Laima Vaikule is a Russian singer, composer, musician and producer.
The performer acted on the Russian stage as a messenger of the pro-Western style of presenting musical compositions and manners of dressing.
The deep and sensual voice of Vaikule, the full devotion of herself on stage, the refined movements and silhouette - this is exactly what Laima remembered the fans of her work most of all.
And if now her image can be accepted and demonstrated to a multimillion-dollar public, then in the early 80s, politicians considered Vaikule herself to be a "mishandled Cossack" from the United States.
Laima Vaikule is still shocking.
She has a peculiar disposition. It can say a kind word, or it can flash a “sharp” tongue. Lyme herself admits that she does not care about the criticism and gossip of the yellow press. She knows what she's worth.
Childhood and youth of Laima Vaikule
Laima Vaikules is the real name, once a Soviet, and today a Russian singer. Little lime was born back in 1954 in the Latvian town of Cesis. The girl was brought up in an ordinary average family.
Lima's father and mother had nothing to do with music or creativity.
Father Stanislav Vaikulis is a worker, and mother Yanina worked first as a seller, and then as a store director.
Only the grandmother of little Lima had something to do with Lima. Grandmother was in the church choir.
At the age of three, Vaikule moved from a provincial town to Riga, along with her parents. There, she lived with her mother and father in a one-room apartment.
It should be noted that the Vaikules family was not limited to father, mother and little Lima. Parents raised 2 more daughters and one son.
In Riga, the girl attended a regular school. At the age of 12, she performed on the big stage for the first time. Before performing on stage, the girl delighted her family and guests with her singing.
Dad and mom were very proud of their daughter, and had high hopes for her, because they lived quite modestly.
Little Laima Vaikule won the first serious victory in the House of Culture of the VEF Riga plant. The future star received a diploma - the first award for talent. This day is considered the start of the creative biography of Laima Vaikule.
Lyme shared her memories with reporters. She says she never dreamed of becoming an artist. She really wanted to become a doctor.
After the 8th grade, Vaikule enters a medical college. Gradually, her plans for life begin to change.
Then Lyme will comment "I did not choose the music, it was she who chose me." Then the young Vaikule was literally lured by the scene.
At the age of 15, she successfully passed the competition, and later became a soloist with the Riga Radio and Television Orchestra. At that time, the great Raimonds Pauls directed the Riga Orchestra.
Since 1979, the singer has performed under the "wing" of "Juras Perle" ("Sea Pearl") in Jurmala. At the beginning of her career, Vaikule performed songs in a dance orchestra, but then became a soloist.
Lyme gave herself a clear set to get a higher education, because she understood that without it there was nothing to do in the art world.
In 1984, Vaikule became a student of GITIS. She entered the directing department.
The beginning and peak of Laima Vaikule's musical career
During the period of study at a higher educational institution, Ilya Reznik notices a talented student. Ilya was able to discern in the aspiring singer, the performer of the composition “Night Bonfire” written by him.
Reznik invites Laima to perform a musical composition. She agrees. First, the track was played on the radio, and then in the musical program "Song-86".
In the same 1986, Vaikule appeared on stage with the then already famous Valery Leontiev. The singer performed the song "Vernissage".
The presented musical composition was written by Ilya Reznik, and the music belongs to Raimonds Pauls.
After performing the song "Vernissage" Lyme woke up famous. Photos of the singer flaunted on all the covers of magazines. A year later, Vaikule secured the status of a popular singer by performing the song "It's not over yet."
The singer offered her own interpretation of the song, which could not but catch the ears of music lovers.
The creative union of Vaikule, Pauls and Reznik was very productive. A team of creative people gave Soviet listeners such hits as "I Pray for You" and "Fiddler on the Roof", "Charlie" and "Business Woman".
In addition, the singer also sang the composition “Yellow Leaves”, the lyrics for which were written by the former Latvian ambassador to Russia, the poet Janis Peters.
At the same time, Lyme began to appear on stage in original stage costumes, which were so similar to Western ones. This could not but draw additional attention to her person.
But the real recognition of the singer's talent came in the winter of 1987, after participating in the author's evening of Raymond Pauls at the Rossiya State Central Concert Hall. Young Lyme worked tirelessly.
She was still studying at the institute, but meanwhile she prepared a large solo program for her fans. The concert took place at the Rossiya State Central Concert Hall in the late 80s.
In 1989, Vaikule first visited the territory of the United States of America. The Russian singer was invited to the USA by American producer Sten Cornelius.
It took the performer 7 months to record an album. In the same period of time, Lyme signed a contract with the record company MCA - GRP.
At the same time, the Americans made a film about Laima Vaikul. The biographical picture is dedicated to the creative life of the Soviet performer at that time.
In the United States of America, the singer received the title of Russian Madonna.
Lyme herself was skeptical about such a nickname. Firstly, they believe that her work and the work of Madonna are a priori different levels. Secondly, she is an individual, and therefore she does not need comparisons.
Laima Vaikule continues to record musical compositions with other Soviet stars. So, she managed to perform in a duet with Bogdan Titomir.
The musicians recorded the track "Feelings". The presentation of the musical composition did not make any special impression on the music lovers.
However, 20 years later, the fans asked Titomir and Lima to make a video clip. The artists fulfilled the request of the fans, and hit the bull's-eye with their video!
The singer's discography is a real treasure. During her creative career, Laima Vaikule recorded about a dozen albums. 20 million records were sold in the CIS countries, Europe and the United States of America.
The Russian singer is a frequent guest of the New Wave music competition, which took place in Jurmala from 2002 to 2014. The singer was invited to the jury of the KVN festival "Voicing KiViN". But especially the fans liked the performance of Laima and Boris Moiseev.
The singers presented the clip "Baltic Romance" to music lovers. The video clip has become one of the top compositions of the music channels of the CIS countries.
It is known that at the very rise of his career, Vaikule was diagnosed with cancer. This was a huge shock and tragedy for the singer. The singer's tumor was successfully removed.
Immediately after this event, Laime terminated all contracts and flew to her homeland.
After leaving the United States, Lyme did not return to the USSR. The Soviet Union was no more. Behind the singer's back they whispered that she was a Western agent. But, Vaikule steadfastly withstood all the blows that life presented her.
Soon Laima Vaikule gave an interview to Oksana Pushkina. This interview was a revelation for Vaikule.
The singer spoke about how she was diagnosed with a tumor, and what she had to endure during this difficult period of her life.
Laima Vaikule said that now she looks at many things in a completely different way. At the end, the singer expressed the opinion that she realized what the old people were talking about.
Laima Vaikule, after an experienced illness, increasingly began to turn to religion.
On the eve of 2015, the singer organizes the Rendezvous International Festival. This event was attended by her acquaintances and friends, stars of the national scene, famous politicians and showmen.
Vaikule is a vegetarian. She spoke about this to reporters more than once. She does not eat meat for aesthetic reasons.
In addition, she is an ardent opponent of fur coats and the use of animals in circus performances.
Fans adore Lima not only for her beautiful voice. Her appearance on stage in original outfits literally captivates the eye from the first seconds.
Interestingly, unlike many, Vaikule does not hide his age. Natural thinness does not add, but on the contrary, reduces her age.
Laima Vaikule now
In 2018, Laima Vaikule traditionally held the next Rendezvous music festival.
This event at the Dzintari festival venue was hosted by the popular presenters Intars Busulis, who is known in Russia, and Janis Stibelis, a participant in the national Eurovision preselection.
After the music festival, Laima Vaikule went on tour across Ukraine.
In addition to her brilliant performances, the singer held a long conference with Ukrainian journalists. At the conference, the singer expressed her opinion regarding the current political situation in the country.
After this interview, a flurry of negative comments hit the singer.
Laima Vaikule continues touring in 2019.
The singer does not forget about the rest. The fact that the singer likes to have a good rest is evidenced by her instagram. Laima Vaikule is an active resident of social networks. The singer publishes the latest news there
