33 Facts About Sofia Rotaru

Sofiia Mykhailivna Yevdokymenko-Rotaru, known simply as Sofia Rotaru, is a Ukrainian pop singer of Romanian origin.

In 1972, she released the multilingual album Sofia Rotaru, re-released three times and covered by numerous singers, establishing herself as a viable pop artist in the countries of the former Soviet Union.

Sofia Rotaru first gained international recognition after participating in 1968 in the International Youth Song Festival in Bulgaria and winning first prize at the Golden Orpheus in 1973 and second prize in the category of Polish songs at the Sopot International Song Festival in 1974.

Sofia Rotaru has been performing for more than 40 years, and topped the Moscow airplay with "Ya nazovu planetu imenem tvoim" in 2008.

Sofia Rotaru reported the highest income of all celebrities in Ukraine in 2008 and 2010.

Sofia Rotaru has received awards, deemed a Meritorious Artist of the Ukrainian SSR, People's Artist of Ukraine, People's Artist of Moldavian SSR, Laureate of the Young Communist League Prize, Hero of Moldova, and Cavalier of the Republican Order of Moldova.

Sofia Rotaru, who comes from the Romanian minority in Ukraine, was born in Marshyntsi, Chernivtsi Oblast to a family of brigadiers and wine-growers.

Sofia Rotaru was the second child in a family of six children.

Sofia Rotaru's siblings are Zina, Lidia, Aurica, Eugen and Anatol.

Sofia Rotaru's older sister, Zinaida, was born on 11 October 1942.

Sofia Rotaru started singing from the first grade in the school choir, as well as in the church choir.

Sofia Rotaru practiced in drama classes and sang popular folk songs in vocal classes.

In 1968, after graduation from college, Sofia Rotaru performed as a delegate of the IX World Festival of Youth and Students in the capital of Bulgaria, as a member of an artistic group.

Sofia Rotaru won First Prize in the competition of singers of folk popular songs.

In 1968, Sofia Rotaru married Anatoliy Yevdokymenko, who at that time was a student at Chernivtsi University and a trumpet player in a student pop band.

Anatoliy Yevdokymenko, Sofia Rotaru's husband, became the artistic director of the ensemble.

Consequently, Sofia Rotaru gained regular airplay on state radio and television and was systematically billed for state-organized concerts.

In 1974, Rotaru graduated from the Chisinau Art Institute of Gavriil Musicescu in the choral conducting class with professor Lydia Axionova and participated in the Sopot International Song Festival in Poland, performing "Vospominaniye" by B Rychkov, and "Vodohrai" by Ivasjuk.

Sofia Rotaru received second prize in the category of Polish song for her performance of "Ktos".

In 1980, at the international song festival held in Tokyo, Sofia Rotaru won first prize for her performance of the Yugoslavian song "Obeshchaniye" and received the Order of the Badge of Honor.

Sofia Rotaru continued to experiment and was the first Soviet female singer to appear wearing trousers on stage.

In 1983, Sofia Rotaru performed a national concert tour of Canada, organised by the National Concert Agency Inc The concerts were supported by the issue of an LP, titled Canadian Tour 1983 and released by Cansov Exchange Inc.

Sofia Rotaru managed the transition of Rotaru to a Europop style, including elements of hard rock "Moya vremya", "Tol'ko etogo malo".

In 2000 Sofia Rotaru was named the Best Ukrainian Pop Singer of the Twentieth Century.

In 2002 Sofia Rotaru was awarded the title "Hero of Ukraine".

Composers working with Sofia Rotaru included Ruslan Kvinta, Oleg Makarevic and Konstantin Meladze, as well as lyricist Vitalij Kurovskij.

In 2006 Sofia Rotaru took active part in parliamentary elections in Ukraine, balloting for the deputy chair as a second number in the list of Volodymyr Lytvyn's political formation Lytvyn Bloc; however, the bloc could not gather enough votes to enter Parliament, one of the major surprises of the elections.

Sofia Rotaru held an all-Ukrainian charitable campaign tour the same year.

Sofia Rotaru cited her personal trust of Lytvyn and his steadiness, as well as her own interest in lobbying for arts issues in Ukraine.

Sofia Rotaru's husband, Anatoliy Kyrylovich Yevdokymenko, was a People's Artist of Ukraine.

Sofia Rotaru was the son of a conductor from Chernivtsi.

Sofia Rotaru first saw Rotaru on the cover of the magazine Ukraine No 27 in 1965 and immediately fell in love with her.

Sofia Rotaru has received numerous awards, including Meritorious Artist of the Ukrainian SSR, People's Artist of Ukraine, People's Artist of Moldavian SSR, People's Artist of USSR, Laureate of the YCL Prize, Hero of Moldova, and Cavalier of the Republican Order of Moldova.