Oleg Skrypka

Hello, dear readers! Today I want to tell you about the biography of Oleh Skrypka, a famous musician, vocalist, composer, and leader of the Vopli Vidoplyasova band. Oleh Skrypka was born on May 24, 1964, in the village of Gafurov, Tajikistan, where his parents moved from Ukraine. Since childhood, he loved music, sang, played the accordion and trumpet. His work combines folk music, jazz, rock and roll, punk rock and hard rock. He is also an actor, poet, restaurateur, entrepreneur, and public figure. If you want to know more about his life and career, read on.

Childhood and family

Oleg Skrypka was born into a family of Ukrainian immigrants who worked in Tajikistan. His mother, Anna Oleksiivna, was from Kursk Oblast, and his father, Yurii Pavlovych, was from Poltava Oblast. They were engineers and loved music. Oleg had an older brother, Oleksandr, who also played the accordion. Oleh grew up in a musical atmosphere, listening to the radio, records, learning to sing and play various instruments. In 1972, his family moved to Kirovsk, Murmansk Oblast, Russia, where he finished school. At school, he excelled in math and physics, especially in math and physics. He also entered the correspondence school of the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology and graduated with honors.

Oleg Skrypka was married to a Frenchwoman Marie Ribot in the 90s, when he was living in Europe.

 

Currently, Oleh Skrypka is married to Natalia Syd. They have been married since 1997 and have four children together.

They have four children. Two sons are Roman, 18, and Ustym, 16. He also has two daughters: 13-year-old Olesia and 11-year-old Zoryana.

Education

In 1981, Oleh Skrypka entered the Kyiv Polytechnic Institute, Faculty of Radio Engineering. There he met his future friends and colleagues in the band Vopli Vidoplyasova: Yurii Zdorenko, Oleksii Horbunov, Serhii Sakhno, and others. They played together at student parties, improvising songs based on Ukrainian and Russian folk motifs. In 1986, Oleg graduated with honors and received a degree in radio engineering. After graduation, he worked at the Kvant plant, where he manufactured electronic equipment.

Career

In 1986, Oleh Skrypka and his friends founded Vopli Vidoplyasova, which became one of the first Ukrainian rock bands. The band’s name comes from a fictional character who performed folk songs with his own dances. The band played energetic and experimental music, combining different styles: folk music, jazz, rock and roll, punk rock, and hard rock. They also used non-standard instruments such as accordion, trumpet, harmonica, spoons, and barrels. The band quickly became popular among students, performing at various festivals, competitions, and clubs. In 1987, the band became a member of the Kyiv Rock Club, won the first prize at the Kyiv Rock Parade Rock Festival, and released their first hit song “Dances”. In 1990, the band toured France and Switzerland, during which an article about VV was published in one of the largest French newspapers, Le Monde. In 1991, the musician and the band moved to France, where they lived and toured until 1996. There, they released their first CDs: live recordings of their performances “Either or” (1991) and “Zakustika” (1993). In 1996, Skrypka returned to Kyiv and continued his career in Ukraine. He also began a solo career, releasing the albums Starry Night (1997), Dreamland (2000), Feast of Heavenly Trumpeters (2002), My Destiny (2004), Living Water (2007), A Country unto Itself (2010), and Oh, Whose Horse Is That (2013). He was also engaged in various types of creativity and activities. He participated in several films, such as Mamai (2003), Orange Revolution (2007), Ivan Syla (2013). He also wrote poetry, which he later published in the collections “Violin. Poetry” (2004), “Violin. Poetry. Part Two” (2008), “Violin. Poetry. Part Three” (2012). He was also engaged in the restaurant business, opening establishments with Ukrainian cuisine and culture, such as Krayina Mriy (2000), Shynok (2003), Koza (2006), Korchma (2009). He was also an active public figure, supporting the Ukrainian language, culture, history, independence and European integration. He took part in various actions, festivals, concerts, and rallies, including during the Revolution on Granite, the Orange Revolution, and the Revolution of Dignity. He also served as a cultural advisor to Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko from 2014 to 2015.

The singer is currently in Europe, where he is giving charity concerts in support of Ukraine and its army. He also continues his creative work, preparing new projects and songs. He recently released a new single, “My Country,” which became an anthem of Ukrainian patriotism. He also participates in various events, festivals, and interviews where he expresses his opinion on the situation in Ukraine and the world. Oleg Skrypka remains an active, energetic and inspired artist who loves his country and his audience.

Achievements

Oleh Skrypka is one of the most prominent and influential Ukrainian artists who has made Ukrainian music, language and identity famous around the world. He is the author of many hits, such as “Tantsi”, “Vesna”, “Galilee”, “Dnіdnya”, “Krayina Mriy”, “Chaika”, “Oh, Whose Horse Is That” and others. He is also the recipient of many awards and honors, such as:

• Honored Artist of Ukraine (2005)
• Chevalier of the Order of Merit of France (2006)
• Order of Merit, III class (2006)
• Taras Shevchenko National Prize (2008)
• Triumph Award (2008)
• Man of the Year Award (2009)
• Golden Firebird Award (2010)
• Angel of the Year Award (2013)
• Golden Ducat Award (2014)
• The Hero of Ukraine Award (2015)

Conclusion

In conclusion, I would like to quote a few words from Oleh Skrypka that reflect his views on life:

• “Music is a language you can speak to the whole world”
• “Ukraine is not a territory, but a state of mind”
• “I don’t want to be a star, I want to be the sun”