Biography
Who is Grigory Leps?
Early life and background
Grigory Leps was born in the city of Sochi, Russia. His birth name is Grigory Viktorovich Lepsveridze. He comes from an ethnically Georgian family. During his youth, he attended music school where he studied percussion instruments.
After completing his military service, he began performing in various rock bands. He also worked as a singer in restaurants before moving to Moscow to further his musical career. This move marked a significant shift in his life as he sought to move away from struggles with drug addiction and alcoholism.
Rise to fame and musical style
In 1995, he secured a record deal and released his debut album titled Khrani vas Bog. The track Natali became a major hit, though he was largely unaware of its success at the time due to being hospitalized. His second album, Tselaya zhizn, followed in 1997 and featured songs such as Chizhik and Gololed.
His musical style has evolved significantly over the decades. He began his career focusing on Russian chanson, but later shifted toward rock music. By the time he released the album On Strings of Rain in 2002, he was well known for the hit Rumka vodki na stole. His work often utilizes his wide vocal range and distinctive low, growling delivery.
Career highlights and discography
Throughout his career, he has produced numerous studio albums and compilations. In 2004, he released a cover album of Vladimir Vysotsky songs titled Parus. This project performed well on sales charts and included a music video for the title track. He continued to release successful albums like V tsentre zemli in 2006 and Waterfall in 2009.
His discography is extensive and includes titles like Gangster No.1, released in 2014, and Podmena ponyaty, released in 2021. He has also collaborated with many artists, such as Timati, Ani Lorak, and Valery Meladze. In 2022, he was officially recognized as a People's Artist of the Russian Federation.
Public appearances and controversy
Grigory Leps has performed at major state events, including rallies in Moscow in 2022 and 2023. His support for government policies has led to consequences abroad. In 2023, concerts in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan were canceled following public pressure regarding his stance on the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Also, the European Union imposed sanctions on him in December 2022.
Earlier in his career, he faced legal scrutiny in the United States. In 2013, the US Department of the Treasury blacklisted him due to alleged links with a Eurasian criminal organization known as the Brothers' Circle. He was accused of acting as a money courier for the group.
Birthday and age
Grigory Leps was born on July 16, 1962, which makes Grigory 64 years old today. That birthday falls under the Cancer sign. Grigory shares the date with 32 other famous people.
Explore more
