Nu Virgos

September 2006 has marked the 6th anniversary of the sexiest act throughout the CIS. For years the phenomenon of this extra-popular outfit cannot be discovered neither by critics, nor by the media, nor by the trio's enormous army of followers. Nevertheless the puzzle of their success is quite simple. NU VIRGOS (a.k.a. ВИА Гра" in Ukraine, Russia and other ex-USSR territories) it's the talent, beauty, amazing energy and magnetism of the vocalists Vera Brezhneva, Albina Dzhanabayeva and Olga Koryagina, music, wonderful songs and gentle soul of composer Konstantin Meladze, high-precision estimation of manager Dmitriy Kostiuk complete with professionalism, harmony and superb taste in everything from musical arrangements to stage costumes. Just several ingredients have given life to the act that has no equal neither by external image, nor by musical content. From the very birth NU VIRGOS were doomed to be nothing but success. Their first TV appearance received an avalanche of acclaim, emotions and rumors. They found themselves instantly popular. The group's debut video entitled "Popytka No. 5" (Endeavor No. 5) saw the light of day on September, 3, 2000 when it was aired by BIZ TV, Ukraine's most popular music TV channel at that time. Then the things started whirling at maximum speed which exceeded the most courageous expectations of the group's management in person of Dmitriy Kostiuk and Konstantin Meladze. Only 9 days later, on September, 12, the first bootleg of NU VIRGOS' debut song was already available at music markets and by the end of the first month of the group's career a vast of gutter press publications appeared. More fuel was added to the fire by the fact that NU VIRGOS were never open for the media as of what was going on inside the group and with its vocalists. Too many were eager to know much more because the group's isolation from external world, their enigmatic charisma of lofty and inaccessible artists had given birth to numerous myths and speculations. Still waters of Ukrainian show-biz were disturbed by a new phenomenon. One by one the new audio and video smashes followed. After "Popytka No. 5" more videos were out on the screens: "Obnimi menya" (Hold me closer), "Bomba" (Bomb), "Ya ne vernus" (I won't be back). By the end of the year NU VIRGOS' repertoire comprised 7 songs that was fairly enough to embark on a tour. The group's first ever live date took place in Dnepropetrovsk on the stage of the city's Ledoviy Palace in front of some 4 000 spectators. Further shows were also hugely acclaimed. In order to capitalize on that the group's management decided to release the first full-length NU VIRGOS' effort which, as expected, was entitled after their major smash "Popytka No. 5". The interest towards NU VIRGOS concentrated, thickened and almost materialized. Within 2001 NU VIRGOS collected some of their first prestigious awards: "A Hundred Pood Hit" from HIT FM Radio, "Golden Gramophone" from "Russian Radio" all in addition to winning the "Golden Firebird" prize at the Ukrainian annual festival "Tavriyskiye Igry". 2002 saw the group becoming a trio instead of being a duet and changing their musical direction. In spring the ladies appeared in their new video "Stop! Stop! Stop!" whose success was so stunning that enabled NU VIRGOS to take part in the "Ovation" Music Award Ceremony held at the Moscow's State Central Concert Hall "Rossiya". In September a new video was out for public view – this time "Good morning, papa!", and closer to that year's end the ladies from NU VIRGOS also displayed themselves as actresses having played the roles of crowned heads in a TV musical called "Zolyshka" (Cinderella). The beginning of 2003 coincided with a new phase of NU VIRGOS' popularity following the release of one of the group's best efforts - marvelous and dramatic "Ne ostavlyay menya lyubibiy" (Don't ever leave me love), complete with an eponymously titled video tape containing a collection of NU VIRGOS' videos. On April, 16, 2003 the ladies appeared at a press-conference dedicated mainly to the group's new release "Stop! Snyato!" (Stop! That's a wrap!) which included four new songs along with several remixes. A few more reasons to meet with the media were the prestigious Russian MUZ TV awards and the "Soundtrack" award all won by NU VIRGOS. In May the group astonished (exactly so!) everyone with their new video "Ubey moyu podrugu" (Kill my girlfriend). Especially for the said video, which was regarded by many as a burlesque to the pompous music festival "Song of the Year", the sexy divas had added to their established super-desired cutie image a dewy drop of irony having a good laugh, according to their own words, mostly at themselves. With each and every new release NU VIRGOS were becoming better and better, climbing higher and higher, although at times it seemed there was no more room upwards. By the end of 2003 their popularity reached such proportions that, having completed their new "Biologiya" (Biology) album, they commenced taking international music heights by storm. Their first English-language album "Stop! Stop! Stop!" saw the light of day in Israel, Japan, Taiwan, Thailand, Indonesia, Scandinavian countries instantly becoming real sought-for items for all NU VIRGOS followers. More videos appeared on TV - melodically and lyrically strong "Okean I tri reki" (Ocean and three rivers) and "Prityazhenya bolshe net" (No attraction anymore) (both in duet with singer Valeriy Meladze) shortly followed by the sexually-provoking "Biologiya". In summer of 2004 NU VIRGOS were awarded the Russia's most prestigious music award "MUZ TV 2004" and completed a widely hailed world tour spanning the territories like South East Asia, Israel and America. The year 2005 was marked by the launch of the Russian version of the legendary act's official web-site as well as by the release of three new videos: "Take you back", "I don't want a man" and "Brillianty" (Diamonds). Additionally NU VIRGOS picked up their second in a row MUZ TV's "The Best Pop Act" award. In January 2006 NU VIRGOS were officially represented as a participant at MIDEM 2006 - the world's largest music market held in Cannes, France. Despite the heavy touring this year the group have offered two more publicly and critically acclaimed videos: "Obmani no ostansya" (Tell me lie) and "L.M.L." and completed a long-awaited new English album, their second after "Stop! Stop! Stop!", which is due this autumn.