Aida Vedishcheva — 85: why did the singer suddenly disappear from the Soviet scene
Aida Vedishcheva is one of the most famous Soviet pop voices of the 1960s and 1970s. The greatest popularity of the singer was brought by the movie and cartoon hits "Song of the Bears", "Forest Deer", "Lullaby of the bear" and "Chunga Changa". Her gentle manner of performance and characteristic timbre made each record easily recognizable, and the compositions truly folk. These songs continue to be played on the air today. Despite the resounding success, at the peak of her popularity, the singer fled the USSR, continuing her career abroad. She has been living with her family in the USA for many years. The actress rarely visits Russia, but still calls it her homeland. On the occasion of Aida Vedishcheva's 85th birthday, which is celebrated on June 10, Izvestia recalls the singer's creative career, main songs and little-known pages of her biography.
Who was Aida Vedishcheva and why did millions love her?
Aida Vedishcheva (nee Aida Weiss) was born in 1941 in Kazan into a medical family. From an early age, she showed interest in music and the stage, although her parents initially did not associate her future with a creative profession. Her father, Solomon Weiss, was a doctor of medical sciences, a professor, and students of medical schools across the country studied according to his textbooks. His mother, Elena Yemelyanova, was also involved in medicine. During the Great Patriotic War, both worked in hospitals.
After the birth of her daughter, the family moved to Irkutsk, where the future singer spent her childhood and youth. There she studied at secondary school No. 17, participating in school amateur performances and concert programs. Then she graduated from the music college with piano and solo singing classes. Despite his passion for the stage, his parents insisted on serious education. Following their will, young Aida entered the Irkutsk Pedagogical Institute and began studying foreign languages.
After that, she went to Moscow and applied to the Shchepkin Higher Theater School. However, her attempt to become an actress was unsuccessful, and then she finally decided to connect her life with music.
The audience loved her for the sincerity of her performance and the simplicity of her presentation. The singer did not strive for complex vocal techniques, relying on emotionality and melody. This is what brought her massive recognition. The compositions performed by the singer were easy to remember. They were played both on the radio and on home turntables.
How Aida Vedishcheva's career began
Aida Vedishcheva's professional career began to take shape in the late 1950s and early 1960s. After graduating from music school, the singer joined the system of touring ensembles, where young performers received their first serious stage experience. This stage became an important school for her, which largely determined the future manner of performance and the stage image of the singer.
In the early period, Vedishcheva performed as a pop singer of the Kharkiv Philharmonic, sang in the jazz orchestras of Oleg Lundstrem and Leonid Utesov, and also gave concerts with the Meloton ensemble and VIA Blue Guitars. It was then that her first recordings took place at the Melodiya company, including the songs "Geese-Geese" and "If I were a boy."
Singer Aida Vedishcheva
They started talking about the singer. The success was consolidated by participation in major music competitions. Vedishcheva became a laureate of the First All-Union Soviet Song Contest, and also received a diploma from the International Song Festival in Poland. These awards cemented her status as a promising performer and opened up new opportunities.
An important stage was the collaboration with composers, in particular with Alexander Zatsepin, who wrote music for film and television. The singer gained national fame after performing "Songs about Bears" for Leonid Gaidai's film "The Caucasian Captive, or The New Adventures of Shurik" (1966). The director was initially looking for a performer with a voice similar to that of actress Natalia Varley. As a result, his choice settled on Aida Vedishcheva.
According to the singer's recollections, a friend from the radio called her and asked her to perform a "simple" song. However, she did not know that the recording was intended for a movie. It took about half an hour to work in the studio, and only a week later the singer was informed that it was her version that had been approved for the film.
Later, the album with this composition sold about 7 million copies. The song was played on all dance floors and discos. Her rhythm perfectly matched the then fashionable twist. Sometimes it was played several times in an evening.
Which songs of Aida Vedishcheva became hits
By the early 1970s, Vedischevey's repertoire had expanded significantly. She continued her collaboration with Gaidai. A new milestone was the performance of the song "Volcano of Passions", or "Help me", for the movie "Diamond Hand" (1968). The singer arrived at the studio at night and recorded a version from one take, which was included in the tape. This tango-paced composition has become Vedishcheva's calling card and has been performed by her at concerts more than once.
A shot from the movie "Diamond Hand", with the song "Help me" performed by Aida Vedishcheva
A year later, the "Lullaby of the Bear" was recorded for the animated film "Umka", shot at the Soyuzmultfilm studio in 1969. The song has become a symbol not only of motherhood, but also of New Year's holidays due to the winter plot of the cartoon. Less than a year later, the songs "Chunga Changa" and "Blue Water" were released, which can be heard in the cartoon "Boat Boat".
Later, the song "Forest Deer" was recorded to the music of Evgeny Krylatov and lyrics by Yuri Entin. She first appeared in the movie "Oh, this Nastya!" (1971) directed by Yuri Pobedonostsev, whose heroine was a ten-year-old schoolgirl. Two years later, the song won the diploma of the laureate of the Song-73 festival. However, then it was not performed by Aida Vedishcheva, but by the Large Children's Choir of the All-Union Radio and Central Television.
A shot from the movie "Oh, this Nastya!"
Later, "The Forest Deer" firmly entered the repertoire of many children's groups. The song was regularly played in schools, pioneer camps and during city holidays.
Why did the singer leave the USSR
In the late 1970s, Aida Vedishcheva's situation began to get complicated. Despite her wide popularity with listeners and participation in official cultural projects, the singer faced criticism from officials. She was accused of "lack of ideas and vulgarity" and of being overly focused on entertainment.
According to the memoirs of the artist herself, her performances not only limited, but also demagnetized the films with her recordings, and participation in television broadcasts almost ceased. In some cases, the singer's name was not even mentioned in the credits of the films where her songs were played. A similar situation has developed around the famous song from The Caucasian Captive.
A shot from the film "The Caucasian Captive", with a song performed by Aida Vedishcheva "A song about bears"
In an interview, the actress said that after the release of the film, the song "Volcano of Passions" sounded everywhere — it was turned on portable radios, it came from the windows of houses, it was often sung on the street. However, as the singer noted, she regularly received letters criticizing the composition and demanding that it be stopped.
"This tango was so popular. And they wrote to me from the Ministry of Culture, "Stop this outrage!"... I was really bothering someone," Channel Five quoted her as saying.
A separate role was played by the singer's desire for an independent career. She loved jazz and even tried to create a theatrical show "Singing Short Stories" with elements of jazz, but the Ministry of Culture banned it without explanation. The musicians accompanying the performances were also taken away from her.
As a result, Vedishcheva decided to emigrate, considering it as an opportunity for further creative development. This step was a turning point in her biography and caused a noticeable public outcry, since such cases were rare. After her departure, the singer's songs continued to be heard in films and on the radio, but she herself no longer appeared on the Soviet stage.
How did Aida Vedishcheva's life develop after emigration
The singer emigrated to the USA in 1980, when some of her colleagues in the workshop had already left: Vadim Mulerman, Emil Horovets, Nina Brodskaya. After moving abroad, Aida Vedishcheva continued her musical career, but in a different cultural environment. She had to rebuild her professional connections and look for new venues for performances. This process was not easy and took a lot of time.
In exile, the artist performed mainly in front of a Russian-speaking audience, which retained an interest in Soviet culture. Concerts were held in countries where immigrants from the USSR lived. However, the repertoire was based on already well-known songs. Her new compositions could not overshadow her early hits.
Gradually, Vedishcheva began to be perceived as a representative of the "golden fund" of Soviet pop music abroad. Her name remained famous among listeners who grew up listening to her songs. This ensured her sustained public interest and concert activities.
At the same time, she expanded her repertoire, performing works of American pop music — songs from Broadway musicals and Hollywood films. During this period, the artist performed under the pseudonym Amazing Aida. In addition, she created her own theater and an author's TV show on California television.
Why is Aida Vedishcheva's work remembered decades later
The singer has been living outside of Russia for more than 40 years, but her work is still alive in the memory of millions of listeners. The singer's career took place during the golden age of Soviet cinema. Thanks to this, her voice was associated with the most famous films of the era.
Melodies written by leading Soviet composers played a special role. Vedishcheva was trusted to perform songs that instantly became popular. They remain recognizable even decades later, and each new generation rediscovers them.
Singer Aida Vedishcheva and composer Vladimir Dashkevich
Today, the singer's work is experiencing a new wave of interest. Modern artists and DJs create arrangements of her songs, from dance remixes to rock versions. For example, in 2023, Eldar Jarakhov and Philip Kirkorov presented their interpretation of the "Forest Deer" at the New Year's show.
And in 2024, restored versions of Aida Vedishcheva's original recordings were released. Thanks to modern processing, the sound has acquired a clearer and clearer sound.
Interesting facts about the singer's life
Aida Vedishcheva was married four times. Her first husband was circus performer Vladislav Vedishchev. This marriage produced a son, Vladimir (born 1962), but the family soon broke up. The singer's second husband was Boris Dvernik, a pianist and leader of the Meloton ensemble. It was with him that the artist emigrated to the USA in 1980.
At the age of 45, the singer entered into a third marriage with American millionaire Jay Markaff, who was 15 years older than her. The couple met in Los Angeles after the singer's performance in Beverly Hills. However, the businessman expected the singer to leave the stage. As a result, the couple divorced after a few years without reaching an agreement.
The fourth and last husband of the actress is Israeli businessman Naim Bejim. He was there during a difficult period of her life, when Vedishcheva was diagnosed with cancer. Thanks to the support and timely help, the disease receded. After recovering, the couple got married and are still happy together. Meanwhile, the singer left her third husband's last name so as not to change her documents.
Today, Aida Vedishcheva comes to Russia from time to time to meet with fans who still love her voice and appreciate the artist's contribution to musical culture. According to the singer, despite any grievances, she is grateful to Russia and is happy that she was born here.
A shot from the movie "Aida Vedishcheva. Don't be afraid to start from scratch"
Several documentaries have been made about the life and work of Aida Vedishcheva — "Aida Vedishcheva. Don't be afraid to start from scratch" (2011), which tells about her attempt to radically change her life, and "Lapin's List. Forbidden Stage" (2013), dedicated to artists who were banned by Soviet censorship. They show how talent and determination can overcome the barriers of taboos and oblivion, preserving the love of the public on both sides of the ocean.
Переведено сервисом «Яндекс Переводчик»
