“VIA GRA” – VARIABLE AS THE HEART OF BEAUTY
For more than a decade of the existence of the VIA Gra group, it has changed its composition, but has not changed its idea. And it was to create something fundamentally new.
One can argue, of course, whether the idea of putting together a female group of girls with fantastically sexy looks was such a new idea. In any case, the first appearance of VIA Gra did not go unnoticed, popularity grew every day, and now no one doubts the success of the idea. A group with such an idea was simply doomed to success: the male half of the audience can not help but admire the plasticity of perfect female bodies, but the female half has someone to look up to.
Trying number two or number five?
Dmitry Kostyuk, the producer of the collective, wanted to assemble a female group, whose members must have a stunning sexual appearance to demonstrate shocking performances and, as KVN-schiki like to joke, when these conditions are met, no one will pay attention to vocal data. After the first casting, three girls were selected. We recorded the first song and even started shooting the video. But the coordinated work of the team did not work and the composition was dissolved. But the idea did not leave the producers.
After a while, “attempt number two” took place. This time the choice was limited to two vocalists. They became Alena Vinnitskaya and Nadezhda Granovskaya. Alena at that time worked at the Biz-TV television company, where Dmitry Kostyuk noticed her and invited her to participate in the team. When he and the second producer of the group Konstantin Meladze received a photo shoot of Nadezhda, they invited her to a casting, which confirmed that the girl meets all the requirements. Before VIA Gra, by the way, Granovskaya had no vocal experience.
producer Dmitry Kostyuk Dmitry Kostyuk
The group was called “VIA Gra”, which, as it turned out, means not only an allusion with a well-known drug. Although many believe that this is not an allusion, but the meaning of the name, because the performance of the group has no less effect on the male half of humanity than the well-known medical drug.
In fact, there are several versions that explain the name of the group. One of them: VIA is the abbreviation for “vocal and instrumental ensemble”, and “gra” in translation from Ukrainian as “game”. According to another version, the name is the initial letters of the names of the vocalists: “VI” – from “Vinnitsa”, and “Gra” – from “Granovskaya”. Another version: “Gra” is the first letters of the words “Voice, Joy, Artistry”. The latest version is most likely far-fetched. The external image of sexy vocalists is associated more with pills that improve sexual potency in men. Probably, everyone can decipher the name as he likes best.
First steps and immediate success
So, the group was formed, the name was invented. The debut of the first video for the song “Attempt No. 5” took place on the Biz-TV channel on September 3, 2000. This date is considered the beginning of the creative activity of the team. The clip made a certain sensation; the group was not only noticed, they talked about it as a new bright phenomenon on the domestic pop scene. A successful song with the corresponding video clip has become an excellent application and even somewhat “visiting card” of the team. So, with the song “Attempt No. 5”, on the second attempt, the group got into the tops of various musical charts. The song was liked not only by the listeners, but was also noticed by music critics and producers. At the end of the year, only for this song the group received several music awards: Stopudovy hit, Golden Gramophone, Golden Firebird, and the video was awarded the Golden Weight.
The debut video was the starting point on the road to popularity. Moreover, this song is still popular, the group regularly performs it during concert performances, reminding the audience about how it all began. The successful debut was followed by months of hard work. Following “Attempt No. 5”, the composition “Meet My Mom” was released. The filming of the clip, however, was not completed. The plot of the video for the song “Hug Me” is in many ways similar to the plot of the unfinished clip, the directors even used some fragments of the clip for the song “Meet My Mom”.
Way to the top
For a whole year the group worked hard on its repertoire, and by the end of 2000 seven songs had already been recorded. And in December, the debut first concert took place. The fame of the team grew every day. Increasingly, VIA Gra are welcome guests at various television shows, they are bombarded with offers to participate in national concerts. Two more clips delight fans – “I will not return” and “Bomb”. Each new song, album, clip, appearance in a television program or on the pages of magazines (the collective’s photos are taken by “Playboy”, “Maxim”, “7 days”) contribute to the growing popularity of the group “VIA Gra”, which successfully tours throughout the country . The same time was marked by another event – the group was invited to take part in the filming of the musical “Evenings on a Farm Near Dikanka”.
