Irakli (full name — Irakli Pirtskhalava; born 13 September 1977 in Moscow) is a singer, songwriter, composer and radio host of Georgian origin, and one of the notable artists of the Russian pop scene of the 2000s. He gained widespread recognition after taking part in the second season of the television music project «Фабрика звёзд». His best-known songs include «Вова-чума», «Лондон-Париж», «Время», «Капли абсента», «Я с тобой», «Сны», «Нелюбовь» and «Luna».
Childhood, music and football
Irakli Pirtskhalava was born on 13 September 1977 in Moscow. He was raised by his mother Nana, an engineer by profession. As a child, Irakli was involved in both music and sport: he studied violin and developed a serious interest in football. For a time, he trained within the youth system of Moscow football club Lokomotiv, although he ultimately did not pursue a professional football career.
By his teenage years, Pirtskhalava had become increasingly interested in contemporary urban music. His early musical tastes were influenced by hip-hop, R&B and the dance culture of the early 1990s. While still at school, he danced in Bogdan Titomir’s group, and at around the age of sixteen he recorded his first song in a professional studio.
Early music projects
Before beginning his solo career, Pirtskhalava took part in several musical groups. In the mid-1990s, he was active in Moscow’s hip-hop scene, including as a member of the duo K&K, where he used the stage name Klyk. The project White Hot Ice also appears in accounts of his early career.
Irakli later became a member of the group «Тет-а-Тет», produced by Matvey Anichkin. The group combined pop music, R&B and the boy-band aesthetic of the second half of the 1990s. His time with the group became one of Pirtskhalava’s first sustained professional experiences in the music industry.
Club scene and radio
After his work with «Тет-а-Тет», Irakli remained active in the music and club scene. He organized R&B parties and dance events in Moscow, worked as art director of the «Галерея» club, and hosted his own radio programme, «Клубные перцы», on Hit FM.
By the time he appeared on national television, Pirtskhalava already had experience as a performer, dancer, club promoter and radio host. It was his participation in a televised music project, however, that took his career to a new level.
«Фабрика звёзд-2»
In 2003, Irakli Pirtskhalava became a contestant on the second season of «Фабрика звёзд», whose music producer was Maxim Fadeev. The project became the major turning point in his career and introduced him to a broad television audience.
During this period, the longer name Irakli Pirtskhalava was shortened for the stage to Irakli. After the project ended, he continued working with Maxim Fadeev’s team and began actively releasing solo material.
«Вова-чума», «Лондон-Париж» and the first hits
One of the first songs to firmly associate Irakli’s name with the Russian pop culture of the early 2000s was «Вова-чума». It was followed by «Лондон-Париж» and «Время». These tracks established the recognizable sound of early Irakli — a combination of pop songwriting, electronic arrangements and R&B influences.
«Лондон-Париж» proved particularly successful. In 2004, the song earned him a Golden Gramophone Award. It became one of Irakli’s most recognizable recordings and consolidated his position among the popular Russian performers of the mid-2000s.
The album «Лондон-Париж»
In 2004, Irakli released his debut album «Лондон-Париж». It brought together material from the early stage of his solo career, including «Лондон-Париж», «Вова-чума», «Закрой глаза рукой» and «Время».
The album consolidated his success following «Фабрика звёзд» and established the main characteristics of his sound at the time: melodic pop, R&B, electronic dance production and a strong emphasis on conventional songcraft.
«Капли абсента»
In 2005, «Капли абсента» became one of Irakli’s major songs. The music was written by Maxim Fadeev. The recording received extensive radio airplay and earned the singer another Golden Gramophone Award.
His repertoire later expanded with «Я с тобой», «Ну и что», «Сны» and «Так не бывает». These songs increasingly revealed a more lyrical side of Irakli’s work.
The album «Сделай шаг»
In 2009, Irakli released his second major album, «Сделай шаг». It included «Я с тобой», «Ну и что», «Капли абсента», «Сны», «Так не бывает» and the title track «Сделай шаг», recorded with Dino MC47.
This period marked the end of Irakli’s long-running collaboration with Maxim Fadeev’s production system. He subsequently continued his career independently and became more directly involved in choosing material and shaping his own musical direction.
Independent career and collaborations
During the 2010s, Irakli increasingly focused on individual singles and collaborations rather than full-length albums. His repertoire expanded with «Вокруг Земли», «Напополам», «Ты одна», «Белый пляж» with Bianka, and the duet «Нелюбовь» with Dasha Suvorova.
«Нелюбовь» became one of the most notable songs of this period and earned the performers a Golden Gramophone Award in 2012.
Other Irakli collaborations include Dirty Girl with French DJ David Vendetta, «Я — это ты» with ST1M and «Мужчина не танцует» with Leonid Rudenko. These releases allowed the artist to maintain his connection with dance music and R&B while expanding his repertoire with pop ballads and duets.
«Ангелы и демоны»
In 2016, Irakli released the full-length project «Ангелы и демоны», which brought together a significant part of his material from the first half of the 2010s. It included «Нелюбовь», «Я — это ты», «Не забывайте нас» with Iosif Kobzon and «На бульварном».
The release served as an interim summary of his independent career, during which Irakli worked with a variety of songwriters and performers and gradually moved away from the single production model that had defined his first albums.
Luna and later collaborations
In 2019, Irakli recorded a new version of Luna together with Lika Star. The track represented a notable return to the music of the 1990s in a contemporary arrangement. In 2020, the collaboration earned the artists a Golden Gramophone Award.
In the following years, Irakli continued to release duets, including «Просто дождь» with Masha Weber and «Моя ми» with Ilya Zudin.
Spiritual music and Metamorphosi
During the 2020s, a separate strand of Irakli’s work emerged around Christian spiritual themes. In 2023, together with the project Metamorphosi, he released the song «Слава Богу за всё».
The project developed with the participation of Schema-Archimandrite Seraphim (Bit-Kharibi) and the choir of the Monastery of the Thirteen Syrian Fathers in the Georgian village of Kanda. Irakli also took part in concert programmes devoted to spiritual music.
In 2025, Irakli and Metamorphosi released «Крест», followed in 2026 by «Любовь долго терпит». Spiritual music thus became a distinct part of the later stage of his creative career.
Clinical death and his relationship with faith
Irakli has publicly spoken about experiencing clinical death when he was young. The artist later connected this experience with a change in his attitude towards life and faith. In adulthood, religious themes also began to appear directly in his musical work.
At the same time, his turn towards spiritual material did not mean abandoning his pop career: Irakli continued to release pop music alongside his work with Metamorphosi.
Music in the 2020s
Despite his strong association with the Russian pop scene of the 2000s, Irakli continues to record new music. In 2024, he released the solo single «Уйти или остаться», while subsequent years brought further solo releases and collaborations to his catalogue.
The contemporary stage of his career combines several directions: traditional pop music, duets, reinterpretations of earlier material and spiritual works.
Television
After «Фабрика звёзд», Pirtskhalava appeared in numerous television entertainment projects. Over the years, he took part in programmes including «Танцы со звёздами», «Остров», «Один в один!», «Новые звёзды в Африке» and other shows.
Television remained a notable part of Irakli’s public career, although music continued to be his main professional focus.
Life in Spain and Georgia
In the mid-2010s, Irakli lived with his family in Spain for some time. One of the reasons for the move was his children’s education. The family later relocated to Georgia.
Alongside his musical career, Pirtskhalava has been involved in various business projects, while continuing to perform, record songs and work as a songwriter and performer.
Personal life
Irakli was married to Elena Grebenshchikova. The couple had two sons, Ilya and Alexander. They divorced in 2014.
The artist has repeatedly spoken about the importance of family and raising his children in his life. He has cited the interests of his sons as one of the reasons for spending an extended period living outside Russia.
Musical style
Irakli’s musical style developed at the intersection of several genres. His early professional experience was connected with hip-hop and R&B, while after «Фабрика звёзд» his repertoire became centred on melodic pop with electronic and dance production.
In the mid-2000s, songs such as «Лондон-Париж», «Время», «Капли абсента» and «Я с тобой» defined his characteristic sound. Later, his music increasingly incorporated ballads, club-oriented collaborations and duets.
During the 2020s, spiritual music emerged alongside his mainstream pop repertoire. At the same time, Irakli retained his recognizable vocal style and his interest in combining melodic songwriting with contemporary electronic production.
Main discography
Albums and full-length releases
- Лондон-Париж — 2004
- Сделай шаг — 2009
- Ангелы и демоны — 2016
Key songs
- Вова-чума
- Лондон-Париж
- Время
- Капли абсента
- Я с тобой
- Сны
- Так не бывает
- Сделай шаг — with Dino MC47
- Белый пляж — with Bianka
- Нелюбовь — with Dasha Suvorova
- Я — это ты — with ST1M
- Luna — with Lika Star
- Просто дождь — with Masha Weber
- Слава Богу за всё — with Metamorphosi
- Уйти или остаться
- Крест — with Metamorphosi
- Любовь долго терпит — with Metamorphosi
Golden Gramophone
Irakli has received the Golden Gramophone Award on several occasions. Award-winning recordings include «Лондон-Париж», «Капли абсента», the duet «Нелюбовь» with Dasha Suvorova and Luna with Lika Star.
These awards reflect different stages of his career, from his major solo hits of the mid-2000s to collaborative projects of the following decade.
Irakli’s place in Russian pop music
Irakli belongs to the generation of artists for whom «Фабрика звёзд» became a powerful route to a mass audience. His professional career, however, had begun well before the television project. Hip-hop, work in musical groups, club promotion and radio had already given him substantial industry experience before his collaboration with Maxim Fadeev.
Irakli’s main period of mainstream popularity came in the mid-2000s, when «Лондон-Париж», «Время», «Капли абсента» and «Я с тобой» became prominent fixtures on Russian radio.
In later years, the artist did not simply repeat the formula of his early hits. His discography expanded with duets, dance recordings, pop ballads and new versions of familiar songs, while spiritual music took on a distinct place in his work during the 2020s.
More than two decades after «Фабрика звёзд-2», Irakli continues to release new music and perform, maintaining a connection both with the pop culture of the 2000s and with the contemporary music scene.
