"I've been singing since I became conscious of myself. Our family's fond of music. My grandmother sings, and so does my father, besides, he is a smart accordion player"

Alsou

Alsou was born on June 27,1983 in the town of Bugulma (Tatarstan) to a large Moslem family. Alsou knows the Moslem prayers and has always prayed before the concerts. As her parents were referred to work in the Far North when she was a baby they took Alsou with them, and at the age of 10 she left for London to study at a school of arts. The young singer still studies there to make a design architect.

Alsou speaks fluent French and is studying Italian. She dreams of recalling the Tatar language she used to speak when a child. Alsou is a Tatar name which stands for "rose water".

Alsou's public debut took place in a summer camp where she sang for her friends. At the closing party, her friend nearly pushed the shy Alsou to the stage where she sang Whitney Houston's I Will Always Love You. After a while Alsou came for an audition to The Megapol producing center and sang that very song which impressed producer Valery Belotserkovsky deeply. "She sang Whitney Houston's song in her own way following every intonation. I stopped her in the middle of the verse. And I understood: she was precious", Valery Belotserkovsky recalled.

The successful debut called for a song to become a hit at once. As Valery Belotserkovsky listened to The Winter Dream, it rang the bell: that's what we need! Essential was a video clip of that song featuring Alsou as the Nabokov's Lolitha. The clip, surely, aroused public interest. The follow-up songs strengthened her stand in the hit parades. The follow-up album named Alsou made it possible for everyone to realize: a new star appeared in Russia.

December 1999 saw the first tour by Alsou to the Ukraine and Byelorussia. They were a real challenge for her. There was a band formed of top masters. "They play everything from pop to jazz. I've never thought of Alsou as a singer for the Sports Palaces", art director Vadim Baikov said. "Her songs are lyrical and "precious", normally for small halls. But I was mistaken." That was the first real success, and the show world came to appreciate Alsou.

Sponsored by The Megapol producing center, Alsou was the first Russian singer to conclude a long-term contract with the world-known Universal record company. Its manager believes Alsou's performance is the perfect way for the Russian singers to clear a path to the western audience.