Ruslana facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ruslana
Руслана
Ruslana in 2015
Born	Ruslana Stepanivna Lyzhychko (1973-05-24) 24 May 1973 (age 52) Lviv, Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union
Occupation	Singer lyricist producer composer activist politician dancer
Spouse(s)	Oleksandr Ksenofontov ​ (m. 1995)​
Musical career
Genres	Pop pop-folk pop rock ethnopop
Instruments	Vocals piano guitar drums trembita tambourine
Years active	1996–present
Labels	EMI Warner Music Group
People's Deputy of Ukraine
5th convocation
In office 25 May 2006 – 23 November 2007
Constituency	Our Ukraine Party, No.5

Ruslana Stepanivna Lyzhychko (born on 24 May 1973), known simply as Ruslana, is a famous Ukrainian singer, songwriter, producer, and activist. She is also a former politician. Ruslana won the World Music Award and the Eurovision Song Contest. She holds the title of People's Artist of Ukraine, which is a very high honor.

She was also a Member of Parliament in Ukraine for a short time. From 2004 to 2005, Ruslana was a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador in Ukraine. Forbes magazine named her one of the top 10 most influential women in 2013. In March 2014, the U.S. Secretary of State gave her the International Women of Courage Award. She is an honorary citizen of her hometown, Lviv.

Ruslana writes, composes, and produces her own songs and music videos. She has been married to Oleksandr Ksenofontov, a Ukrainian record producer, since 1995. They have run their company, Luxen Studio, since 1993, creating radio and film trailers.

Ruslana was the first artist from the former Soviet Union to officially receive a platinum disc. Her album Dyki tantsi sold over 170,000 copies in just 100 days. This album, along with its English version, is the best-selling Ukrainian album ever, selling more than 500,000 copies in Ukraine alone.

She won the 2004 Eurovision Song Contest with her song "Wild Dances". She received 280 points, which was a record at the time. After her win, she became very famous in Europe. Her song "Wild Dances" was number one in Belgium for 10 weeks and stayed on European charts for 97 weeks. This winning song was also included in The Very Best of Eurovision album, celebrating 60 years of the contest.

Ruslana mainly sings in Ukrainian and English. She has also recorded songs in Spanish and Latin.

Ruslana's Early Life

Ruslana was born on 24 May 1973 in Lviv, Ukraine. At that time, Ukraine was part of the Soviet Union. Her father, Stepan Lyzhychko, is from the Hutsul Ukrainian people. Her mother, Nina Sapegina, is Russian with Polish-Lithuanian roots.

Her mother encouraged her to study music from age four. Ruslana sang in different bands, including Horizon, Orion, and the children's group Usmishka (Smile). In 1989, she performed with Usmishka at a big concert. A famous artist, Vasyl Zinkevych, noticed her talent. He told the audience of 15,000 people that she would become a real star.

Ruslana's parents divorced in 1991. After finishing school, she went to the Lviv Conservatory. In 1995, she graduated as a classical pianist and a conductor for symphonic orchestras.

Ruslana's Music Career

Starting Her Music Journey

Ruslana began her career by winning the Slavianski Bazaar song competition in Belarus in 1996. Her song was Oj, letili dyki husi. That same year, she was nominated for Ukrainian Singer of the Year. Her music video for Dzvinkyi Viter (Wind Bells) won Music Video of the Year. Her husband, Oleksandr Ksenofontov, has been her producer since her early career.

In 1997, Ruslana worked on Christmas with Ruslana. This was the first Christmas TV project of its kind in L'viv. It included the video clip Ballad of a Princess, which was the first animated music video by a Ukrainian singer.

Her first album, Myt Vesny – Dzvinkyi Viter (A Moment of Spring – Wind Bells), came out in 1998. Critics praised it highly.

She became more widely known in 1998 with the song Svitanok (Sunrise) and the album Myt' Vesny – Dzvinkyj Viter Live. Svitanok was the first Ukrainian music video with a big budget. In 1998, Ruslana was named Person of the Year. The song Svitanok won Song of the Year, and its video won Music Video of the Year. Later in 1998, she organized a charity tour to raise money for restoring old castles in Western Ukraine. Her efforts helped restore the Zolochiv Castle.

In 1999, she created the Christmas musical Ostanne rizdvo 90th (The Last Christmas of the 90s), which won the Ukrainian Movie of the Year award. Her video for Znaju ya (I Know), about the ancient Hutsuls people in the Ukrainian Carpathians, set new standards for music videos.

Ruslana's Education in Music

Ruslana conducting a symphony orchestra

In 1995, Ruslana finished her studies at the Lviv Conservatory. She became a professional conductor and classical pianist. She learned from Mykola Kolessa, a very important Ukrainian composer and conductor. He is known as 'the father of the Ukrainian conducting school'.

2004: Wild Dances Project and Eurovision Win

Ruslana performing "Heart on Fire" at the opening of the Eurovision Song Contest 2005.

The Wild Dances Project

Ruslana's father is from the Hutsuls area in Western Ukraine. The Hutsuls live in the Carpathian Mountains and have a unique, ancient culture. This culture inspired Ruslana to create her album Wild Dances. This album mixes strong ethnic drums and the sounds of the trembita, an old Hutsul instrument, with modern dance beats. Ruslana composed the album after a trip to the Carpathian Mountains in 2003.

The album Dyki Tantsi (Wild Dances) was released in Ukraine in June 2003. It sold over 170,000 copies in the first 100 days, even without a tour. This album, along with its English version, was the first to be certified five times platinum in Ukraine. It sold over 500,000 copies, making it the most successful album in Ukraine ever.

Winning Eurovision 2004

Ruslana was chosen to represent Ukraine at the Eurovision Song Contest 2004. Before the contest, many people thought she would win. At Eurovision 2004, she performed her song, Wild Dances, and won with 280 points. In the semifinal, every country gave her points. In the final, only Switzerland did not give her any points.

The single Wild Dances stayed on various European music charts for 97 weeks. It earned gold certification in Belgium, Sweden, Russia, Greece, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia. In Belgium, it was number one for 10 weeks in a row. It also reached number one in Ukraine and Greece. The English album Wild Dances was released in many European countries in late 2004. In Las Vegas, she received the World Music Award as the best-selling Ukrainian artist.

After her victory, Ruslana became an advisor to the Ukrainian prime minister. The Ukrainian president also gave her one of the country's highest honors: the title of People's Artist of Ukraine.

In Belgium, her songs "Wild Dances" and "Dance with the Wolves" were among the top 15. Ruslana was named the most popular person in Belgium and the most influential public person in Ukraine. She was also the first foreigner to receive an award from the Federation of Journalists in Turkey.

2005: Eurovision Guest Star

Ukrainian stamp celebrating Ruslana's victory at the Eurovision Song Contest

Ruslana was first chosen to host the semifinal and final of the Eurovision Song Contest 2005. However, she had to decline because she was busy organizing a big charity concert for victims of the Chernobyl disaster. So, Ruslana appeared at the event only as a guest star. She performed a mix of Wild Dances and Heart on Fire at the opening. She also performed her latest single, The Same Star.

In 2005, Ruslana also designed the cover for Jonathan Safran Foer's book The Unabridged Pocket Book of Lightning. This was part of Penguin Books' 70th birthday celebrations.

2006: Germany's Favorite Eurovision Song

In 2006, "Wild Dances" was voted Germany's all-time favorite Eurovision song in an online poll. It won against famous songs like "Waterloo". The TV show was watched by about six million people in Germany.

For the FIFA World Cup 2006, Ruslana toured Germany to support the Ukraine national football team. She performed in several cities.

2008: Wild Energy and Grand Theft Auto IV

Ruslana's project Wild Energy was inspired by a science fiction novel called Wild Energy. Lana. The story is about a future city where people lack the "energy of the heart." Lana, a character, searches for this mystical energy. She discovers it comes from her own heart.

Wild Energy combines music, video, literature, and social messages. In June 2006, Ruslana released the new single and video Wild Energy. In this video, she changes from a synthetic blonde girl into her wild image.

In March 2008, Ruslana's Ukrainian album Amazonka was released. The English album Wild Energy was released by Warner Music in Canada and Europe in late 2008.

The album was recorded in Miami and includes songs with American stars T-Pain and Missy Elliott. Ruslana mixes ancient ethnic styles from the Carpathian Mountain people with modern pop music.

In the video game Grand Theft Auto IV, Ruslana is the voice of the radio host for Vladivostok FM. Her song "Wild Dances" is also featured in the game. In May 2008, Grand Theft Auto IV broke Guinness World Records for "Highest grossing video game in 24 hours."

2009–2010: Asia Song Festival

Ruslana on the catwalk of the 2009 Asia Song Festival in Seoul, Korea

In 2009, Ruslana was invited to the sixth Asia Song Festival in Seoul, Korea. She sang in front of 60,000 people. She performed three songs: "Wild Dances", "Dance with the Wolves", and "Play, Musician!". The audience loved her performance. She won the main award of the festival for best artist.

2011–2012: The Voice of Ukraine and Ey-fori-YA

In 2011, Ruslana became a judge on the Ukrainian version of The Voice TV show. Her student, Tonya Matvienko, came in second place.

Also in 2011, American gymnast Jordyn Wieber used Ruslana's song Wild Dances for her floor exercise. Wieber later won the 2011 World Women's All-Around Champion title and a gold medal at the 2012 Summer Olympics using Ruslana's song.

In April 2012, her new Ukrainian album ЕЙ-форі-Я (EY-fori-YA) was released. Ruslana worked on this album for four years. It was produced in the US, Sweden, and Ukraine.

The album EY-fori-YA mixes rock and pop with Slavic rhythms. Ruslana included old Slavic circle dances and elements from classical Russian composers. The album was made for flash mob dances. In 2012, she toured 11 Ukrainian cities with her OGO Show. She taught the audience dance moves, making them part of the show.

2013: International Album My Boo! (Together!)

Her third international album, My Boo! (Together!), was planned for 2013. This album showed Ruslana's versatility, as she changed her style from a wild Amazon to an Urban pop princess.

Most of the album was produced in Los Angeles. It included famous American musicians. Stefan Örn from Sweden, who won the Eurovision Song Contest 2011 as a songwriter, also worked on it. Goran Bregovich, a famous Balkan musician, produced the song Kray.

At the same time, Ruslana's Ukrainian album ЕЙ-форі-Я was re-released as Мій Брат! (разом) (Miy Brat! (razom!), My Brother! (together!)]). This change was made because the winning song of the Eurovision Song Contest 2012 was also called Euphoria. To avoid confusion, Ruslana renamed her album and her English song Euphoria to This Is Euphoria.

In August 2013, Ruslana released the single This Is Euphoria digitally. She composed and produced the song with Swedish musician Stefan Örn.

She was invited to perform at the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2013 in Kyiv. However, she withdrew her performance because of the violence used by Ukrainian authorities against peaceful protesters in the capital.

She was a coach on the first season of the Clash of the Choirs TV show in Ukraine. Ruslana and her team from Lviv won the grand final in January 2014.

2014–2016: Eurovision Juror

In January 2014, her international album My Boo! (Together!) was released digitally. Ruslana planned to study ethnic music again for her next album, as she felt Wild Dances was her most creative work. However, her active involvement in the Euromaidan protests in Ukraine made her postpone her music plans.

Ruslana was a music expert for Eurosong, the Belgian selection for the Eurovision Song Contest 2014. She helped choose the best candidate to represent Belgium.

In October 2014, Ruslana held two concerts in Manchester, UK. Tickets sold out quickly, so a second show was added. She also performed with the Ukrainian Bandurist Chorus in Toronto to show the beauty of the Bandura instrument. She was a judge at Vidbir, Ukraine's selection for the Eurovision Song Contest 2016. She was the only judge who supported Jamala, who later became Ukraine's second Eurovision winner.

In late 2016, after Jamala's victory, Ruslana played three concerts in Europe. She spoke about Jamala's win and how Ukraine would open up to the world in 2017.

2017: It's Magical / Ya lyublyu

After a long break due to events in Ukraine, Ruslana presented her new single "It's Magical / Я люблю" at the Eurovision Song Contest 2017 Grand Finale in Kyiv in May 2017. Her new music style combines gentle lullabies with lively, exotic melodies. Ruslana learned her unique singing style during trips to the Carpathian Mountains. The song was released in English ("It's Magical") and Ukrainian ("Я люблю" / "Ya lyublyu" / "I Love").

The music video was filmed in a basalt quarry in the Rivne region. Director Oles Sanin created a realistic thunderstorm for the video. Ruslana appears in chainmail, showing her inner strength. After all the events in her country and her mountain trips, Ruslana feels like a warrior protecting love. In her song and video, Ruslana wants to bring attention to the widespread deforestation in the Carpathians. She aims to protect the Carpathian forests, their wildlife, and unique culture.

Ruslana's Political Activities

2004: Orange Revolution

In late 2004, Ruslana actively supported the democratic changes in Ukraine known as the Orange Revolution. Her song "Dance with the Wolves" was dedicated to this movement. She supported Viktor Yushchenko during the disputed Ukrainian presidential elections. She became a key figure who spoke to large crowds supporting Yushchenko.

From 2006 to 2007, she was a Member of the Ukrainian Parliament for the Our Ukraine party.

Ruslana also supported Yulia Tymoshenko during the 2010 Ukrainian presidential election.

2012: Campaign Against Unfair Justice

In December 2012, Ruslana started a human rights campaign called Не мовчи (Don't keep silent). This campaign challenged Ukraine's legal system. She supported Dmytro and Sergiy Pavlichenko, who claimed they were forced to admit to a murder they did not commit. Ruslana dedicated her song and video Це – Ей-форі-Я (This is Euphoria) to their case, believing they were victims of a wrong judgment.

2013–2014: Euromaidan Protests

Ruslana reading an official resolution of Euromaidan, 29 November 2013

Ruslana with José Manuel Barroso and Henri Malosse in Brussels

First Lady Michelle Obama and Deputy Secretary Heather Higginbottom with Ruslana, 2014 International Women of Courage Award Winner

Ruslana was a leading figure in the pro-EU protests known as Euromaidan. These protests began in Kyiv in November 2013 after the Ukrainian government stopped plans to sign an agreement with the European Union.

From the first day, she stayed on Kyiv's Maidan Nezalezhnosti (Independence Square) almost every night, sometimes for ten hours. She explained her role as "charging Maidan with freedom-loving energy." She said she disliked politics and did not support any single leader.

Ruslana spent at least 100 days and nights on the Maidan stage during the cold winter. She inspired crowds, gave speeches, and sang the Ukrainian national anthem every hour. She often slept only a few hours on the floor of the Trade Union building, which was occupied by protesters. She made holding up flashlights while singing the anthem a symbol of peace and freedom.

When riot police tried to clear Maidan in November 2013, Ruslana rushed to help. She managed to find shelter for about 100 students, some wounded, in a nearby monastery. Another night in December, when police advanced again, Ruslana calmly spoke to them from the stage, repeating "Quiet! No violence!" The police eventually retreated.

Her involvement in the pro-European movement was reported by many international news outlets. The American press called her the 'true heroine of Ukraine'. The German magazine Spiegel called her 'Kyiv's queen of the night'. The Spanish newspaper El Mundo compared her to Jeanne d'Arc. Media even compared her to Katniss Everdeen from The Hunger Games. Forbes Russia included her in the top 10 most influential women of 2013.

From January 2014, Ruslana met with important EU and U.S. politicians to ask for support for Ukraine. Her efforts led to a resolution from the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) to support Ukrainian civil society. In the following months, Ruslana traveled to many cities, speaking to government officials and giving interviews about the situation in Ukraine.

Her activism put her in danger. She received death threats, her car was followed, and she could not live in her house for weeks. Snipers aimed at her on the Maidan stage. These threats began after she demanded sanctions against the Yanukovych government. Ruslana also noted that paid provocateurs tried to start fights in the peaceful protests. After President Viktor Yanukovych fled in February 2014, Ruslana spoke out against Russian President Vladimir Putin, calling him an aggressor and demanding sanctions.

For her courage and dedication, Ruslana received several awards. These included the International Woman of Courage Award from First Lady Michelle Obama and the 2014 Distinguished Humanitarian Leadership Award.

On 24 May 2014, her birthday and the day before the Ukrainian presidential election, Ruslana organized a global prayer. One million people in several countries joined to show unity and support for Ukraine. Ruslana herself read a prayer and sang the Ukrainian national anthem in 12 languages on Mount Khomyak in the Carpathian Mountains.

2022–Present: Russian Invasion of Ukraine

Ruslana speaking at the 2022 European People's Party Congress in Rotterdam

After Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Ruslana posted on Instagram. She hoped the world would unite for Ukraine. She also shared information on how citizens could help the Territorial Defence Forces and listen to official announcements.

In May 2022, she spoke in Istanbul to ask Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan for help for Ukrainian citizens. She was joined by mothers of Ukrainian soldiers who defended Azovstal Iron and Steel Works. In November, Ruslana led a protest against the invasion in Athens.

Ruslana has performed at concerts to raise money for relief efforts. She even held a performance in an underground metro station in Ukraine for safety. In August 2023, she led a concert in Tallinn to celebrate Ukraine's Independence Day. Money from the show went to help children near the front lines and build bomb shelters. Ruslana explained in September 2023 that "music has become quite the weapon during this time of war" by helping to keep spirits high.

Her song "I'm Alive," released in March 2022, is dedicated to Ukrainian civilians and troops affected by the Russo-Ukrainian War. At a show in Liverpool for the Eurovision Song Contest 2023, Ruslana announced a new album. She said it would unite Ukraine and show Russia that they can still create music despite the war.

Ruslana's Social Work

From 2004 to 2005, Ruslana was a Good Will Ambassador for Ukraine for UNICEF. She worked to fight trafficking in human beings. ..... Her song Not for Sale became the anthem for this campaign.

During the Eurovision Song Contest 2005 in Kyiv, she gave a charity concert for children affected by the Chernobyl tragedy. For another charity project, Ruslana worked with German rock star Peter Maffay. In 2007, they toured Germany with artists from 14 countries. The money raised helped children in need.

Ruslana has also held many charity concerts for children's hospitals in Kyiv, Lviv, and Dnipropetrovsk.

With her Wild Energy project, Ruslana supports using renewable energy. She believes energy from the sun, water, and wind can bring energy independence. The project also aims to make people aware of the dangers of global climate change. In September 2018, she became a global ambassador for renewable energy for Global100RE.

After floods hit Western Ukraine in July 2008, Ruslana set up a relief center called Carpathians. Flood. SOS! 2008. This center helped create a list of people in need, provided emergency aid, and collected donations for flood victims.

Ruslana's Music Albums

DVDs

• 1998: Rizdvo z Ruslanoju (Christmas With Ruslana)
• 1999: Ostannje Rizdvo 90-h (Last Christmas of the 90's)
• 2002: Rizdvjani Legendy (Christmas Legends)
• 2003: Na Rizdvo do L'vivs'kogo (Christmas with L'vivians)
• 2008: Wild Energy. Amazon. Wild Dances

International Singles

Awards and Recognitions

Ruslana has won many awards for her music and activism:

Music Videos

• Ty (1998)
• Myt' Vesny (1998)
• Svitanok (1998)
• Balada pro princessu (1998)
• Kolyskova (1998)
• Znaju Ja (2000)
• Proschannya z disko (2001)
• Dobryi vechir, tobi... (2002)
• Kolomyjka (2003)
• Oj, Zagraimy, Muzychenku (2003)
• Wild Dances (2004)
• Dance with the Wolves (2004)
• Ring Dance with the Wolves (2005)
• The Same Star (2005)
• V rytme serdtsa (2005)
• Dyka Enerhija (2006)
• Moon of Dreams (feat. T-Pain) (2008)
• Vohon' chy lid (Vse ne te)(2008)
• Silent Angel (2008)
• Wow (2011)
• Sha-la-la (2011)
• Davaj hraj (2012)
• Tse – Ey-phori-Ya (2012)
• Rachmaninov (2013)
• It's Magical (2017)
• My viter (2020)
• Lirnytsia (2023)
• Iron Beat (2024)

Film and TV Appearances

Television

Film

Video Games

See also

In Spanish: Ruslana para niños

• Eurovision Song Contest 2004
• Ukraine in the Eurovision Song Contest
• Ruslana's Charity Concert
• Wild Energy. Lana (book)
• Ultratop 50 number-one hits of 2004