Natasha Shchelkova: childhood biography
Natalya was born in Moscow on April 6, 1989. Since childhood, she was a fidget, her parents sent her to figure skating classes with the famous coach Averbukh.
The girl loved skating and devoted quite a lot of time to this activity. I was terribly tired, I hardly rested, but I achieved good results.
At the same time, Natasha Shchelkova became interested in music, she liked the works of rock performers. She asked her parents to buy her a lead guitar. She learned to play this instrument herself and by the time she was in high school she already had a good command of the strings.
Evgenia Ogurtsova, Natalya’s best friend, always dreamed of creating her own rock band. One day she suggested that Natalya try to start playing, the alliance was concluded. Since Natalya now began to spend a lot of time with the guitar, she had to leave figure skating behind.
Childhood and youth
The girl was born in early April 1990 in Moscow. Natasha's parents loved sports, so they decided to send their daughter to figure skating. The famous Russian figure skater took patronage over the group, which included Natasha. The girl had some success, but, having matured a little, she realized that she loved music more and would like to study it seriously.
As a teenager, I became interested in rock and began to gradually master the basics of playing lead guitar. As a result, she managed to learn to play almost on her own. Later, the singer admits that her friends who knew how to play the guitar provided her with invaluable help and support during that period.
The beginning of the existence of "Ranetok"
On August 10, 2005, the girls gathered in one group. The lineup then included Natasha Shchelkova (bass guitar), Evgenia Ogurtsova (keys), Anna Rudneva (guitar), Valeria Kozlova (drummer and main vocalist). Later they were joined by Elena Tretyakova (electric guitar). “Ranetok” was produced by Sergey Melnichenko.
Although the girls were very young (from 14 to 16 years old), they took up the task with full responsibility. The girls recorded their songs at home on a computer, and not in a professional studio.
Their first success was the video for the song “She is Alone,” beloved by many. We filmed the action in the gym of our own school, but everything turned out great. In 2006, they presented their first album, which brought the Ranetki group to the peak of popularity. Natasha Shchelkova was one of the most notable participants. She was a hooligan on stage and got the audience going.
The girl always preferred black colors in clothes, so it was she who became the embodiment of the energy of gothic rock. Also the shortest of the entire cast is Natasha Shchelkova. Her height is only 156 centimeters. This petite girl became a fan favorite, guys went crazy for her.
First success
2006 became the peak of their creative biography. Natasha Shchelkova and the girls were invited to take part in the major festivals “Emaus” and “Megahouse”. Later they became regulars at these events. Over the course of several years, young talents managed to gain a foothold in the world of show business, make profitable acquaintances, and establish friendly connections. So, “Ranetki” sang with “Roots”, “City 312”, “Cockroaches”. The girls even recorded an album with the latter, and acted as backing vocalists for the group “Umaturman”.
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A year later, the group recorded their own album, which included the already popular compositions “She is Alone”, “Boy Cadets”, “Ranetki”, “About You”, “Angels”. In 2008, the producers of the STS TV channel came up with the idea of filming a series with girls in leading roles about their difficult path to fame.
More than 260 episodes were filmed, the main roles were played by the members of the group, each girl had her own unique story, which in some ways echoed life. Literally the very next day “Ranetki” woke up famous. Their songs were played on all radio stations, the performers themselves were invited to various programs and talk shows. Natasha Shchelkova took part in the series “Happy Together”, “Ranetki Live - Revelations of Teenagers”. At the moment, the girls have recorded five albums.
A group from a series or a series from a group?
Also, Natalya Shchelkova and all the members of the group can be seen in the youth television series. It is called the same as the group - “Ranetki”.
Many who were not interested in either the girls' songs or the series do not know what came first - the creation of a group or the shooting of a film. Initially, a group was created, and then, against the background of its growing popularity, they decided to warm up the audience with the release of a film.
In the television series, the girls played themselves, they even left their names, only changed their surnames. Natasha Shchelkova played a girl who was raised only by her mother. The father, a rock musician, did not even know for a long time that he had an adult daughter.
“Ranetki” became more popular due to the series, they gained many more fans and listeners. Mostly, of course, these are teenagers, since all their songs are connected with first love and other girlish problems.
Successful start
Soon the idea of a series about the team appeared. It was called a telenovela, just like the ensemble. The participants in the new project got to play themselves. Their names were kept the same, only their surnames were changed. The plot was based on the story of five students from the same school, united by music.
According to the script, Natasha’s heroine is raised by her mother alone. The father, a rock musician, did not even suspect the existence of his adult daughter for a long time. The series made the group even more recognizable, added fans and listeners. Basically all the compositions are related to first love.
At the end of August 2008, the new show “Ranetki Mania” began showing on STS. The project was associated with the musical creativity of the group. Then the show became part of the “STS Lights up a Superstar” competition. His task was to find a group that would go on tour with Ranetki.
At the beginning of September 2008, the first broadcast of the project took place. It was hosted by Kadetstvo actors Aristarkh Venes and Kirill Emelyanov. Participating were bands playing musical instruments live. Every week there were concerts with performances of compositions on given themes. After the performances, the jury commented on what they saw.
According to the selection conditions, the judges chose three outsiders. Some candidates were saved by Ranetki in the studio, others could be helped by viewers during the week by voting, and the third group left the project. The jury represented criticism in the person of masters of cinema and music and defense in the person of “Ranetki” and their producer.
The separation of the participants turned into a real tragedy for the fans. Blonde vocalist Lera was the first to decide to start a solo career. Many people are used to it. To save the team, a new soloist was invited. However, fans demanded Valeria’s return, explaining that “Ranetki” without her is not the same as before. Its former popularity began to decline, and the ensemble ceased to exist.
"Ranetki" is no longer on the same "tree"
For fans of the group, it was initially a real tragedy that the drummer and vocalist, to whom everyone was accustomed, left the lineup for a solo career. Lera, a blond fan favorite, after numerous conflicts and arguments with the producer, said goodbye to the girls and went her own way.
The reason for this departure was the vocalist’s unrequited love for Sergei, a producer who already had a wife and child.
They tried to save the group; for this purpose, a new vocalist was invited to the lineup. But the fans demanded Leroux, for them it was not the same “Ranetki”. In general, the group did not regain its former glory, the composition was disbanded.
Natasha Shchelkova and Sergey Melnichenko
The same wife that the producer had is bass guitarist Natalya. The married couple has an age difference of 23 years, but this did not become an obstacle to the start of a sweet romance.
Sergei had his eye on the young Ranetok participant for a long time, but for a long time he was kept at a distance by the girl’s age. Natasha Shchelkova, in turn, did not bother about her minority; she tried in every possible way to attract the gaze of her beloved man.
Soon there were rumors that they were having an affair. None of the participants confirmed or denied these rumors. The girls simply said that they didn’t know anything, Natasha didn’t tell them about her personal life, and especially not the producer.
Many began to notice changes in Lera’s character and behavior. She, it turns out, had also been in love with Melnichenko for several years, but all her attempts to captivate the man were unsuccessful. As it turned out later, he preferred Natasha.
"Ranetki"
The idea to create a youth group with an interesting name came to the bright minds of four friends: Zhenya Ogurtsova, Lera Kozlova, Anya Rudneva and Natasha Shchelkova. Later Lena Tretyakova joined them. Musicians under the leadership of Melnichenko managed to take part in the largest festivals in the country - “MegaHouse”, “Emaus”. By 2007, we were already able to collaborate with famous domestic groups and performers. Some of the group’s songs served as soundtracks for the TV series “Kadetstvo”, aired on STS.
The successful launch of the series gave the producers the idea of making a similar film, only about the ups and downs of girls. It is based on the real story of the creation of a girl group. The Ranetki practically didn’t have to play anything - a lot was taken from their own lives. The writers didn't even change the names. The film created a real sensation among young people. The girls woke up famous, their songs were memorized, and countless invitations were received to take part in concerts.
Wedding of a guitarist and producer
Melnichenko was accused on social networks of playing with the poor girl and abandoning her. In response to such comments about his relationship with the young guitarist, Melnichenko posted a statement that he was going to marry her and not leave her.
After some time, the couple officially announced their imminent marriage.
In 2009 they became husband and wife. As proof of their happiness, they posted numerous photos from the celebration on the Internet. Natasha’s fans were very happy for her, they posted their congratulations and wishes on the Internet, wishing happiness to the young people!
Lera was not so happy about the marriage of this couple. Even long after leaving the group, she said in an interview that she still loves Melnichenko. He became her first and true love, which she missed.
After the breakup of the group, Natasha Shchelkova did not look for a new group or pursue a solo career; she preferred to devote herself to her family.
Filmography
TV series "Ranetki"
On March 17, 2008, the STS TV channel launched a new project by the creators of Kadetstvo - the television series Ranetki. The plot is based on the story of five different girls from the same school, who have one thing in common - music. The plot of the series introduces viewers to the work of the group. The names of the main characters remained unchanged - Anya, Zhenya, Natasha, Lera and Lena, but the surnames of “Ranetok” were changed.
Episodic roles
Lera, Anya and Natasha starred in one of the episodes of the sitcom “Happy Together”. There they played the group “Pipettes” in Sveta Bukina’s talk show.
All the girls from the group starred in an episode of the film “Once Upon a Time in Baben-Baben” (2010).
