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Laima Vaikule
Vaikule in 2017
Background information
Born	(1954-03-31) March 31, 1954 (age 70) Cēsis, Soviet Latvia, Soviet Union (now Latvia)
Genres	Pop music estrada
Occupations	Singer actor
Instruments	Singing
Years active	1966–present
Labels	Melodiya RiTonis MCA GRP Microphone Soyuz Extraphone Universal Russia
Website	laima.com

Laima Vaikule (born 31 March 1954) is a Latvian actress, singer, director, and choreographer, best known in Europe and in the former USSR for such popular hits as "Vernissage" and "Charlie," among other songs.

Biography

Vaikule was born on 31 March 1954, in Cēsis, Latvia. Her parents moved to Riga when she was three. Young Laima was fond of music and dancing. In 1966, at the age of 12, she took part in a competition of young singers and was noticed. Between 1970 and 1973, she studied nursing at the Vilnius Medical College, while also continuing to sing with a band. Eventually, she became a lead singer with a local band in Riga, Latvia and worked night gigs at local clubs and restaurants for several years. In the 1980s she studied acting and directing at Moscow State Institute for Theatrical Arts (GITIS), graduating as actress and director.

In 1985, Laima Vaikule made her first hit in the Soviet Union. Since 1986, Vaikule has been enjoying a fruitful collaboration with popular Latvian composer, Raimonds Pauls, and Russian poet Ilya Reznik, who wrote such hits as "Vernisage", "Charlie" and "Skripach na kryshe" ("Fiddler on the roof"). She is among the original organizers of the Jurmala Festival of popular music, along with Raimonds Pauls. During the 1980s and 1990s Laima Vaikule was a regular participant at international music competitions and festivals across Europe. Vaikule was awarded the Golden Lyra at the 1987 Bratislavská lýra, was a guest singer and a host at "Jurmala 92" festival, and also took part at "AU music world" in Monaco, among other festivals and competitions. She was awarded the title Peoples Artist of Latvia (1995) and the Grand Music Award (1996) for her special contribution to the music and culture of Latvia.

Personal life

Vaikule is currently living and working in Riga, Latvia and owns a second home in Moscow, Russia. She is an animal rights activist and a vegetarian.

Controversy

In a 2018 interview to the Ukrainian press, when asked about performing in the Russian-annexed Crimea, Vaikule responded "I won't go there, whatever royalties they offer me" and explained "I'm a citizen of the European Union, I don't have the right to travel there", receiving criticism from Russian Senator Aleksey Pushkov and several Russian cultural figures. Vaikule later went on Russian national television, where she said her answer had been misinterpreted and what she meant was that the law forbids her from going to Crimea, not that she would not want to perform there. When asked by the anchor, whether she would perform in Crimea if no Latvian law forbade it, Vaikule answered positively.

Popular songs

• It's Not Evening Yet
• Yellow Leaves
• Vernisage
• What Does the Pianist Play
• Fiddler On the Roof
• Charlie
• On Piccadilly Street

Awards and honors

• Zlatá Bratislavská lyra (1987)
• Merited Artist of Latvian SSR [lv; ru] (1990)
• World Music Awards (1993)
• Peoples Artist of Latvia (1995)
• Grand Music Award (1996)
• Order of Friendship (2011)
• Certificate of Merit of the President of Latvia (2019)
• Golden Gramophone Award (2019)

References

1. Novaya Volna. Official site
2. USSR Yearbook, 1988. Russia: Novosti, 1988. 42.
3. Российские знаменитости устроили акцию протеста на льдах Белого моря против убийства тюленей [Russian celebrities staged a protest on the White Sea ice against murdering of seals]. ИА Регнум. Retrieved 3 February 2012.
4. Зона, свободная от убийства [Murder free Zone]. НТВ. 11 March 2008. Retrieved 3 February 2012.
5. Зелёные знаменитости: вегетарианство входит в моду [Green celebrities: Vegetarianism is catching on]. Retrieved 3 February 2012.
6. "Laima Vaikule: Latvian pop star angers Russia with Crimea snub". BBC. 14 August 2018. Retrieved 29 September 2018.
7. "Latvian singer Laima Vaikule faces Crimean controversy". Public Broadcasting of Latvia. 24 October 2018. Retrieved 29 September 2018.
8. ^ "Биография Лаймы Вайкуле". РИА Новости. 1 March 2020. Retrieved 2 September 2021.
9. "Указ Президента Российской Федерации от 07.07.2011 г. № 900 - О награждении орденом Дружбы Вайкуле Л." Presidential Executive Office (in Russian). 7 June 2011. Archived from the original on 18 April 2021. Retrieved 2 September 2021.
10. "Certificate of Merit of the President of Latvia". Valsts prezidenta kanceleja. Retrieved 2 September 2021.
11. ""Русское Радио" подвело итоги года: в Кремле состоялась XXIV Ежегодная Церемония вручения национальной музыкальной Премии "Золотой Граммофон"". Интерфакс (in Russian). 29 November 2019. Retrieved 2 September 2021.

External links

• Official site (in Russian)
• Laima Vaikule discography at Discogs
• Laima Vaikule at the World Music Awards 1993

• Latvian pop singers
• Latvian women pop singers
• 1954 births
• Living people
• People from Cēsis
• 20th-century Latvian women singers
• Latvian stage actresses
• Latvian film actresses
• 20th-century Latvian actresses
• 21st-century Latvian actresses
• Winners of the Golden Gramophone Award