VIA Gra is one of the most popular women's groups in Ukraine. For more than 20 years, the group has been steadily afloat. The singers continue to release new tracks, delight fans with unsurpassed beauty and sexuality. A feature of the pop group is the frequent change of participants.
The group experienced periods of prosperity and creative crisis. Girls gathered stadiums of spectators. Over the years of its existence, the band has sold thousands of LPs. On the shelf of the awards of the VIA Gra group are: Golden Gramophone, Golden Disc and Muz-TV Prize.
The creative path and composition of the pop group
At the origins of the formation of the group is Ukrainian producer Dmitry Kostyuk. The group was formed in the early 2000s. Inspired by the activities of the Spice Girls and the Brilliant, Kostyuk decided to create a similar Ukrainian project. For the further development of the team, he invited Konstantin Meladze. Konstantin also took the place of the group's producer.
After the presentation of the debut LP, the producers received a complaint from the manufacturer of Viagra tablets. The case could have ended in court if Sony Music, on which the debut album was created, had not recorded the collection under the creative pseudonym Nu Virgos.
Charming Alena Vinnitskaya is the first girl to join the new group. Then the team was replenished by several more participants - Yulia Miroshnichenko and Marina Modina. The last two singers left the musical project before filming their debut video.
The producers continued to expand the line-up. The second official member of the pop group was Nadezhda Granovskaya. In this composition, they recorded their debut video clip.
In the early 2000s, the premiere of the track "Attempt No. 5" took place. In parallel with the presentation of the song, the premiere of the video for the presented song took place.
The presentation of the video clip took place on Dmitry Kostyuk's channel. The song caused a real culture shock in society. The track brought the girls their first popularity and became their hallmark. The single took a leading position in the country's music charts.
At the end of the year, the pop group's repertoire increased by seven tracks. Then the artists gave a concert in the Ice Palace complex (Dnipro). Video clips were filmed for several popular tracks.
Debut album presentation
The following year, the group signed with Sony Music Entertainment. They spent almost a whole year on tour. In the same year, the premiere of the debut LP took place. The release of the disc took place in one of the capital's clubs in Russia.
Two years after Granovskaya joined the line-up, it turned out that the singer was pregnant. Nadezhda was forced to go on maternity leave. For a while, she was replaced by Tatiana Nainik. Then the producers decided to expand the duet to a trio. Anna Sedokova joined the line-up.
Soon the trio presented to the fans of their work another hit “Stop! Stop! Stop!". The vocal parts in the song went to the new member Anna Sedokova. In the summer, the pop group took part in the Slavianski Bazaar festival.
In 2002, the girls shot a video for the track Good morning, dad!. The fans had another reason to rejoice.
The fact is that Nadezhda Granovskaya has finally returned to the group. The video was filmed with the participation of four girls. But after the presentation of the work, Tatiana Nainik left the team. Tanya slandered the producers and participants all over the country.
At the end of 2002, Alena announced that she intended to leave the group. The producers quickly found a replacement for her in the person of the charming Vera Brezhneva. Since 2003, Vinnitskaya has realized herself as a solo singer. But she never managed to achieve the success that she found in the VIA Gra group.
Soon, the singers replenished their repertoire with the lyrical musical composition "Don't leave me, my love!" and a clip for it. The main vocalist was Anna Sedokova, Granovskaya and Brezhneva were in the background.
Premiere of the album "Stop! Taken!” and "Biology"
In 2003, the discography of the pop group became richer by one more album. The trio presented a full-fledged LP “Stop! Taken!" Fans have purchased over half a million discs. As a result, thanks to the collection, the group received the Golden Disc award. In the spring of the same year, the premiere of the video "Kill my girlfriend" took place.
In 2003, the group recorded a joint track with Valery Meladze. The composition "Ocean and Three Rivers" topped the Russian radio chart and was very warmly received by the fans.
Then the group presented the disc "Biology". In support of the collection, the trio went on a long tour, which lasted a little less than six months. Thanks to this disc, the team received the Golden Disc award.
A year later, the trio pleased the fans with the release of the composition "There is no more attraction." According to polls published by Afisha and Billboard, the presented track has become the most popular song of the last 10 years.
Soon Anna Sedokova left the group. It turned out that the singer is expecting a baby. Anna's place was taken by a new participant - Svetlana Loboda. The producers realized late that they had made the wrong decision when they allowed Svetlana to become a member of the pop group.
Changes in the VIA Gra Group
Music critics said that the group would soon break up. Fans who attended concerts of their favorite band wanted to see Sedokova. Instead, they were forced to be content with the performance of Loboda. Kostyuk said: “The mistake cost us dearly. We have lost tens of millions of rubles.”
Soon Svetlana Loboda dropped out of the group. A new member, Alina Dzhanabaeva, joined the line-up. Fans were disappointed this time too. According to the "fans", Alina did not at all correspond to the sexual image of the group.
In 2005, the team lost another member - Vera Brezhneva. It turned out that she was badly injured and could not fully fulfill her contractual duties. The new clip "Diamonds" was filmed already in a duet. By that time, the band's contract with Sony Music was ending.
A year later, it became known that Nadezhda Granovskaya was no longer a member of the group. There were rumors that the producers would put an end to the activities of the VIA Gra group. But that did not happen. In 2006, a new member, Christina Kots-Gotlieb, joined the group. She spent a little time as part of the sexiest team in Ukraine. She quickly found a replacement in the person of Olga Koryagina. In the updated line-up, the singers recorded several tracks and clips.
In 2007, Koryagina left the group. Her place was taken by Meseda Bagaudinova. In the same year, Vera Brezhneva also left the team. Vera was replaced by Tatyana Kotova. In this line-up, the girls recorded the track My Emancipation.
In 2009, Nadezhda Granovskaya decided to return to the group. The producers felt that it was time for Meseda to leave the group, so they terminated her contract. In this composition, the group's repertoire was replenished with tracks: "Anti-geisha" and "Crazy". In the spring of the same year, it became known that Kotova said goodbye to the team. It turned out that she was forced to leave the group. Eva Bushmina became a new member of the project.
The decrease in the popularity of the group "VIA Gra"
In 2010, the team received the "Disappointment of the Year" award. And during this period of time there was a decrease in the popularity of the group. There was a lull in the VIA Gra team.
In 2011, journalists began to spread rumors that the group was breaking up. In the wake of a decrease in popularity, the team left Dmitry Kostyuk, who stood at the origins of its creation. Despite the rumors, in March the band performed an anniversary concert at the Crocus City Hall concert hall.
In the summer, the band members performed on the stage of the New Wave contest. Then the producer Konstantin Meladze officially denied the rumors about the collapse of the pop group. In autumn, it became known that Nadezhda was going on maternity leave for the second time. She was replaced by Santa Dimopoulos.
In this composition, the group presented a new composition to the fans. We are talking about the track "Hello, Mom." A video clip was also presented for the song.
The song did not receive the authority of the group, the girls were again awarded the "Disappointment of the Year" award. Most likely, the constant change of vocalists played a cruel joke against the band. In 2013, Meladze closed the project.
Project "I want V VIA Gro"
In the fall of 2013, the reality project “I Want V VIA Gru” began. Girls from the post-Soviet space could take part in the show. The mentors of the applicants were former members of the VIA Gra team.
The new members of the group included:
- Nastya Kozhevnikova;
- Misha Romanova;
- Erika Herceg.
- At the end of the show, the trio delighted the fans with the performance of the track “Truce”, which has long fallen in love.
In this composition, the team stayed until 2018. Romanova was the first to leave. The singer was replaced by a new participant Olga Meganskaya. A little later, Kozhevnikova left the group, and Ulyana Sinetskaya took her place. In 2020, Erica also left the group. Following the singer, Olga Meganskaya left the band.
Interesting facts about the group
- There are two versions of the birth of the name of the pop group. The first version: VIA - vocal and instrumental ensemble, GRA - in Ukrainian - game. Second: the team was named by combining the first letters of the names of the first participants: Vi - Vinnitskaya, A - Alena, Gra - Granovskaya.
- As of 2021, more than 15 soloists have changed in the team. Most of the girls, after participating in the group, started building a solo career.
- The peak of the band's popularity was when the trio was included: Granovskaya, Sedokova, Brezhnev.
- The producers planned that the team would be permanently listed as a trio. Several times the VIA Gra group was reduced to a duet.
- The video for the track "Biology" was once banned on the territory of the Republic of Belarus. He was too outspoken for the people of the country.
VIA Gra: in the present period of time
In 2020, the producer of the pop group introduced the new composition of the VIA Gra group. Meladze introduced the new members of the team to the Evening Urgant show. He introduced Ulyana Sinetskaya, already known to the public, as well as Ksenia Popova and Sofia Tarasova.
The premiere of the video "Ricochet" took place in 2021. In April of the same year, the VIA Gra group presented a new single to fans of their work. The composition was called "Spring Water", which was composed for the group by Konstantin Meladze.
