Artists - Biography and discography, all albums and songs

Stepan Petrovych Hyha (Ukr. Степан Гіга, born November 16, 1959, Bilky village, Zakarpattia region) is a Ukrainian pop singer (tenor), composer, People's Artist of Ukraine (2002), and one of the most recognizable performers of the Western Ukrainian music scene. He is the author and performer of hits that have become an integral part of modern Ukrainian musical folklore. Early Life and Formation Stepan Hyha was born into a working-class family and grew up in a musical atmosphere. In his school years, he took an interest in singing and instrumental music, studying with the local teacher Mykhailo Kopynets, who taught him vocal technique and bayan (accordion). Despite his strong desire to study music, he managed to enter the Uzhhorod Music College only on his fourth attempt: after 8th,…

DJ Jazzy Jeff (real name — Jeffrey Allen Townes) was born on January 22, 1965 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA — an American DJ, producer, sound engineer, and one of the most technically influential masters of hip-hop scratching. One of the founders of the duo DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince, a two-time Grammy winner, a pioneer of hip-hop party DJing, and the creator of the classic “transform scratch” technique. Early life and musical roots Jeffrey Townes grew up in West Philadelphia — a city known for its strong DJ culture. He began DJing as a teenager, inspired by local block-party events and early hip-hop pioneers. Already at 10–12 years old, he experimented with his father’s turntables, and by 14 he was performing at school events.…

DJ Hype (real name Kevin Ford) is a British DJ, producer, and one of the founding figures of the jungle / drum & bass genre. He was born on 6 August 1968 in London. Hype is regarded as a key architect of the 1990s UK sound, a resident of major rave events, founder of Ganja Records, and a member of the iconic project Ganja Kru. He is known for his razor-sharp scratching technique, legendary radio shows, and production work that helped define the face of the early d’n’b scene. Early Years and Beginnings Kevin Ford grew up in London at a time when hip-hop, reggae, dub and sound-system culture were shaping the city’s musical landscape. He began his career as a hip-hop DJ and turntablist, performing at competitions and club nights. In the late 1980s, he became part of…

Jessie J (birth name Jessica Ellen Cornish), born March 27, 1988 in London, UK, is a British singer, songwriter, composer and recipient of multiple international awards. She is known for her powerful vocal range, melismatic technique, a blend of pop, R&B and soul, as well as writing hits for other major artists. Early Life Jessica Cornish grew up in Redbridge, London. She studied at: Colin’s Performing Arts School National Youth Music Theatre (performed in Whistle Down the Wind) BRIT School for Performing Arts & Technology — the same school completed by Adele, Amy Winehouse and Leona Lewis. She was involved in music from an early age and began writing her own songs at 11–12 years old. As a teenager, Jessie J experienced heart issues (including a minor…

Sia Kate Isobelle Furler (Sia Kate Isobelle Furler) was born on December 18, 1975 in Adelaide, South Australia — an Australian singer, songwriter, producer and director. One of the most successful and influential artists of the 21st century, she is known for her unique vocal style, emotionally powerful delivery, and iconic visual image with her face obscured. Early Life and Career Beginnings Sia grew up in a creative family: father — musician Phil Colson, mother — artist Loene Furler. Her musical career began in the mid-1990s when Sia became the vocalist of the jazz–soul group Crisp. After the band disbanded in 1997, she started her solo journey. First albums: 1997 — OnlySee (jazz/soul, independent release) 2001 — Healing Is Difficult…

Alex Gaudino (birth name Alessandro Alfonso Fortunato Gaudino; born January 23, 1970, Salerno, Italy) is an Italian DJ, music producer, and author of dance music, and one of the most prominent artists of the European club scene of the 2000s. He gained worldwide recognition thanks to global hits such as "Destination Calabria", "Watch Out", "I'm in Love (I Wanna Do It)", as well as collaborations with major labels including Ultra Records, Ministry of Sound, and Time Records. Early Life and Career Beginnings Alex Gaudino began his professional music career in the mid-1990s as a producer on the Italian dance scene. In 1998, he became one of the founders of the label Rise Records (a division of Time Records), which soon grew into one of Italy’s key platforms for hits in the house and…

Alexander Vasilievich Novikov (born October 31, 1953, Burevestnik settlement, Iturup Island, Kuril Islands) is a Soviet and Russian singer, poet, bard, composer, and singer-songwriter working in the genres of urban romance and shanson. He is the artistic director of the Ural State Variety Theatre. Laureate of the Ovation Award (1995), multiple laureate of the “Chanson of the Year” award (2002–2019), and laureate of the international literary prize named after Sergei Yesenin. Childhood and Youth Alexander Novikov was born on Iturup Island to the family of a military pilot and a homemaker. His early years were spent on Sakhalin, and later in: the Latvian settlement Vainode, the city of Frunze (now Bishkek), where he spent about ten years, and from 1969 — in…

Illenium (real name Nicholas D. Miller, born December 26, 1990, Chicago, USA) is an American producer, DJ, and composer, widely regarded as one of the key architects of modern melodic bass, future bass, and the new wave of emotional EDM. His music blends cinematic melodies, atmospheric synthesizers, powerful bass dynamics, and emotional vocals. Illenium has become one of the top global EDM artists, selling out arenas and appearing in Billboard, Rolling Stone, and Forbes as one of the most influential electronic musicians of his generation. Early Life Nicholas Miller grew up between Chicago, San Francisco, and Denver. In his youth, he played guitar and bass guitar and was influenced by rock and the pop-punk scene. He began producing seriously around 2008–2010, drawing inspiration…

Sasha (real name Alexander Paul Coe, born on 4 September 1969 in Bangor, Wales, UK) is a British DJ, producer, and remixer, one of the key architects of early-1990s progressive house, trance and modern melodic techno. Together with John Digweed, he formed the legendary duo Sasha & Digweed, which transformed global club culture with its mixes, residencies, and deep set dramaturgy. Sasha is regarded as one of the most technically gifted DJs on the planet, a pioneer of digital DJ tools (Ableton Live, CDJ systems, advanced looping), and the creator of the iconic “Involver” concept. Early Years Sasha became interested in music in childhood, listening to electronic music, synth-pop and early house. His future career began in the late 1980s when he became a resident of the…

John Digweed (real name — Thomas John Digweed, born 1 January 1967 in Hastings, England) is a British DJ, producer, and one of the central figures of global progressive house, tech house, and deep techno. His name has become synonymous with “intelligent,” atmospheric electronic music, where dramaturgy, depth, and flawless mixing technique come together. Together with Sasha, he formed the legendary duo Sasha & Digweed, reshaping the perception of DJ mixes and club culture through landmark releases such as Northern Exposure, Renaissance, and their long-term residency at the iconic Twilo (New York). Early years and path to the scene Digweed grew up in Hastings and became fascinated with electronic music early on. At just 13, he decided he wanted to be a DJ, and by 15…

Tchami is a French DJ, producer, and one of the creators of the future house genre. His real name is Martin Joseph Léonard Bresso, born on May 12, 1985 in Paris, France. Tchami’s signature sound is a blend of: future house deep house bass house gospel-inspired vocals church-influenced organ progressions dramatic choral elements warm, melodic French electronic textures He has become one of the key figures of the new wave of European and global electronic music. Early Years and Path to the Stage Before becoming a renowned producer, Tchami grew up in Paris, played musical instruments, and was heavily influenced by hip-hop and electronic music. He began his career in the underground scene, creating remixes and personal EDM experiments under various monikers. In…

ODESZA is an American electronic duo from Seattle, formed in 2012. The project consists of: Harrison Mills (Catacombkid) Clayton Knight (BeachesBeaches) The duo quickly became one of the most popular and influential acts of the new electronic wave thanks to their unique sound, which blends: downtempo future bass ambient chillwave indie-electronic cinematic sound design ODESZA’s music is instantly recognizable for its airy synths, dense atmospheres, live percussion, vocal layers, and cinematic production style. Early Years & Formation Harrison and Clayton met at the University of Washington — both studied media and design while being passionate about electronic music and experimental synthesis. Before forming the duo, each produced music individually…

Alec Empire (Alexander Richard Eichberger, born May 2, 1972 in West Berlin) is a German electronic musician, producer, DJ, composer, and innovator, best known as the founder of the label Digital Hardcore Recordings (DHR) and the creator of the revolutionary group Atari Teenage Riot. He is considered one of the architects of the digital hardcore genre — a radical fusion of hardcore-techno, punk, noise, breakbeat, drum’n’bass, and industrial music. His work has influenced the development of the extreme electronic scene in Europe, Japan, and the USA. Early Years and Formation Alec Empire grew up in Berlin in the 1970s–80s — a city divided by the wall, filled with punk culture, political activism, and alternative music. From a young age he: was an active…

Deep Purple is a British rock band formed in 1968 in Hertford. The group is regarded as one of the three pillars of hard rock and early heavy metal, alongside Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath. Their record sales exceed 100–120 million copies, and their influence on music is monumental — from hard rock and progressive rock to power metal, grunge, and neoclassical rock. Deep Purple became famous for their fusion of: heavy guitar riffs virtuosic solos progressive arrangements charismatic vocals the unique sound of the Hammond organ And, of course, they created one of the most iconic riffs in history — “Smoke on the Water”. Formation and Early Years (1968–1970) Original lineup: Ritchie Blackmore — guitar Jon Lord — keyboards…

Lyubov Zalmanovna Uspenskaya is a Russian-American singer of Ukrainian origin, born on February 24, 1954 in Kyiv. Known for her unique vocal timbre, artistic delivery, and dramatic performance style, she has become one of the most recognizable stars of Russian shanson, urban romance, and author’s song. Her repertoire is built around stories of love, pain, freedom, fate, and strong character. For decades, Uspenskaya has remained a symbol of emotional singing, sincerity, and a high level of dramatic expression on stage. Early Life and Musical Formation Lyubov Uspenskaya (née Sitsker) was born in Kyiv, but her childhood was difficult: her mother died during childbirth, and she was raised by her grandmother. From an early age, Uspenskaya displayed strong musical abilities:…

Excision (real name: Jeff Abel; born April 29, 1986, Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada) is a Canadian DJ, music producer, festival creator, and one of the key pioneers of modern dubstep and bass music. Known for his aggressive “mechanical” sound, high-powered audiovisual shows, and for founding the festivals Lost Lands and Bass Canyon. Early Life Jeff Abel grew up in a musical family and developed an interest in heavy metal, rock, electronic music, and sound effects from a young age. As a teenager, he began experimenting with recording, creating tracks at home. Career Beginnings He became active in the mid-2000s. His early works were self-released, and he later founded his own label, Rottun Recordings, which became a platform for rising bass-music producers. Breakthrough…

Marina Khlebnikova was born on November 6, 1965, in Moscow, into a family of engineers who, despite having no professional connection to the arts, always supported their daughter’s musical talent. From early childhood, Marina showed interest in singing and performing: she participated in school concerts, attended creative clubs, and began performing at city events quite early. As a teenager, she became the soloist of a vocal-instrumental ensemble at the local Cultural Center — her first serious stage experience. Her musical abilities and strong character led Marina to enter the famous Gnessin Academy, where she received a professional education as a pop vocalist. The Beginning of Her Career: “Nadezhda,” “Festival,” and First Successes In the early…

Pierre Schaeffer was born on 18 August 1910 in Nancy, France, into a family of a musician and a librarian. His father introduced him to the world of classical music, while his mother nurtured his love for literature and intellectual discussion. Yet his life was not originally destined for the arts: Schaeffer received an engineering education in electromechanics and radio technology. It was the combination of the technical and the artistic within one person that would soon produce something that changed music forever. The Beginning: Engineer, Experimenter, Thinker In the 1930s, Schaeffer began working at French Radio. He engaged in what today would be called sound design—experimenting with recording, editing, microphones, capturing street noises, voices, mechanical sounds,…

Brian Peter George St. John le Baptiste de la Salle Eno, known worldwide as Brian Eno, was born on 15 May 1948 in the town of Woodbridge, Suffolk, United Kingdom. He became one of the most influential musicians and producers of the late 20th and early 21st centuries — a figure who essentially defined the sound of ambient music and profoundly shaped the development of electronic music, art rock, pop, and sound design. Early Life and Education Eno grew up in a Catholic family and from a young age was passionate about art and sonic experimentation. His first inspiration had nothing to do with music — he was fascinated by painting, conceptual art, and avant-garde creative forms. It was in art school that he first encountered a Revox tape recorder, an experience that left a…

The Fresh Prince is the stage name Will Smith (Willard Carroll Smith Jr.) used in his early music career. Under this name, he became one of the most recognizable rappers of the late 1980s and early 1990s, and his duo DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince went down in the history of hip-hop as one of the first commercially successful and internationally popular acts promoting light-hearted, positive and accessible rap. Early years: the journey of a kid from Philadelphia Will Smith was born and raised in West Philadelphia, a neighborhood where hip-hop was part of everyday life. As a teenager, he got the nickname “Prince” from his classmates for his charisma and confidence, and later added the word Fresh to emphasize his style and upbeat personality. In the yard where he first…