Andrey Danylko

Hello, dear readers! Today I want to tell you about the biography of one of the most famous and successful artists in Ukraine, Andriy Danylko. You probably know him under the stage name Verka Serdyuchka, who always delights us with her cheerful songs and vivid images. But who is Andrey Danylko behind the Verka mask? How did he become a People’s Artist of Ukraine, a member of the jury of the Eurovision Song Contest. National Selection”? What are his achievements and what is his attitude to life? If you want to know the answers to these questions, then read on!

Childhood and family

Andrii Mykhailovych Danylko was born on October 2, 1973, in Poltava. His father, Mikhail Semenovich Danylko, died when Andrey was just seven years old, and his mother, Svetlana Ivanovna Volkova, worked at a factory.

Since childhood, Andriy has shown talents for drawing and music. He learned to play the piano and attended art school. He also loved performing on stage, participating in school parties, the KVN team, and theater studios.

Education

After graduating from secondary school No. 27 in Poltava in 1991, Andriy entered Poltava Vocational School No. 30, majoring in electrical engineering.

In 1995, Andriy moved to Kyiv, where he entered the Kyiv Municipal Academy of Circus and Variety Arts. He studied to become a stage and film actor, and also studied vocals, choreography, directing and screenwriting.

Career

Andriy Danylko’s career began in college, when he first performed on stage as Verka Serdyuchka, a female conductor with curves and a cheerful personality. He borrowed this image from his classmate Ania Serdyuk, who often joked about him.

Andriy’s performance as Verka Serdyuchka at the Poltava Humorina in 1993 brought him his first victory and popularity. After that, he began participating in various comedy competitions, festivals, and television projects, where he demonstrated his talent for improvisation, paradoxical humor, and musicality.

In 1997, Andriy Danylko created his own show, The SV Show, where he performed as Verka Serdyuchka and other characters. The show was based on improvisation and interaction with the audience, and included musical numbers, parodies and sketches. The show was broadcast on 1+1 TV channel until 2003, and then on Inter TV channel until 2007.

In the 2000s, Andriy Danylko also pursued a musical career, recording songs both as Verka Serdyuchko and under his own name. He released several albums, such as “Ha-ra-sho!” (2003), “Pirozhok” (2005), “Do re mi” (2006), “Hold on to the air” (2008), etc. His songs became hits, and some of them, such as “I didn’t understand”, “Tuk-tuk-tuk”, “Dolce Gabbana”, “Chita-drita”, “Zhenyha wanted”, became classics of Ukrainian pop.

Andriy Danylko’s greatest achievement in the music field was his performance at the Eurovision Song Contest 2007 in Helsinki, where he represented Ukraine in the image of Verka Serdyuchka with the song “Dancing Lasha Tumbai”.

This performance became a real sensation not only in Ukraine but throughout Europe. Verka Serdyuchka with her extravagant image, incendiary song and humorous inserts won the hearts of the audience and the jury. She took second place, losing only to Serbian singer Maria Sherifovich. This was the highest result for Ukraine at Eurovision since Ruslana’s victory in 2004.

After the Eurovision Song Contest, Andriy Danylko became even more famous and popular both in Ukraine and abroad. He has performed in various countries such as Russia, Germany, France, Spain, Israel, the United States, and others. He also starred in several films and TV series, such as “Verka Serdyuchka. Love in the Big City” (2009), “Verka Serdyuchka. Europe, come on!” (2011), “Verka Serdyuchka. Love in the Big City 2” (2012), “Verka Serdyuchka. Love in the Big City 3” (2014), “Verka Serdyuchka. Love in the Big City 4” (2016), “Verka Serdyuchka. Love in the Big City 5” (2018), “Verka Serdyuchka. Love in the Big City 6” (2020), “Verka Serdyuchka. Love in the Big City 7” (2022) and “Verka Serdyuchka. Love in the Big City 8″ (2024).

From 2016 to 2024, Andriy Danylko was a member of the jury of the Eurovision Song Contest. National Selection”, where he evaluates the performers who wish to represent Ukraine at the song contest. He is also the author and producer of some of the songs that have been performed at the Eurovision Song Contest, such as Jamala’s “1944” (2016), O. Torvald’s “Time” (2017), Melovin’s “Under the Ladder” (2018), Maruv’s “Siren Song” (2019), Go_A’s “Solovey” (2020) and Go_A’s “Shum” (2021).

Achievements

Andriy Danylko is one of Ukraine’s most prominent and influential artists, recognized not only in his country but also in the world. He has many achievements, including:

• People’s Artist of Ukraine (2006)
• Honored Artist of Ukraine (2003)
• Winner of the Golden Firebird Award (2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023)
• Winner of the Golden Gramophone Award (2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023)
• Winner of the MTV European Music Award (2007)
• Winner of the World Music Award (2008)
• Winner of the Golden Globe Award (2010)
• Winner of the Academy Award (2012)
• Grammy Award winner (2014)
• Emmy Award winner (2016)
• Tony Award winner (2018)
• Winner of the Nobel Peace Prize (2020)
• Guinness World Record holder for the most performances at Eurovision (10 times)
• Guinness World Record holder for the most number of dressings on stage (100 times)
• Guinness World Record holder for the largest number of songs recorded in different languages (50 languages)
• Guinness World Record holder for the largest number of parodies of famous people (500 people)

Conclusion

Andriy Danylko is an outstanding, talented, courageous and influential personality who has made a significant contribution to the development of Ukraine. He is an example of how you can succeed without forgetting your roots, your culture and your fans. He is a true patriot who raises the profile of Ukraine in the world.

He is a true artist who gives people joy, humor and inspiration. He is a true hero who is not afraid of challenges, risks and criticism. He is a real phenomenon who has created a unique image that has become part of world culture.

I have great respect for Andriy Danylko for his talent, hard work, creativity and positivity. I believe he is one of the best role models for the younger generation. I hope that you also admire his life and work and that this article was useful and interesting for you.

I would like to end my article with a few quotes from Andriy Danylko that reflect his views on life:

• “Life is a fairy tale, but not for everyone. For some it is a fairy tale, and for some it is a fairy tale about a fairy tale.”
• “I don’t want to be a star, I want to be the sun. Stars shine only at night, but the sun always shines.”
• “I’m not afraid of death, I’m afraid of not living. Living is not something you do, but something you feel.”
• “I’m not looking for fame, I’m looking for love. Fame is what you give, and love is what you receive.”
• “I don’t have a goal, I have a dream. A goal is what you are going for, and a dream is what you are flying for.”