Stas Korolev is a popular Ukrainian singer, multi-instrumentalist, musician. He gained his first popularity as a member of the folk group YUKO.
In 2021, unexpectedly for fans, he announced the start of a solo career. The artist has already managed to release a mega-cool collection of tracks, which is “stuffed” with compositions in Russian and Ukrainian, and stylistically it refers to IC3PEAK и The Chemical Brothersand C, Stasik and Mikhail Fenichev.
Childhood and youth of Stanislav Korolev
His childhood years were spent in the small town of Avdeevka (Ukraine, Donetsk). In more mature interviews, Stanislav said that he was brought up in a primordially intelligent and loving family, but alas, this played a cruel joke on him. According to Korolev, he did not have situations in his family when he had to defend himself.
Stas Korolev was a beloved son. By the way, households rarely raised their voices at each other. When he went to kindergarten, and then to school, he had to learn to defend himself. And given the childish aggression that flourished in educational institutions, he had a hard time, to put it mildly.
There were no childish pranks. At the age of 11, Korolev, who loved to play with pyrotechnics, unsuccessfully blew up a firecracker. The fragment hit the organ of vision. Unfortunately, one of the guy's eyes had to be removed. The doctors gave Stas a “pretty” prosthesis.
Adolescent rejection of themselves from this period of time has become much worse. It seemed to Korolev that his classmates were laughing at his eye, but in fact the prosthesis looked so natural that it did not stand out against the background of a "normal" eye.
“In my childhood, bullying flourished. There were a few really torn dudes who teased me in every possible way because of my eye. Now I understand that I was not so worried because of the absence of an eye, but because others would find out about the prosthesis. I remember the moment: once my eye itched, and I rubbed it a little. The prosthesis turned over and began to strongly mow to the side. I was so worried that I quickly ran out of the classroom, ”says Stanislav.
As for the love of music, everything here is according to the “classics”. Korolev from childhood began to get involved in creativity. When, together with his parents, he came to visit friends who had a piano, it was impossible to drag him by the ears from the musical instrument.
During his school years, he often took part in creative activities. The conscious decision to pursue music came after he lost an eye. First, Stas asked his parents to enroll him in a music school in the guitar class, and then the piano.
The education of Stas Korolev
After receiving the matriculation certificate, Stanislav faced a difficult choice: he had to decide on his future profession. But, the parents came to the aid of their son. They independently chose a university for their son. So, he became a student of the National Technical University of Donetsk.
“My parents argued the choice by the fact that, having received a higher education, I would not become a simple worker at a factory. I have a disability, therefore, in any case, they will not let me go to a dangerous and difficult production. I had a choice: either legal, or economic, or computers. I chose computer technology for myself.”
As a student at a prestigious university, Korolev catches himself thinking that he is sorely lacking in music. He goes to a music school, gathers several musicians and organizes a number of concerts with them.
Stas Korolev, together with the cover band, re-sang the tracks of "Spleen". Somehow, recordings from the band's concerts spread across the network. Korolev's performance was seen by the frontman of Casus Belli. He invited the artist to become part of his team.
Korolev turned out to be the youngest member of the group, but this did not stop him. By the way, it was in this team that he first held an electric guitar in his hands. Stas gained invaluable experience on stage.
From that moment on, he stopped appearing at the university. Rehearsals, performances, composition of musical works - captured the artist. He godlessly skipped couples, but his parents did not even suspect that his son, to put it mildly, "scored" to study. He tried his best to remain calm.
The creative path of Stas Korolev
By the way, Stanislav did not have to work in the profession that he mastered at the university. He gained financial independence back in Casus Belli. It all started with the fact that the musicians began to perform in local institutions. He will never forget the first money. The team earned as much as 800 hryvnia. True, the "snack" did not work. The guys disposed of the finances competently - they put them aside in the general fund.
Stanislav lived with his parents until the age of 20, and when it came time to look for his “place in the sun”, he began to experience the first financial difficulties. Expenses far exceeded income. To feed himself, Korolev gives music lessons. He also earned as a street musician, and worked in a theme shop.
In 2013, something happened that he had been striving for so long. Stanislav "put together" his own project. The brainchild of the artist was named Widiwava. This team really brought Korolev some fame. The musicians made a living by touring a lot.
Then he moved to the capital of Russia to his girlfriend. In the Russian Federation, he continued to tour and perform a lot. Stas found venues for performances, negotiated with the organizers and delighted the "fans" with really cool concert numbers.
Stas Korolev in the project "Voice of the Country"
Next, he was waiting for an audition in one of the highest-rated music shows in Ukraine "Voice of the Country". Just during this period of time, he returned to Ukraine to skate the tour.
Having got to the audition, Stas was dissatisfied with the result of his performance. The number seemed frankly "rotten" to him. He did not count on being called to live broadcasts.
But, in the end, the organizers of the musical reality show contacted Korolev and offered to perform directly on the air. He gave a positive answer.
On the "Voice" he came under guardianship Ivan Dorn. He invited him to create a duet with another participant in the project - Yulia Yurina. Korolev liked Dorn's proposal - he had just broken up with the girl, and was set on fire with the desire to return to his historical homeland. Actually, this is how the YUKO group appeared.
Stanislav put an end to the guitar and sat down at the synthesizer. Ivan signed the guys to his label "Workshop". Thus began a completely different part of the creative biography of Korolev.
The activities of Stas Korolev in the folk group YUKO
Stas and Yulia worked hard to finally please the fans of their work with the premiere of the Ditch LP. The tracklist of the collection includes 9 songs. Each of the presented pieces of music stood out not only with strong lyrics, but also with the manner of tunes that Yulia learned from different Ukrainian cities.
Then the team appeared in the project "Top Model in Ukrainian" (season 2). On air, the duo presented several tracks from their debut album. The performance of Stas and Yulia significantly increased the fan base.
The guys did not ignore various music festivals. So, in 2017, the group gathered a crowd of thousands at the capital's open air. A year later, the group's discography was replenished with the second studio album. We are talking about the record Dura?. Traditionally, the collection was headed by 9 compositions. Each song included in the collection is a unique story of a woman who is trying to resist social stereotypes. Experts noted the importance of the topic that the musicians touched on in the Dura? album.
In early February 2019, the first semi-final of the National Selection for the Eurovision Song Contest 2019 was broadcast live on several Ukrainian TV channels. Yuko managed to reach the semi-finals. She made big bets on the guys. But, in the end, the first place was taken by go-a.
A year later, the guys presented the tracks: “Psycho”, “Winter”, “You Can, Yes You Can”, YARYNO. Fans did not even suspect that already at this stage the artists had burned out and were thinking of disbanding the team.
The dissolution of the Yuko group
Julia and Stas Korolev in the last few years of the duo's existence simply ceased to understand each other. Everything has escalated during the pandemic. Artists have different values. They could not agree and find a "golden mean".
Julia became the initiator of the breakup of the group. The artist even said that Stanislav "tyrannized" her. Korolev does not deny this, but at the same time insists that the mood in the team is the responsibility of two people at once.
Stas Korolev: details of the artist's personal life
Since 2019, he has been in a relationship with a charming girl named Anastasia Vesna. At that time, she worked with Yuko as a live VJ and editing director. Soon the guys began to live under the same roof. The couple looked just happy. From the side it was obvious that they were on the same “wave”.
A year later, the relationship gave the first serious crack. The pandemic left its mark on the concert activity of Stas Korolev. Most likely, the guys did not take out the problems. But, Spring kept "well done" in contrast to her lover.
The artist was covered with depression. He used weed daily. It would seem that a harmless, light drug made him addicted. He began to move away from Nastya. All the time he spent smoking and thinking about the "great". When the money ran out, the sale of expensive musical equipment began. Spring could not stand it - and went to live with her mother.
But, soon he persuaded Nastya to meet again and drink a cup of coffee. Stanislav literally begged Vesna not to put an end to the relationship. Anastasia agreed, but asked the young man to take a course with a psychotherapist. She was sure that the man was an abuser and had an unhealthy interest in marijuana.
Reference: An abuser is a person who commits physical, psychological or economic violence against his victim. It can be anyone: a close relative, a colleague at work, a friend.
At first, Stas refused, but in order to save love, he decided and turned to a specialist. The result was simply "amazing". A couple of months later, the man proposed to Nastya a marriage proposal, and she agreed to marry him.
For this period of time (2021), Nastya is the art director of the solo project of Stas Korolev. By the way, the singer really hopes that someday Anastasia will fully realize her creative potential.
Interesting facts about Stas Korolev
- If not for music, then he could become a popularizer of science (according to the artist).
- He says he lives a happy life as he has chosen to pursue a career as a musician and singer.
- After giving up weed, he faced serious problems: irritation and mental instability. Today, he advocates for the decriminalization of cannabis.
- Despite the fact that for some time Stanislav lived in Moscow, today he has a clear position - not to perform in Russia.
Stas Korolev: our days
In 2021 Stanislav started his solo career. In addition, this year the premiere of the LP "O_kh" took place. The album received positive reviews from music critics. For example, the publication "RUM" called the disc, we quote: "the brightest record of 2021", "ironic and autobiographical" "illusion album", which "makes you think about the text."
“Since the presentation of the debut solo album, people still write to me that this record is about them. In my heart, I can't help but rejoice in the fact that I'm not alone. I will not hide the fact that I went crazy with the fact that many are united by such problems as: weed, procrastination, abuse. I come to the conclusion that we are all a little traumatized ... ”the artist comments.
Then he went on tour with the O_x live 2021 program. Fans from Kharkov, Kherson, Vinnitsa, Mariupol, Konstantinovka, Kyiv and Dnipro met him with open arms. In November, an unexpected post appeared on social networks: “We are looking forward to re-renaming for the Oxy album - O_x remix.” Judging by the comments of "fans", the collection will be as successful as the solo debut LP.
