Vitas

He won the ZD Awards and participated in many Russian and European music festivals, including the festival “Christmas Meetings of Alla Pugacheva” and others. He performed in a duet with Demis Roussos and Lucio Dalla. Much of his recognition outside Russia and Asia came in the 2010s, when songs such as "Opera #2" and "The 7th Element" (both from his 2001 debut album Philosophy of Miracle) and "Smile!" (from his 2002 album of the same name) achieved viral success; the unusual music videos for "Opera #2" and "The 7th Element" have been cited as the most prominent examples of this. Vitas has performed with entertainment labels such as Universal Music Group, and has toured extensively in several countries. He designs his own stage costumes, and employs a backing band named DIVA during live performances.

• Name — Vitas • Birth Name — Vitaly Vladasovich Grachev • Alias — * Vitalik • Vitas • Born — 19 February 1979 • Birthplace — Daugavpils, Latvian SSR, Soviet Union • Origin — Odesa, Ukraine • Genre — * Operatic pop • orchestral pop • techno • pop • dance-pop • folk-pop • synth-pop • electroclash • alternative rock • Instrument — * Vocals • accordion • Occupation — * Singer • songwriter • Years Active — 2000–present • Label — * Iceberg Music • CD Land • Квадро-Диск • CICAC • KHAM • Gemini Sun Records • Universal Music Taiwan • Никитин • Media Land • Creative Media • Monatomic Music • 反正靠谱

Vitaliy Vladasovich Grachev was born in Daugavpils, which was then in the Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic, on 19 February 1979. He moved with his parents to Ukraine, where he was raised in Odesa. In an interview to Ukrainian website Fakty in 2012, Grachev claimed that Vitas was his official first name on his birth certificate. At the age of 16, he officially changed his first name to the name's Ukrainian version Vitaliy. Vitas has Russian, Lithuanian and Ashkenazi Jewish roots. He is the son of costume designer Lilia Mihailovna Gracheva who was Russian and musician Vladas Arkadevich Grachev-Marantzman who was of ethnic Lithuanian and Ashkenazi Jewish origin. His paternal grandfather, Arkadiy Davydovich Marantzman, who sang in an army choir, was Ashkenazi Jewish while his paternal grandmother was of ethnic Lithuanian descent.It is often reported that Vitas' paternal grandmother was Latvian. However, in an interview to Channel One Russia, Vitas referred to his paternal grandmother as a "true-blood ethnic Lithuanian". Arkadiy Marantzman served in the Soviet army during World War II. Vitas showed an interest in music from an early age; his grandfather taught him to play the accordion at the age of 5. He later said that he had composed at least 1,000 songs by the age of 12. He attended an art school in Odesa from the age of seven, and appeared in various theatrical productions as a teenager. He took the name Vitas in his teen years as he found "Vitaliy Grachev" sounded too long. He regularly clashed with his father about his late night rehearsing habits. His father threatened to report him to the police. At the age of 21, Vitas and his 15-year-old girlfriend and future wife Svetlana crossed the border into Russia on a train without Svetlana having proper documentation. They lived in poverty before Vitas received public attention for his music.

• Illustration — Vitas' signature

• Illustration — Vitas in 2015. In 2019, Vitas released his fifteenth album Bit Bombit. He celebrated his 20th anniversary as an artist starting with a new concert tour in April 2019 in Moscow, while appearing at Evening Urgant on the day of his 40th birthday. He collaborated with Australian musician and DJ Timmy Trumpet on the song "The King" and performed with him at the Belgian rave festival Tomorrowland. In August 2020, Vitas' 20th anniversary EP OPERA20 was released in China. The album contained songs in English, Russian, and Chinese, as well as a collaboration with Chinese singer Elvis Wang. 1,000 limited edition vinyl copies were issued. Following the COVID-19 pandemic, Vitas' touring abroad stopped and for a while, he solely performed in Russia. Since March 2022, he has withdrawn from performing publicly and focused mostly on his family.

Vitas is also known in Russia for several high-profile incidents, following the investigations of which he had to face criminal and administrative liability. For example, in 2003, a criminal case was initiated against him under Part 4 of Article 222 of the Russian Criminal Code (illegal arms trafficking). However, according to the prosecutor, the case against Grachev was closed due to his active repentance.

On May 10, 2013, in Moscow, Grachev hit a cyclist, Olga Kholodova, with his car near the VVC (All-Russian Exhibition Center). After being taken to the police station, the singer handed over a Makarov pistol mockup to the officers. A video recording was released showing Vitas kicking one of the police officers and using obscene language against the operatives. During the investigation, it was revealed that in 2007, Grachev had been stripped of his driving license for 23 months by a Russian court for driving under the influence. In 2008, as a Ukrainian citizen, Grachev obtained a new driver's license from Ukraine but again violated traffic rules by driving into the oncoming lane. On May 27, Grachev was stripped of his driving license for 1.5 years by a magistrate of the Ostaninsky district of Moscow for refusing to undergo a medical examination under Part 1 of Article 12.26 of the Administrative Code of the Russian Federation; on July 18, Grachev was formally charged with using violence against a representative of authority. During the investigation, Grachev fully admitted his guilt and cooperated with the investigation. On August 26, 2013, the Ostaninsky court in Moscow found the singer guilty of committing a crime under Article 318 of the Russian Criminal Code and fined him 100,000 rubles for the incident involving the police officer.

On March 21, 2018, Grachev fired a starting pistol in the courtyard of his house in the village of Barvikha on Rublyovka. The shooting continued for five hours and caused concerns among his neighbors. When police officers arrived, Vitas refused to open the door and continued shooting. As a result, the police broke down the door and took the singer to the police station, where an administrative protocol was drawn up against him. Grachev refused to undergo an alcohol intoxication test. During the inspection of his property, 45 shell casings, four cartridges, and a signal pistol were found. According to the singer's neighbors, this was not the first such shooting incident he had organized in his courtyard. On March 27, 2018, the Odintsovo city court sentenced Grachev to seven days of arrest under Article 20.1 of the Administrative Code (petty hooliganism), which he served in the Istrinsky special reception center; he had previously been fined 500 rubles.

On October 23, 2022, in Moscow, at a karaoke club on Sadovaya-Kudrinskaya Street, Grachev got into a fight with an official from one of the federal ministries, made a remark using obscene language, and sprayed pepper spray into the official's eyes. The conflict was broken up by security. Vitas quickly left, while the official went to a trauma center where he was diagnosed with chemical eye burns. The injured official filed a complaint with the police. A criminal case was initiated against Vitas for causing minor harm to health. During the investigation, the case was closed due to the reconciliation of the parties.

Vitas is a dual Ukrainian–Russian citizen, possessing two passports. He married his longterm girlfriend Svetlana Grankovska in 2006 in Odesa in a private ceremony solely attended by family members. In 2008, their first daughter Alla was born, followed by their son Maksim in 2015. In 2021, their third child, a daughter named Alisa, was born. During the early 2000s, Vitas was often guarded in interactions with the media and seldom gave interviews. His producer Sergey Pudovkin actively tried to block opportunities for interviewers and journalists to talk to Vitas. In 2003, Channel One Russia show Good Morning held a rare interview with Vitas on his career. Vitas became more open towards the press in the early 2010s, holding his first in-depth interview in January 2012 on the Russian talk show Let Them Talk while showing his wife and daughter publicly for the first time. Subsequently, he appeared on the Channel One Russia show Everybody Is at Home. Later that year, he appeared on the show again to address a man's allegations that he was Vitas's biological father. After much backlash from friends and family, and the man's admission of lying, the DNA results proved that he was not Vitas's father. To show that he had no hard feelings, Vitas sang and danced with the man's mother on the show.

• Maxim Musatov – keyboards, backing vocals (2019–present) • Valeriy Sukhov – bass guitar, backing vocals (2025–present) • Egor Glukhov – drums (2025–present)

• Aleksandr Gruzdev – guitar, saxophone, backing vocals (2001–2026) • [unknown] – guitar, backing vocals (2014–2015) • Vasiliy Musatov – keyboards (2004–2019) • Ilya "G.IL.V" Grebenyuk – keyboards (2001–2003) • Aleksey Rostov – keyboards (2003) • Andrey Artemov – bass guitar, backing vocals (2007–2015) • Rashit Kyamov – bass guitar, backing vocals (2001–2007, 2015–2016) • Rushan Harryasov – drums (2001–2012) • Aleksandr Illin – bass guitar, backing vocals (2016–2025) • Yaroslav Andreev – drums (2012–2025)

• Russian — English — Year • Философия чуда — Philosophy of Miracle — 2001 • Улыбнись — Smile! — 2002 • Мама — Mama — 2003 • Песни моей мамы — The Songs of My Mother — 2003 • Поцелуй длиною в вечность — A Kiss as Long as Eternity — 2004 • Возвращение домой — Return Home — 2006 • Криком журавлиным. Возвращение домой, Часть 2 — Crane's Crying: Return Home, Part 2 — 2007 • Хиты ХХ века — 20th Century Hits — 2008 • ** — Audio Visual Connect Series: Vitas (CD + DVD) — 2008 • Скажи, что ты любишь — Say You Love — 2009 • Шедевры трех веков — Masterpieces of Three Centuries — 2010 • Романсы — Romances — 2011 • Мама и Сын — Mother and Son — 2011 • Только ты. История моей любви, Часть 1 — Only You: My Love Story, Part 1 — 2013 • Я подарю тебе весь мир. История моей любви, Часть 2 — I'll Give You the World: My Love Story, Part 2 — 2014 • ** — Come Just For You! — 2016 • ** — Made in China — 2016 • Бит бомбит — Bit Bombit — 2019

• Russian — English — Year • Витас в Кремле — Vitas at the Kremlin — 2002 • Песни моей мамы — The Songs Of My Mother — 2003 • Лучшее от Витаса на DVD — The Best from Vitas on DVD — 2007 • Возвращение Домой в Санкт-Петербурге — Return Home in Saint Petersburg — 2007 • Возвращение домой в Москва — Return Home in Moscow — 2007 • Бессонная ночь Петербург — Sleepless Night in Saint Petersburg — 2010 • Две столицы — Two Capitals — 2011 • Лучшее от Витаса на DVD (2) — The Best from Vitas on DVD (2) — 2011 • Мама и сын — Mommy and Son — 2013 • Лучшее от Витаса на DVD (3) — The Best from Vitas on DVD (3) — 2014

• Original — English — Year • Опера #2 — Opera #2 — 2001 • Good Bye — ** — 2001 • Свет Нового Дня — Light of a New Day — 2008 • 真童话 — Fairy Tale — 2010 • That Song (Remix of 7th Element by Drangabeats) — ** — 2015 • Делю любовь на доли — I Divide Love Into Shares — 2015 • Roll With The Beat — ** — 2018 • Opera #2 (HD) — ** — 2018 • Back to the Stars — ** — 2020 • За ней — After Her — 2020 • 无词歌 — Song Without Words — 2020 • 向着太阳 (with Elvis Wang) — Towards the Sun — 2020 • "The King" (with Timmy Trumpet) — ** — 2020 • OPERA20 — ** — 2020

• Original — English — Year • Опера No.2 — Opera #2 — 2000 • Опера No.1 — Opera #1 — 2001 • Дождь в Тбилиси — Rain in Tbilisi — 2001 • Блаженный Гуру — Blessed Guru — 2001 • Улыбнись — Smile — 2002 • Звезда — Star — 2003 • Мама — Mama — 2003 • Птица счастья — The Bird of Happiness — 2004 • Поцелуй длиною в вечность — Kiss As Long As Eternity — 2004 • Берега России — Shores of Russia — 2005 • Lucia Di Lammermoor — Lucia Di Lammermoor — 2006 • Криком журавлиным — Crane's Crying — 2006 • Ямайка — Jamaica — 2007 • La Donna è Mobile — The woman is fickle — 2009 • Люби меня — Love Me — 2009 • Раз, два, три — One, Two, Three — 2011 • Фронтовики — War Veterans — 2012 • Мне бы в небо (Дуэт с Ксеноной) — I'd Like To Go Up To Sky (feat. Ksenona Ksenia) — 2012 • Я подарю тебе мир — I'll Give You The World — 2013 • Делю любовь на доли — I Divide Love Into Shares — 2015 • Made in China (feat. Sergey Pudovkin) — ** — 2016 • Roll With The Beat (feat. Nappy Roots) — ** — 2018 • Подари мне любовь — Give Me Love — 2018 • Симфоническая — Symphonic — 2018 • Делала — Did — 2019 • Back to the Stars — ** — 2020

• Original — English — Year • Опера No.... — Opera #... — 2001 • Философия чуда или Улыбнись — Philosophy of Miracle or Smile — 2002–2003 • Песни моей мамы — The Songs of My Mother — 2003–2006 • Возвращение домой — Return Home — 2006–2009 • Бессонная ночь — Sleepless Night — 2009–2012 • Мама и сын — Mommy and Son — 2011–2013 • Скажи, что ты любишь — Say You Love — 2011 • 15 лет с вами. История моей любви — 15 Years With You. My Love Story — 2014–2017 • Come Just For You! — ** — 2016 • Подари мне любовь — Give Me Love — 2018–present • 20 Years — ** — 2019 • OPERA20 — ** — TBA

Vitas is recorded with the occupation singer-songwriter. Recorded with the occupation composer. Recorded with the occupation actor. Classed in the genre world music. Classed in the genre rock music. Classed in the genre synth-pop. Classed in the genre opera. Recorded as singer-songwriter, songwriter, singer, composer and actor. Recorded at birth as Виталий Владасович Грачёв.

In June 2006, Vitas was invited by China Central Television to take part in a grand event entitled The Year of Russia in China in Beijing. Vitas performed two songs, "The Star" and "Opera #2" during the event, marking the beginning of his popularity in China. Vitas' Return Home tour, beginning in 2006, had a conservative atmosphere similar to the Songs of My Mother tour. The concert performed in Saint Petersburg on 4 March 2007 was later released on DVD on Vitas' website, as well as officially in some countries, albeit with many songs removed. The full concert in Moscow was later released on DVD. In October 2007, Vitas was signed with now-defunct American label Gemini Sun Records. Gemini Sun released the Audio Visual Connect Series Vitas compilation CD + DVD set featuring eight music videos with the corresponding songs also on audio CD, in addition to a bonus audio track. In 2008, Vitas also released "Light of A New Day", a 40-minute track of non-lyrical vocalization and instrumentation. The song is available as a free download on his website. The Sleepless Night tour included concerts in China and more elaborate presentations than the more conservative Return Home program. Vitas performed his Return Home concert in Bucharest, Romania on 25 February 2009. The concert was broadcast on the Romanian TVR2 and TVRi television networks, achieving their highest ratings in twelve months. A benefit concert, with Vitas performing "The Star", was held on 12 May 2009 in Sichuan province in memory of the victims of the previous year's earthquake there; a song known as "Mommy and Son" was released in late October 2009 in remembrance of the victims. It was the very first title track of the Mommy and Son album (released 1 September 2011), which included new songs, such as "C'est La Vie" (French for "Such is life"), "Once More", "Let the Father Teach!", "Young Rook" and others. Vitas played the role of Gude in the Chinese film Mulan, which premiered in Beijing on 16 November 2009. He recorded music for the film's soundtrack. In early 2011, Vitas performed a series of seven Sleepless Night concerts in New York City, Toronto, Chicago, Miami, Vancouver, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. Later that year, he played the role of Bolshevik Comintern official Grigori Voitinsky in the Chinese propaganda film The Founding of a Party. He also starred with Huang Shengyi in the musical A Night to Be a Star. In March 2011, Vitas' concert tour "Mommy and Son" started in several cities of Russia. His large-scale concert at the Palace of Arts "Ukraina" in Kyiv in March 2012 was broadcast in Ukraine's main TV channels and later released in DVD. In 2013 he brought the tour to Germany, performing in several cities. In 2012, Vitas was a guest star on several Russian talk shows, including Let Them Talk, where he was interviewed for the first time on Russian television after hiding himself from the press for about a decade.

• Year — Title — Role • 2002 — Сволочь ненаглядная • 2005 — Сумасшедший день • 2009 — Mulan — Gude • 2011 — The Founding of a Party — Grigori Voitinsky • 2012 — A Night to Be a Star — Himself