3 The influence of music on a person 03/03/2019
Dear readers, today we meet in the section The influence of music on a person and we’ll talk about Irina Bogushevskaya, whom I myself adore. There are not many such versatile Personalities on our stage. Irina Bogushevskaya is not just a talented singer, a bright performer of original works. She is also an actress, a certified philosopher, and a teacher. All her songs are mini-performances.
Her style and timbre of voice cannot be confused with anything. Having heard her songs once, you want to repeat her songs for an encore. They sound from theater stages and film screens. And they touch subtle, hidden strings in the hearts of admirers.
And today we will talk about the biography of Irina Bogushevskaya and her personal life. Let's listen to her best songs. She is extremely in demand professionally, but at the same time she is not public, that is, she does not fuss, does not flicker on screens in various shows. Doesn't flaunt his personal life. And her fate is worth our attention!
Nomadic childhood: from Baghdad to Budapest
Irina was lucky enough to see the world in her childhood. In Soviet times, few people had such a chance, but my heroine’s father was a translator, and the family traveled with him when the head of the family was sent on long business trips abroad. Her mother is a famous athlete; rhythmic gymnastics became her life’s work.
She was born in Moscow on November 2, 1965. And then she spent several years in Baghdad. There, in the Iraqi capital, her first poems were born. The author was 5 years old at the time. Alas, in those lines there was neither oriental charm nor any special historical flavor. But there was a childishly “naked”, unretouched truth of life:
I won't go to Baghdad. And no one is happy about him. The Arabs there are dirty, the camels are ugly.
“Politically incorrect!” - the strict reader will say. But honestly, sincerely, like everything that Irina later did and continues to do. And awareness of the other side of the East came later and manifested itself in a number of songs by Irina Bogushevskaya. For example, obvious Levantine notes are felt in the passages of the composition “I’m Flying Away.”
Then they returned home again, to the capital. The girl showed musicality from a very early age, and her parents acted wisely by enrolling her in the aesthetic education studio that operated at that time at Moscow State University.
Irina was very lucky with her teacher. She learned the basics of musical literacy, technique and subtleties of playing the piano under the wing of her innovative mentor Irina Malakhova. It was Irina Nikolaevna who wrote one of the best manuals, “First Steps in the World of Sounds.”
With her, Irina took the first steps towards her future profession. Soon she wrote several of her own songs, mainly about her favorite animals. Her “portfolio,” as they would say now, included classes at the Vesnyanka choir studio, and even her first tour. The schoolgirl visited Yaroslavl with this children's group.
And then she became a diligent student at a music school. But not for long. My father's new business trip was to Hungary. The problem is that due to ignorance of the language, the girl was unable to continue her music studies in Budapest. There she graduated from secondary school.
Singing philosopher or philosophical bard?
Moscow State University, familiar to her since childhood, became her alma mater after graduation. There she studied the history of foreign philosophy, and even taught this subject, although not for long. She graduated from the university in 1992, receiving a diploma with honors. How else? She doesn’t know how to do anything half-heartedly and doesn’t want to learn.
The university was not only a “hotbed of knowledge.” And in those years there was a vibrant social and cultural life there. Together with Valdis Pelsh and Alexei Kortnev, Irina appeared on the stage of the Student Theater, which was no less famous in the capital than professional groups.
She continued to study music, and the theater “exploited” these student talents, using vocal artists in the musical “Blue Nights of the Cheka.” There were also tours, including to Edinburgh, where their theater was featured in the Fringe Festival. Then she will revive those impressions, they will be poured into poetry and music, and the hit “The Rains of Edinburgh” will be born.
Sing me a new blues - About the death of illusions...
Studenthood is the time to fall in love and start your first serious relationship. They also happened in the fate of our heroine: she married Alexei Kortnev. He studied at the Faculty of Mechanics and Mathematics, and even then became the leader of the “Accident” group.
For three years (1990-1993) Irina toured with this group and traveled a lot around the country. She performed her songs, in which there is always a wise prudence, a philosophical attitude towards the most seemingly simple things.
1993 brought great success: she became the winner of the Andrei Mironov acting song competition.
Craving for art
The artist’s relationship with her parents was successful. Her father was a translator, and her mother did gymnastics in her youth. When the daughter was three years old, the family moved to Baghdad for a while. Irina recalls with a smile in an interview the time spent under the bright sun by the pool. She was happy, harmony and love reigned in the family.
Since childhood, Ira wrote poems and songs about animals, and then about boys. She sang in the children's choral studio "Vesnyanka", and later the girl studied in the aesthetic education studio at the university. Due to the family's move to Hungary, Bogushevskaya did not receive a musical education.
As a teenager, the future singer adored poetry. She voraciously read the works of Tsvetaeva and Akhmatova and dreamed of becoming a poetess with a tragic fate. After ten years of school, Bogushevskaya became a student at the Faculty of Philosophy of Lomonosov Moscow State University. In 1992 she received her diploma.
Already in her second year, the girl began acting in the student theater. Under the guidance of Evgeniy Slavutin, she studied acting and regularly performed as part of the troupe. Irina’s colleagues were such famous personalities as Valdis Pelsh and Alexey Kortnev. With the production of “Blue Nights of the Cheka” the theater went on tour to the USA, Germany and Finland. The actors also presented this musical at the Edinburgh Fringe Theater Festival.
What do you call the group...
But, apparently, the “black magic” of the group’s name affected its members. The young couple divorced, and the separation was painful. Irina drove herself into severe depression, and the result was not long in coming: a car accident almost became fatal. The doctors later said: if she had covered her face not with her right hand, but with her left hand, the blow would have been even more powerful, her heart would have suffered, and...
Misfortune never comes alone. This everyday rule worked at that period of her life. Divorce, an accident, a serious hand injury, a creative crisis, the death of a mother, a terrible car accident - the “gray streak” lasted for several years. In this video she talks about that difficult period of her life.
Her right arm was paralyzed and she hung with a whip for six months. It was dry, unnerving, and did not respond to traditional methods of treatment. It came down to disability. And then Irina decided to go to Yerevan, to see the healers there. The time for health sessions was not the best. This is to put it mildly. At that time, the problem of Nagorno-Karabakh sharply worsened, and real fighting took place in Armenia. But the risk was not in vain; her hand was restored.
For Bogushevskaya, this series of trials became a lesson in a competent attitude towards life, towards the signals of Fate. She learned to value time and realized that she shouldn’t attract misfortune with negative thoughts.
Happiness waiting room
The return to the profession was triumphant. In 1995, spectators lined up for tickets to her benefit performance “The Waiting Room.”
Irina Bogushevskaya’s songs acquired new colors, imbued with the experience of her experience. The debut album was released in 1998, it was called “Book of Songs”. It was warmly received by both fans of her work and professionals of music criticism. A miracle happened: the poetess was accepted into the Writers' Union even without published books, a good reason was the album itself and the modest booklet of song lyrics released as an “appendage” to it.
Songs in her style are difficult to make their way onto television. For the “formatted” consciousness of TV officials, both now and then it was “unformatted”. Well, yes, not pop, you can’t argue with that. But she didn’t try to adapt to anyone. On the contrary, remaining herself, she unobtrusively reformatted part of the audience.
Her unexpected “guides” were the scholars from the “What? Where? When?”, who invited the singer, who was gaining popularity “in special circles,” to a game in the summer season of 1998. She then filled the pauses between rounds of intellectual battle. And she won the hearts of viewers across the country.
Then there was an exciting job as a DJ on Radio 101, on television, where she became the host of original programs. Back in 1997, her own group was created with the symbolic name “Easy People”, with which Irina began to wander around the capital’s clubs.
Achievements in other areas
Over the past few decades, Bogushevskaya has shown her talents not only as a singer and actress. Together with Kortnev, she hosted the television show “Pilot” on NTV, and was also the host of “Night Rendezvous” on TVC. Irina worked as a DJ on Radio 101 and served as music news editor for Radio Liberty.
In 2011, the singer presented the project “Children’s Playground No. 1”. She performed songs by Alexander Pinegin to poems by Andrei Usachev, the result was recorded on disk. Bogushevskaya also traveled around the country with this program. Also in 2001, she performed with a symphony orchestra, the program was called “The Secret Garden”.
In 2013, there was a grand presentation of the book “Sleepless Nights Again: Poems about Love,” for which Irina selected more than 100 texts. Some of them were presented for the first time; the public had not heard these poems before. The presentation took place in the Tchaikovsky Concert Hall.
A woman’s personal life has never been a reason for discussion in the press. In her youth, she married her friend and colleague Alexei Kortnev. In 1988, their son Artemy was born. Despite the close creative union, the marriage soon broke up. After some time, Bogushevskaya got married again, this time her chosen one was journalist Leonid Golovanov. They had a son, Daniel.
So many events took place in the personal life and biography of the poetess, singer and writer Irina Bogushevskaya that they would be more than enough for a romance novel or a short series. As the woman herself says, fate taught her mercilessly and for a long time through the trials that befell her. At the same time, she considers herself very happy and professionally accomplished.
The popularity of Bogushevskaya cannot be compared with the fame of the masters of the Russian stage, but Irina claims that she is to blame for this - she was always waiting to be called, but she had to loudly declare herself, constantly make her way to the creative Olympus. After successfully continuing her solo career, the woman is full of bright hopes and aspirations, especially since she has enough experience for more than one solo album.
Vertinsky in a skirt
Critics racked their brains, choosing definitions for her work. No matter how they tried to define her style: “theatrical jazz”, “cabaret rock”, “chanson modern”. Others simply called the singer “Vertinsky in a skirt.” Irina herself is sure that she is engaged in pop song in all its diversity of shades.
And Vertinsky really loves, appreciates, fulfills. Let's listen to everyone. Irina Bogushevskaya. A. Vertinsky. That's bullshit. This is a dream. This is a dream...
What sets her apart from other representatives of the “light genre” is her boundless respect for the profession. That’s why he sings exclusively live, no soundtrack. When traveling around the country, anything could happen: sometimes the luggage wouldn’t be delivered on time, or sometimes part of the team would get “lost” along the way. You have to improvise and change the program on the fly.
Irina tours a lot. But in the capitals he gives big concerts in the most prestigious halls of Moscow and St. Petersburg. In the Tchaikovsky Hall, for example, in 2013 she brilliantly presented the album “Nights Without Sleep Again.”
The 1998 default made adjustments to the singer’s creative schedule. The large group of musicians became financially too much for her. Irina switched to a more intimate format, began touring in tandem with pianist Svetlana Mochalina, and with her they performed (in every sense of the word) the program “A Show for You Alone.”
Now in her discography there are already about a dozen albums. In 2015, the collection “Morning of the Carnival” was recorded, where her partner was Alexey Ivashchenko, and the music was ideally accompanied by a symphony orchestra.
Return to music
In 1995, after a long break, Bogushevskaya participated in the Yalta-Moscow-Transit competition. But shortly before the final performance, she unexpectedly learns about the death of her mother. This news unsettles the girl; she refuses to take part in the final of the competition.
In 1998, Irina’s first solo album was released, it was called “Book of Songs.” Critics praised this record; it became a sensation in the post-Soviet space. Bogushevskaya’s work was put on a par with the first albums of Alla Pugacheva and Zhanna Aguzarova. Thanks to her amazing texts, the girl was accepted into the Writers' Union.
The singer was accompanied on stage by the Force Majeure Music Orchestra. Later they were joined by members of the group “Accident”, and the group was renamed “Random Orchestra”. After the default, Irina had to reduce the number of musicians. She kept only the pianist Svetlana Mochalina with her. Together the girls performed the program “A Show for You Alone,” and for three years they managed to gather the largest halls in Russia. But old acquaintances, the musicians, continued to help Bogushevskaya while working in the studio.
In 2000, the second disc “Easy People” was released, but it could not repeat the success of the debut album. At the same time, she collaborated with A. Sklyar and A. Vertinsky. Together they record several songs. In 2001, Irina left the stage for a while.
In January 2005, the singer’s third album appeared on store shelves, it was called “Tender Things.” Critics praised this work, and Bogushevskaya's fans also warmly greeted the new compositions. Together with Alexey Ivashchenko, the woman released the program “Morning of Carnival” in 2005. In September 2007, the latest album to date, “Silk,” was released. This program, according to the artist, was intended for those who know what true love is.
Operation New Formation
Many actors and pop performers are trying to somehow help children. Some sponsor children's hospitals, some participate in the jury of various competitions, etc., but most often these are one-time events.
Irina took on the heavy burden of constant supervision of talented children, creating the “Children’s Playground” project in 2011. She found herself in a new role - the producer of this specific category of singing fraternity.
A year after the start of the project, in 2012, the illustrated album “Children’s Playground No. 1” was published. It was awarded the National Golden Bear Award, as critics recognized the collection as the best children's publication of the year. To this day, she gives concerts for children together with her colleagues from the “Platform”. Including charities.
More information about this side of her activities can be found on the singer’s official website. Announcements of her upcoming concerts and trips around the country are also posted here.
First steps to success
In addition to performing in the theater, Irina tried to establish connections in the musical field. So, one day Bogushevskaya, together with Kortnev, created a creative union, thanks to which they became widely known. They successfully released new albums and organized numerous concerts.
In 1993, the girl took part in the A. Mironov acting song festival and won. It is surprising that to this day, Irina is the only singer who received the Grand Prix at this competition. That same year, the singer performed a new solo program on the stage of her home university.
But suddenly, after a continuous streak of luck, a series of failures followed. One day, returning from another performance, Irina got into a car accident. She miraculously survived, but there were some injuries. The girl was taken to the hospital with severe damage to blood vessels in her arm. For two whole years Bogushevskaya tried to fight the disease and turned to various specialists for help. But only in 1995 one healer managed to restore the sensuality of the hand.
After this, the singer immediately began staging a new musical, “The Waiting Room,” in which she was supposed to perform songs of her own composition.
Irina Bogushevskaya during a performance
Personal life is not impersonal
I have already mentioned above about Irina’s first marriage, with musician Alexei Kortnev. They broke up, but maintained a trusting relationship. Alexey also communicates with their common son Artemy, born in 1998.
The singer’s second husband was journalist Leonid Golovanov. The couple had a son, Daniel, in 2002. The marriage lasted 12 years, but also could not resist the trials of everyday life.
Irina had already decided that it was not her destiny to become a happy wife; she should completely devote herself to creative endeavors. But then another journalist appeared on her life’s path. Alexander Abolits, as it turned out, had been observing Irina’s work for a long time, although this was not the area of his professional interests.
Abolitz worked with Nikolai Drozdov in the magazine “In the Animal World”. It turned out that they had a lot in common: a love for horses and other four-legged companions of humans. A craving for solitude, giving food to the mind and fanning the embers of creativity. Independence in judgment and much more.
Alexander has his own farm in the Tula region. In addition to horses, other inhabitants also feel at ease there: goats, cows. Irina loves to go there; she was fond of horse riding as a child. At one time she was a regular at the Moscow Hippodrome.
Happiness is tart and hot honey, the sun through the clouds. The entrance to the secret land of the happy is close, But the keys are in your hands.
These are lines from the song “The Keys are in Your Hands,” a song about searching and finding what is worth coming to this difficult world for. Let's listen to everyone. Irina Bogushevskaya - “The keys are in your hands”
Personal life
The creative biography and personal life of Irina Bogushevskaya have always been closely intertwined. Her first husband was her friend and colleague Alexey Kortnev. They were connected by common interests and hobbies. This period in their life is considered the most successful. But, despite the fact that in creativity they completely complemented each other, in family life everything was not so smooth. After the birth of her first son Artemy, the singer decided to postpone her career and took a short vacation. For several months she could not come to her senses, and was very upset that she could not move forward in her career. But she also understood that at the moment nothing was more important than her child.
Irina with Alexey Kortnev
Gradually, the couple began to move away from each other, and eventually separated. But the young people managed to maintain warm and friendly relations. They see each other periodically and discuss important issues about raising their common son, who has only recently become seriously interested in photography.
After some time, joyful changes occur again in Irina Bogushevskaya’s personal life: a meeting with her second husband, reporter Leonid Golovanov. The couple had been married for twelve years. During this time, the singer gave birth to another child - a son, Daniel. The couple tried their best to maintain this union for the sake of the children, but it was obvious that this was causing them great pain. The couple found strength and talked seriously about everything. As a result, they came to a mutual decision and divorced. Their relationship also ended on an amicable note.
Irina with Leonid Golovanov and son
All this time, fans speculated about how Irina Bogushevskaya’s future creative biography and personal life would develop. In fact, she herself had asked herself this question more than once. For some time, the singer just wanted to enjoy freedom and find spiritual harmony. When she succeeded, Irina met a new love. Despite the fact that she already had two husbands in the past, Bogushevskaya decided to take a risk. And I was right.
Irina and Alexander Abolits
Alexander Abolits touched all the strings of her soul. Almost after the first meeting, he knew that Irina was his only one. The man courted her for a long time, showed signs of attention, and established relationships with the children. With his persistence, he literally snatched victory, and Bogushevskaya succumbed to his persuasion. Now Irina Bogushevskaya does not regret anything: she has a wonderful husband, children, creativity. She feels love and is ready to give it back.
Children and grandfather: no generational conflict!
The sons grew up in different conditions, Irina admits. Tema had to be raised by her parents. She was busy completing her studies at the university, and then became a single mother with the need to take care of her daily bread. Then her mother died, and the singer herself, after an injury, was left without a livelihood.
Danila grew up in a different atmosphere, in a family that was prosperous in all respects. Which didn’t spoil him, to his mother’s delight. Although he is surprised by his mother’s stories about how in wealthy families in the West, children earn extra money with unskilled labor: washing dishes, becoming bartenders, etc.
The eldest, Artemy, decided to quit his studies already in his second year at State University. Irina panicked, but Alexey Kortnev stood up for his son, reminding him that he himself left the Faculty of Mechanics and Mathematics in his second year, which did not prevent him from succeeding in life.
Bogushevskaya did not calm down and decided to consult with her father. And he revealed one family secret, which the daughter had no idea about. It turns out that Tema’s grandfather left Baumanka, barely finishing his second year (!) Then there was the army, Inyaz, which the future diplomat graduated from, having mastered five languages perfectly...
Student, activist and just a beautiful girl
After returning to the Russian capital, Irina entered the Faculty of Foreign Philosophy at Moscow State University. The tastes and aspirations of the young poetess were largely formed under the influence of the works of Akhmatova, Tsvetaeva and other far from “Soviet” poets. She regularly performed her songs at numerous events, which made her quite popular within the university and led her to the Student Theater, which existed for a long time at Moscow State University. Her passion for the stage and working with brilliant directors gradually attracted the young woman to such an extent that she spent all her free time in the company of the participants in this action.
Irina was the lead singer of the group “Accident”
It was here that I met my first husband, the lead singer of the group “Accident”. As the artist says in an interview, Alexey was already a “veteran” of the student stage and she watched him with obvious adoration. So songs in the personal life and biography of Irina Bogushevskaya played a very important, decisive role - her stormy romance with Kortnev arose precisely on a creative basis. They took part in the production of the first musical in the USSR, “Blue Nights of the Cheka,” which took first place at the festival of student groups in Edinburgh, toured a lot and along the way created the repertoire of “Accident,” which later became extremely popular throughout the CIS in the post-perestroika period.
As Irina Bogushevskaya says, her attitude towards her husband, his role in her personal life and a woman’s biography was formed under the influence of a clear example that accompanied the artist’s childhood. For a long time she grew up in the same apartment with her grandparents, who lived together an unusually long, happy life, full of tenderness and care for each other.
Poet Irina Bogushevskaya
It was these relationships that built in the poetess’s mind the pattern of her relationship with her future husband, to whom she made a lot of claims in marriage. In addition, in 1988, the couple had their first child, Artemy, whose care fell entirely on Irina - Kortnev was too busy with his career and the growing success of his own group. All this led to a breakup. Fortunately, the young people maintained normal relationships after the divorce and still communicate without painful memories and unpleasant details about such a short family happiness.
