Vitas returns to China to thrill fans with his distinctive vocal technique, Chen Nan reports

Russian performer Vitaliy Vladasovich Grachov made his first trip to China in 2006. Invited by China Central Television, he performed using his stage name "Vitas" at a gala in Beijing celebrating The Year of Russia in China.

Singing two songs, Star and Opera No 2, Vitas impressed audiences with his five-octave vocal range and the costumes he designed for his concerts.

The pop star has since become the top Russian entertainer in China. During the past decade, he has performed in China more than 200 times, including galas prior to the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.

Some Chinese singers have tried to imitate his singing, but fans consider Vitas unique because of his distinctive technique and low-key image offstage.

He calls China his second home.

"Every time I come to China, I have a new experience, a new emotion and new feelings," the 37-year-old tells China Daily.

"When I perform in China, I feel the positive vibes from the audiences, just like standing in front of an ocean.

"Every time my producer, Sergey Pudovkin, tells me 'Get ready Vitas; we are going to China', my heart begins to beat faster. I want to prepare for the trip as quickly as possible."

In November, he will return to China with some new material mixing classical, rock and heavy metal.

In his decade of performing in China, he has teamed up with Chinese composers and singers, and has sung such Chinese songs as Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and Jasmine Flower.

He is practicing hard now so that he can sing in Chinese during his upcoming tour.

"The Chinese and Russian people are very close to each other. And we have done so much for each other in the past centuries," he says.

"I am glad that I have the opportunity to perform in front of millions of Chinese fans and will do everything to strengthen cooperation."

He was born in Odessa, "a sunny and bright city near the Black Sea".

"When I was a little boy, I used to go to the shore and look at the tides. It made me happy, and allowed me to dream about music on big stages and a big concert."

When he performs in China, he always tries to visit Qingdao, Shandong province.

"It reminds me of my hometown. There are beautiful waves, a very beautiful sea and a very bright horizon in Qingdao," he says.

"If I plan new concerts in China, I will go to Qingdao. And I will stay there for a few days after the concert and look at the beautiful sea."

His grandfather introduced him to music as a child, teaching him to play the accordion and walking several kilometers every day to take Vitas to a music school in a nearby village.

In 1999, he was discovered by his producer, Pudovkin, who invited Vitas to Moscow and helped launch his career.

At 23, Vitas rose to fame by performing at the Kremlin - he was the youngest artist to do a solo concert at the venue. Vitas and his team prepared for nearly a year for the show and performed such songs as Opera No 2, Opera No 1, Cold Peace, Prelude and Circus, which Vitas called "The philosophy of the miracle".

He wrote those songs, which contain a mix of techno, classical, jazz and folk elements, when he was around 15. The concert was viewed by millions of Russians. Later he performed in the United States, Europe and Latin America.

The songs have also become famous among his Chinese fans.

Vitas says that he practices at least five hours every day. He still keeps in touch with two of his voice teachers.

"One of them is almost 70 years old - an amazing master of vocals - and he has lots of amazing tips for me to develop my skills. I try to visit him as often as possible," he says.

The singer's most difficult moment was when his mother died in 2001. He traveled to the Tibet autonomous region to overcome his loss.

He then released two albums dedicated to his mother - The Songs of My Mother and Mama, which include classic Russian songs as well as original compositions.

Vitas loves cinema. In 2009, he starred in the movie Mulan and recorded songs for it.

His producer is now in discussions with Paramount Pictures about his participation in the film History Legends, which is about the life and career of Elvis Presley.

A father of two, Vitas has recorded songs with his daughter, Allochka, and his son, Maxim.

"I don't know what they will do in the future," says Vitas.

"If my daughter becomes a gymnast, I'm sure she will be great success. But I will also be happy if she chooses to be a musician. If my son chooses mathematics, I will be happy. But if he plays the violin, I'll help.

"The most important thing for a person is to understand himself and feel happy," he says.

Contact the writer at chennan@chinadaily.com.cn

Vitas has performed frequently in China over the past decade. Photos Provided To China Daily

(China Daily USA 06/13/2016 page7)