This year, singer Ani Lorak became one of the main newsmakers in recent years when she accused Konstantin Meladze of harassment. True, she later explained: she was misunderstood, the producer was not to blame for anything. Many sided with the star, and after her, other artists made similar confessions, recalling their experience of harassment by the powers that be. Be that as it may, Lorak again raised a sensitive topic about what a woman has to face in the world of powerful men.
At the same time, Lorak never considered her path to fame and recognition to be easy. She always had to fight her way to the goal she set in preschool. But her strength never failed her, since the future star received her strength in a boarding school.
Ani Lorak: parents, childhood, real name, height, weight
The future People's Artist of Ukraine Ani Lorak was born under the name Karolina Miroslavovna Kuek in a large Ukrainian family on September 27, 1978 in the city of Kitsman, Chernivtsi region of Ukraine. Mother Zhanna Vasilievna was a radio announcer, father Miroslav Ivanovich was a conductor by training. The parents divorced even before the girl was born - the mother’s next pregnancy did not influence the decision to break up.
Little Carolina Kuek with her mother Zhanna Vasilievna and brothers. Still from the program “The Fate of Man” / Russia 1
Caroline was the youngest in the family. Brother Sergei was 7 years older than her, Igor was 2 years older. “My older brother essentially served as a dad: he ironed my socks and dresses, taught me to sing, and pick out melodies on the guitar. And I knew that he was my protector,” she said about her childhood.
Little Carolina Kuek (left) with her brothers. Photo: instagram.com/anilorak/
Caroline's childhood was spent in poverty - not only the family's wallet was empty, but also the refrigerator. There was literally nothing to eat, and the mother decided to send the children first to a 24-hour kindergarten and then to a boarding school. The little girl was even happy about this - it was cold at home and there was no food, but there it was always warm, satisfying, and they even gave out clothes. After all, the girl wore clothes for her brothers.
“I wanted to find friends, family, communicate - I missed all this, plus I knew that my brothers were with me, I was undercover, I had patronage. And I was a happy girl,” the artist recalled those years.
At the boarding school, Carolina Kuek began to sing and perform at school festivals, although she began dreaming of the stage at the age of 4. The director of the establishment even sewed outfits for her for competitions in which she participated and won.
Brother Sergei not only replaced his father, but also impressed upon his sister how talented she was and would definitely become a star, encouraged her to take up singing and admired her. After graduating from the boarding school, he went to Afghanistan under a contract, hoping to earn money, get an apartment and take Caroline out of the boarding school as soon as possible, but he died tragically.
Little Carolina Kuek. Photo: instagram.com/anilorak/
In 1992, when Caroline was 14 years old, she took part in the “Primrose” competition, which she entered thanks to one desire - at first she had neither a song nor a costume. She was able to get the outfit - in the ethnic corner of the boarding school, dedicated to the life and culture of the Ukrainian people. As a result, Kuek took second place with the song “Ukrainochka”. There she meets the famous Ukrainian producer Yuri Thales, with whom she enters into a contract.
Carolina Kuek (Ani Lorak) at a vocal competition. Photo: instagram.com/anilorak/
By the way, many fans are interested in how tall Ani Lorak is. The singer's height is small - only 164 centimeters. And earlier the beauty was very complex about this. In addition, she had short hair, which, in her opinion, did not make her attractive. When her classmates found out that Caroline dreamed of singing, they made fun of her - with her height, they said, she wouldn’t be able to see the stage.
“I didn’t respond to the ridicule - I just cried when I walked home from school. But one day I found out that I am the same height as Madonna, we are both 164 centimeters. This inspired me, I achieved success,” said the artist.
What dishes are included in the diet
The Ani Lorak menu for 7 days consists of the following dishes:
Day 1 | Breakfast | Freshly prepared salad of vegetables and fruits, then you can drink a cup of green tea with honey instead of sugar and eat some cottage cheese. |
Dinner | A serving of salad with a small piece of boiled lean fish. | |
Dinner | A glass of low-fat kefir, which can be replaced with juice, a piece of black bran bread or a glass of green tea. | |
Day 2 | Breakfast | A piece of boiled lean fish with salad. |
Dinner | Lenten soup, and for the second you can eat some fresh vegetable salad. | |
Dinner | Steamed vegetables, to which you can add a small portion of lean fish or meat. | |
Day 3 | Breakfast | Fruit salad, a cup of juice or green tea with honey. |
Dinner | Vegetable stew or vegetarian soup with croutons. | |
Dinner | Fish with a portion of salad, and a handful of nuts for a snack. | |
Day 4 | Breakfast | A cup of green aromatic tea with a portion of cottage cheese. |
Dinner | Steamed or baked fish and fresh salad. | |
Dinner | A glass of low-fat yogurt with pieces of fruit. | |
Day 5 | Breakfast | Oatmeal with prunes, dried apricots and raisins, a cup of green tea. |
Dinner | A slice of boiled lean meat with salad. | |
Dinner | A glass of yogurt with a handful of nuts. At the end, drink a glass of juice. |
As for Saturday and Sunday, the singer recommends choosing one of the diets suggested above.
Ani Lorak: career, pseudonym, Eurovision
The contract with Yuri Thales for the future celebrity was signed by her mother - Caroline was 15 years old. And she admitted: “I was then ready to sign any contracts, because I didn’t really have anything to lose. On the one hand, boarding school and hopelessness, on the other, poverty.” And a year later she again competes in the “Primrose” competition, where she becomes the winner.
Ani Lorak at 15 years old. Photo: instagram.com/anilorak/
In 1995, Carolina reaches new heights - she performs at the Morning Star competition, which truly made her famous. It was then that the girl took her pseudonym Ani Lorak: there was already one Carolina on the project, and to avoid overlaps, the vocalist made a palindrome from her name. After the performance, she becomes popular, her career takes off, new projects and prospects appear.
In the same year, the artist released her first album, “I Want to Fly,” which was published in six thousand copies. The following year, in New York, she won the Big Apple Music 1996 Competition, becoming increasingly famous outside her native country.
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Common-law husband Lorak named the only singer who always managed to be at the top. As producer Yuri Thales noted, the rest were never lucky enough to reach her level.
1997 was marked by the release of her second album, “I’ll Be Back,” and then went on a tour of Europe and the USA. Year after year, more and more new awards appeared in her piggy bank, and in 1999 the singer became the youngest recipient of the title of Honored Artist of Ukraine.
The beginning of the new century was marked by a series of successful projects and the release of several albums in a row, which went gold: “Where you are...” (2001), “Dream of me” (2003), “Ani Lorak” (2004), Smile ( 2005), “Tell” (2006). With the song Smile, on the wave of wild popularity, Lorak intended to represent her native country at Eurovision in 2005, but did not make it through the selection.
Philip Kirkorov and Ani Lorak. Photo: Global Look Press
In 2007, the star released her eighth album, “15,” which went platinum, and the following year represented Ukraine at Eurovision 2008. She is produced by Philip Kirkorov on the main vocal show of the continent. He wrote the song Shady Lady, with which the beauty takes second place, losing to Dima Bilan in the final. Since then, her popularity knows no bounds - she is adored by millions of fans in the post-Soviet space.
Ani Lorak at Eurovision. Photo: Global Look Press
After Eurovision, the star moves to the Russian capital. Here she takes part in many projects, including the musical show “The Phantom of the Opera”, records duets with many celebrities: Stas Mikhailov (“Cold”), Polina Gagrina (“Turn Around”), with Emin (“I Can’t Tell”) and others .
Ani Lorak with Emin. Photo: Global Look Press
Political events influenced Ani Lorak’s career in her native Ukraine. After the annexation of Crimea to Russia in 2014, concerts of many artists, including Karolina Kuek, became unwelcome in Nezalezhnaya, as they continued to perform in Russia.
That year, Ani Lorak’s appearance on the stage in Kyiv was at the epicenter of a huge scandal: activists opposed to the star’s arrival staged a protest near the Ukraina Palace and threw bottles at people who came to listen to their idol. And for three years the path to his native stage was closed to the star.
Ani Lorak before the performance. Photo: Global Look Press
But the artist’s popularity in her homeland did not decrease. In 2017, at a big holiday concert, Ani Lorak appeared as a special guest and triumphantly performed in front of a large loving audience. She flies to Kyiv several times, admits that she adores this city and loves her country - Ani Lorak’s citizenship is Ukrainian, and she does not plan to change it.
The Ani Lorak show, with which the singer toured not only in the CIS, but also in the USA, Canada and the UAE, according to many experts, ranks with world celebrities. In 2013, she presented the show “Carolina”, with which she triumphantly performed until 2021. In 2018, a new stage in her work was marked by the show Diva, which the artist dedicated to all outstanding women on the planet, and in 2021 she presented a new show to her fans - The Best.
Ani Lorak on stage. Photo: instagram.com/anilorak/
The artist wrote many of her iconic hits herself. In them she reflected the experiences that preceded the appearance of the hits. For example, the composition “You Still Love” (2017) arose in response to the events occurring between her and her husband Murat Nalchazhdioglu. The star herself has always said that the stage helps her heal emotional wounds and becomes “a place of power.”
Ani Lorak with Alla Pugacheva and Philip Kirkorov. Photo: Global Look Press
Also among the songwriters of Lorak are Max Barskikh, Konstantin Meladze, Philip Kirkorov. The pop king of the Russian stage, by the way, became the godfather of Ani Lorak’s daughter, they communicate warmly and support each other.
Ani Lorak: other projects, charity
In addition to the stage, Lorak has proven herself in many other areas. For example, she performed in musicals, of which there were about a dozen and a half during her career, acted in films and TV series, was the face of a cosmetics brand, and was also involved in social activities.
In 2004, the singer became the UN Goodwill Ambassador for HIV/AIDS in Ukraine, and in 2013 - the voice of the adoption program “No to Orphanhood!” charity foundation “Development of Ukraine”, and writes the song “I’m Dreaming”, which she dedicated to the topic of orphanhood.
Ani Lorak on the jury of the show “The Voice”. Photo: instagram.com/anilorak/
On the “Voice of Ukraine” show in 2014, the star became one of the mentors. In a similar guise, the star appeared in the Russian version of the project on Channel One in 2021.
Elizaveta Boyarskaya
Source: @lizavetabo
Elizabeth is a supporter of natural beauty. In everyday life, she easily does without makeup or prefers a nude make-up, but the actress puts on brighter makeup when she is going to appear at a social event.
Ani Lorak: personal life
The first relationship began between 16-year-old Ani Lorak and 33-year-old Yuri Thalesa. The singer finds it difficult to say at what point he stopped being just a producer. And whether she experienced true love, she also doesn’t know.
“It’s very difficult to explain now what this feeling is. Because at first it was a feeling of friendship, gratitude, something more with the word “thank you” for everything that he did for me and how he believed in me, how he supported me. That is, love and gratitude,” the star reflected in the studio of the “Fate of Man” program.
The producer was married and had two children. But Lorak assures that when she appeared, Thalesa’s marriage was already bursting at the seams. And they began to live with Thalesa in a civil marriage, which lasted until 2005. “I was very interested in him, because he is a well-read man, a man older than me, more experienced. And for me, he was like a book that I read,” the artist spoke about her first man.
Yuri Thales with Mick Jagger in 2000. Photo: instagram.com/yuriyfalyosa/
While still in a relationship with Yuri Thales, Ani Lorak meets the famous Ukrainian football player Sergei Rebrov, who became the head coach of the national team. They meet at a concert in London and the singer falls in love with him. But the married athlete invited her to be his mistress, for which she was not ready. This was a big blow to her and broke her heart. She threw herself into creativity and wrote several hit songs that were included in the platinum album.
In 2005, Lorak, having parted with Thalesa as a producer - the contract ended - and as a common-law husband, flies off to vacation in Turkey. There the artist meets the daring and charming Turk Murat Nalchadzhioglu.
Ani Lorak with her husband Murat Nalchazhdioglu. Photo: Global Look Press
The man worked as a hotel manager, but did not recognize the celebrity in the beauty. He captivates her heart, and they communicate online for a whole year. Feelings flare up again when the star appears within the hotel again, and three years later, in 2009, they get married. And two years later their first child is born - daughter Sofia.
Ani Lorak with her daughter Sofia. Photo: instagram.com/anilorak/
For the sake of Lorak, the Turkish husband moves to Kyiv. Here the artist buys him several restaurants, but he will soon “thank” her quite cruelly - in one of the establishments the man will be caught with another.
A betrayal will be revealed, which the performer will not be able to forgive and will file for divorce. The relationship will come to an end in 2021. From her Turkish husband, Lorak has a 10-year-old daughter, Sofia, who is very similar to her father.
Ani Lorak with her daughter Sofia. Photo: instagram.com/anilorak/
In the same year, barely divorced, Ani Lorak began a relationship with 26-year-old sound producer of the Black Star label Yegor Gleb. The stars diligently hid the connection, but rumors quickly leaked to the press. In addition, they started talking about the fact that the artist is expecting a child from her boyfriend.
The fact that the man was married to singer Tatyana Reshetnyak added piquancy to the situation. But the romance ended at the beginning of 2021. It is unknown who Ani Lorak is dating now. She tries not to advertise her personal life.
Ani Lorak with her daughter Sofia on vacation. Photo: instagram.com/anilorak/
Kristina Orbakaite
Source: @orbakaite_k
Christina is also not afraid to show herself in all her glory - her natural beauty. Although, it should be noted, he does this not so often. “What a beauty without makeup,” “How good you feel with a minimum of makeup. Super,” the singer’s fans left rave reviews.
Ani Lorak: scandal with Konstantin Meladze
In an interview with Boris Korchevnikov on the “Fate of Man” program (April 2021), Ani Lorak confessed a lot. She told for the first time why and how she divorced her Turkish husband, recalled her short but painful love for a Ukrainian football player, as well as her failed collaboration with producer Konstantin Meladze.
Konstantin Meladze. Photo: Global Look Press
The singer said that Meladze Sr. himself offered her his patronage in the world of show business, which he wanted to base on personal relationships - according to Anya, Konstantin felt sympathy for her. The star refused. And she made it clear that this man gave all his wards the “green light” to enter show business through bed.
“We are all adults and we understand everything. This is the moment what you are ready to do for the sake of popularity, fame, and so on. The conditions that he offered to his artists - they were ready. But I'm not ready. I want to note that I am not judging anyone. Each person chooses his own life line,” the singer noted during the interview.
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“The terms of cooperation did not suit”: Lorak again spoke about her relationship with Meladze. The artist came to the Best Style Awards.
The star's statement did not go unnoticed. A real scandal broke out. Someone sided with Ani Lorak, someone condemned her. Meladze Jr. immediately spoke out, saying that the Ukrainian performer herself did not know why she “blurred out” this, since his older brother did not harass her: “Lorak was not part of his sphere of interests.” Ex-soloist of “VIA Gra” Albina Dzhanabaeva echoed her husband:
“I know him completely differently. Maybe someone knows him from the other side. He is subtle and vulnerable. He is easy to offend. If I need to protect him, I will do it. We had producer and partnership relations. I respect this man immensely,” Dzhanabaeva said in an interview with “Careful, Sobchak.”
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“There was an attack on the producer, a hunt”: Meladze’s ex-wife revealed what was happening on the set of the brothers’ videos. According to the musician’s ex-wife, some ladies behaved indecently.
Some time later, Ani Lorak hastened to justify herself. She assured that she was misunderstood. “Wrong conclusions were drawn from my interview. After which the unfounded public persecution of a person for whom I have respect and love began - the great composer Konstantin Meladze. “I ask you all to leave this topic alone,” the star asked.
How Ani Lorak lost weight
Singer Ani Lorak became a mother for the first time in 2011. During pregnancy, she gained 16 kilograms in weight, which did not go away as quickly as she would like. And to get back into shape, she had to go on a diet - give up sweets, baked goods, fried foods, don’t eat after 7 pm and drink a lot of water. In total, she was able to lose 15 kilograms. Now the artist weighs 49 kilograms.
Ani Lorak gives an interview. Photo: Global Look Press
Star looks
When her vocal abilities are appreciated, fans begin to discuss the singer’s charismatic appearance. Not a single part of the celebrity’s body escaped the attention of viewers. Lips became number one for comments - fans claim that “beauty injections” took place, not without the intervention of a plastic surgeon. There is controversy about nose jobs on Instagram.
The oval of the face has acquired clearer shapes. The breasts, which according to fans have increased by several sizes, are also causing heated discussions. The singer reacts calmly to allegations about mammoplasty and explains her volume by the birth of her daughter and is happy to share the secrets of her slender figure.
Note: The singer’s height is 162 cm, weight is 48 kg. The singer considers these parameters ideal for herself.
During pregnancy, the artist gained 15 kg and after the birth of her child she pays increased attention to sports. In the photo, fans have repeatedly noted how the singer instantly lost weight.
Lorak prefers to train at home. In addition to fitness classes, the artist has an individual diet. “The diet is simple, but it must be followed strictly,” shares Ani.
Compliance with the drinking regime, eating before 18.00, split meals - often and in small portions, exclude flour, fried, sweet and instant foods from your diet, steam or bake meat and fish, a large amount of vegetables and dairy products - the rules are simple. Taking care of your body should not be a burden; sometimes morning exercises are enough for exercise.
Ani Lorak: plastic surgery
Many fans are interested in whether Ani Lrak resorted to the help of plastic surgeons. The Teleprogramma.pro portal, with the help of a beauty expert, found out that the star has everything of her own. The only thing that clearly catches your eye is the fillers in the cheekbones and cheeks. Vitamin injections helped improve the quality of the skin.
Ani Lorak with the Muz-TV award. Photo: Global Look Press
The star also did not refuse to make her lips plumper. They've started to look more appetizing lately. But the shape remained quite neat and natural.
Subtleties you need to know about
The proposed diet has its contraindications. It is prohibited for practice during pregnancy and breastfeeding, during acute illnesses and injuries, and during postoperative rehabilitation.
Is it possible to break the rules? Ani Lorak herself, guided by personal experience, advises the following. If you really want to eat something tasty, you should do it before lunch and eat in small portions. After a couple of hours, when the “wrong” food is digested, you can eat a couple of apples or citrus fruits or enjoy berries and fresh fruits.
Ani Lorak: income
The main source of income for the Ukrainian pop diva is concerts and corporate events. Forbes Ukraine magazine calculated how much Ani Lorak earns. At different times, the performer was in the ratings of the most popular and highest-paid stars. For example, in 2012 she entered the top 25 most expensive celebrities in the country, taking third place. It is known that for a New Year's corporate party the singer asks from 30 to 70 thousand dollars. Moreover, interestingly, the star has more than once admitted that she spends more on organizing her grandiose musical programs than she receives.