History of the Via Gra group. What was the first composition of Viagra. Brief biography of Erica Herceg

The Ukrainian female pop group, which appeared in 2000, has been “registered” in the Ukrainian-Russian show business for a long time and is confidently moving towards its 20th anniversary.

The project experienced periods of prosperity, when at the peak of popularity it attracted stadiums and concert halls with thousands of people, and periods of calm. But every time they tried to “write off VIA Gro,” the new lineup of the group rose like a Phoenix from the ashes and gave a new hit, once again proving that the last page had not been written.

Konstantin Meladze and the golden composition of the group "ViaGRA"

The composition of the ensemble has changed as many times over 17 years. The group from a duet turned into a trio, then expanded into a quartet and again returned to a duet and trio. The participants changed - sexy beauties of varying degrees of talent. The names of many were remembered by music lovers, but the “golden” title was given to the composition, and.

Compound

The VIA Gra project was born in the 2000s thanks to Ukrainian producer Dmitry Kostyuk, owner of the top-rated music TV channel Biz-TV. Dmitry was inspired to create the female ensemble by the British group Spice Girls and the Russian one. To promote the group, Kostyuk invited music producer Biz-TV, who took the same position at VIA Gre.

The name of the sexy female trio was provocative and “exciting” fantasy. When pronouncing “VIA Gra,” music lovers arose an allusion to a well-known medical drug, while the decoding turned out to be very harmless: VIA is a vocal and instrumental ensemble, and “gra” means “game” in Russian.

But in 2003, after the release of their debut English-language album, the producers received a warning from the manufacturers of Viagra. The case could end in litigation, so Sony Music, which recorded the album, listed the trio as Nu Virgos.

The first member of VIA Gra was a Ukrainian performer and TV presenter on the Kostyuk channel. The announced casting attracted Yulia Miroshnichenko and Marina Modina to the project. But the shooting of the first video for the song “Attempt No. 5” eliminated Miroshnichenko and Modina.

The search for bright soloists was crowned with semi-success - a second “Viagra” was found. Kostyuk and Meladze had to temporarily abandon creating a trio in favor of a duet.

The premiere of the debut song “Attempt No. 5” took place in the early autumn of 2000 on Dmitry Kostyuk’s TV channel. The composition caused a sensation and instantly became a hit and the calling card of VIA Gra. The single topped the charts and won the Golden Gramophone, Stopudovoy Hit and Golden Firebird awards.

In December 2000, the duo already had 7 songs in their repertoire. The brainchild of Kostyuk and Meladze gave its first concert at the end of December of the same year at the Ice Palace in Dnepropetrovsk. Video clips appeared for the hits “Hug Me”, “Bomb” and “I Won’t Come Back”.

The following summer, the producers signed a contract with the famous British record company Sony Music Entertainment.

“VIA Gra” toured the CIS countries, and in September released its debut album, named after the band’s first hit. It included 11 songs and 2 remixes. The album was presented in October at the Luxor club in Moscow.

At the beginning of 2002, it became known that Nadezhda Granovskaya was pregnant. The producers announced a casting and replaced Nadezhda with model Tatyana Naynik. But Kostyuk and Meladze, remembering the original plan to create a trio, found another participant -.

In May, the updated composition of the group presented the video “Stop! Stop! Stop!”, which was directed by Semyon Gorov. For the first time, the vocal parts of the hit went to a new participant, Sedokova. In July, the trio visited the Slavic Bazaar.

In September 2002, a video for the song “Good morning, dad!” appeared. VIA Gra fans were delighted with Nadezhda Granovskaya, who returned to the stage a month after the birth of her son. In the video, the trio turned into a quartet, but soon the producers, considering that two brunettes were too many, said goodbye to Nainik. Tatyana did not remain in debt and brought a lot of the group’s ins and outs to the media.

Towards the finale of 2002, Vinnitskaya announced her departure from the trio, and at the casting the producers found her replacement -. In November, the new lineup was already rehearsing, and in January 2003, Alena Vinnitskaya said goodbye to VIA Groy, starting a solo career.

In February, the team presented the song “Don’t leave me, darling!” and a clip for it. Anna Sedokova became the soloist of the trio, Granovskaya and Brezhneva were in supporting roles. The single is called the best musical product of VIA Gra.

The hit stayed at the top of the charts for 7 months. Later, in 2009, the video clip was recognized as the best video of the decade.

In April 2003, VIA Gra presented fans with the 2nd album “Stop! Removed! Within six months after its release, music lovers sold out half a million copies, and the album was awarded a “Golden Disc”. In May, the girls presented a new song, “Kill My Girlfriend,” the video of which was the leader on MTV Russia.

Performance by VIA Gra with the hit “Good morning, dad!” at the Olimpiysky, music critics called it the most “thermonuclear” in the history of the star group.

In September 2003, the premiere of the song “VIA Gra” took place. The hit “Ocean and Three Rivers” topped the Russian radio chart, and in October the trio went on tour to Tokyo.

In November of the same year, the Viagryans, in their “golden line-up”, recorded the album “Biology”, presenting it at the capital’s New Manege. In 5 months, the group gave 100 concerts in the cities of the CIS, neighboring countries, Germany and Israel. The lack of an advertising campaign did not prevent the album “Biology” from becoming a sales leader and receiving a “Golden Disc”.

February 2004 was marked by VIA Gra’s “golden” hit “There is No More Attraction,” which became the most popular composition of the decade according to polls by Afisha magazine and the Russian Billboard.

In the spring of 2004, Sedokova left VIA Gro due to pregnancy, which caused a shock among the fans of the team.

The management found a replacement for Anya, but soon the managers became convinced of the mistake. Critics and fans started talking about the decline of their favorite group. The foreign tours failed, foreign spectators went “to Sedokova”, announced on the posters, but saw Loboda. According to Kostyuk, the damage caused by the replacement cost tens of millions of rubles.

Loboda was replaced by Valeria Meladze, who previously worked as a backing vocalist. Rumors about a romance between Valery and Albina leaked to the press, and fans of VIA Gra declared that the participant did not correspond to the sexual image of the group.

VIA Gra's troubles continued in 2005, when Brezhneva injured her spine while skiing. The duo presented their new song “Diamonds” to the public. The label did not renew the band's 5-year contract with Sony Music, which had come to an end.

At the beginning of 2006, Granovskaya refused to work at VIA Gre; the producers announced a creative crisis and the possible end of the project. But the group remained afloat; Nadezhda was replaced by model Christina Kots-Gottlieb, but she was replaced by a student. The new lineup recorded video clips “Deceive, but stay,” “Flower and Knife” and “L. M. L."

In April 2007, Koryagina chose creativity family life, took the vacant position from Grozny. Vera Brezhneva left in the summer and was replaced in February 2008. With the new lineup, the trio recorded the song “My emancipation.”

At the beginning of 2009, Bagaudinova left, making way for Nadezhda Granovskaya, now Meikher, who returned to VIA Gro. The updated line-up gave music lovers the hits “Anti-Geisha” and “Crazy”. In March, Tatyana Kotova, having given a scandalous farewell interview, left VIA Gro. The girl was replaced by a new vocalist.

In 2010, the group was nominated for the “Disappointment of the Year” anti-award, and in 2011 rumors broke out about the collapse of “VIA Gra”; Dmitry Kostyuk left the project. In July, the trio performed at the New Wave, and Konstantin Meladze denied rumors of a breakup.

In November 2011, Nadezhda Meikher left the group and gave birth to her second child. She took her place for a couple of months. The music market responded to the leapfrog with female vocalists with the second nomination “Disappointment of the Year,” and in November 2012, “VIA Gra” received an anti-prize. The flashing of names and surnames of the new “Viagryanki” tired fans and critics. At the end of 2012, Meladze announced the closure of the project on January 1, 2013.

“I want V VIA Gro”

In September 2013, the reality show “I Want V VIA Gro” was launched on four CIS TV channels, in which girls from the post-Soviet countries participated. The applicants were mentored by 6 ex-members of VIA Gra, the host of the show was Vera Brezhneva, and the director of the project was.

Castings took place in four countries. At the end of October 2013, the final of the show took place, and the three winners were determined by SMS voting by viewers. The new “Viagryanki” are, and. At the end of the project, the trio presented a new song “Truce”.

The group has been criticized more than once; skeptics insisted that the success of the “golden lineup” could not be repeated. But the updated “VIA Gra” is gaining leading positions in the charts and hit parades, and the songs “Oxygen”, “I got someone else” and “It was wonderful” do not leave the rotation of radio stations in the CIS countries. The trio’s repertoire includes 17 “old” VIA Gra hits, in which the arrangement has been changed.

Music

VIA Gra was originally conceived by the producers as a group exploiting sexuality and eroticism. Costumes, images of vocalists, provocative choreography and videos, erotic photo shoots were criticized, but corresponded to the plan.

Not all countries welcomed VIA Gra's provocative and shocking style. In Belarus, the video for the song “Biology” was banned, considering it too sexual. In Taiwan and Indonesia, a ban was introduced on the video “Stop! Stop! Stop!”, and at concerts in Indonesia, girls were forced to wear closed trouser suits. In Israel, seeing the exciting “VIA Gro” on the central TV channel, Orthodox Jews rebelled.

The band's hits are written in the direction of pop music and meet the requirements of mass culture. This genre of music corresponds to the simplicity of the instrumental part, rhythm and emphasis on vocals.

VIA Gra became the first group in the post-Soviet space to openly exploit sexuality. The experience of the project gave birth to the concept of “golden composition”, proving that there are irreplaceable ones. After the departure of Anna Sedokova, the unofficial leader of VIA Gra, the trio’s popularity began to decline. Critics and music lovers call the group’s latest “golden” hit the single “Diamonds.”

"VIA Gra" now

At the beginning of the summer of 2016, it became known that a solo concert of the trio in Moscow was planned for February 2017. In November, the girls presented the song “Who are you to me?”, and a video appeared in December.

In January 2017, VIA Gra's solo concert in the capital was cancelled. In October 2017, Love Radio released the single “My Heart is Busy” by Konstantin Meladze. The text of the composition was written by Meladze and Misha Romanova. The video clip appeared in November.

Discography

• 2001 – Attempt No. 5
• 2003 – Stop! Cut!
• 2003 – Stop! Stop! Stop!
• 2003 – Biology
• 2007 – L.M.L.

Clips

• 2000 – Attempt No. 5
• 2002 – Stop! Stop! Stop!
• 2002 – Good morning, dad!
• 2002 – Don’t leave me, my love!
• 2002 – Kill my girlfriend
• 2003 – Ocean and Three Rivers
• 2004 – Biology
• 2004 – No more attraction
• 2005 – Diamonds
• 2006 – L.M.L.
• 2006 – Flower and Knife
• 2007 – Kisses
• 2008 – My emancipation
• 2009 – Anti-geisha
• 2009 – Crazy
• 2010 – Get out!
• 2012 – Hello, mom!
• 2013 – Truce
• 2014 – Oxygen
• 2015 – So much
• 2016 – Who are you to me?

It will soon be fifteen years since a stunning group appeared on the Russian stage, winning the heart of every man - the VIA Gra group. Over the entire history of its existence, more than ten soloists have changed, and therefore few people now remember who was part of the first composition of Viagra, from which it all began. So who was at the origins? What was the very first lineup of Viagra, the legendary female Russian pop group? Let's remember.

History of the group's creation

Two friends, two talented musicians, two people obsessed with music, eager to change the world, decided to create a new women's team, which will change ideas about the Russian stage. In 2000, successful television producer Dmitry Kostyuk and composer Konstantin Meladze, having analyzed the success of the Spice Girls in the West and Blestyashchie in Russia, joined forces to create a new group that would not only be able to compete with popular groups, but would also become a standard for them.

Selection of soloists

Since the task was not easy, the work progressed very slowly. The first composition of Viagra took a very long time to recruit. The first to join the group at that time was the TV presenter of the Biz-TV channel, whose general director was Dmitry Kostyuk. He invited the talented and smart girl to participate in the project, but she doubted it for a long time, as she preferred rock music. The interest to see what would come of this idea prevailed over doubts, and Vinnitskaya agreed.

Numerous castings did not produce results; the producers could not find those who would fit the group’s format one hundred percent. The first composition of “Viagra” - Alena Vinnitskaya and selected girls Marina Kashchin and Yulia Miroshnichenko - began work on the first compositions, but the result did not satisfy Konstantin Meladze and Dmitry Kostyuk, and they decided to close the project.

After some time, they returned to their unrealized dream and started all over again, only this time they began to be even more demanding of applicants for a place in VIA Gre.

Not a trio, but a duet

It was originally planned that VIA Gra would consist of three amazingly attractive and charming girls who could sing. Desperate to find suitable soloists, the producers thought about creating a solo project with Vinnitskaya. But Nadezhda Granovskaya became an unexpected discovery for them. The girl met all the requirements, the main one being a stunning sexy appearance. Thus, Viagra was finally formed.

The first line-up (photo above) did not last long, but did a lot.

“Attempt No. 5” was the name of the girls’ first song, which instantly made them incredibly popular - they literally woke up famous. This happened on the fourth of September 2000, the day after the premiere of the composition on the Biz-TV channel. The debut was awarded the “Golden Gramophone”, “Stopudovy Hit”, “Golden Firebird” and “Golden Weight” awards. The group's first album was released in 2001.

Many years have passed since then, and the soloists in the group often changed, but no one will argue with the fact that Alena Vinnitskaya and Nadezhda Granovskaya are the real, very first VIA Gra. By the way, are you wondering why the group was named that way? There are several versions.

Origin of the band's name

It turns out that the team was not named after the drug of the same name. According to one version, “VIA Gra” is a combination of the abbreviation “vocal-instrumental ensemble” and the word “gra” (in Russian - “game”).

According to another, the name consists of the first letters of the soloists' surnames. “VI” - Vinnitskaya and “GRA” - Granovskaya. "A" between them for readability.

However, the sexy appearance of the artists, members of the group, is more inclined to be associated with a well-known medical drug. In addition, the name is perceived the same way by ear.

Alena Vinnitskaya: facts from biography

It was with this girl that the history of the group began. She joined the first cast of VIA Gra, and to this day her name is associated with the team. Alena Vinnitskaya participated in the project of Meladze and Kostyuk for three years, after which she left the group and set off on a free voyage through the expanses of show business. Despite the fact that the artist already has eight solo albums and thousands of fans in Russia and Ukraine, critics call the VIA Gra period the most successful stage of her creative life.

Nadezhda Granovskaya: some facts from life

A young provincial girl, Nadezhda Meikher, who came from the outback to the capital of Ukraine, managed to get into the first lineup of the Viagra group. Names changed, soloists left, new ones came to replace them, but Nadezhda Granovskaya turned out to be the most frequent guest in the group. She left the group several times, then returned again. The reasons for this were different - pregnancy, conflicts within the team, etc. However, the door was always open for her at VIA Gre. Interesting fact is that before participating in the project, Nadezhda Granovskaya had no vocal experience at all. “VIA Gra” taught her to sing and turned her into a real star. Now she is a successful singer, actress and TV presenter.

In the history of science, there are often cases when great inventions were born not as a result of painstaking work, but by chance. This was the case with X-rays, which were accidentally discovered by Wilhelm Roentgen at the end of the 19th century and then named after him. The same thing happened with antibiotics, whose properties were accidentally discovered by Alexander Fleming. The invention of Viagra, the most famous drug for enhancing erections, turned out to be a very interesting story.

The history of the invention of Viagra is a matter of chance

It all started in 1992 in the UK. IN small town Pfizer Pfizer began conducting scientific experiments, the purpose of which was to establish the effect of sildenafil citrate on the heart muscle. This substance belongs to the type of selective phosphodiesterase inhibitors. Scientists believed that it would increase blood flow to the heart and thereby reduce blood pressure levels. That is, initially sildenafil was supposed to treat diseases of the cardiovascular system.

For the study, a group of men were recruited and given sildenafil tablets. However, the drug was disappointing: it had no effect on either the level of pressure or blood circulation in the heart. It seemed that all the efforts of the scientists ended in nothing, because money was invested in the experiment. But that was not all. Despite the fact that sildenafil did not live up to its promise, it was observed that many participants in the experiment refused to return the pills given to them. And some even asked to give them more sildenafil.

To the question of specialists from Pfizer, “Why else do you need pills?” The subjects admitted that after using them they got an erection.

This unusual fact greatly interested scientists. And then in 1993 they began conducting another study, during which it was proven that the use of sildenafil actually caused the occurrence and strengthening of erections. Realizing that a lot of money could be made from this drug, Pfizer conducted the most detailed studies of sildenafil for 3 years, during which all the properties of the substance were revealed. And in 1996, a new medicine appeared on its basis - Viagra. This year is the date of invention of Viagra.

Its name was formed by combining two words – Vigor (which means “strength” or “energy”) and Niagara (the largest waterfall in North America). Also in 1996, Viagra was patented. Thus, its main ingredient is the selective inhibitor sildenafil citrate. Once in the body, it increases the flow of blood into the male genital organ and thereby increases the effect of nitric oxide on the cavernous bodies. This leads to the appearance of an erection.

The date March 27, 1998 is a significant event in the world of pharmaceuticals. On this day, the Department of Medicines (USA) approved Viagra for sale. Its effectiveness was so high that in less than 1998, income from the sale of a new drug for the treatment of erectile dysfunction amounted to about $1 billion (with the drug costing $10 at the pharmacy). And in the same year, the inventors of Viagra F. Murad, R. Furchgott and L. Ignarro received the Nobel Prize for the invention of Viagra. Officially, it sounded like “for the discovery of the role of nitric oxide in the regulation of the cardiovascular system.” All experts unanimously recognized that Viagra is a qualitatively new drug for the treatment of weak erections.

Questions for doctors

People are always interested in drugs to stimulate potency. Here are some popular questions they ask doctors.

Question: What products did men use before the invention of Viagra?

Answer: Before drugs like Viagra appeared, increasing potency occurred with the use of drugs that were injected into the genital organ through injections, that is, injections, or through a catheter. They differed from Viagra in that they immediately caused an erection and were rather inconvenient because the man had to start having sex right away. Viagra has greatly simplified the use of products for potency. It became a real revolution in the world of products for intimate services.

Question: Is it true that Viagra was invented for shortness of breath?

Answer: No, that's not true. Scientists were creating a drug that was supposed to treat heart disease. As a result, it turned out that sildenafil, which was part of the tablets, strengthened the erection. After this, the production of a new drug under the new name Viagra was launched into widespread production.

Question: I heard that the Nobel Prize was awarded for the invention of Viagra. Tell me, is this true?

Answer: Yes it's true. The inventors of Viagra received this prestigious award in 1998 for discovering to the world (and discovering it by accident!) a completely new remedy for combating impotence.

Advantages of Viagra analogues

At first, only Pfizer had the right to manufacture Viagra. However, over time, the patent protection expired. After this, many companies began producing Viagra analogues. Analogues have the same main ingredient - sildenafil. The advantages of analogues are as follows:

1. Low price. This is due to the fact that significantly less money was spent on research into the action of analogues compared to the original Viagra;
2. High efficiency. Analogs are made on the basis of sildenafil, so their action does not differ from the original;
3. Analogues are very rarely counterfeited, and all because the cost of their production is low.

One of the best analogues is, which you can buy at an affordable price on our website.

“VIA GRA” – VARIABLE LIKE THE HEART OF A BEAUTIFUL WOMEN

Over more than a decade of existence, the group changed its composition, but did not change its idea. And it was to create something fundamentally new.

One can, of course, argue whether the idea of ​​putting together an all-female group of girls with fantastically sexy looks was such a new idea. Anyway, first appearance "VIA Gra" did not go unnoticed, popularity grew every day, and now no one doubts the success of the idea. A group with such a plan was simply doomed to success: the male half of the audience cannot help but admire the plasticity of perfect female bodies, but the female half has someone to look up to.

Attempt number two or number five?

Dmitry Kostyuk, the producer of the group, wanted to put together a female group, the participants of which should have a stunning sexy appearance to demonstrate shocking performances and, as KVN members like to joke, if these conditions are met, no one will pay attention to their vocal abilities. After the first casting, three girls were selected. We recorded the first song and even started filming a video. But the team did not work well and the team was disbanded. But the idea did not leave the producers.

After some time, “attempt number two” took place. This time the choice was made of two vocalists. They became and. Alena at that time worked at the television company Biz-TV, where Dmitry Kostyuk noticed her and invited her to participate in the team. When he and the second producer of the group, Konstantin Meladze, received a photo shoot of Nadezhda, they invited her to the casting, which confirmed that the girl met all the requirements. Before "VIA Gra" By the way, Granovskaya had no vocal experience.

The group received the name, which, as it turned out, means not only an allusion to a well-known drug. Although many believe that this is not an allusion, but the meaning of the name, because the group’s performance has no less effect on the male half of humanity than a well-known medical drug.

In fact, there are several versions explaining the name of the group. One of them: VIA is an abbreviation for “vocal-instrumental ensemble”, and “gra” is translated from Ukrainian as “game”. According to another version, the name is the initial letters of the vocalists’ surnames: “VI” - from “Vinnitskaya”, and “Gra” - from “Granovskaya”. Another version: “Gra” is the first letters of the words “Voice, Joy, Artistry.” The latest version is most likely far-fetched. The external image of sexy vocalists is more likely associated with pills that improve sexual potency in men. Probably everyone can decipher the name as they like.

First steps and immediate success

Nadya and Alena (2000)

So, the group was formed, the name was invented. The debut of the first video for the song “Attempt No. 5” took place on the Biz-TV channel in 2000. This date is considered the beginning of the creative activity of the team. The clip created a certain sensation, the group was not only noticed, they started talking about it as a new bright phenomenon on the domestic pop scene. A successful song with a corresponding video clip became an excellent application and even, in some way, the “calling card” of the group. Thus, with the song “Attempt No. 5”, on the second attempt the group hit the top of various music charts. The song was liked not only by listeners, but was also noticed by music critics and producers. At the end of the year, the group received several music awards for this song alone: ​​“Stopudovy Hit”, “Golden Gramophone”, “Golden Firebird”, and the video was awarded the “Golden Weight” award.

The debut video became the starting point on the path to popularity. Moreover, this song is still popular; the group regularly performs it during concert performances, reminding the audience of how it all began. The successful debut was followed by months of hard work. Following “Attempt No. 5,” the composition “Meet My Mom” was released. The filming of the video, however, was not completed. The plot of the video for the song “Hug Me” is in many ways similar to the plot of the unfinished video; the directors even used some fragments of the video for the song “Meet My Mom.”

The path to the top

Tatyana, Alena, Anna (2002)

For a whole year the group worked hard on their repertoire, and by the end of 2000 seven songs had already been recorded. And in December the debut first concert took place. The band's fame grew every day. Increasingly, they are welcome guests on various television shows; they are bombarded with offers to participate in national concerts. Two more videos delight fans - “I won’t come back” and “Bomb”. Every new song, album, video, appearance in a television program or on the pages of magazines (photographs of the group are carried out by “Playboy”, “Maxim”, “7 Days”) - contributes to the growing popularity of the group, which successfully tours throughout the country. The same time was marked by another event - the group was invited to take part in the filming of the musical.

The trio of Brezhnev, Granovskaya and Sedokova is often called the “golden line-up” by fans, because in this composition the group was more productive than ever. A video for the song “Don’t leave me, darling!” was released, followed by the second album, “Stop! Removed! In the summer, the video “Kill My Girlfriend” appears.

Having conquered the domestic stage, she is ready to show herself to the countries of Europe and Asia. The English-language video “Stop! Stop! Stop!”, as well as the band’s English-language album of the same name. The first release took place in Japan, where she performed in the capital with great success. And already in the fall of the same year the album “Biology” was released. Valery Meladze recorded together with "VIA Groy" compositions “Ocean and Three Rivers” and “There is No More Attraction”.

Diamond composition "VIA Gra"

Svetlana, Nadezhda, Vera (2004)

Quite unexpectedly, in May 2004, Anna Sedokova shocked not only fans, but also producers - she left the group due to her pregnancy. Producers are urgently looking for a replacement for Sedokova, this time the choice fell on Svetlana Loboda. Svetlana is a sexy and attractive girl, the owner of an unusual jazz voice with a range of 2.5 octaves. But for some reason the fans “didn’t accept” the replacement.

2004 was awarded the Muz-TV 2004 award. In the same year, the pan-European release of the album “Stop! Stop! Stop! The vocalists took part in the filming of another musical “Sorochinskaya Fair”. It should be noted that this musical gave birth to one of the group’s hits, “Oh, the clear water spoke.”

Nadezhda, Albina, Vera

The group maintained its popularity and was active on stage and in the studio. But dissatisfaction with Svetlana grew, conflicts arose between the vocalists, and as a result, the decision was made to part with Loboda. Instead, they took Albina Dzhanabaeva, who had already worked for a long time with Valery Meladze as a backing vocalist. Fans nicknamed this lineup “diamond” after the release of the video for the song “Diamonds.” Everyone loved the composition due to its lightness and jazz motif. The Diamond lineup recorded a collaboration with the popular Ukrainian rap team “TNMK”, “There is nothing worse than being like everyone else.”

In 2006, two vocalists at once, Vera Brezhneva and Nadezhda Granovskaya, announced their desire to leave the group. Brezhneva wanted to start a solo career, and Granovskaya decided to try something new. This statement caused confusion among the group's fans and took producers Konstantin Meladze and Dmitry Kostyuk by surprise.

Creative crisis or another line-up change

The departure of two soloists at once did not bode well. The producers had two options: close the project or try to find a replacement. Moreover, both options had their weak sides. What it means to close a well-promoted, extremely popular project is not worth explaining. But finding vocalists for the well-coordinated work of the team is also not an easy task. Fans have almost come to terms with the collapse of the team. Although rumors that the “farewell” to the group was only a successful PR move, they warmed the hope that the girls would still please with new songs and tours. But no one knew whether it would be a completely new line-up or whether some of the old ones would remain.

Christina Kots-Gottlieb joined the group instead of Granovskaya. With the new lineup, the group released a new lyrical song, “Deceive, but stay,” in which many listeners saw a parallel with the current events in the team. But the new format did not last long, the relationship between the soloists did not work out right away, and instead of Christina, the producers invited Olga Koryagina.

It seemed that the appearance of a new soloist would allow us to continue working calmly, and all the problems would be behind us. It looks as if the group had no plans to stop. continued to delight her fans with new releases and give concerts. In May 2006, a large solo concert took place in St. Petersburg, dedicated to the fifth anniversary of the group.

Meseda and Albina (2007)

Despite the confusion in the lineup, she recorded new songs: “L. M. L.”, which became a hit in the summer of 2006, “Bomb”, released in September, “Flower and Knife”, released in November. Moreover, the songs were recorded in two languages ​​- Russian and English, which predetermined the release of the second English-language album, the name of which coincided with the title of the song “L. M.L." This song by that time was already a real hit and was heard in all music programs, taking first place in music tops and chats. However, the second English-language album was not successful. According to the already established tradition, the group starred in the New Year's musical of Channel One, with the Russian version of the song “It’s raining man”.

Duet, trio, duet again

Meseda, Tatyana, Albina (2008)

But here, for a reason already familiar to the group - pregnancy, Olga Koryagina leaves the team. The producers allow her to leave the team without fulfilling obligations, but also without the opportunity to return. And after Koryagina, Vera Brezhneva still leaves the group. The next casting brought Meseda Bagaudinova into the group. The duo recorded the songs “Kisses” and “I’m Not Afraid.” The video for the latter was filmed at a time when the producers decided to return the trio format to the team. In the new video for the song “I'm not afraid” fans "VIA Gra" we saw the new soloist of the project - Tatyana Kotova.

The next year for the group was more productive than 2007. New songs and new successes appeared. Already in the summer, at the Muz-TV Awards, they were named “Best Pop Group of the Year,” and their video for the song “Kisses” won in the “Best Video” category. In the fall, the team shot the video “American Wife” for the soundtrack to the film “Hipsters,” released a third collection of songs, “Emancipation,” participated in a creative evening with Konstantin Meladze, and, of course, in New Year’s concerts.

"Old Love Never Rusts"

Tatyana, Nadezhda, Albina (2009)

Fans of the group are already accustomed to the fact that every year there are changes in the composition of the group. 2009 was no exception, but the change in composition surprised everyone - Nadezhda Granovskaya returned to the group. In this regard, Meseda Bagaudinova had to leave; there was no place for two brunettes on the same team. The girls immediately went on tour to the countries of Europe and North America with the program “My Emancipation”, and Meseda Bagaudinova was still on many posters.

A presentation of a new song called “Antigeisha” took place on Russian Radio. At the end of the video filmed for this composition, the group's lead singers played real anti-geishas: no chic outfits, no voluminous hairstyles - an unexpected image for the group. at the Russian Movie Awards 2009 they were presented with an award for best actor and received an award for best soundtrack - "American Wife", and 2009 - the group received a Golden Gramophone statuette for the song "Antigeisha".

In mid-March 2010, Tatyana Kotova left the group “for certain reasons.” Her place was taken by Eva Bushmina (Yana Shvets). The premiere of the new trio was the song “Get Out!” But already in 2011 it was announced that Nadezhda Meikher-Granovskaya was leaving the group, and Santa Dimopoulos would take her place.

The end of VIA Gra or the beginning of modern history?

Eva, Nadezhda, Albina (2010)

Since September 2012, the group again became a duet, consisting of Albina Dzhanabaeva and Eva Bushmina. And again rumors are swirling that the group is now really on the verge of collapse. Konstantin Meladze officially confirmed that Santa left the team due to “professional unsuitability.” He also stated that the group will soon record a new song and shoot a new video with a new lead singer. Who it will be is not yet known.

Thus, over the eleven years of its existence, the composition of the group changed more than ten times. And everything looks like this is not the last, or even the penultimate composition "VIA Gra". But one thing can be said with confidence: the group is a phenomenon in many respects. They have achieved enormous popularity, won many awards, and are still ready to conquer new heights, able to amaze and amaze with their songs. There are still a lot of plans and ideas in our creative plans, but for now we can safely say that we continue to successfully win the hearts of viewers and even listeners.

Santa, Eva, Albina (2011)

DATA

Song "Don't leave me, darling!" became one of the most significant singles in the group's history. It stayed on the charts for almost 7 months, becoming a mega-hit in 2003.

The “Emancipation” video is the most expensive that Alan Badoev has made in his entire directorial career. Newfangled erotic video went well "VIA Gre" almost $120,000 – “women’s emancipation” is expensive!

Abroad, the group cannot use its name due to the threat of a lawsuit from the manufacturer of the drug of the same name, so it performs under the name NU VIRGOS.

Eva and Albina (2012)

Almost all ex-soloists "VIA Gra" After leaving the group, they continued their career in show business. Vera Brezhneva can rightfully be considered the most successful. The song “Love will save the world” brought the singer unprecedented fame, and at the moment its popularity is even higher than the popularity of the group itself. Following Vera is Svetlana Loboda, a participant. Svetlana is already mega-popular in Ukraine and is now trying to break through to the top of Olympus in Russia. Alena Vinnitskaya is not far behind Vera and Svetlana, followed by Ana Sedokova.

Updated: April 13, 2019 by: Elena

History of creation

The first participant was Alena Vinnitskaya, who then worked as a presenter at Biz-TV. They picked up two more girls for her and filmed a test clip. But the result did not impress the producers, and they continued to search for new participants.

During a tour in Zhitomir, Valery Meladze met Nadezhda Granovskaya and recommended his brother to pay attention to her. The girl was approved immediately after the first viewing, and work began to boil. Initially, the group was supposed to be called “Silver”, but, looking at the sexy Nadya, the producers decided to call the group “VIA Gra”.

Another version says that the name of the group is made up of the names of the first line-up. “VI” is the first letters of the surname “Vinnitskaya”, “A” is from “Alena”, “Gra” is from Granovskaya. "Gra" can also mean "Voice, Joy, Artistry."

The main stages of creativity

VIA Gra – Attempt No. 5

On December 20, 2000, the first concert of the newly formed group took place in Dnepropetrovsk, which was a resounding success. Girls began to be invited to television and radio, and their performances were invariably accompanied by an enthusiastic reaction from the public. In the fall of 2001, the group’s first album, “Attempt No. 5,” was released and a contract was signed with Sony Music to record five more. Alena and Nadya starred in the New Year's musical for the Inter channel with the participation of leading show business stars, which further added to their popularity.

At the peak of success, Nadezhda unexpectedly found out that she was pregnant and decided to leave the group. This event came as a complete surprise to Kostyuk and Meladze. They urgently began to look for a similar participant, and soon Granovskaya’s place was taken by St. Petersburg model Tatyana Naynik. She lacked Nadya’s charisma and vocal abilities, so it was decided to strengthen the lineup with the young and charming Anya Sedokova, who had a beautiful voice and a luxurious figure. The public favorably accepted the video for the song “Stop. Stop. Stop" with new soloists, and the group successfully continued its existence.

However, six months later, Granovskaya, having barely recovered from giving birth, came to Meladze and tearfully asked to take her back. For some time they performed as a foursome, but later Naynik took up a solo career.

VIA Gra - Stop! Stop! Stop!

Soon it was Alena Vinnitskaya’s turn to leave the group. The girl was much older than the other participants and felt uncomfortable. And the singer’s husband, musician Sergei Bolshoi, was not happy with her participation in ViaGra.

Alena quickly found a replacement in the person of Dneprodzerzhinsk resident Vera Galushko, who was ready to do anything to escape poverty. In record time, the girl turned from a simple provincial girl into a luxurious, sexy beauty, capable of turning the head of any man. Vera came up with a sonorous pseudonym for Brezhnev and shot a video with her participation for the song “Don’t leave me, beloved,” which became an undisputed hit in 2003.

In the same year, the group’s second album “Stop! Filmed”, in support of which a grandiose tour was organized. The success of the album exceeded all the producers' expectations, and it was decided to go global. Having released the English version of the album “Stop! Stop! Stop!”, the group went on a tour of the countries of the East (Japan, China, Thailand, Hong Kong), which was a resounding success.

The group entered the Western market under the name “Nu Virgos” (which means “Naked Virgins”) in order to avoid lawsuits from the manufacturer of the drug “Viagra”.

Four months later, the girl left the group, and she was replaced by Valery Meladze’s protégé Albina Dzhanabaeva (as it turned out later, the mother of his illegitimate son Kostya). The girl was much inferior to the other participants in appearance and notorious sex appeal, but, having enlisted the support of Valery, she began to restore order in the group.

VIA Gra – Biology

In 2005, serious problems began in the team. His popularity sharply declined with Sedakova’s departure, and soon Vera and Nadya asked to be released. Konstantin Meladze did not interfere with them, and he himself was already thinking about closing the project.

Kostyuk still managed to persuade his colleague to continue working, and soon a real leapfrog of participants began. Over the next seven years, six soloists changed: Granovskaya was replaced first by Christina Kots-Gottlieb, then by Olga Koryagina, and finally by Meseda Bagaudinova. They were looking for a girl to replace Brezhneva for almost a year, all this time “VIA Gra” was a duet. Finally, in March 2008, singer Tatyana Kotova joined the group, then Granovskaya returned to the group to replace the departed Bagaudinova. In March 2010, Kotova’s place was taken by Eva Bushmina, and a year and a half later, Nadezhda, who again expressed a desire to leave the group, was replaced by Santa Dimopoulos.

After a year of being in the team, Santa got married. "VIA Gra" again turned into a duet. At the end of 2012, the group's producer announced the closure of the project. But, as it turned out, the news was a carefully planned PR campaign. Meladze, who by that time had already parted ways with Kostyuk, decided to recruit a completely new team. To do this, he organized the television show “I Want to Meladze,” in which former participants became mentors and jury members.

Winners of the show “I want to go to VIA Gro”

Three girls reached the finals - Misha Romanova, Erica Herceg and Nastya Kozhevnikova, who became the new “VIA Groy”. At first, the girls loudly announced themselves with the songs “Truce” and “I have someone else,” but over time, interest in them faded. They never managed to repeat the phenomenal success of the “golden” line-up of ViaGra, which shone on the stage in the mid-2000s.

Collaborations with other artists

• “I didn’t understand” – VIA Gra ft. Verka Serdiuchka
• “Ocean and Three Rivers” – VIA Gra ft. Valeriy Meladze
• “There is no more attraction” – VIA Gra ft. Valeriy Meladze
• “There is nothing worse” - VIA Gra ft. TNMK
• “I don’t want a man” – VIA Gra ft. TNMK
• “I got another one” – VIA Gra ft. Vakhtang
• “Oxygen” – VIA Gra ft. Mot

VIA Gra and Mot - Oxygen

Scandals

Discography

• Attempt No. 5 (2001)
• Stop! Cut! (2003)
• Stop! Stop! Stop! (2003)
• Biology (2003)
• L.M.L. (2007)

Group "VIA Gra" now

In September 2018, Anastasia Kozhevnikova left the group - her 5-year contract with Meladze expired, and shortly before that she married a businessman, who after the wedding decided to help Nastya with producing a solo project. She was replaced by a graduate of the “New Star Factory” Ulyana Sinetskaya. The group with its new lineup continues to tour and receive applause from the audience.