Philipp Kirkorov facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Philipp Kirkorov
Филипп Киркоров
Kirkorov in 2025
Born	Filip Bedrosov Kirkorov (1967-04-30) 30 April 1967 (age 58) Varna, PR Bulgaria
Citizenship	Russia, Israel
Occupation	Singer
Years active	1985–present
Title	People's Artist of Russia (2008) People's Artist of Ukraine (2008) People's Artist of Moldova (2018)
Spouse(s)	Alla Pugacheva ​ ​ (m. 1994; div. 2005)​
Partner(s)	Margo Ovsianikova (2024–)
Children	2
Parents	Bedros Kirkorov (1932–2025) (father) Victoria Likhacheva (1937–1994) (mother)
Awards	Order of Honour (Russia, 2017) Order of Francysk Skaryna (Belarus, 2012) World Music Awards (1996, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2008)
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Philipp Bedros Kirkorov (born 30 April 1967) is a famous pop singer from Bulgaria and Russia. He is known for his energetic performances and popular remakes of international songs. His music career started in 1985 on a Soviet TV show called "Wider Circle".

In 1995, he represented Russia at the Eurovision Song Contest 1995. He has achieved great success in Russia, Belarus, and other countries that were once part of the Soviet Union. Kirkorov has won many Russian music awards. He has also won the "Best Selling Russian Artist" title five times at the World Music Awards.

Biography

Early Life and Education

Philipp Kirkorov was born on April 30, 1967, in Varna, Bulgaria. His father, Bedros Kirkorov, was of Armenian background. His mother, Victoria, was of Jewish background.

Philipp started traveling with his parents on their tours when he was five years old. He spent his childhood living in Moscow. His first time on stage was at age five during his father's concert. This happened at the Petrozavodsk Theater. His father sang a song about Soviet tank crews. At the end of the song, Philipp walked onto the stage to give his father a carnation. The audience applauded.

He finished Moscow School No. 413 with excellent grades. After school, he tried to get into a theater school but did not pass the entrance exams.

In 1984, he joined the Gnessin State Musical College. He studied in the musical comedy department. He graduated with honors in 1988.

Early Career

In November 1985, Kirkorov first appeared on television. He sang the song "Alyosha" in Bulgarian on the show Wider Circle.

Svetlana Annapolskaya, a TV director, noticed him. She invited him to be on her show, Goluboy Ogonyok. She worked hard to get him on the program.

In 1987, he was asked to work with the Leningrad Music Hall. This group was led by Ilya Rakhlin. This led to a tour in Berlin at the famous Friedrichstadt-Palast Theater.

After leaving the Music Hall, Kirkorov met the songwriter Ilya Reznik. Reznik became one of his first supporters.

In April 1988, he met Alla Pugacheva at an art show. By October 1988, she invited him to her Christmas Meetings show. By this time, Kirkorov had finished college. He had also competed in his first contest in Yalta. He filmed his first music video for the song "Carmen."

While preparing for Christmas Meetings, he worked with poet Leonid Derbenyov. Derbenyov wrote many of Kirkorov's future hit songs. These included "Ty, Ty, Ty" ("You, You, You"), "Nebo i Zemlya" ("Sky and Earth"), and "Atlantida" ("Atlantis").

Music Career

Kirkorov in 1991

In 1989, Kirkorov toured Australia and Germany with Alla Pugacheva. He also held his first solo concert in Perm, Russia. That year, he reached the finals of the Pesnya Goda music festival.

In 1990, Kirkorov won a top award at the "Shlyager-90" (Hit-90) competition. He won with his song "Nebo i Zemlya" (Sky and Earth). In 1992, his music video for "Atlantida" (Atlantis) was named "Music Video of the Year." His fame grew beyond Russia. He toured in the United States, Canada, Germany, and Israel.

By 1994, his show "Ya ne Raphael" (I'm not Raphael) featured songs by famous singers. These included Engelbert Humperdinck, Tom Jones, and Frank Sinatra. Kirkorov represented Russia in the Eurovision Song Contest 1995 in Dublin. He sang "Kolybelnaya dlya vulkana" ('Lullaby for the volcano') and finished in 17th place.

In late 1995, he released a double CD album called Skazhi Solntsu:"Da" (Say "Yes!" to the Sun). This album came out at the same time as his new show, The Best, the Beloved, and Just for You. The show was very popular and toured across the country.

In 1996, he won the World Music Awards for being the best-selling Russian artist. He had sold over 2 million copies of his music. By 1997, his world tour visited 100 cities. It ended with a month of shows in St. Petersburg.

His 1998 album Oh, Mama, I'll give Chic (Oy, Mama, Shika Dam!) had four cover songs. These were originally sung by Turkish artists like Tarkan and Sezen Aksu.

In 1999, Kirkorov took part in Michael Jackson's charity concert, MJ & Friends.

Since the 2000s, Kirkorov has also worked as a music producer. He helps new Russian artists he discovers. He helped write the song "Work Your Magic" for Dmitry Koldun from Belarus in the Eurovision Song Contest 2007. He also wrote "Shady Lady" for Ani Lorak from Ukraine in Eurovision Song Contest 2008. He helped compose "Sugar" for Natalia Gordienko from Moldova in the 2021 contest. He was also a judge on the TV show Music Idol in Bulgaria. Kirkorov also appeared briefly in Verka Serduchka's music video "Do Re Mi".

In 2017, Kirkorov started working with the Black Star record label. In 2018, his song "The Color of Mood is Blue" became very popular online. It got over 40 million views on YouTube. That year, his song "Ibiza" with Nikolay Baskov also got attention for its funny music video. In September 2018, he worked with Egor Kreed on "The Color of Mood is Black". This song also became a huge hit, getting over 100 million views on YouTube.

In November 2024, Kirkorov released his music video and short film called Black Panther.

Television Projects

From 2003 to 2016, Kirkorov hosted many TV shows. These included "Morning with Kirkorov" and "Minuta Slavy" ("Minute of Fame"). He also hosted "Factor A" and the "RU.TV 2016 Awards."

Since 2006, he has often been a judge on various programs. Some of these are "KVN," "Dancing with the Stars," and "Star Factory." He also judged "New Wave," "Odin v Odin!" ("One to One!"), and "Toch-v-Toch" ("Just Like"). Since 2020, Philipp Kirkorov has been a judge on the Russian version of The Masked Singer. This show is called The Mask (Maska). Celebrities sing in fancy costumes while hiding who they are.

In 2021, Kirkorov won the TEFI award for Best Entertainment Show Host for his work on The Mask. The show is still very popular in Russia. Kirkorov has become one of its most recognizable figures.

In 2023, Kirkorov joined Emperor's Treasures (Sokrovishcha Imperatora). This is a reality show with adventure and treasure hunting. It airs on TNT. Celebrities explore China's history and culture. They solve clues to find hidden treasures.

Film Appearances

Philipp Kirkorov sometimes acts in musicals and lends his voice to films. For example, he voiced the main character in The New Adventures of Aladdin (2015). He also voiced the parrot Kiki in Richard the Stork (2017).

Kirkorov has made many brief appearances in TV shows and movies. These include My Fair Nanny (2006) and Flight Crew (2016). He also appeared in Voronin's Family (2017) and Naughty Grandma (2017).

In 2009, Kirkorov had his first big movie role. It was in the Russian-Ukrainian romantic comedy Love in the Big City. He played Saint Valentine in the film. He played this role again in the next two movies, Love in the Big City 2 and Love in the Big City 3. These films also starred Volodymyr Zelensky and Vera Brezhneva.

Personal Life

In 1994, Philipp Kirkorov asked Alla Pugacheva to marry him, and she said yes. On January 13, they announced their engagement in Moscow. Their marriage was officially registered on March 15 in St. Petersburg. The mayor, Anatoly Sobchak, registered it. On May 15, Kirkorov and Pugacheva had their wedding in Jerusalem.

Besides his native Bulgarian, he speaks Russian very well. He also knows Spanish and English.

In January 2023, Ukraine placed sanctions on Kirkorov. This was because of his support for the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

On March 24, 2024, Philipp Kirkorov left Russia for Baku, Azerbaijan. This happened after a case about tax evasion was started against him. The bank accounts of his companies were also blocked.

Awards and Recognition

Kirkorov receives the Order of Honor from Russian President Vladimir Putin, 15 November 2017

Orders

• Order of Honor (30 April 2017) - for his great work in developing national music art.
• Order of Francesc Skarina (Belarus, 18 May 2012) - for helping to build strong cultural ties between Belarus and Russia.

Titles

• Order of Francysk Skaryna (18 May 2012)
• People's Artist of Russia Federation (12 February 2008)
• People's Artist of Ukraine (29 May 2008)
• Merited Artist of the Russian Federation (2001)
• People's Artist of Chechnya (2006)
• People's Artist of Ingushetia (2006)
• Honorary Citizen of Yalta (2010)
• Honored Art Activist of Autonomous Republic of Crimea (2000)
• Goodwill ambassador of United Nations (2000)

In November 2024, Kirkorov's title of People's Artist of Ukraine was taken away. This was part of a decision that removed titles from 34 people.

Medals

• Medal "10 years of Astana" (Kazakhstan, 2008)

Public Awards

• Record holder of the Russian Book of Records (2017)

Discography

Albums

Studio Albums

• 1990: Philipp
• 1990: Sinbat-Morehod
• 1991: Nebo I Zemlya
• 1991: Ti, Ti, Ti
• 1992: Takoi Sakoi
• 1994: Ya Ne Raphael
• 1995: Primadonna
• 1995: Ckazi Solncu – "Da"
• 1998: Edinstvenaya
• 1998: Oi, Mama Shika Dam
• 2000: Chelofilia
• 2001: Magico Amor
• 2002: Vlubloniy I Bezumno Odinokiy
• 2003: Neznakomka
• 2007: For You
• 2011: Drugoy – 2 Edition
• 2016: Ya

Live Albums

• 2001: Vchera, Segodnya, Zavtra... (Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow... )

Compilation Albums

• 2003: Luchshie Pesni (The Best Songs)
• 2004: Dueti (Duets)

Singles

• 1999: Mish`
• 2000: Ogon` I Voda
• 2000: Kilimandzaro
• 2001: Diva
• 2001: Ti Poverish`?
• 2001: Ya Za Tebya Umru
• 2001: Maria
• 2002: Zesrokaya Lubov`
• 2004: Sam P..A?! Ili Kirkorov MAZZDie!!!
• 2005: Kak Sumashedshiy Ya (duet with Sakis Rouvas)
• 2009: Zara

Eurovision Covers

Philipp Kirkorov has covered several songs from the Eurovision Song Contest. He has also entered his own songs. Some of the songs he covered include:

• "Dreamin'" (Ireland 1995 entry)
• "(I Would) Die for You" (Greece 2001 entry)
• "Diva" (Israel 1998 entry)
• "Go" (United Kingdom 1988 entry)
• "Maria Magdalena" (Croatia 1999 entry)
• "Hero" – Charlotte Perrelli (2008 Swedish entry)
• "La voix" – Malena Ernman (2009 Swedish entry) (with Anna Netrebko)
• "Let's get wild" – Helena Paparizou (2005 Greek National Final)
• "Carnaval" – DJ Mendez (2002 Swedish National Final)
• "Let your spirit fly" – Jan Johansson & Pernilla Wahlgren (2003 Swedish National Final) (with Anastasia Stotskaya)
• "Cara Mia" – Måns Zelmerlöw (2007 Swedish National Final)
• "Playing with Fire" – Paula and Ovi (Romania 2010 entry)
• "Hope & Glory" – Måns Zelmerlöw (2009 Swedish National Final)

Music Videos

Filmography

• 1995: "Old Songs About Main Things" (as magician from south)
• 1996: "Old Songs About Main Things – 2" (as Mr. Singer)
• 1997: "Old Songs About Main Things – 3" (as young actor)
• 2000: "Salon of Beaty" (as Evgeniy Slavin)
• 2000: "Old Songs About Main Things.Postscript" (as magician from south)
• 2001: "Como El Cine" (as himself)
• 2002: "Evenings on a Farm Near Dikanka" (as devil)
• 2003: "Crazy Day or The Marriage of Figaro" (as Count Almaviva)
• 2006: "The Adventures of Verka Serduchka" (cameo)
• 2007: "Kingdom of Crooked Mirrors" (as kite Piliph)
• 2007: "Stars Holidays" (as Baron Ctar, intergalactic star)
• 2008: "Goldfish" (as star groom)
• 2008: "On Back Of Black Cat" (cameo)
• 2009: "Love in the Big City" (as Saint Valentin)
• 2010: "Love in the Big City 2" (as Saint Valentin)
• 2010: "Svaty" (cameo)
• 2012: "Little Red Riding Hood" (As Cat Basilio)
• 2014: "Love in the Big City 3" (as Saint Valentin)
• 2017: "Naughty Grandma" (cameo)

Eurovision Song Contest Involvement

Kirkorov is well-known for his work with several countries in the Eurovision Song Contest. He is part of a group called the Dream Team. This group includes songwriters and choreographers who often work together on Eurovision entries.

Involvement in Eurovision entries

Year	Country	Song	Artist	Songwriters	Final	Points	Semi	Points
1995	Russia	"Kolybelnaya dlya vulkana"	Philipp Kirkorov	Ilya Bershadskiy, Ilya Reznik	17	17	No semi-finals
2007	Belarus	"Work Your Magic"	Dmitry Koldun	Philipp Kirkorov, Dimitris Kontopoulos, Karen Kavaleryan	6	145	4	176
2008	Ukraine	"Shady Lady"	Ani Lorak	Philipp Kirkorov, Dimitris Kontopoulos, Karen Kavaleryan	2	230	1	152
2014	Russia	"Shine"	Tolmachevy Sisters	Philipp Kirkorov, Dimitris Kontopoulos, John Ballard, Ralph Charlie, Gerard James Borg	7	89	6	63
2016	Russia	"You Are the Only One"	Sergey Lazarev	Philipp Kirkorov, Dimitris Kontopoulos, John Ballard, Ralph Charlie	3	491	1	342
2018	Moldova	"My Lucky Day"	DoReDoS	Philipp Kirkorov, John Ballard	10	209	3	235
2019	Russia	"Scream"	Sergey Lazarev	Philipp Kirkorov, Dimitris Kontopoulos, Sharon Vaughn	3	370	6	217
2020	Moldova	"Prison"	Natalia Gordienko	Dimitris Kontopoulos, Philipp Kirkorov, Sharon Vaughn	Contest cancelled
2021	Moldova	"Sugar"	Natalia Gordienko	Dimitris Kontopoulos, Phillipp Kirkorov, Mikhail Gutseriyev, Sharon Vaughn	13	115	7	179

Real Estate

• Villa in Ostrov Myakinino (Cottage Village Beresta) near Moscow.
• Villa in La Gorce Dr, Miami Beach.

See also

In Spanish: Filipp Kirkórov para niños

• Russian pop music