Ani Lorak facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ani Lorak
Lorak in 2021
Background information
Native name	Ані Лорак
Birth name	Karolina Myroslavivna Kuiek
Born	(1978-09-27) 27 September 1978 (age 46) Kitsman, Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union (now Ukraine)
Genres	Pop soul pop rock synth-pop Eurodance house
Occupation(s)	Singer activist
Instruments	Vocals piano
Years active	1996–present
Labels	Soyuz-Ukraina Rostok RG Music Lavina Music Moon UMG Warner Music Russia

Karolina Myroslavivna Kuiek (born on September 27, 1978), known by her stage name Ani Lorak, is a famous Ukrainian singer. She has been called one of the most powerful and important women in Ukraine. She also holds the special title of People's Artist of Ukraine. In 2014, she earned the most money of all singers in Ukraine.

Ani Lorak became well-known outside of the countries that used to be part of the Soviet Union after she represented Ukraine in the Eurovision Song Contest 2008. She sang the song "Shady Lady" and came in second place, right after Dima Bilan from Russia.

Early Life and Childhood

Ani Lorak had a difficult childhood, which she says helped shape who she is today. She was born in Kitsman, a city in Western Ukraine. Her parents, a journalist and an announcer, had separated before she was born.

From a young age, Ani Lorak dreamed of becoming a singer. She started performing in school singing contests when she was just four years old. As a child, she enjoyed listening to popular Russian singers like Alla Pugacheva.

Ani Lorak grew up speaking Ukrainian and was raised by her single mother. Her family moved to Chernivtsi, where they faced poverty. From age six until she was in seventh grade, she and her brothers lived in a foster home because her mother couldn't fully support them. When she was nine, her oldest brother, Serhii, sadly died while serving in the Soviet–Afghan War. He had gone there to earn money to help his siblings leave the foster home. Serhii was also the first person to see her talent for music. When her family finally got an apartment in Chernivtsi, Ani Lorak faced bullying at her new school because of her poor background.

Career Highlights

Starting Her Music Journey (1992–1998)

In 1992, when she was 13, Ani Lorak won a singing competition in Chernivtsi called Pervotsvit. There, she met Yuriy Falyosa, who became her first music producer. At 15, she signed her first professional contract, which lasted for ten years.

She became known as Ani Lorak in March 1995. She was going to perform on a TV show called Morning Star as "Karolina," but there was already a famous singer with that name. So, they created "Ani Lorak" by reading "Karolina" backwards!

After Morning Star, Ani Lorak's fame grew in Ukraine. In 1995, she was a winner at the Chervona Ruta festival, which helped her break into the Ukrainian music scene. She moved to Kyiv to record her first album. In 1996, she was named "Discovery of the Year" at the Tavria Games festival and released her first Russian album, "Khochu letat" (I Want to Fly). She continued to release new songs and videos, with her second album, "Ya vernus," coming out in 1998.

Becoming a Honoured Artist and Eurovision Attempts (1999–2005)

In 1999, Ani Lorak began touring widely, performing in the United States, France, Germany, Hungary, and many cities in Ukraine. That same year, she received the title of Honoured Artist of Ukraine. She also met Igor Krutoy, who wrote the song "Zerkala" for her, which helped her gain more fame in Russia.

In 2000, she released her third album, "www.anilorak.com," which included songs in Russian, Ukrainian, and English. A year later, she released "Tam, de ty ye...", an album fully in Ukrainian. In 2004, she released another Ukrainian album, "Ani Lorak." From 2004 to 2005, Ani Lorak served as a UN Goodwill Ambassador in Ukraine, working to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS.

In 2005, Ani Lorak tried to represent Ukraine at the Eurovision Song Contest in Kyiv. She was very close to being chosen, but another group, GreenJolly, was selected instead. Her song "A Little Shot Of Love" came in second place in the national competition. After this, she released her first and only English album, Smile.

Eurovision Success and New Beginnings (2006–2012)

Ani Lorak performing at the Eurovision Song Contest 2008 in Serbia.

In 2006, she released her ninth album, "Rozkazhi," which was entirely in Ukrainian. Soon after, she started working with a new producer, Konstantin Meladze. That year, she also released a duet with Meladze's brother, Valery Meladze, which became a hit in Russia. In 2007, she celebrated 15 years in music with her album 15.

In 2007, Ani Lorak's friend and fellow artist Philipp Kirkorov helped her prepare for Eurovision. Ukraine's public broadcaster chose her to represent the country at Eurovision in Belgrade in 2008. On February 23, 2008, she performed five possible songs, and "Shady Lady" was chosen by a large vote.

She also recorded a Russian version of "Shady Lady" called "S neba v nebo." Ani Lorak promoted her song by visiting many countries, including Malta, Russia, and Germany. At the Eurovision Song Contest 2008 in Belgrade, she sang "Shady Lady" in the semi-final and made it to the final. She finished in second place, making it Ukraine's best result at the time. The famous Italian designer Roberto Cavalli created her beautiful dress for the performance, which was decorated with Swarovski Diamonds.

After her success at Eurovision, Ani Lorak became even more famous in Ukraine. She and Philipp Kirkorov were given the title People's Artist of Ukraine. She also received a star on the Star Alley in Chernivtsi, where her career began.

In 2009, she released her tenth album, Solntse, which became her most successful album so far. In October 2009, she was ranked among the "most influential women in Ukraine" by Focus magazine. In 2010, she released a collection of her best songs called "The Best."

Recent Tours and Albums (2018–Present)

In early 2018, Ani Lorak began her new tour called DIVA, which received great reviews. A live album and video of the tour were released in 2020. In late 2018, she became a coach on the TV show The Voice of Russia.

In August 2019, she started her special concert tour called THE BEST. Later that year, she released her twelfth studio album, Za mechtoy, where she wrote most of the songs herself. In 2022, she spoke out against the conflict in Ukraine.

Business Ventures

Ani Lorak has also been involved in business. In 2005, she and her former husband, Murat, opened a restaurant in Kyiv called Angel Lounge, which serves Mediterranean food. In 2009, they started a travel agency called "Holiday Travel." In 2010, Ani Lorak became a face for Oriflame, a beauty company. She appeared in their catalogs and even helped create a new perfume called Chiffon by Ani Lorak.

In 2011, she was named the fifth richest singer in Ukraine, with her earnings reaching $2.35 million that year. She typically earned between $25,000 and $40,000 for each concert.

Personal Life

Ani Lorak was married to Murat Nalçacıoğlu, a Turkish hotel manager, from 2009 to 2019. They have a daughter named Sophia, who was born on June 9, 2011.

Sanctions

On October 19, 2022, Ani Lorak was added to Ukraine's sanctions list.

Charity Work

Ani Lorak dedicates a lot of her time to charity. From 2004 to 2005, she was a UN Goodwill Ambassador for HIV/AIDS in Ukraine. UNICEF and the UN in Ukraine have praised her for her help to HIV-positive citizens in Ukraine. In 2005, she received the St. Stanislav Order for helping to strengthen Ukraine's international reputation, for her professionalism, creative achievements, and charity work.

Albums

Ani Lorak has released many albums throughout her career. Some of her studio albums include:

• Khochu letat (I Want To Fly) - 1996
• Ya vernus (I'll Be Back) - 1998
• Tam, de ty ye (There Where You Are) - 2001 (Certified Gold in Ukraine)
• Ani Lorak - 2004 (Certified Gold in Ukraine)
• Smile - 2005 (Her only English album)
• Rozkazhy (Tell Me) - 2006 (Certified Gold in Ukraine)
• 15 - 2007
• Solntse (The Sun) - 2009 (Her most successful album)
• Zazhigay serdtse (Fire Up Your Heart) - 2013
• Razve ty lyubil (Did You Love Me) - 2016
• Za mechtoy (For The Dream) - 2019
• Ya zhiva (I'm Alive) - 2021

She has also released live albums, compilation albums, and remix albums, showcasing her diverse music style.

Awards and Recognition

Ani Lorak has won many awards throughout her career, recognizing her talent and contributions to music. Some of her notable awards include:

• Early Career (1990s): She won first prizes at festivals like Veselad and Dolia in 1994. In 1995, she won the Morning Star television contest and received the "Discovery of 1995" award. She also won the Grand-Prix at the "Big Apple Music-96" competition in New York.
• Singer of the Year: She has been named "Singer of the Year" multiple times at the Tavriyski Igry festival (1998, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2003) and by ELLE magazine (2003, 2004).
• Golden Gramophone: She has received several "Golden Gramophone" awards for her popular songs, including "Mriy pro mene" (2005), "For You" (2010), "Obnimi menya krepche" (2012), "Mirrors" (with Grigory Leps, 2014), and "Ships" (2015).
• Eurovision Recognition (2008): After her second-place finish at Eurovision, she received the "Artistic Award Eurovision Song Contest" for being the best artist in the competition.
• Most Influential and Beautiful: She was recognized as one of the "most influential women in Ukraine" by Focus magazine in 2008 and 2009. She was also named the "most beautiful woman of Ukraine" by VIVA magazine in 2006 and 2013, and the "most beautiful woman in Russia" by Seven Days magazine in 2012.
• Music Channel Awards: She has won numerous awards from music channels like RU.TV and MUZ-TV, including "Best Duet" (with Grigory Leps for "Mirrors" in 2014, and with Mot for "Soprano" in 2017 and 2018), "Best Concert Show of the Year" for her "Karolina" show (2014) and "DIVA" show (2018), and "Singer of the Year" (2015).
• Album of the Year: In 2017, her album "Didn't You Love Me?" won "The Best Album of the Year" at the MUZ-TV Awards.

Images for kids

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  Lorak in 2021

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  Lorak in Serbia at the Eurovision Song Contest 2008, Semi-final.

See Also

In Spanish: Ani Lorak para niños