Ukrainian singer, composer, poet, writer, TV presenter, producer, actor. The leader of the band "Skryabin". Hero of Ukraine (2020, posthumously), knight of the Order of Merit, 1st century. (2015, posthumously). Honored Artist of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea (2008).
Biography
He was born on August 17, 1968 in Sambor, Lviv region. Later, his family moved to Novoyavorivsk, where he began his creative career. As a child, he dreamed of becoming a garbage truck driver. Mother was a music teacher. He studied at Novoyavorivska Primary School No. 1. Andriy graduated from music school with a piano class. He graduated from the Faculty of Dentistry of the Lviv Medical Institute (now the Danylo Halytsky Lviv National Medical University). He was not interested in studying there, but studied at the request of his parents.
Engaged in sports, candidate for master of sports in biathlon.
On September 14, 1997, Svitlana's wife gave birth to a daughter, who was named Maria-Barbara - in honor of the Polish actress Barbara Brylska, Andriy Kuzmenko's childhood idol (according to him, his wife is also very similar to Barbara Brylska).
He spoke Ukrainian, also knew English, Polish and Russian.
2000—2010
Andrii's life history was closely connected with the "Skryabin" band. In 2000, he was the host of his own hit parade "Hot Seven", which lasted until 2002.
In 2000, Kuzma quarreled with Rostislav Domishevskyi (Roy, Rostyk). There was a rumor about the breakup of "Skryabin". After that, Andrii began to gain momentum in popularity, and Roy began to deal mainly with the administrative affairs of the band. Relations between them cooled down.
In 2002, on Andriy's initiative (as he himself said in 2005 on the M1 TV channel), Rostyk was kicked out of the band, and a year later, Shura (Serhii Gera) left the band. "I kicked out all those slackers," Kuzma will say.
Since 2003, during all ten seasons, Kuzmenko has worked together with singer Natalya Mogilevskaya as the host of the musical TV project "Chance" on the "Inter" TV channel, and later on the "Shikanemo" program. Since that time, Andrii takes all the control levers of the "Skryabin" project upon himself, begins to create completely different music than before. Changes in his views and ideas have become obvious - this becomes noticeable in his words in interviews.
At the end of 2003, Kuzmenko was among the musicians who had to participate in campaign concerts in support of the pro-government candidate Viktor Yanukovych: according to the contract with "Inter", Kuzmenko was obliged to participate in all promotions of the TV channel.
At the beginning of 2004, the difference in political views between former members of Scriabin became the reason for sharp criticism of Kuzma. Thus, during the Orange Revolution, he had many accusations, including from Rostik and Shura, who publicly apologized on Channel 5 for his participation in supporting Yanukovych in the first round, and changed his mind and called on Kuzma to do the same.
According to Kuzma, pro-government forces threatened him then that he would have problems after the elections if he did not speak for Yanukovych in campaign concerts in support of him. At the same time, Viktor Yushchenko was already an "absolutely negative hero" for him.
The musician called this incident an experience and a trauma, after which "no one in life will buy him back", and that he gained a lot of enemies - "50 percent of the country".
In 2006, Kuzmenko showed himself as a writer after the publication of his autobiography "I, Victory and Berlin", which was reprinted several times.
In 2009, he created the band "Payushchie trusy", helped to gain the popularity of the band "DZIDZIO". That year he was a member of the jury of the BBC Book of the Year literary award.
2010—2015
Skryabin at a concert in Melitopol, 2014
In June 2013, in Vinnytsia, together with Pavel Tabakov and the band "TiK", accompanied by the Central Military Academy of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, he took part in a charity concert for the International Children's Day "School is accessible to all".
At the end of January 2014, he recorded a song dedicated to the Euromaidan events, noting that he supports the people on the Maidan, but not the opposition. During 2014, he helped soldiers and the wounded in the anti-terrorist operation zone in eastern Ukraine.
In October 2014, he launched his own Internet radio called "S.R.A.K.A.—Svoe Radio Andriy KuzmenkA", which, according to him, played the music he listened to in the car.
Jury of the Ukrainian music show "Sing as a Star" in 2015. One of the participants, who wanted to spend the winnings on a laptop, was given his own. Andriy passed away a few weeks after filming the finale of the project.
On the eve of his death, he gave rather scandalous interviews criticizing the government
Death
Monument at the place of Kuzma's death (14.05.2016)
According to the official version of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine, on February 2, 2015, around 08:20 (according to the concert technician of the band "Skryabin" Yuriy Lysyak, it happened around 07:00, according to the investigation data reported by UkrMedia, the call to the ambulance substation was recorded died in a car accident near the village of Lozuvatka in the Kryvyi Rih district of the Dnipropetrovsk region at 06:54. On the same day, the press service of the Department of the State Automobile Inspection of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine reported that, according to preliminary data, at 86 km of the Kryvyi Rih highway— Kropyvnytskyi (48°03′44″ N 33°13′25″ E) a Toyota Sequoia SUV, driven by a singer, and a GAZ-53 milk truck collided. Andriy Kuzmenko died from his injuries half an hour later.
Commemoration of Kuzma on the Maidan in Kyiv
Andriy Kuzmenko was returning from Kryvyi Rih, where his band had given a concert the day before. Two women were also injured in the fatal accident - passengers in Kuzmenko's car and the milk truck, respectively; they were taken to Kryvyi Rih hospitals No. 2 and No. 9. The driver of the milk truck was at the scene of the accident throughout the investigation.
Farewell
Andrew was mourned on February 5, 2015 in the Church of the Transfiguration of Our Lord Jesus Christ in Lviv. The musician was buried in the family crypt at the cemetery in Bryukhovychy. Concerts in memory of Scriabin were held on May 20 at the Kyiv Sports Palace in Kyiv and on June 21 at the Lviv Arena in Lviv. Together with the musicians of the Skryabin band, Kuzmenko's songs were performed by Svyatoslav Vakarchuk, Ruslana Lyzhichko, Sashko Polozhinsky, "TIK", "Aviator", Arsen Mirzoyan, Taras Topolya, Maria Burmaka, Iryna Bilyk, Dzidzo, Dmytro Shurov and others. Mykhailo Krupievskyi was the director-producer of the tribute concert in memory of Kuzma.
Family and personal life
He has been married since 1994 to Svitlana Ivanivna Babichuk (born March 26, 1968 in Kursk), daughter of the artist Ivan Babichuk (1944 - 2015), an artist, a master of wood painting. She studied with Andrii in parallel classes, in 1990 she graduated from the Kursk Pedagogical Institute. In 2006, Svitlana had shops on Andriyivskyi Uzvoz. She painted silk and batik, worked to order, founded the charitable "Fund named after Kuzma Scriabin", helps orphanages, hospitals, engages in volunteer activities and supports the Ukrainian military, as Andriy did.
The daughter is Maria-Barbara Andriivna Kuzmenko (Basya) (born September 14, 1997), named after the actress Barbara Brylska, Andriy's childhood idol, with whom Andriy was personally acquainted. The daughter studied at the Bogomolets Medical University. Received a diploma of a dermatologist.
Social activities
According to Andriy, in 2004 he was forced to perform concerts in support of the presidential candidate Viktor Yanukovych.
Subsequently, Kuzmenko took an active political position, which he often expressed in interviews. He constantly helped ATO fighters financially, and was also known for sometimes coming to the hospital where the fighters were being treated. Andriy himself explained: after being wounded, a fighter becomes uninteresting to the state, everyone turns away from him, so it is extremely important to communicate with veterans. Andriy Kuzmenko constantly criticized the activities of Ukrainian politicians.
Andriy filmed several videos with an address to the deputies of the Verkhovna Rada. In them, he drove along the roads of Ukraine, commenting on what he sees outside the window. In particular, the terrible quality of roads, potholes, flooding, lack of repair, etc.
In 2001, he was part of the "Team of the Winter Generation" party.
Songs on political topics by the band "Skryabin":
They threw
Warm winter
Stupid censorship
Ruin
History
I'm angry
About the modern Russian-Ukrainian war:
Ukrainians
Bitch-war
A letter to the presidents of Ukraine.
Angry Rapper Zenyk
Evil Rapper Zenyk is the singing pseudonym of Andriy Kuzmenko, under which he recorded the album "Zalupa RocK", which contains profanity, comedic texts, etc. According to the singer, the album under the pseudonym of the Evil Raper Zenyka was the only one and this project had no continuation.
Filmography
Actor
Evenings on a farm near Dykanka (2001) - Kuzma, Vakula's friend (credited as Andrii Kuzmenko).
Lesya+Roma (2006) — plays himself (cameo)
Carnival Night at Inter (2006) — plays himself
Very New Year's movie (2007) - a guest at the New Year's party in the museum (cameo)
Little Red Riding Hood (2009) — Bluebeard (credited as Kuzma Skryabin)
Special thanks
Shaft (film) (2006) - special thanks (credited as Andrii Kuzmenko).
TV
1996 - Territory A (ICTV) - participant
2005-2007 - Shikanemo (Inter) - presenter
2005-2006 - Patriot Games (Inter) - player
2010 — Made in Ukraine (Inter) — a parody of Kuzma Scriabin and the ZAZ Lanos car (a parody of the song "Old Photos")
2011 - Battle of the Nations (ICTV) - presenter
2013 — Kyiv Vechirnii (1+1) — guest
2012-2014 - Dacha (ICTV) - presenter
Bibliography
Me, Victory and Berlin (2006)
City Without Money (2006)
Me, Pate and the Army (2014)
Me, Shonik and Svalbard (2015)
Poetry (2016)
Cure, Crimea and I (not finished)
Books by Olga Mykhailivna Kuzmenko, Andriy's mother, dedicated to her son:
"My dear bird. Mother's Book" (2015)
"The Scriabin group and friends on stage" (2016)
"Lullaby for Andriyka" (2018)
Commemoration
Postage stamp and envelope issued by "Ukrposhta" for the 50th anniversary of the birth of the leader of the band "Skryabin"
In September 2017, a park named after Kuzmy Scriabin. It is located in the city center on St. Gagarina (between the Central Hotel and the Khmelnytskyi Regional Philharmonic).
In September 2020, a mural with a portrait of Ukrainian musician Kuzma Skryabin was created in the center of Khmelnytskyi. They painted it on the wallsand in the park named after the performer. The creation of the mural was timed to the "Respublica" festival. The art object was created by an artist from Khmelnytskyi.
A memorial sign has been installed at the place of Kuzma's death.
In September 2015, a commemorative plaque to Andriy Kuzmenko was opened in Odessa (near the Mother-in-law bridge, at the address Viyskovy Uzviz, 1). The ceremony was attended by the father of the musician and the musicians of the Skryabin band.
On October 1, 2015, a monument to Andrii Kuzmenko was opened in Lutsk.
On October 16, 2015, the Volnovakha City Council decided to rename Zhovtneva Street to Kuzma Skryabin Street.
In January 2016, a petition appeared on the official web portal of the Kyiv City Council with a proposal to rename Kotovsky Street in Kyiv to Andrii Kuzmenko Street, but it did not receive the necessary 10,000 votes.
On January 29, 2016, one of Fastov's streets was renamed in honor of Andrii Kuzmenko.
On March 24, 2016, the International Astronomical Union registered the name of asteroid 291923 Kuzmaskryabin.
On May 20, 2016, the head of the Zhytomyr Regional State Administration signed an order that, among other things, renamed one of the alleys in Radomyshla in honor of Kuzma Skryabin.
One of the streets of Malyna, Zhytomyr region, was renamed in honor of Kuzmenko. Andriy's great-grandfather is buried near the city.
One of the streets of Bryukhovych (a suburb of Lviv where he is buried) is named after Andriy Kuzmenko.
On August 23, 2016, a monument to Andriy Kuzmenko was opened in Lutsk.
Medals with Kuzma's portrait were awarded to the winners of the Lviv Marathon.
A commemorative sign to Andrii, who often helped border guards, was installed on the building of the Directorate of the State Border Service.
In 2018, a mural (picture on the wall) with a portrait of Andrii appeared in Kharkiv.
For the 50th anniversary of the birth of the leader of the band "Skryabin", Ukrposhta initiated the issue and presented a new postage stamp "Andriy Kuzmenko. 1968—2015 (Skryabin)" with the image of the singer. The special redemption of the stamp, on which the musician's signature will be imprinted, took place on August 17, 2018 at the Kyiv and Lviv post offices.
On November 15, 2018, the Kyiv City Council named the square on Vasyl Poryk Avenue in the Podilsky district of the capital in honor of the musician Kuzma Skryabin (Andriy Kuzmenko).
Opening of the monument to Andrii Kuzmenko in the village of Sviatopetrivskyi on October 14, 2019. Andrii's mother is sitting on the bench.
On October 14, 2019, a monument to Andriy Kuzmenko by the Ivano-Frankivsk sculptor Borys Danylyuk was erected in the village of Svyatopetrivskyi, Kyiv region.
A selection of posters with statements by Andriy Kuzmenko was created as part of the #PlakatyЩobNeЗабувати project.
In music
Internet musician Leonid Volosheniuk wrote the song "In Memory of Kuzma Scriabin" the day after the death of Andrii Kuzmenko, the song was included in the demo album.
At the end of August, a fan album-compilation of the last songs of Andriy Kuzmenko and the band "Skryabin" appeared on the Internet, called "The End of the Film". The album included unpublished demo recordings, the song "Route", which was not included in any album, and Kuzma's last two studio works, "Film's End" and "Weather Forecast".
The band "Antitila" recorded the song "People like ships", Svyatoslav Vakarchuk - "Shut up", Ruslana - "You will open your eyes yet", Natalya Myrna - "I wanted spring", Oleksandr Ponomaryov - "My own country", Kazka band - " Keep silent".
Awards
The title Hero of Ukraine with the award of the Order of the State (August 17, 2020, posthumously) — for outstanding personal merits in the formation of the national cultural space, a significant contribution to the development of national musical art, many years of fruitful creative and public activity
Order "For Merit" 1 st. (October 29, 2015, posthumously) — for a significant personal contribution to the development of national culture, enrichment of domestic musical art, and many years of fruitful creative activity
Proposals for awarding the honorary title "People's Artist of Ukraine"
On October 13, 2015, an electronic petition to grant the title of People's Artist of Ukraine to the leader of the band "Skryabin" Andriy Kuzmenko was sent to the Administration of the President of Ukraine for consideration (petition No. 22/002933-yep registered on September 5, 2015).
The President of Ukraine, Petro Poroshenko, supported the awarding of the leader of the band "Skryabin" Andriy Kuzmenko with the Order of Merit, 1st degree (posthumously). "Taking into account the numerous support for awarding A. Kuzmenko with a state award and his significant contribution to the development of Ukrainian culture and the enrichment of national musical art, I supported the proposal of the State Awards and Heraldry Commission to award Andrii Kuzmenko with the Order of Merit, 1st degree (posthumously)," it was said in the response of the President of Ukraine to the electronic petition. In the response of the President of Ukraine, it is separately emphasized that in accordance with Clause 7 of the Regulation on Honorary Titles of Ukraine, approved by the Presidential Decree "On Honorary Titles of Ukraine" dated June 29, 2001, the awarding of the title "People's Artist of Ukraine" is not carried out posthumously.
On February 21, 2020, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine supported the parliamentary request of Pavlo Melnyk to the President of Ukraine regarding the perpetuation of the memory of singer Andrii Kuzmenko, who died on February 2, 2015year in a road accident, by awarding the honorary title of "People's Artist of Ukraine", as well as other outstanding figures of Ukraine who were not awarded such a state award during their lifetime, by amending the Decree of the President of Ukraine "On Honorary Titles of Ukraine", which will allow the awarding of honorary titles posthumously
