Childhood and youth
Vlad Topalov is a famous Russian singer, former lead singer of the group “Smash!!”. Vlad is from Moscow, born in 1985. His mother Tatyana Anatolyevna was a historian-archivist, his father Mikhail Genrikhovich was a businessman, owner of a law firm. There was a second child in the family, Vlad’s younger sister Alina.
The future star inherited his interest in music from his father. Topalov Sr. in his youth was a member of musical groups in Moscow and St. Petersburg, and professionally collaborated with the rock group “Fourth Dimension”. His children began to study music early and attend various creative clubs.
Vlad Topalov began his career as a musician even before starting school; at the age of five and a half, he became a member of the famous children's ensemble “Fidgets” under the direction of Elena Pinjoyan. At the same time, he began studying violin at a music school.
During his school years, Vlad was a soloist in the choir, singing with Yulia Malinovskaya, who would later shine as the presenter of the Morning Star. With the “Fidgets” ensemble, the young artist managed to travel around Russia and the world: Japan, Norway, Bulgaria - wherever the leaders of the ensemble, which has repeatedly won international competitions, arranged tours for their students.
At the age of nine, Vlad is sent to study in England at a closed college, where he spends three years, then returns to the capital and further studies at a specialized school with in-depth study of foreign languages. When the teenager was fifteen, his parents' marriage broke up. The children were “divided”: Vlad stayed with his father, Alina with her mother. In 2002, Vlad entered the Russian State University for the Humanities to study law and successfully completed his studies in 2008. Here the future singer is also following in his father’s footsteps.
Vlad Topalov: drug scandal, breakup of the SMASH group and wedding with Todorenko
How is the life of singer Vlad Topavalov after SMASH!!
Vlad Topalov is a famous Russian singer who gained immense popularity thanks to his participation in the group SMASH!! There are many scandals associated with the name of this artist - which ones, how his life has changed in recent years, and much more - read on.
Parental influence and happy childhood
Vlad Topalov was born on October 25, 1985 in Moscow in the family of mother Tatyana, a historian, and father Mikhail, a businessman. The boy's father always showed a great love for music and tried to develop his son's creative abilities, focusing on music. Therefore, while still a child, Vlad Topalov was sent to a music school. When the boy was five years old, in 1990, he already performed with the famous children's group "Fidgets", and traveled to many countries near and far abroad.
Vlad Topalov’s parents wanted the boy to have everything for a happy childhood and a great bright future, so at the age of 9 he was sent to a private college in England. He studied there for several years, and upon returning to Russia, he continued his studies at a specialized school with in-depth study of foreign languages.
When Topalov turned 15, Tatyana and Mikhail decided to hang it up. Vlad stayed to live with his father. The man insisted that the guy receive a serious education despite his great love of music, so in 2002 Vlad Topalov entered the Russian State University for the Humanities, Faculty of Law.
Creativity and the group SMASH!!
Vlad Topalov's father was very proud of his son's musical achievements and decided to record a disc for the 10th anniversary of the children's ensemble "Fidgets". This required new arrangements, and Vlad Topalov sang some songs together with Sergei Lazarev. Many producers paid attention to the Lazarev-Topalov tandem; the young guys worked well together and could sing together without any problems. Then they recorded the song “Belle”, after which it was finally decided to create a joint group of young people, which they called SMASH!! Already in 2001, the musical group signed a contract with a recording studio called “Universal Music Group” (France).
Group SMASH!! Quite quickly began to gain popularity, and because of its novelty and the charisma of the two young guys, it became one of the most popular at that time. The whole country learned about her in 2002, after winning the “New Wave” competition, which was held in Jurmala.
Vlad Topalov's drug problems
Singer Vlad Topalov is literally turned by the sudden popularity that has fallen on him, and he gets hooked on drugs.
According to the singer himself, he first tried cocaine and very quickly became involved in its use in 2004. It was at that time that their group SMASH!! was gaining enormous popularity. And the producers predicted great fame for the artists. The affair with cocaine began so rapidly that the singer can only barely remember the first half of the year. In one of his interviews, Vlad Topalov says that he does not remember at all how he worked. From his memories in 2004, he only has endless parties.
Sergey Lazarev, due to his bandmate’s huge drug problems, began to show concern, and then completely moved away. It was impossible to communicate with the singer, he didn’t care about anything - except for another drug euphoria. At the end of 2004, Sergei Lazarev declares that he no longer wants to work with Topalov and leaves the group.
Vlad Topavalov's father found out about his son's terrible enlargement, put him under house arrest, and even threatened to take stricter measures. The artist’s life began to turn into a real hell: he lost his friends, his job, the trust of his family and friends. In 2008, Vlad Topalov lost one of his kidneys due to drugs. He was urgently hospitalized.
Then many said that Vlad Topalov was addicted to drugs. For help, he turned to his mother, Tatyana, who sent her son to rehabilitation courses for drug addicts. This helped Vlad Topalov give up his addiction once and for all.
The path of correction and wedding with Todorenko
Vlad Topalov took the path of correction in 2008. It was then that he decided to take up a musical career again, but this time as a solo artist. He recorded several albums, began to be invited to television projects, and at some point the musician became more of a gossip column hero than a full-fledged artist. About such popularity as the group SMASH!! there was no need to say any more. He is also invited to act in films and take part in theatrical productions.
In 2020, on the basis of acting, he met the famous Russian and Ukrainian TV presenter Regina Todorenko, whom he met while playing in the play “Pawn your wife in a pawn shop.” Since then, the romance of the two celebrities began, which they initially carefully hid, but already in July 2020 they announced that they were planning to get married - everything is serious. The young people married on October 25, and on December 5 they had a son, who was named Mikhail.
A little later, Regina Todorenko often admitted that her relationship with her husband was quite difficult. When Misha was just born, Topalov was in no particular hurry to help his young mother, and minded his own business. Then Regina Todorenko began to seriously think about divorce and even tried to enroll the couple with a family psychologist. True, divorce was avoided. Now the artists live in peace and harmony.
Musical career. "Smash!!"
In 2000, Vlad’s father started releasing a disc for the anniversary of “Fidget,” the ensemble was ten years old. The best compositions were re-recorded for the disc using new arrangements, some of them were performed by Vlad Topalov and Sergey Lazarev. It was then that their joint work began - the guys sang a duet and recorded several songs, one of them “Belle” from the musical “Notre-Dame de Paris”. This is how a group called “Smash!!” was born. A year later they had already signed a contract with a French record label.
In 2002, "Smash!!" wins in Jurmala, then writes a single and records a video for the song “Should have loved you more.” Next year, their debut album “Freeway” is released, which goes platinum in Russia, the Middle Abroad and Southeast Asia.
Million dollar secret: Vlad Topalov spoke about drug addiction and a tumor in the throat
Ex-soloist of the group “Smash!!” Vlad Topalov became a guest of Lera Kudryavtseva’s “Secret for a Million” program. The artist openly admitted that he had been using drugs for a long time and told how he underwent surgery to remove a tumor on his vocal cord.
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Vlad Topalov, in a conversation with Lera Kudryavtseva, spoke about a difficult period in his life. The singer admitted that he had been using drugs for 10 years, because of which he began to disrupt his performances. Addiction consumed him and he lost everything: his job, his money, his friends, his family.
Going through a difficult period, he withdrew into himself and hardly left the house for four months. At this time, Topalov went into all serious troubles - every day he drank, smoked and used drugs.
Additions, expansions Vlad Topalov (@vladtopalovofficial) Zhov 17, 2017 about 4:35 PDT
“Groundhog Day” did not last long. One day he discovered that his voice had disappeared. The diagnosis was disappointing: he was diagnosed with a pea-sized tumor on his vocal cord. Fortunately, the cyst was successfully removed in Germany. After the operation, Topalov decided to start a new life and get rid of bad habits. His mother helped him with this by sending him to an anonymous drug treatment clinic. Vlad managed to overcome drug addiction with the help of specialists and has been drug-free for three years.
Million dollar secret. This Saturday. We had a great time filming! @leratv, thank you, dear, for the warm welcome and great conversation!
Additions, expansions Vlad Topalov (@vladtopalovofficial) Fox 15, 2017 about 12:52 PST
The singer admits that he is happy now. Topalov, who divorced designer Ksenia Danilina a year and a half after the wedding, has already found new love. He did not mention the name of his chosen one on air.
Yes, I'm not free. I’m thinking about getting married because I really want children.
Meanwhile, Brad Pitt's new novel is being actively discussed on the Internet.
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Solo career of Vlad Topalov
After the breakup of the group, Vlad began creating a solo project and in 2005 published the disc “Evolution”, where the duo’s hits performed by him and new solo compositions were recorded. Then there was a contract with, the release of the first solo album “Lone Star”, where Vlad had hits “The Dream”, “How Can It Be” and “For Love”.
Two years later, the album “Let the Heart Decide” was released; Vlad wrote it in Moscow and Miami. At the same time, the album “I Will Give It All To You” is released - a collection of all the singer’s English-language compositions. In addition to music, Vlad takes part in theatrical productions and tries himself as a film actor.
2014 - the single “Without Brakes” is released. In 2020, the musician released a radio single with the same name. In the same year, a new song, “Let It Go,” was heard on the radio. In total, Vlad recorded about twenty-five video clips as a duet and solo.
Personal life
The affair with Yulia Volkova began when they were both already popular. This connection gave many reasons for gossip among journalists; the relationship was stormy, with breakups and subsequent reunions. In 2006, it was decided to end the relationship completely.
With Olga Rudenko, director of Sergei Lazarev, the relationship also ended in nothing.
In 2020, Vlad entered into an official marriage with Ksenia Danilina. Ksenia is the owner of an elite studio, a wealthy heiress. However, two years later the marriage broke up. Vlad told the public, in order to avoid speculation, that the reason was the inability to find compromises and inexperience in building long-term relationships.
Chester Bennington
Chester Bennington, fox13now.com
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Linkin Park vocalist Chester Bennington tried all kinds of drugs and alcohol before he was 16 years old. At the age of 17, his mother forbade the musician to leave the house because he looked emaciated. In 2006, the musician completed a rehabilitation course and was completely free from addiction.
On July 20, 2020, Chester Bennington was found hanged in his Los Angeles home. The media suggested that drugs pushed him to such a decision, but the examination did not find any prohibited substances in his blood.
Drug addiction
From 2004 to 2014, Vlad’s life was spent on drugs. This led to the destruction of his musical career, the breakdown of family ties, and it even happened that the singer left home and lived in a car. In addition, there were serious health problems - one kidney was failing, there was a cyst on the vocal cords. The singer admits that he didn’t even suspect that this could happen in real life. From his own experience, he experienced the hell of drug addiction, which, as he previously thought, only happened in the movies.
Talking about his illness, Vlad recalls that it all started on the New Year holidays. He decided to try drugs himself because he always chose what to do on his own. I decided and suggested it to my friends, they agreed. Thus began years of chemical dependency.
At first, Vlad used cocaine. He says that he doesn’t remember much at all for the first six months, in small pieces. Now it is unclear how he lived and worked then. This lifestyle, of course, affected my career. And so the not-so-close creative relationship with Lazarev became increasingly alienated. Although, according to Vlad, drugs were not the main reason for the breakup of the duo.
Attempts to combat addiction
Vlad Topalov says that his father made real attempts to stop his addiction. He was a rather tough person, and when he saw clear signs that his son was using drugs, the relationship between them became very tense. The father took his son to him, ending his separate residence, which gave the young man unhealthy freedom.
Attempts to combat his son’s addiction began with house arrest at the dacha. It was a very difficult period, there were scandals and fights. House arrest did not help; at the first opportunity, Vlad slipped away from his father, lived in the car for some time, then rented an apartment. And again everything went as before. Ecstasy tablets were added to cocaine, and in incredible doses. Now Vlad Topalov no longer remembers exactly what drugs he used, he himself does not understand how he did not die then, it can be called a miracle. After all, in addition to huge doses of drugs, there were also quite extreme entertainment, for example, racing along the Moscow Ring Road at a speed of 280 kilometers per hour.
Surprisingly, Vlad managed to maintain his career for a long time; it helped that he came to interviews and filming in adequate condition. Before the performance I also tried to rest. Within himself, he separated music and drugs. Music was a profession, drugs were entertainment and a way to kill time. Vlad says that he personally could never create music and perform not only while on drugs, but even drunk.
Consequences of drugs
During the period of addiction, relationships with the environment were completely lost. Life was falling apart. According to Vlad, the problem is not even that you are losing friends, the worst thing is that the addict is losing himself, his personality. You cease to be the person those around you knew. There is no need to communicate with anyone; the addict withdraws into his own small ephemeral world. Vlad says that he even called his mother sometimes only once every six months. Gradually he lost everything: relationships with family, friends, even his car was sold for debts.
When asked how the decision was made to stop this hell, Vlad says that it was an internal impulse. He admits that he is such a person - it is difficult to dissuade him if he has decided on something. Just as he once decided to start this addiction, he himself came to the conclusion that it was time to end it. True, it didn’t happen right away.
Drugs stopped helping me forget about the breakup with my father and bandmate; they stopped being relaxation and entertainment. Thoughts about suicide began to appear and there was even an attempt to commit it, at the moment when the awareness of the emptiness of life and all existing relationships with incomprehensible “friends” came.
How it all started
It is no longer a secret that Vlad Topalov was a drug addict. He spoke about this himself. And he did the right thing. After all, his example helped many young people who did not realize the severity of addiction to psychoactive substances avoid serious health problems.
It all started in 2004, when Vlad Topalov, a member of the Smesh group, tried the drug for the first time. It was cocaine. He tried it quite consciously, seeing how his friends were getting high. And away we go. Four years are like one day. The musician and singer immediately found himself in such a deep hole that he could not get out of it himself. And I didn’t want to. Despite kidney problems and other negative changes in mental and physical health, Vlad did not stop. He spent almost all the money he earned from concerts on drugs and invested in some business projects that dubious people palmed off on him. This couldn't go on forever. Soon the end of this story came.
Going to London with his father to record a new song, he went so overboard with drugs that he arrived in England completely insane. After this incident, the artist was placed under house arrest.
Recourse
It so happened that Vlad received medical help for the first time by accident. He went to the hospital with a sore throat because he urgently needed to get himself in order before the performance. The doctors did tests and were shocked by the state of the young man’s body: heart, liver, blood condition, immunity. He had to tell the doctors about his addiction, he was left for treatment, but since the clinic was not a drug treatment clinic, the possibility of access to drugs was not excluded. Therefore, Vlad, while undergoing treatment here, never stopped using cocaine. Then he realized that a specialized clinic was still needed for recovery.
The singer found the strength to admit that he is a chemically dependent person. I went to a drug treatment clinic. The first treatment experience was not very successful. The doctor prescribed antidepressants, which Vlad did not take. He saw how his friends became addicted to such drugs, and some died from them. Vlad was also afraid of personal changes, due to the fact that his work, music, is based on personal charisma.
The decision to undergo treatment again did not come immediately. There was a period when he realized that he would have to break away from the addiction himself, and when his kidney failed and he had to spend two weeks in the hospital, a certain revolution of consciousness occurred. Vlad understood why it was worth leading a sober life. Parents and friends are important people, but first of all, it is worth doing for yourself, for the sake of something intimate and spiritual inside that drugs kill.
Vlad was helped by the fact that he is a strong personality; he could not afford to lose. The singer was able to take responsibility for himself, first of all to himself. He entered a treatment and rehabilitation program, which was not easy for him. First of all psychologically.
New life without drugs
Now, having the experience that he has, Vlad Topalov advises everyone to stay away from drugs. He says, like his father, that he would be ready to kill or maim anyone who offered drugs to his loved ones. They ruin lives and take away health, drug addiction is a disaster that you wouldn’t wish on anyone.
Vlad believes that it is very difficult to convince a drug addict that he is addicted, that he is surrounded by strangers. He began to understand this when he himself rejected even these people.
Vlad was impressed by one story. One of his friends stopped using ecstasy after two weeks, but maintained the relationship. And then one day, lying on the floor in a smoky apartment, high, when a sober and fresh comrade walked through the door, Vlad felt like garbage and realized that it was cooler to be sober.
Vlad believes that since this is the case, you need to talk about your addiction, openly acknowledge it and be proud that you were able to leave it behind, choose a new path and start a life leading to your dream.
Vlad Topalov: “Money, fame, drugs, alcohol, girls - it’s all dirt” (2nd part)
We bring to your attention the second part of a frank interview with singer Vlad Topalov. The first part can be read here.
— Did any scandals in the family happen due to your fault?
- No, this is the story of mom and dad. Each of them had new hobbies, and they could not forgive each other for this. My sister and I did not participate in their showdowns.
“Didn’t you and your sister try to bring dad back to the family?”
- Well, first of all, Alinka and I were little then. But if now my mother didn’t have a husband, and my father didn’t have a wife, maybe it would have been possible to do this. But each of them has their own families, and it makes no sense for them to destroy them, and even less so for us.
— Does your dad take part in your musical career?
- You know, I’m not very pleased that all these years everyone for some reason thought that I lived at the expense of my dad, and he supports me, me and my project.
- Wasn’t that so?
“As soon as I started living alone and started earning my first money at Smash, my dad didn’t give me a penny. He financed 50% of the Smash group, the other half - Universal.
— Do you have a dream that you still haven’t managed to achieve?
- A lot of them. I would like, for example, to win a Grammy, to give a beautiful concert with a symphony orchestra.
— When you went into a solo career, the crowd of your fans probably didn’t decrease. Has your attitude towards girls changed over the years?
— Yes, and it changes every year. My dad taught me how to treat girls the right way. In outline. As for the technique of building relationships with girls, experience has come to me over the years. After all, goals and desires change over the years. If earlier I just wanted to meet and build some kind of relationship, then later I was already interested in how this even happens. As for the intimate side of the issue, I have never had a problem with this. There was all this in abundance. So I had no interest in sports. Now I want the girl to understand me, so that I feel comfortable with her.
— You’re probably used to approachable girls?
“It was like that, but I myself already realized that today I need a completely different type of girl: more down-to-earth, not a predator or a huntress, but just a normal girl who can love me and become my friend in life.
— Vlad, apparently it won’t be easy for you to find a girl in show business who meets your requirements?
“I look at our generation and today’s world, analyze the situation of my parents and understand that something abnormal is happening. How many times have I witnessed such a picture? Here, say, three married couples are sitting and chirping sweetly. But I know that this one is sleeping with the wife of another, and she, in turn, is sleeping with the husband of a third. Everyone has fucked each other ten times, and for some reason this is considered normal. This is some kind of nightmare. There are no values, and moral principles are washed away somewhere with each generation. The generation of my grandmother or great-grandmother lived according to completely different laws of family and marriage. If you get married, then that’s it, you have to live with this person until the grave. What's happening now? If you're pregnant, you need to have an abortion urgently. She gave birth to one and immediately marries another. This is a catastrophe. That's what scares me, not show business. In 2006, I had a fairly long relationship with Yulia Volkova from the Tatu group. She was actually my first love. I was in love with her back in Fidgets. In 2006, Yulia and I started living together. It seemed to me that it was somehow easier for me to live with her. Firstly, she and I spoke the same language, we have a similar schedule: concerts at night, sleep during the day. We understood each other perfectly. In this regard, it was easy for me with her. I understood that she, as the lead singer of the Tatu group, was much more popular than Smash and I combined, but it was easy, and she didn’t bother me. And if the girl is from another region, then misunderstanding may arise. So I do not rule out that my chosen one could be a girl from the world of show business. In any case, as my life shows (and it threw me from side to side) and the practice of communication, starting from adult women and ending with work colleagues, the choice is in favor of the latter.
— Suppose you returned home tired after a concert and find a note from your wife: “Dear, I urgently went on tour to Vladivostok, I’ll be back in a month.” What's your reaction?
— When we lived with Yulia, she used to be on tour for a long time. What's good about touring? You don’t get tired of a person and manage to miss him. Sometimes it's good to take a break from each other. And rather than leave your wife somewhere on the sly, it’s better to go on tour, kind of like going to work (laughs).
— Volkova is a recognized standout on the stage. Judging by the fact that you lived with her for a long time, do you like this type of woman?
“It seems to me that such women attract most men.” In any case, they stick for a short period. Julia is a very difficult person. She loved to party hard, and I’m also a party animal. As a result, this became the subject of our quarrels, which grew into separation. The party ruined everything, although we had a very close relationship. She is, in principle, an inadequate person, but only in the world. This is her image of an eccentric and uncontrollable diva. Unfortunately, she has grown into this mask. In fact, at heart she is a completely different person. I loved her, knew her completely differently and knew what she was like at home. But as soon as she appeared in public, she immediately put on the mask of a sort of bitchy person, ready for any feat. We talked a lot with her about her image in public. Yulia told me: “Vladik, you understand, I cannot be the same in public as I am at home. This is my image, I need to maintain it. Lenka is a good child and won’t play the bitch. And I have to, otherwise the entire Tatu project will perish. Because of this, we broke up; we both have difficult characters, plus our lifestyle is not the most correct.
-What is your little sister's name?
- (Affectionately) Anechka. I love her very much, she changed my life. The world around me turned upside down. I have her photographs everywhere: in my car, on my phone, at home there are posters with her image hanging. She is my treasure. I just fell in love with children. But before her, I had a mediocre, rather even negative, attitude towards children. Before Anechka appeared, I did not like small children. They were unpleasant to me: their yelling, crying, diapers and diapers irritated me.
- But how did you, not loving children, want to adopt Yulia Volkova’s child?
- Well, after all, her daughter was already two years old, and there was no crying or screaming.
— Tell me, what is your relationship with Sergei Lazarev today?
— In warm memories, perhaps. We understand: what we had and between us cannot be crossed out or erased from memory overnight. This is a big part of our life and our childhood. Not only in your career, but also in life. Seryozha and I were friends. To reject and forget this is stupid. Based on this, we remember that there is some kind of friendly, warm, human attraction. But on the other hand, we also understand that there are some things in relationships between people, in families and between partners, beyond which there is no need to go beyond. If you cross this line, then conflict or even hostility ensues.
— Has Lazarev crossed this line?
“I don’t want to say which of us crossed it.” Maybe I crossed it, maybe we both crossed it, maybe we both stood on it at the same time and stepped in different directions. But he acted in a way that I don’t understand. He thinks that I did this to him. We are not angry, we have already forgiven each other. Well, what doesn’t happen when you’re young? We both have terrible ambitions. Seryoga is bright, I am young, stubborn, stupid. We had a fight. In part, everything was mixed up in our conflict: work, personal life. Our project was not initially professional, it was rather friendly. For my birthday, I asked my dad to record a couple of songs for us. We recorded it. For a year and a half we “picked our noses”, nothing worked. We recorded some crap with my dad's musicians. Then my mother accidentally suggested that Seryozhka and I sing “Belle” to dad for his birthday. We sang. Dad burst into tears and gave it to his close friend Yura Aksyuta, at that time the program director of Europe Plus radio. The song instantly became a hit. Contracts started pouring in, we went to Jurmala, and there was success again. And off we go, popularity grew like a snowball. We are at a loss: what is happening? And a new group was born. Dad beats his chest all the time, saying that it was he who created the Smash group. Yes, he didn’t create it, but it happened by accident. God created it, life itself suggested it. The birth of Smash involves a little bit of everyone. And it’s not like dad decided - and that’s it!
-Are you vindictive?
- Yes, but not vindictive.
— You publicly named Lazarev’s unconventional orientation as one of the main reasons for the collapse of Smash. Why did you make his secret public?
- Yes, I said so. But this was not the main reason. My problem was drugs, Seryozha had his problems, and dad had his.
— Did Lazarev’s orientation really prevent you from creating together?
- Yes, unfortunately, she disturbed us. Our personal relationship gradually deteriorated. We couldn’t communicate normally, we argued, quarreled, and swore all the time. And since our project was never professional, we could not interact in a working mode, we could work only when everything was fine with us, and when we had a scandal, there could be no talk of any work. We refused to give interviews, we didn’t want to go on stage. We were still children and often took offense at each other and those around us. We didn't take our work seriously. Little by little we began to hate each other, we began to irritate each other, we simply got tired of each other. Plus, my relationship with drugs affected my psyche, mood and state of mind. At some point, we became very different and changed radically. It was simply unbearable.
— Did you try to take a step towards Lazarev?
- But as? None of us tried to take a step forward. We were both angry at each other. Everyone had ambitions. There was a story. In December 2004, Serezha and I went to Kyiv to film a New Year’s program. There Serezha had a big conflict with my dad. I won’t go into details, I’ll just say that Seryozha refused to continue filming and left by train for Moscow. A day later, Serezha’s mother called my father and said that until he apologizes to her son, he will not work. Well, you need to know my dad. Naturally, he didn’t call anyone, much less apologize. That's all. Seryozha also followed the principle. In short, everyone took advantage of the situation because it was convenient for everyone. Seryozha had been looking for a reason to leave the group for a long time, he had been planning a solo project for a long time, dad had also been infuriated by all this for a long time, and I was already fed up with everything. Everything was fine with me anyway. We fled as spontaneously as we formed. Not because Sergei has a different orientation, not because I’m a junkie or my dad is a fool, but because everything happened out of emotion. We never had any contracts, everything was conditional, on our word of honor. Therefore, when everyone was tired of everyone and everything, they took advantage of the situation and ran away. That is why since then no one has really apologized or admitted that they were wrong. Because everyone knew what would happen. It was convenient for everyone. I have always been a kind of buffer between Seryozha and dad. My dad is a man of military principles, and some things are basically unacceptable to him. The news about Seryozha's hobbies simply shocked him. I loved Seryozha very much and I loved dad, I tried to soften the situation and the conflict. I tried to distract Seryozha and dad. And when a conflict arose between them, perhaps I could have done something to resolve it. But I didn’t, because I was wildly tired myself. In addition, our relationship with Seryozha reached such a dead end that we practically did not even talk to each other. They could stupidly say “hello-bye” to each other, sing a funeral service and leave. It was no longer a thrill; he was 19, I was 16. Is this life?
— Vlad, why was my father so bothered by the fact of Lazarev’s orientation? After all, he was not a militant gay and did not stick out his inclinations. And then, don’t we have enough gays in show business?
- A very compromising question. A lot of dirt will fall on me again if I answer it. I promised myself that I would not think about this topic.
— I know that Dima Bilan’s producer Yana Rudkovskaya tried to revive Smash and take you under her wing. Why did they refuse?
- You know, she tried to send us to Eurovision that year, when the group “Serebro” eventually went. But we learned about her intention after everything happened. She came from the direction of Channel One. But this issue was considered once and exclusively for Eurovision.
— What if she invites you and Lazarev to reunite and go to her production center? Is it possible to be next door to Bilan?
- I think no. It is clear that Dima is a more powerful artist than me or Seryozha. More powerful in terms of brand. It would be ridiculous. It is clear that at some point Rudkovskaya will have to make a preference in one direction. And how then? War and intrigue will begin, and I drank this with interest. Enough!
— Have you ever suffered from the envy and intrigue of your colleagues? Do conflicts arise at all?
— Apart from Seryozha, I had no conflict with anyone. When Seryozha and I broke up, it seemed to me that I had to cut down the truth, brand everything bad, hang labels on everyone. And then I realized that this does not lead to anything good. It is much more correct to be on good terms with everyone and be friends than to be at odds. It’s easy to point a finger and say: this is gay, this is a “junkie,” and this is an asshole and a talentless moron. And what? There is no point. They will laugh at you and twist their finger at your temple. I just looked around and realized that our world of show business is small, everyone knows each other. It’s just that I didn’t communicate with many people before. Even while still in Smash, I remember how Seryozha and I would come to some group concert, sit alone on the sidelines and not communicate with anyone. We didn't even want to communicate with anyone. And when Sergei and I parted ways, I realized that I needed to build my own independent history and social circle, image and reputation. I thought why they all know each other, call each other, are friends, but I don’t. I realized that being friends is the best thing to do. No need to lie, flatter, play or lick ass. You just need to interact without self-interest. But it's difficult for me. On the one hand, the world seems to be bending under itself, and on the other, I have moments of upbringing that I cannot and will not step over. I don't know how to fawn or negotiate. For this reason, I lost a lot - contracts, tours, broadcasts, concerts, songs, videos. All this, if it was convenient for everyone, could be obtained. But I didn’t want to lose my “I”, otherwise I would be ashamed of myself. You can have a bunch of friends and earn extra money, roughly speaking, as a currency prostitute. And you will still be disgusted, regardless of whether your friends know about it or not. And I have done some unpleasant things in my life, stepping over my principles, unfortunately.
— What have you done, Vlad?
“It so happened that I seduced my friend’s girlfriend.” This has always been a no-no for me. It was a long time ago, but this is the same stone that will never fall off my soul. I'm incredibly ashamed and I don't want a repeat.
— Your friend hasn’t forgiven you?
“We kind of communicate, but it can’t be called communication.” It's a burden to both of us.
— What do you think a man should not do in life?
“You can’t make a deal with your conscience.” There are always options. That's why I want to get a second education. I want to become such a great musician with a capital M, not popular, but a solid musician who stands firmly on his own two feet. Like, for example, Grigory Leps, who doesn’t give a damn who says anything about him. Or Soso Pavliashvili. These are Men, with a capital M. They are both rich and popular. They are such dinosaurs of their own kind that they have nothing to fear. I know that Leps had 10 vocal teachers at the same time. That is, Grisha built himself, invented himself. And when you are something, they talk to you in a special way. If you spend your whole life running around and giving bribes, meeting and fucking with program directors just to get you into a concert or your video to be broadcast, then, theoretically, the result is possible. But it will end sooner or later. Either your strength and means will run out, or you will quarrel with everyone. And if you spend your whole life investing everything in the development of your vocals and choreography, then they will start licking you. I suffered, ran, smiled - and realized that it was all a matter of time. I realized that I didn’t enjoy living like this. I basically chose music spontaneously. And now I understand that this is my life’s work, at least for the next 5-10 years.
- Do you regret going on stage?
— I had a period when thoughts came to me: what, why, where and how. And then they grew into an understanding of the correctness of my choice. I understood that I had a lot to learn. I learned to play the keyboard, acting, and solfeggio. This was a path of development, rather than waiting for a song to fall on my head and looking for money for it. When you develop, it becomes interesting. Now I feel quite normal and comfortable on the stage.
— Did you feel like at some point you were afraid for your musical future?
— Yes, I have such moments quite often. They especially visited me during the period when I was using drugs. I have had several suicide attempts. True, they were light, but they were (laughs).
- What do you mean - lungs? That is, not immediately a bullet in the forehead, or what?
- Well, yes, something like that (laughs). The first time I cut my wrists and lost a lot of blood. This happened in front of my friends. And the second time I stood on the windowsill and was ready to throw myself down. Dark thoughts came to mind. But now I’m seasoned, and after those thoughts I’m no longer afraid of anything in life. I have seriously ruined my health, and sometimes it’s hard for me now. I regret that time flies quickly, and I am just beginning to wise up. But I wanted it to be earlier. As Christ said: “Your faith is not in words, but in deeds.” You can talk a lot and beautifully, but all this is empty if it is not backed up by deeds and actions. I just started studying, but do I have the patience and strength to study? I overcame my pride: I go to lectures and seminars with all the students, and if I’m late, I knock on the door and ask permission to enter. This is not easy for me either. I have long been unaccustomed to this form of behavior.
-What are you missing?
- Lack of willpower...
- Is it that you don’t have enough of it? How, if you climbed out of such an abyss? Not everyone is capable of this .
- Yes, it’s one thing to get out, so what? You can overcome this and sit next to your mother all your life. It is important not to lose interest in life and live life to the fullest. Sometimes I really lack willpower, time, a kindred spirit, family warmth, and emotions. And I still lack a little education in terms of music.
— Does the absence of a soul mate nearby bother you?
— Yes, and more and more over the years. After the birth of my little sister, I see this world and my family differently. You know, when I come to my mother, I plunge into heavenly life, I like everything in the house: the smells and all the little things that I had not noticed before. At such moments I am truly a happy person. I have already met, had a walk, and I want a quiet harbor where my ship of life will be calmly moored. But on the other hand, you can’t trample against nature, and sometimes she protests and demands “continuation of the banquet.” I’m only 23 years old, I still want to live a young life. But I’m still more inclined towards a quiet backwater (laughs).
— How did your mother react to your wild lifestyle?
- Very painful. She understood that she could not do anything, and this depressed her even more. Now I am trying to make up for her pain with my attention and love. Only now, after the passage of time, I understood what it was like for a mother to see her son’s grief. This is unbearable pain! She saw what was happening to me and completely entrusted me to dad. She let me go early and, apparently, still cannot forgive herself for this.
— How were you received outside Moscow?
“Thanks to God and my parents, I had everything in my life.” Although my dad was never an oligarch. Money didn’t fly over me, everything was always counted and recorded. But I learned a beautiful life early. I always stayed in expensive hotels, drove nice cars, and lived in comfortable apartments. That is, I am used to luxury. I have always listened to high-quality and professional music. Now, if I stand on stage at a packed Wembley Stadium and the audience sings my song in chorus, that might be cool for me. And what is happening to me today is not cool and this is not a goal to strive for. Because it can be achieved quickly and without much effort. I was called an “idol” and “youth idol”. But you don’t take the meaning of these words for granted, because I didn’t feel like one. Although, I won’t lie, I was pleased. And I will never trust an artist who will brush off popularity and fans. Any person is flattered by the attention of others.
— Have you ever encountered crime?
— The last tour of “Smash” took place in the Far East. 15-20 cities. Towards the end of the tour, the concert organizer came to us and said that he had no money and demanded that we perform for free so as not to upset the audience. Of course, we performed. It turned out that he appropriated all the proceeds from the sale of tickets to himself.
— Do you sing at weddings and birthdays?
- I sing, and with pleasure. Recently I sang at the birthday party of the mother of a wealthy Petersburger, who rented the Winter Palace for this purpose. There were two tables with only 4 people sitting at them. And I sang for these four all evening. Everything was just gorgeous. Black caviar was served in large ice vats. Only my mother listened to me, but no one applauded. There is nothing wrong with this: I have my own bread, they have theirs. If a person pays, then he calls the tune.
—What is your internal state today?
— There are some echoes of the past that, no, no, and even remind us of themselves. I brush them off, but some of them stubbornly make themselves known. But in principle I am happy, because I began to understand a lot and have a different attitude towards life. I began to appreciate every day I lived. I began to demand more from myself and lead myself in the right direction. God gave me cards in my hands, and it is very important to lay them out correctly.
Interviewed by Ramazan Ramazanov
Clinic of Vlad Topalov
Vlad not only got rid of drug addiction himself, he is ready to help other people with this. Vlad Topalov’s clinic has opened in Moscow, he actively participates in its life, comes, communicates with patients, shares his experience of overcoming addiction.
The artist has put his life in order, is engaged in creativity and business, relationships with relatives have been restored, Instagram is replete with photographs with his beloved sister.
Vlad talks lovingly about his drug treatment clinic and often posts about it on his official Instagram page. Vlad Topalov himself has visited many clinics and believes that his institution has created excellent conditions for treatment and rehabilitation. He considers his patients to be great fellows who were able to take a serious and important step towards a bright, happy and sober life.
The review was prepared based on press materials, information was obtained from open sources: 1tv.ru, Russia.tv, NTV.ru, also from video hosting YouTube.ru. All specified materials are freely available, copyright and related rights to the review belong to its authors.
Vlad Topalov admitted that he used drugs for 4 years and wanted to commit suicide
His career and relationships with people collapsed, and health problems began: his kidney failed. He was haunted by thoughts of suicide, but in the end he made a different decision - to quit drugs and start fighting. “The worst period is over, and I’m glad that I found the strength and pulled myself together, because it simply couldn’t continue like this,” Vlad said in an interview with Moskovsky Komsomolets. Topalov tried drugs for the first time in January 2004. “One winter evening, my friends and I were sitting, and I said: “Come on! And what?". And we tried. That's how it all started. I practically don’t remember the first six months. It's like a blackout, when you remember only in pieces, frames. And only selected moments from a series of party events, but I don’t remember how I lived, how I worked,” the singer said. Drug use, according to Topalov, indirectly influenced the collapse of the Smash group. “The state of a person and his soul under the influence of drugs is unpredictable and completely inadequate. This affected our relationship with Seryozha Lazarev, because we began to move away from each other even more, although at that time we were no longer close people, unfortunately,” Vlad noted. The first of his relatives to learn about Topalov’s destructive hobby was his father. Vlad was supposed to fly with him to record in London. Why, he spent two days in the apartment in a drug haze, and only started getting ready for the airport 40 minutes before the end of check-in. “In the end, I took with me an absolutely ridiculous set of things, including slippers and beach trunks, and this was in winter, I didn’t even have a toothbrush with me,” the singer admitted. Rushing along the Leningradskoye Highway to the airport, Vlad hit the bump stop with his rear left side. “People ran out from other cars and rushed towards me, but I turned on the flashing lights, sirens, headlights and again rushed forward because I was wildly late. I arrived at the airport, got on the plane, and woke up because I was sneezing, coughing, my nose was running, and all the passengers on the plane were staring at me. When we arrived in London, at the airport, while we were waiting for our luggage, I was asleep, while we were in a taxi, I was asleep, when we arrived at the hotel, I didn’t wake up. And then there was a serious tension, dad, naturally, understood everything,” recalls Topalov. Quarrel with relatives
His father took Vlad, took him to the dacha and put him under house arrest.
There were constant scandals between relatives. This was the reason that his new wife left Vlad’s father. “I just waited until my father could no longer tolerate these hysterics and waved his hand at us: they say, get out of here, everyone. I got into the car and quickly drove away towards the Moscow Ring Road. At the same time, I had neither housing nor money. As a result, I lived in a car for two weeks and took a bath from someone unknown. And then I rented an apartment, and everything went back to the old way,” the singer said. Topalov used not only cocaine, but also ecstasy in very large quantities. “When I tell this, people usually don’t believe me. People can take two tablets a night. We ate 10-15 per night. Once, over the weekend from Friday to Monday evening, three of us ate 150 tablets,” Vlad admitted. According to Topalov, he was saved from public scandals by the fact that he did not come to filming, interviews and concerts while intoxicated. “I had some kind of internal taboo on this. I lay there for at least half an hour, came to my senses, and under “this business” I never performed or recorded. Because for me it was still a vacation, a way of entertainment, and not a way of life,” the pop singer noted. For almost all of these four years, Vlad did not communicate with loved ones - neither friends nor relatives. He had to sell his car for debts, his career was falling apart before his eyes, sometimes there was no money even for food. Having fallen into despair, Topalov tried to commit suicide. “I took a knife, sat calmly on the sofa in front of everyone and began to cut my veins. The blood began to flow, someone stopped me,” the singer recalls. Treatment
Before a solo concert in Moscow, Vlad ended up in the hospital with a sore throat. Doctors took tests from Topalov and for a long time could not believe their results. “I was then told that I had the heart of a forty-year-old man, an enlarged liver and a catastrophe with the blood, immunity, to put it mildly, was zero, the bone marrow at that time did not produce the required number of cells to regenerate them,” the singer recalls. Vlad continued to use drugs and undergo treatment, but soon the doctors told him that treatment in this state would not bring any benefit, so he must first get rid of the addiction. At the drug treatment clinic, Topalov was prescribed antidepressants, but he did not take them for fear that they would either kill him or completely change his character. “I once thought about “going out the window,” and I realized that only for the first week after that they would worry, and then they would say that he was weak and could not overcome himself. For me it’s the same as losing,” o
