Viktor Filkov, who performs under the stage names FILKOV and Viktor Dvazhdy, is a multi-genre artist, songwriter and music producer from the Moscow Region. He was born in Mytishchi in 1986 and currently lives and works in Moscow, where he develops projects at the intersection of electronic and pop music.
Viktor does not limit his work to a single musical direction. His music is built around a free-flowing combination of genres, moods and imagery inspired by the rhythm of the big city, neon lights, everyday observations and memories of a distant sun.
The Beginning: The First Beat
Viktor developed an interest in music during childhood. The musical atmosphere in his family was remarkably diverse: his mother listened to folk music and the ensemble Zolotoye Koltso, his brother was passionate about drum and bass and rap, while his father preferred songs by the band Sektor Gaza. Growing up surrounded by such contrasting genres shaped the future artist’s open-minded attitude towards music and taught him not to divide it into “right” and “wrong.”
Good music will always find its audience.
A decisive turning point came in 2008. After seeing acquaintances create rap and hip-hop beats and attending live UK Garage sets, Viktor realised that he wanted not only to listen to music but also to create it himself. That same year, he opened FL Studio for the first time and later found himself in a professional recording studio. It was there that he recorded his first rap track—technically imperfect, but highly important to his further development.
Viktor has no formal musical education. He taught himself music production by experimenting with sound, studying software and gradually developing his own approach. According to the artist, the absence of academic limitations helped him learn to perceive music intuitively and encouraged him not to fear unconventional decisions.
Musical Influences
Among the works and artists that had the greatest influence on his musical outlook, Viktor identifies three major reference points. The first was the soundtrack to the 1998 film Taxi, which changed his understanding of a composition’s energy and the importance of sound quality.
His second source of inspiration was the live performances of Moscow DJ Altero, one of the artists who helped popularise UK Garage and 2-step in Russia. It was through Altero’s sets that Viktor became more closely acquainted with this branch of electronic music.
The third important release was the 1999 album Suka Lyubov by Mikhey i Jumanji. According to Viktor, songs from the album can still often be heard playing through his headphones today.
Early Performances and Studio Work
Viktor made his first serious attempt to introduce himself to a wider audience in 2010. According to the artist, he performed at a festival held at the Moscow club Zhara with the support of In Da RnB, a popular online platform at the time.
The performance became a true baptism of fire for Viktor: his first appearance before an unfamiliar audience, his first mistakes and his first experience of genuine support from listeners. The positive emotions he took away from the concert strengthened his desire to continue making music.
Until the end of 2014, Viktor released singles and collaborated with various performers and music projects. During this period, he worked with Diamond Style and Sin V-Style, recorded the track “Svetlyachki” together with Aliona and Misha Larkins from the project 3NT, and released the rhythmic song “F.I.L. (Falling in Love)” featuring Alyona Omargalieva.
An Extended Creative Break
Following his early releases and performances, the musician entered a difficult period in his life. Family circumstances, a demanding work schedule and the pursuit of several university degrees at the same time left him with virtually no time for creativity.
Viktor was forced to take an extended break. For almost ten years, he stepped away from active musical work, returning only occasionally to individual ideas and experiments. Nevertheless, he was unable to abandon music completely. It remained an important part of his life and gradually laid the groundwork for a new beginning.
Returning to Music
Viktor made his full return in 2024, when he released the single “Kak v 1961” under the name Viktor Dvazhdy. The track was recorded in the drum and bass style, which was new territory for the artist. The song received positive feedback from listeners and was aired on DNB FM, becoming the first notable step in a new stage of his creative journey.
Viktor subsequently began releasing new singles and promotional material on a regular basis. According to the artist, the Viktor Dvazhdy project signed a contract with the Headliner Music label in late 2025. The project’s primary direction became a combination of pop music and drum and bass, with an emphasis on clean, contemporary and carefully constructed production.
At the same time, Viktor’s interest in other areas of electronic music did not disappear. The parallel project FILKOV, developed in collaboration with the Solnechno label, was created for experiments that did not fit the concept of Viktor Dvazhdy.
FILKOV: New Releases and Future Plans
Between January and July 2026, FILKOV released nine tracks. The project is only beginning to gain momentum, but it has already received its first mentions in specialist programmes and radio shows.
One of the notable works from this period was the track “Slavyanka,” which appeared on the promotional release “Vdaleke pod letnim odeyalom.” The composition was featured on the radio show Zvukovoy Okhotnik and received a warm response from its hosts.
At the same time, the artist is working on an energetic track being created in collaboration with a sports centre to help promote cheerleading. FILKOV already has several unreleased compositions in reserve, which are expected to be presented to listeners during the project’s upcoming release cycles.
Another important undertaking is the development of his own recording studio. Viktor envisions this personal creative space as a way to expand the project’s technical capabilities, accelerate the production process and make a substantial contribution to the continued development of his music.
FILKOV has no intention of slowing down. New songs, sonic experiments, collaborations and the further development of both music projects all lie ahead.
Personal Reflections
In a short interview with the Minatrix.FM editorial team, Viktor spoke about his attitude towards music, releases and listeners.
- How would you describe your music in a single phrase?
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It is made with enormous passion and equally enormous circles under my eyes, so that one day you will have nowhere left to hide from it.
- What emotion would you like listeners to experience after hearing one of your songs?
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Optimism and a touch of gentle melancholy, so that unnecessary thoughts leave their minds—shoo, shoo.
- How do you feel a few minutes before a release comes out?
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I can feel a headache inevitably creeping up on me, because every release requires publications and other materials to be prepared. But once the song is out, I am on cloud nine.
- Which line from one of your songs is particularly meaningful to you?
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“You know what Pyotr says: we will make it through where no one else can, and anyone who complains can go to...”
- What would you say to yourself on the day you first decided to pursue music?
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You will see—it will all have been worth it. And if it has not, then do not look.
- How would you like to be remembered by your listeners?
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As someone genuine. My vocals may not be perfect and I may not have studied music theory, but the real me is present in every track.
- Complete the sentence: “Music to me is...”
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...colourful dreams experienced while awake.
Today, FILKOV continues to shape his own musical language by combining electronic production, pop melodies and personal observations. For Viktor, music remains not only a form of self-expression but also a continuous movement forward through experimentation, new releases and an honest dialogue with his audience.
