Sofia Rotaru facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Sofia Rotaru
Rotaru in 2011
Background information
Native name	Софія Ротару
Born	(1947-08-07) 7 August 1947 (age 77) Marshyntsi, Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union
Genres	Pop folk dance Rock Pop-folk
Occupation(s)	Singer-songwriter, record producer, film producer, fashion designer, dancer, actress
Instruments	Vocals
Years active	1968–present
Title	[[Hero of USSR ]] (2002) People's Artist of the USSR (1988)
Awards	Order of the Republic (Moldova) Order of Merit (Moldova, 2nd class) Order of Princess Olga (Ukraine, 1st and 3rd class) Order of Honour (Russia) Order of the Badge of Honour (Soviet Union) Order of Friendship of Peoples (Soviet Union)

Sofia Rotaru (born August 7, 1947) is a famous Ukrainian pop singer. She is known for her powerful voice and for singing in many languages. Sofia Rotaru has been performing for over 40 years. She has released more than 40 albums and 400 songs.

Rotaru was born in a small village called Marshyntsi. She became famous in 1966. Her manager and future husband, Anatoliy Yevdokymenko, helped her change her music style from folk to pop. She joined a band called Chervona Ruta.

In 1972, she released an album that made her a big pop star. She gained international fame after winning awards in Bulgaria in 1968 and 1973. She also won a prize in Poland in 1974. Rotaru has received many awards, including "Hero of Ukraine" in 2002.

Early Life and Musical Beginnings

Sofia Rotaru was born in Marshyntsi, a village in Ukraine. Her family was part of the Romanian minority in Ukraine. She was the second of six children. Her older sister, Zina, was blind but had perfect pitch. Zina taught Sofia many folk songs.

Sofia started singing in the school choir when she was in first grade. She also sang in the church choir. This was not allowed by school officials, but Sofia loved music. She practiced drama and sang folk songs. She would often play the accordion in the barn, trying to find melodies for Moldavian songs.

Sofia once said: "It is difficult to say, when and how did the music appear in my life. It seems that it has always lived in me. I grew up among music, it was playing everywhere."

Sofia Rotaru's Music Career

Starting Her Singing Journey

Sofia Rotaru won a singing competition in 1962. In 1963, she won another award in Chernivtsi. In 1964, she won a big festival in Kyiv. Her picture even appeared on the cover of Ukraine magazine.

After high school, Sofia decided to become a singer. She studied at the Chernivtsi Musical College. She also took lessons from a famous singer, Sidi Tal. In 1964, she performed at the State Kremlin Palace.

Becoming Internationally Known

In 1968, Sofia Rotaru went to Bulgaria for a festival. She won first prize for singing folk songs. Newspapers wrote that "21-year old Sofia has conquered Sofia." She sang Ukrainian and Moldavian folk songs. She also sang a song for the first female cosmonaut, Valentina Tereshkova.

In 1968, Sofia married Anatoliy Yevdokymenko. He was a student and a trumpet player.

In 1971, Sofia starred in a musical film called Chervona Ruta. The film was about a girl from the mountains who falls in love. The movie was very popular. After the film, Sofia started working with the Chernivtsi Philharmonic Society. Her husband, Anatoliy, became the director of her band, Chervona Ruta.

Sofia's songs became very popular in the Soviet Union. She sang in Moldavian, Ukrainian, and Russian. The Soviet government promoted her music. This helped her get regular airplay on TV and radio.

In 1973, she won first prize at the Golden Orpheus festival in Bulgaria. She also received the Meritorious Artist of the Ukrainian SSR award.

New Songs and Styles

In 1974, Sofia graduated from the Chişinău Art Institute. She also participated in a festival in Poland. She won second prize for her performance of a Polish song. In 1976, she moved to Yalta.

Sofia worked with many famous composers. They wrote songs for her like "Bring Me the Music Back" and "Stork on the Roof." She was the first to perform songs like "Swan Fidelity."

Acting and New Connections

In 1980, Sofia won first prize at a festival in Tokyo. She also received the Order of the Badge of Honor. She was the first Soviet female singer to wear trousers on stage. She performed a hip-hop style song called "Temp" for the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow.

In 1980, Sofia starred in a film called Where are you, love?. She played a village teacher who becomes a famous singer. The movie was very popular, with over 25 million viewers.

In 1981, Sofia starred in another film called Dusha (Soul). This film featured a new rock band. Sofia was ill at the time, but she agreed to star in the movie. In 1983, Sofia went on a concert tour in Canada.

Changing Her Music Style

In the mid-1980s, Sofia Rotaru changed her musical style. She started working with a new songwriter, Vladimir Matetskiy. He helped her move to a Europop style. She also included elements of hard rock in her music. Matetskiy and his co-author, Mikhail Shabrov, wrote many songs for her.

Performing Across Cultures

Singing in Russian caused some people in Ukraine to be upset. They felt she was forgetting her national culture. But Sofia explained that it was hard to find high-quality Ukrainian lyrics.

In 1991, during a concert in Lviv, some people held up a poster against her. Because of this, Sofia did not perform in Ukraine for many years. She only returned after a special request from the President of Ukraine, Leonid Kuchma.

Modern Success

After the Soviet Union ended, Sofia Rotaru remained a top artist. She is popular with Russian-speaking people all over the world. In 2000, she was named the Best Ukrainian Pop Singer of the Twentieth Century.

In 2002, Sofia Rotaru received the title "Hero of Ukraine." After her husband passed away in 2002, Sofia took a break from touring. But she soon returned to performing and recording. Her songs topped the charts in Russia, Ukraine, and Moldova.

In 2007, Sofia celebrated her 60th birthday. Many fans, artists, and politicians came to congratulate her. The Presidents of Russia, Ukraine, and Moldova attended her birthday party. She released three new albums in 2006 and 2007.

In 2022, Sofia Rotaru spoke out against the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Politics and Public Life

Sofia Rotaru does not support any single political group. Her background, with roots in both Romanian and Ukrainian cultures, has sometimes caused discussions. Soviet authorities, for example, praised her as a top singer but also caused trouble for her family for celebrating Christmas.

The Soviet government once stopped her from leaving the USSR for several years. This happened after her 1983 tour in Canada.

During the Orange Revolution in Ukraine, Sofia Rotaru and her family helped people. They sent food to those gathered in Kyiv, no matter their political views. In 2006, she took part in parliamentary elections in Ukraine. She wanted to help support arts issues in Ukraine. As a resident of Crimea, she refused Russian citizenship after Russia took control of the peninsula.

Personal Life

Sofia's younger sister, Aurica, also had a singing career. Sofia's husband, Anatoliy Kyrylovich Yevdokymenko, was a People's Artist of Ukraine. He first saw Sofia on a magazine cover in 1965 and fell in love. He helped Sofia start her pop music career.

Sofia's singing in different languages has led to discussions about her cultural identity. Some people wonder if she identifies more with Moldavian/Romanian, Ukrainian, or Russian culture.

Discography

• 1972 Chervona Ruta
• 1973 Poet Sofia Rotaru
• 1974 Sofia Rotaru
• 1976 Sofia Rotaru
• 1977 Sofia Rotaru poet pesni Vladimira Ivasyuka
• 1978 Sofia Rotaru
• 1979 Tolko tebe
• 1981 Where Has Love Gone?
• 1981 Sofia Rotaru and Chervona Ruta
• 1985 Tender Melody
• 1987 Monologue of Love
• 1987 Lavanda
• 1988 Heart of Gold
• 1991 Caravan of Love
• 1995 Khutoryanka
• 1998 Lyubi menya
• 2002 Ya tebya po-prezhnemu lyublyu
• 2004 Nebo – eto ya
• 2005 Ya zhe yego lyubila
• 2008 Ya – tvoya lybov'!
• 2010 Ya ne oglyanus

Awards and Honors

Sofia Rotaru is an honored citizen of Crimea and Yalta. She has received many awards, including:

• Meritorious Artist of the Ukrainian SSR
• People's Artist of Ukraine
• People's Artist of Moldavian SSR
• People's Artist of USSR
• Hero of Moldova
• Cavalier of the Republican Order of Moldova

In August 2002, the Presidents of Ukraine and Russia gave Sofia Rotaru high honors. She received the title "Hero of Ukraine" for her amazing work in art. She also received the Russian order "For merits before the Nation." She is also an Honorary Citizen of Chișinău, Moldova.

See also

In Spanish: Sofia Rotaru para niños

• Russian pop music
• Pop music in Ukraine
• Melancolie, Moldavian/Romanian song