Andrey Danilko is a Ukrainian artist better known under the pseudonym Verka Serduchka. Today, not everyone understands where the popular Verka Serduchka has gone. But she no longer goes on tour in Russia.
Childhood
Andrey Mikhailovich Danilko is a native of the city of Poltava in Ukraine. He was born on October 2, 1973 under the astrological sign of Libra. His family consisted of working-class citizens. Mom worked as a simple painter at a factory. Dad was a driver and died early from a serious illness when his son was only seven. Andrey has a sister named Galya by his mother. She was ten years older than her brother, and therefore they were not friendly. Galina's father, who was the first husband of Andrei's mother, earned money by laying asphalt.
Despite the absence of artists and musicians in the family, the boy grew up creative and showed his talents in every possible way. Andrey headed the KVN school team and did not miss any opportunity to perform on the stage. Let it be a scene in a school assembly hall or in a pioneer camp. After leaving school, the future artist entered a vocational school, where he also engaged in creativity. From the educational institution he was sent on tour to the Stavropol Territory.
The appearance of Verka Serduchka
Andrei told reporters that he had come up with a pseudonym in honor of Anya's classmate, who bore the funny surname Serdyuk. Since everyone in the class knew that the boy was from a very poor family, it was difficult for him to win the sympathy of the girls who were popular at the school. Andrei promised the beauty that he would glorify her last name throughout the country. The girl was skeptical about such a statement. After a while, Andrei fulfilled his promise, but fate decreed that he and his girlfriend fled in different directions. Anya got married and got a job as a teacher.
The birth of Verka Serduchka took place at the festival of laughter called "Yumorina", which took place in his hometown. The audience reacted warmly to the original character, and Verka Serduchka continued to perform and even receive the first awards. In 1993, Andrey was awarded the Kursk Anomaly prize, and a year later he became a laureate of the Vsesmikh federal competition in the capital. In the same year he tried his hand at the "Humorina" competition for the second time and won the main prize.
His demand grew, and soon he appeared on television for the first time in the TV program "Cheese" in Kharkov. In 1995 he won the Grand Prix at the Sea of Laughter youth comic competition. The young man had no doubts about choosing a career, so Andrei decided to get a professional education at a circus school.
All new people and companies offered Andrey cooperation. In 1995 he was invited to participate in an advertising campaign for the bank. Then soon he again starred in a TV show called "Vybyrki". In 1997, Verka Serduchka became a host on the 1 + 1 TV channel.
Musical creativity
Verka Serduchka released her first song in 1997. It was called "Just Faith". The first musical concert took place not in a small club, as happens at the start of a musical career for many young artists, but immediately in the National Palace of Ukraine. The following year, the artist began filming professional videos and broadcasting them on television. These were videos for the groovy track "Controller" and a lyric song called "Little by little".
In 2005, Andrey proved to the audience that he is not only a talented comedian and actor, but also a full-fledged and real composer. He released a disc with only instrumental compositions.
The next step in his career was the recording of the popular full-length album "Doremi doredo" in 2008. The following year, Andrei again shows himself as a creator of instrumental tracks, when he composes the musical accompaniment to the humorous film "Veselchaki".
The artist's popularity grew not only in his native country, but also in Russia. In 2012, Andrey worked as a host of the Saturday Evening TV show on the Russia-1 channel. His guests were the most important persons in show business. In Russia, the audience happily attended the artist's concerts, and he arranged tours throughout the country.
In 2016, Andrey became a mentor at the Ukrainian show "X Factor". This fact is another proof of Andrey's recognition as an experienced and professional musician. Otherwise, he would not have been entrusted with deciding the fate of novice artists, evaluating their performances. He lasted as a host for three whole seasons.
Politics
No sooner had his ratings in show business started to go down, Andrei decided to try himself in politics. The artist dared to take a bold and risky step, he organized his own political party and gave it the name "Against All". An inexperienced politician had to face tests of nerves for strength, threats and blackmail.
In the press there was information that an attempt was planned on the artist. Fans got excited, not knowing what happened to the idol, discussing his possible death and funeral. It turned out that Andrei was alive, but this incident made him nervous. After this unpleasant event, Andrei went to live in Europe, but continued to come on tour to his native country.
Awards
In 2000, the artist won the National Award for Best Television Commercial after starring in a chewing gum commercial. In the same year Andrey won the Arkady Raikin Cup. Verka Serduchka has won four prestigious Golden Gramophone awards for her new musical compositions.
In 2007, Verka Serduchka was recognized by the jury and viewers as worthy to represent the country at the large-scale international Eurovision Song Contest. Andrey took an honorable second place.
A year after his triumph at an international competition in Finland, the musician was awarded the title of "People's Artist of Ukraine".
In 2011, Andrey was again awarded the Golden Gramophone award.
The end of the career of Verka Serduchka
Immediately after Verka's performance at the Eurovision Song Contest, a dispute broke out about the content of the text of the song he sang at the festival. The song was called "Lasha Tumbai". Part of the Russian-speaking audience thought that the singer was pronouncing "Russia goodbye", which would mean goodbye to the audience from Russia.
Andrei replied that the name is translated from Mongolian as "whipped cream". After this scandal, the artist stopped organizing tours in Russia, and it is not known how many years the artist will not have concerts in the country. He just came to Russia to work at corporate parties that were held behind closed doors. Andrei did not tell his fans where they could come to a meeting with him.
On July 12, 2018, the musician said that from this summer he would stop appearing in public in the form of Verka Serduchka. True, this news was denied by his manager. This may turn out to be true because the artist has repeatedly had problems with high blood pressure, which prevented him from making it to the Song of the Year awards ceremony. In 2018, the artist even arranged a farewell tour in his native country, where he now lives.
Personal life
The audience is worried about the artist that he still does without a family, and youth is not eternal. Fictional facts of his biography have been published in the media more than once. For example, rumors that Andrey has two illegitimate children. There were gossips about the artist's novels with colleagues and speculation about his orientation. In fact, Andrei today remains a bachelor and devotes all his time to work. Information appeared in various publications and on television that Andrei could become the main character of the reality show "The Bachelor". There are many women who will fight for the love of a talented and successful artist. Andrey said in an interview about this that he might start looking for his future wife in the show business environment, because he spends all his time at work.
