Igor Yakovlevich Krutoy is an iconic personality of the Soviet and Russian pop music, show business. Most hit songs came out from under his light pen, thanks to him the world was recognized by many talented people, it is he who helps young people to break through to the heights of the musical Olympus.
Igor Krutoy’s songs are included in the repertoire of not only Ukrainian, Russian artists, but also world-class show business stars. He is the People’s Artist of two countries at once, the owner of several radio stations, the founder of one of the most productive vocal contests - "New Wave". But what do fans know about his biography, personal life and career path?
Biography of Igor Krutoy
Igor Krutoy was born in the small Ukrainian town of Gayvoron on the banks of the Southern Bug River in the summer of 1954. A modest Jewish family with two children - besides Igor, the daughter Alla grew up in her - had nothing to do with the world of art or the world of music. Mom worked on children and home, and dad worked at a local factory that produced radio components.
Mom was the first to notice Igor’s love for music, and she brought him to a local music school. Within a couple of years, the boy became an accompanist at all school mornings and holidays - he mastered the piano. At the age of 14, Igor Krutoy founded his own school musical ensemble, which was invited not only to conduct discos in the school, but also to city events.
After school, Igor graduated from a specialized school in Kirovograd and became a teacher of a music school in his hometown and in one of the secondary schools in the suburbs. Thus began the career of the most sought-after composer of our time in the territory of the post-Soviet space, America and Europe.
Career path of Igor Krutoy
Not wanting to stop there, Igor entered the conducting faculty of the Music and Pedagogical Institute in Nikolaevsk in 1975. It was there, in 1979, that representatives of the Moscow Panorama orchestra noticed him and invited him to the capital. Just a year later, a young talented man moved to Blue Guitars, and then became the leader of the legendary Valentina Tolkunova ensemble.
Along with career growth, Igor Krutoy continued his musical education - he graduated from the composers department at the Sobin Saratov Conservatory. He gave his first song to his closest friend - Serov Alexander. With her, the singer still shines - the song "Madonna" has become Serov's hallmark.
Having heard Krutoy’s songs performed by Serov, other stars became interested in them, and very soon the piggy banks of Vaikule, Leontyev, Buinov and other Russian performers replenished with Igor’s creations.
Creativity and awards of Igor Krutoy
Composer's works by Igor Krutoy are unique works. His work is not limited to pop music. Igor collaborates with international and Russian opera performers, writes instrumental compositions, music for films, sings, creates production centers, radio channels, is a patron of the competitions for young performers.
For his work and social activities Igor Yakovlevich was awarded such awards as
- People's Artist of Russia and Ukraine,
- two orders "For Merit to the Fatherland",
- title Honored Artist,
- Prizes of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Lenin Komsomol (1989),
- Order of Friendship, MUZ-TV Award,
- the title of honorary citizen of Jurmala,
- a memorial sign on the "Square of Stars" in Moscow,
- personal gratitude of the President of the Russian Federation for his contribution to the development of young talents.
An important milestone in the work of Cool was his promotion in Europe and America. In 2010, the composer began working with Lara Fabian, who introduced the opera world to his works.
The personal life of Igor Krutoy
The first marriage of Igor Yakovlevich was unsuccessful, the couple quickly broke up, despite the birth of his son Nikolai. The divorce was complicated, scandalous, with the division of the apartment and the child. For a long time, Igor Krutoy, the ex-wife forbade to communicate with her son, the composer began to drink often, but his strong will and common sense allowed him not to sleep, to find solace in his work.
Krutoy met his real happiness long 15 years after a divorce from his first wife. At one of the parties organized by Alla Pugacheva, the composer met Olga - an American of Russian origin. It was she who gave him peace, new strength for creativity, made him again believe in herself.
Two daughters are raised in the family - the adoptive Vika and his native Sasha. But Olga and Igor do not share the girls, do not focus on the fact that one of them was not born precisely by them. Younger Sasha has health problems - autism. Parents and older sister had to make every effort so that the disease did not affect the socialization and education of the girl. And the efforts were not in vain - Alexandra lives an active life.
