1995, Irina brilliantly performed as a soloist in New York at the World Jazz Festival at Lincoln Center along with outstanding US musicians Ray Charles and Stevie Wonder.

Irina Otieva currently

Personal life of Irina Irina Otieva

The singer, with her characteristic straightforwardness, has repeatedly admitted that she loves men much younger than herself - about 20-25 years old. Perhaps this is because she teaches and spends a lot of time with young people. Next to them, she herself becomes younger, and absolutely does not feel her true age. In fact, for some reason it’s boring and not interesting to communicate with Otieva’s peers.

The singer perceives romances with young men as entertainment; they, according to Irina, “light her up.” A woman does not think about marriage, and does not regret that she has not yet gotten married. The only thing she regrets is that she only has one child. Irina would like to have two children, or even better, three. With all my former men With the exception of two, Irina maintains friendly relations.

She doesn't consider herself a strong woman. She believes that if she were strong, she could quit smoking. The only alcoholic drinks he drinks are vodka with tomato juice or soda. She is allergic to other drinks.

It is interesting to note that Otieva has a very developed intuition and instinct of self-preservation. She always senses in advance if someone is going to betray her. In addition, the singer is prone to mysticism. Sometimes mysterious things happen to her that go beyond human understanding. For example, during pregnancy she heard a male voice that told the expectant mother that she would have a daughter, not a son, and named the girl’s name.