Igor Krutoy
Igor Yakovlevich Krutoy or Ihor Yakovych Krutyi born on July 29, 1954), is a Ukrainian-Russian music composer, performer, producer and musical promoter. Krutoy was awarded the title "Honoured Artist of the Russian Federation", People's Artist of Russia and People's Artist of Ukraine. Winner of ZD Awards, and Ovation Award.
Also recorded as Igor Yakovlevich Krutoy · Ihor Krutyi · Ihor Yakovych Krutyi
Igor Krutoy

Александр Ерашов · Tatarstan.ru · CC BY 4.0
- Name
- Igor Krutoy Игорь Крутой
- Birth Name
- Igor Yakovlevich Krutoy
- Born
- 29 July 1954
- Birthplace
- Haivoron, Ukrainian SSR, USSR (Now Ukraine)
- Occupation
- Composer, music producer, television producer, singer, pianist, keyboardist, accordionist
- Awards
- * Order "For Merit to the Fatherland" (2nd,3rd, 4th class)
- Nationality
- Russia · Soviet Union · Ukraine
- Fields
- pop music · popular music
- Education
- Saratov Conservatory · Kropyvnytskyi College of Music
- Known for
- Mademoiselle Zhivago
- Honours
- People's Artist of the Russian Federation · Order For Merit to the Fatherland, 3rd class · Order For Merit to the Fatherland and 4th class · Order of Friendship · Lenin Komsomol Prize · Honored art worker of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic
- Languages
- Russian · Ukrainian
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Documentary summary
Igor Yakovlevich Krutoy or Ihor Yakovych Krutyi born on July 29, 1954), is a Ukrainian-Russian music composer, performer, producer and musical promoter. Krutoy was awarded the title "Honoured Artist of the Russian Federation", People's Artist of Russia and People's Artist of Ukraine. Winner of ZD Awards, and Ovation Award.
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Authority files
wikidata · Q2631745 · wikipedia · Igor Krutoy
In this article
Biography
Biography
Since 2002, together with Raymonds Pauls, he organized the New Wave competition for young performers.
Igor Krutoy studied at Saratov Conservatory and Kropyvnytskyi College of Music. The recorded working language is Russian and Ukrainian. The field of work recorded is pop music and popular music. Subjects and genres recorded for the work are instrumental, pop and Russian chanson. Works named in the authority record are Mademoiselle Zhivago. Distinctions recorded are People's Artist of the Russian Federation, Order "For Merit to the Fatherland", 3rd class, Order "For Merit to the Fatherland", 4th class and Order of Friendship.

Рустам Минниханов встретился с композитором Игорем Крутым
Александр Ерашов · Tatarstan.ru

Рустам Минниханов встретился с композитором Игорем Крутым
Александр Ерашов · Tatarstan.ru
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Igor Krutoy Игорь Крутой • Birth Name — Igor Yakovlevich Krutoy • Born — 29 July 1954 • Birthplace — Haivoron, Ukrainian SSR, USSR (Now Ukraine) • Occupation — Composer, music producer, television producer, singer, pianist, keyboardist, accordionist • Years Active — 1980s–present • Title — People's Artist of Russia (1996) People's Artist of Ukraine (2011) • Website — igorkrutoy.com • Awards — * Order "For Merit to the Fatherland" (2nd,3rd, 4th class) • Order of Friendship • Illustration — Igor Krutoy being awarded the Order "For Merit to the Fatherland" II degree, December 12, 2024
Life and career
Life and career
Igor Krutoy was born on July 29, 1954, in Haivoron, Kirovograd Oblast to Jewish parents. When he was young, he taught himself to play the accordion, and later played in the school band. Krutoy studied at the musical school, and after graduation he entered the Theory faculty at Kirovograd music college, where he graduated with distinction in 1974. He failed to enter the Kiev Conservatory and spent the following year giving accordion classes in Haivoron and Bandurovo village. Next year Krutoy entered Nikolaev State Pedagogical Institute at conductor (choral music) department. While studying there, he worked in restaurants, where he met singer Aleksander Serov, who later would become his friend and perform many of his songs. During that period Krutoy also worked as artistic director of Valentina Tolkunova band and gave performances accompanying Russian male actor Yevgeny Leonov. In 1979, he was invited to Moscow Concert Orchestra "Panorama", where he worked together with artists such as Leonid. In 1986 Igor Krutoy finally managed to enter the Saratov Conservatory, the composer department. In parallel, his friend, popular singer Aleksander Serov, was winning international competitions with Igor Krutoy songs "Inspiration" and "In Fate's Despite". Krutoy was awarded the Lenin Komsomol Prize in 1989. In 2012, Igor Krutoy became the chairman of Music1.ru and a shareholder of Net Element following a $2 million investment into the company. The joint venture culminated with the launch of www.Music1.ru, expected to become the online centerpiece of Krutoy's music enterprise and the online music market leader in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) countries.
Family
Family
Born into a Jewish family, to Yakov Krutoy (1917–1980), who worked as a freight forwarder at "RADIODETAL" factory in Haivoron, and mother Svetlana (born 1934), who worked as laboratory specialist at sanitary and epidemiological station. His sister Alla Krutaya, is the author and host of Laskavo prosymo (Welcome, "Ласкаво просимо") show at TV company "Ukraine".
Private life
Private life
• first spouse – Yelena Krutaya (born in Saint Petersburg) • son Nikolai Krutoy (born 1981) • second spouse – Olga Krutaya (born 1963), since 1995. Olga Krutaya lives in New Jersey, United States, and is running a business there. Igor and Olga have one daughter together: • Aleksandra (born 2003). • step daughter Victoriya (born 1985), she is a singer, graduated from high school in New Jersey
Composer
Composer
• When i close my eyes (Когда я закрываю глаза) • A Sad Angel (Печальный Ангел) • You are in my September (Ты в моем Сентябре) • Blue Planet (Голубая планета) Film soundtracks • The Snow Queen (Снежная королева, 2003) • Hostages of "The Devil" (Заложники «Дьявола», 1993) • Thirst for Passion (Жажда страсти, 1991) • Souvenir for the prosecutor (Сувенир для прокурора, 1989)
Producer
Producer
• TV series "Star Factory" (Фабрика звезд) (2002–2007)
ARS records
ARS records
Krutoy is head of ARS owns 25% of Muz-TV which plays Russian pop music videos. Since 2002, ARS also organizes the New Wave (competition) for young performers of popular music with Raimonds Pauls and Alla Pugacheva. As a management agency, ARS has signed artists such as Sopho Khalvashi.
Krutoy Media (formerly ARS Media) group
Krutoy Media (formerly ARS Media) group
In November 1999, Krutoy founded the "ARS Media" holding. The group - which was renamed in 2012 as Krutoy Media - owns the radio networks Radio Dacha, Radio Shanson, Love Radio (Russia), Radio Russkiy Hit and Vostok FM as well as the Moscow-exclusive stations Taxi FM and First Sport Radio (a/k/a Pervoye Sportivnoye). In January 2013, Krutoy sold 75% of the company's shares to oligarch Mikhail Gutseriev, keeping the 25% to himself.
Identity and origins
Identity and origins
The authorities additionally record the headings Igor Yakovlevich Krutoy, Ihor Krutyi and Ihor Yakovych Krutyi. His recorded languages were Russian and Ukrainian.
Identity
Identity
Igor Krutoy is recorded as having received People's Artist of the Russian Federation, Order "For Merit to the Fatherland", 3rd class and Order "For Merit to the Fatherland", 4th class.
Recordings
• Album Madonna with Aleksander Serov, 1988. • Album Ya plachu with Aleksander Serov, 1991. • Album How Is It in Russia? with Rose Sisters, 1992. • Album Ya Tuchi Razvedu Rukami with Irina Allegrova, 1996. • Album Nezakonchenniy Roman with Irina Allegrova 1998. • Album Odnazhdy v Amerike with Mikhail Shufutinsky, 1998. • Album Latinsky kvartal with Laima Vaikule, 1998. • Album Ti Eto Ya with Rose Sisters, 1998. • Album The Rope Dancer with Valery Leontiev, 1999. • Deja Vu, 2 CD+DVD with Dmitri Hvorostovsky, 2009. • Album Mademoiselle Zhivago with Lara Fabian, 2010. • Album Le Luce with Sumi Jo, 2012 • Album Romanza with Anna Netrebko and Yusif Eyvazov, 2017
Where the work is held
Recognition and collections
Igor Krutoy received People's Artist of the Russian Federation, Order "For Merit to the Fatherland", 3rd class, Order "For Merit to the Fatherland", 4th class, Order of Friendship, Lenin Komsomol Prize and Honored art worker of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic.
Titles and honors
• Honoured Art Worker of Russian Federation (1992) • People's Artist of Russia (1996) • People's Artist of Ukraine (2011) • Lenin Komsomol Prize (1989) • Order of Friendship (August 27, 2004) • Order of Merit for the Fatherland of the 4th class (July 28, 2009) • Order of Merit for the Fatherland of the 3rd class (July 21, 2014) • Order of Friendship (Kazakhstan) of the 2nd class (July 3, 2019) • Order of Merit for the Fatherland of the 2nd class (November 21, 2024)
Literature
Scholarly footprint
A count of publications is evidence of attention, not of standing, and is given here only as a measure.
Citations
References
Each reference names the institution holding it, so a reader may go to the document itself.
reference work
Wikidata, structured authority record Q2631745: Igor KrutoyWikimedia Foundation
Partially resolvedreference work
Partially resolved
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 14 August 2026.
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