Biography
Nargiz Zakirova is an Uzbek and Russian singer, a representative of a musical dynasty, a finalist in the 2nd season of the TV show “The Voice”. There were no people like her on the stage, and now no one would dare to repeat her musical style, much less her image. Free-spirited and having seen a lot, as Dima Bilan said about Nargiz, she was called the Uzbek Madonna in her youth for her love of outrageousness. In the artist’s life there were ups and downs, great love and disappointment in family life.
Childhood and youth
Nargiz's biography began under the zodiac sign Libra on October 6, 1970 in Tashkent. The family had a direct connection to art. Grandfather Karim Zakirov is an opera singer, People's Artist of the Uzbek SSR, grandmother Shoista Saidova is a soloist of the Musical Theater of Drama and Comedy. One uncle Batyr Zakirov is a composer, the second Farrukh Zakirov is a famous singer and leader of the popular ensemble “Yalla”. Mom Louise performed on stage in the 60s. Father Pulat Mordukhaev is probably less associated with singing than others - he was a drummer in the Batyr ensemble.
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Nargiz Zakirova in childhood
At the age of 15, Nargiz participated in the talent competition “Jurmala-86”, where she won the audience award with the song “Remember Me” to the music of Farrukh Zakirov and lyrics by Ilya Reznik.
Zakirova was reluctant to go to secondary school, because after the tour she had to sit down at a desk and study uninteresting subjects. Singing was her favorite, although Nargiz received bad grades for it because she did not remember the lyrics. At music school she didn't like learning notes. When her peers entered college, the girl performed on stage with Anatoly Batkhin’s orchestra. At the same time, she was still enrolled in the circus school in the vocal department.
Children of Nargiz Zakirova
Nargiz Zakirova’s children are her joy and pride. Her first-born was her daughter Sabina, born in marriage to Ruslan Sharipov. From her second husband a son, Auel, was born.
The young man’s scandals with his mother’s third husband became one of the reasons for her divorce from Italian Philip Balzano. There was even a decree issued that prohibited the man from simply approaching the young man.
Married to a temperamental Italian, Zakirova became a mother for the third time - she gave birth to a daughter, Leila. After her parents separated, the girl remained to live with her father.
Nargiz's eldest daughter, Sabina, is studying philosophy and Buddhism. The girl is categorically against alcohol, smoking and drugs. Her circle of friends are artists, actors, singers.
The singer's son, Auel, draws well, is interested in politics, loves serious books and performs on stage. His favorite genre is stand-up, and he wants to develop in this direction.
The youngest daughter, Leila, sings well, can dance and play musical instruments - flute, drums and trumpet. Since the age of 7, he has been interested in studying meteorology.
Currently she is engaged in a yacht club and knows how to sail a sailboat. After Hurricane Sandy, she and her father went to clear debris and help those in need with food and warm clothing.
Son Auel was already born in America, although the artist became pregnant with him in Tashkent. He is now an employee of a New York company.
The youngest daughter Nargiz Zakirova is a true American citizen who is a patriot of her Motherland. After Nargiz’s divorce from her third husband, her daughter remained to live with her father, although she does not hold a grudge against her mother.
Music
Zakirova did not like singing in the traditional format, she tried different approaches and styles - she appeared in public in short shorts, dyed her hair, hired men as backup dancers, and performed rock music. During the Soviet Union, such things were unacceptable. In 1995, the singer and her daughter immigrated to the United States. At first, Nargiz worked in a video rental store and a tattoo parlor, then began performing in a restaurant in New York.
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Nargiz Zakirova in her youth
In 2001, the artist recorded a solo album in the ethno genre “Golden Cage”, which sold in large quantities in the USA. Alone came out next. Zakirova thought about returning to Russia, but did not dare to take this step due to the lack of necessary acquaintances. The show “The Voice” was a happy accident.
The singer missed the first season due to the death of her father, to whom she subsequently dedicated the song “Unloved Daughter.” Before the start of the second, she qualified for the American “X Factor”. Nargiz chose Russia and was right. The way she performed the Scorpions hit “Still loving you” at the “blind auditions” did not leave any of the jury members indifferent. Zakirova chose Leonid Agutin as a mentor, but upon completion of the project she signed a contract with the production center of Maxim Fadeev.
Emigration
In 1995, Nargiz left for the United States. Her five-year-old daughter from her first marriage also left with her. The first time in a foreign country was very difficult for the girl. She got a job at a video rental store, where she had to be there from early morning until late evening. In addition, the wages there were very small. But there was no other way out and she had to achieve everything on her own.
Gradually, Zakirova made new acquaintances and communicated with famous musicians. Thanks to new connections, she got a job singing in one of the restaurants in New York. There she was able to develop her skills and creativity.
Nargiz is the most mysterious person on the stage
In 2001, the singer managed to record her solo album, which was called “Golden Cage”. To create it, she used ethnic music. Perhaps this is why her works were published in large quantities in America. Thanks to this talented singer, many Americans fell in love with this musical style.
Nargiz Zakirova searched several times for suitable candidates to create her own group. But, in the end, the girl realized that this was almost impossible. Many of them were lazy, incapable, and inexperienced. All this terribly upset the singer. After numerous attempts to put together a group, Zakirova decided to perform solo and was right.
For a long time she really wanted to return back, but she was stopped by the lack of necessary funds and connections. Therefore, she had to work in a foreign country.
Singer on stage during a concert
By the way, it was during this period that the singer decided to shave off her long hair (below is a photo of the singer in her youth). This decision came after talking with rock fans. Nargiz Zakirova does not hide the fact that this behavior was preceded by her need to drink alcohol: “But at one point I was tired of everything, I was at home all the time. The only thing that saved me were books and a new faith. I began to study Buddhism, look at the world from a philosophical point of view, and gave up bad habits. Thus, I moved to a new stage of life,” the singer explained.
Personal life
Nargiz tried to arrange her personal life three times. In marriage with Ruslan Sharipov, a daughter, Sabina, was born. The artist left for the USA with her second husband Yernur Kanaibekov, while pregnant with her son Auel. In 1997, the husband died in a car accident.
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Nargiz Zakirova and her son Auel
A foreign country, two children, lack of permanent work - during this period the singer began to experience prolonged depression. Then a musician, Italian Philip Balzano, appeared in Nargiz’s life. From time to time, the couple performed joint concerts and went on tour. Zakirova gave her daughter Leila to her third husband.
In 2016, after 20 years of marriage, she filed for divorce. As it turned out, Philip was jealous of his wife’s fame, which is why scandals constantly arose in the family. According to the singer, her husband forced her to pay off his debts. When the children stood up for their mother, Balzano began to threaten them with violence. The US police even forbade his stepfather to approach Auel.
Personal life of Nargiz Zakirova
Few TV viewers know that the singer was offered to participate in the first season of this television show. But at the very last moment, grief struck her family: her father was diagnosed with cancer. He died in April 2013.
While participating in the show “The Voice”
An important fact is that before arriving in Russia, Zakirova was practically included in the list of participants in the American project The X Factor. But shortly before this, she received an invitation to participate in a Russian TV show.
At the casting, the singer sang the song of the famous group Scorpions - “Still loving you”. Her performance delighted all the jury members, and each of them tried to lure her into their team.
The singer with her producer Max Fadeev
In addition, Nargiz Zakirova was immediately remembered by millions of television viewers for her extraordinary appearance. Although in her youth the girl wore ordinary clothes and had long hair.
But while in the USA, the singer decided to completely change her image. Due to her busy schedule, the singer does not often travel to America. But her family fully supports her creative aspirations and hopes.
The singer got married several times. Nargiz's first husband was the lead singer of the rock group Byte - Ruslan Sharipov. At that time, the girl dreamed of a long and happy life with her lover.
But after some time, her dreams were destroyed by the news of her husband’s numerous infidelities. For some time they continued to live together. But even the birth of their daughter Sabina could not save their relationship, and the couple broke up.
Nargiz in his youth with her first husband
After the divorce, the singer enjoyed freedom. Then she met her second husband, Yernur Kanaybekov. It was love at first sight. Soon the young people decided to legitimize their relationship.
But in 1995, the singer left for America. In addition, it becomes known that they will soon have another child. The second husband remained at home, but promised that he would come as soon as possible.
After the birth of his son, Yernur nevertheless came to the USA. For some time, no problems arose in their personal life, until Nargiz found out about her husband’s infidelities. She immediately filed for divorce.
With second husband and children from first marriage
But the couple was never officially divorced, since Kanaibekov died in a car accident. A lot of problems immediately fell on her fragile shoulders: two children, lack of work, a foreign country.
All these events led the singer to prolonged depression. She admitted more than once that she dreamed of returning to her homeland and building a career there. But for this she needed a lot of money and acquaintances.
It was at that moment that a new love appeared in the singer’s personal life. It was an Italian musician - Philip Balzano. And this was Nargiz Zakirova’s third husband.
It must be said that the man had not only a pleasant appearance, but also excellent vocal abilities. Almost always, the star couple attended special events together. After some time, a third child appeared in the family - daughter Leila.
Nargiz Zakirova now
In 2020, many well-known publications wrote that the singer’s family life was on the verge of discord. And indeed, Nargiz filed for divorce after twenty years of marriage.
In addition, she admitted that her husband forced her to pay all his debts, and this amount was about 40 thousand dollars. In this conflict, the children completely shared their mother's position, and Philip threatened them several times.
This woman was destined by fate to study music. Nargiz Zakirova (born in 1970) was born into a family that was closely connected with the stage.
My uncle sang in the Yalla ensemble, Zakirova’s father was a drummer, and her mother was a pop singer. Therefore, it is not surprising that since childhood, Nargiz dreamed of being on stage - in such a creative environment, she simply could not help but make music. And my parents did not interfere with this hobby.
Quite often the girl went on tour with her mother and, at the age of 4, sometimes appeared on stage. She liked traveling and performing much more than sitting at her desk.
Perhaps this is why Nargiz did not have the best grades in all subjects, including music. The girl was not happy about studying at a music school; it seemed boring and burdensome to her.
At the age of 15, Nargiz Zakirova first appeared on the “big stage” as an independent singer: she performed at the Jurmala-86 competition, which was facilitated by Farrukh Zakirov, her uncle.
Nargiz Zakirova has never been ordinary, and she was soon able to prove it. The singer made every effort to develop her voice. After school, touring with the orchestra of A.
Bakhtin, the girl mastered new styles and trends in music. This “search for oneself” could not go unnoticed. For her revealing outfits and dyed white hair, Nargiz began to be called the “Uzbek Madonna.”
The singer’s biography is full of different events: touring life since childhood, emigration to the USA, moving to Russia. But Zakirova always just rejoiced at the changes, saying that they are the ones who make her live and help her develop creativity.
The personal life of Nargiz Zakirova, as well as her work, was not calm. Her first husband, Ruslan Sharipov, proposed just a month after they met.
Nargiz stayed at home with the child, while her husband spent time in the company of fans. In addition, he began to have problems with alcohol. The divorce of Zakirova and Sharipov was the only correct decision in the current situation, although it caused the woman a lot of pain.
But she did not remain alone for long. Soon the girl will marry again - to Ernur Kainabekov. But this marriage did not work out either. Leaving her husband at home, the singer, who was six months pregnant at the time, emigrated to the United States with her family. And from that moment on, her life changed dramatically.
Nargiz worked a lot, and some of her positions were quite far from music. It seemed to her that as soon as her husband flew to the USA, her life would improve.
The separation made them complete strangers. However, the singer is grateful to him, because it was her husband, without knowing it, who gave her love - he introduced her to Philip Balzano.
The meeting with the Italian was actually fateful: thanks to him, Nargiz appeared on stage again. And then she became his wife. This marriage was happy, but it also ended in separation 20 years later.
On October 6, 1970, a daughter, Nargiz Zakirova, was born into the family of Pulat Mordukhaev and Louise Zakirova, whose biography will become one of the unusually bright in the world of music.
This is not surprising - the future participant of “The Voice” was born into a musical family - Nargiz’s grandfather, grandmother, uncles and parents were associated with music.
Nargiz toured with her mother, and after such an interesting life, she did not like the boring everyday life either in a regular school or in a music school. But nevertheless, she graduated with good grades.
On the wave of emigration after the collapse of the USSR, Nargiz and her family moved to the USA, to New York. Like many, it was difficult for her to live in a foreign land, but the woman did not despair and got a job at a video rental store.
Then she was invited to sing in a restaurant. Such work was considered prestigious and allowed her to use her creative abilities. There she also met some Russian show business stars during their tours in America - Nikolai Baskov, Lev Leshchenko, Vladimir Vinokur.
During her work, Nargiz Zakirova tried to assemble a group, but it did not work, since the candidates were either lazy or not talented enough and could not work with her.
As a result, Nargiz decided to work solo. The result of her work was “The Golden Cage” (2001) - an album in ethnic style, which sold in large quantities in the United States and was loved by Americans.
Nargiz not only sang, but also starred in a short film directed by Japanese directors, in which she played the role of a witch.
In 2011, the singer’s second album, Alone, was released.
After the finale of “The Voice,” Nargiz went on a mega tour that lasted 9 months. In 2014, she began collaborating with Maxim Fadeev. Back in 2005, the singer wanted to contact him, but her attempts were unsuccessful.
Today in Nargiz’s repertoire there are several songs written by Maxim Fadeev: “I don’t believe you”, “You are my tenderness”, “I am not your war” and “Together”.
In 2014, the international competition “White Nights” was held in St. Petersburg, in which Nargiz Zakirova won. In November of the same year, television viewers could see her in the 14th season of “Battle of Psychics,” where she came as a test subject. There she met and became friends with the psychic Tatyana Larina.
In 2020, the singer became the host of the “Main Stage” music show. In 2016, the studio album “Heart Noise” was released.
What else has Nargiz Zakirova achieved? Albums, an army of fans and many creative successes await her ahead.
Nargiz Zakirova, whose biography is interesting to her fans, was married three times. The first marriage was concluded at the age of 18 with Ruslan Sharipov, a member of the group “Bayt”.
At the time of moving to the USA, the artist remarried. Nargiz Zakirova’s second husband is Ernur Kanaibekov. The couple had a son, Auel. In 1997, a man dies in a car accident - Nargiz Zakirova, the children are left alone.
Of course, this event could not but affect the woman, and soon after the tragedy she began to feel depressed. Nargiz is seriously thinking about returning to Russia and building a career there, but changes his mind and remains in the USA.
At this time, she meets Philip Balzano and joins her destiny with him. Nargiz Zakirova’s third husband is also a musician and a talented singer. Therefore, spouses often perform together at various events.
Nargiz was born into a family famous in the world of music. The girl’s grandfather was the founder of the opera of Uzbekistan and an opera singer, her grandmother was a singer, her parents were also singers, and her uncle Farrukh was a soloist of the once famous VIA “Yalla”. The girl's first performances took place at the age of four. When she was not yet sixteen years old, thanks to the help of her uncle Farrukh, she found herself among the participants in Jurmala-86.
In 1992, when Madonna was at the peak of her popularity, Nargiz dyed her hair white and performed a daring program, wearing short shorts and with backup dancers. According to the singer, because of this she was called the Uzbek Madonna, but at the same time she was condemned.
In 2013, Nargiz participated in the qualifying round of the second season of the Voice project in Russia. Spectators and masters were amazed by her voice. To participate in this project, she was forced to refuse to participate in the X-Factor show in America. Having made this choice, the singer immediately became known throughout Russia.
Zakirova believes that she has succeeded as a singer. Today Nargiz is quite popular in the USA, she performs on the same stage with many stars and leads an active life.
Nargiz Zakirova now
Nargiz is going through a difficult creative period. The tour in America, as the singer wrote on Instagram, was disrupted due to the fault of the production center MALFA. In July 2019, she received a notice from Fadeev of her intention to terminate the contract and prohibit her from performing songs to which he owns the rights. The specific reasons for the conflict between the performer and the producer were not reported.
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Nargiz Zakirova and Maxim Fadeev
However, the media, citing promoter Sergei Lavrov, wrote about Zakirova’s alcohol abuse. Allegedly for this reason, “the artist who had gone on a spree did not get in touch,” and Maxim was tired of this state of affairs. MALFA canceled concerts of the ward in a number of cities, but announced that it was the singer who refused to come.
Daughter of Nargiz Zakirova - Sabina Zakirova
Nargiz Zakirova’s daughter, Sabina Zakirova, is the singer’s eldest daughter, she was born in her first marriage to Ruslan Sharipov. Despite the fact that the singer’s children were born to the third generation artist, not all of them chose art for themselves. For example, Sabina is much closer to the humanities; the girl enjoyed reading books throughout her childhood, especially loving philosophical treatises, books on psychology and cultural studies.
Today, the adult daughter, the singer, is studying philosophy. The girl is married, and recently her son Noah was born, so Nargiz became a grandmother.
