1. Edita Stanislavovna Piekha was born on 31 July 1937 and is a Soviet and Russian singer and actress of Polish descent.
15 Facts About Edita Piekha
1. 2.
In 1996, Piekha was named a living legend in the Ovation Award, along with such Russian pop icons as Alla Pugacheva and Valery Leontyev.
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However, not a single song of Edita Piekha made it into the charts of the USSR or other countries.
4.
Apart from singing, Edita Piekha is a well known public activist for humanitarian causes, and is a supporter of orphanages in Russia.
5.
Edita Piekha was born in Noyelles-sous-Lens, France in 1937 to an ethnic Polish family.
6.
From 1945 to 1955, Edita Piekha lived in Boguszow, Poland with her mother and stepfather.
7.
In 1955, Edita Piekha moved to Leningrad to study psychology on a state scholarship.
8.
In 1956, Edita Piekha began studying singing and composition at the Leningrad Conservatory.
9.
In 1957, the ensemble Druzhba and Edita Piekha won Gold Medal and the First Prize at the 6th World Festival of Youth and Students in Moscow.
10.
Edita Piekha was especially popular among international audiences because of her ability to sing and speak in many languages, such as French, German, Polish and Russian, among others.
11.
Edita Piekha continued performing internationally and toured over 20 countries.
12.
Edita Piekha has been giving annual birthday performances in Saint Petersburg, a popular tradition she has been maintaining for many years.
13.
On her 70th birthday, Edita Piekha received an "Anniversary greeting" from the President of Russia, Vladimir Putin, and was decorated with the "Order of Merits" for her lifelong contribution to music and international cultural relations of Russia.
14.
Edita Piekha got a star on the Moscow Star Square in 1998.
15.
Brooklyn band Svetlana and the Eastern Blokhedz has been paying tribute to Edita Piekha, bringing her music to an American audience that was, until then, mostly unfamiliar with the singer.