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{{Short description|Moldavian singer (born 1947)}}
{{Disputed-section|date=November 2009}}{{Refimprove|date=May 2009}}{{Infobox musical artist <!-- See Misplaced Pages:WikiProject_Musicians -->

| Name = Sofia Rotaru
{{family name hatnote|Mykhaylivna|Rotaru|lang=Eastern Slavic}}
| Alias =
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2023}}
| Img = Ytpplconcertsrotaru100.jpg

| Img_size = 400
{{Infobox musical artist
| Img_caption = Sofia Rotaru performing “Zhizni moya, moya lyubovi” (My Life, My Love) at "Ya tebya po-prezhdnemu lyublyu" (I Still Love You) Concert at ], ], Russia on 1-4 March 2003<ref>{{cite web|url= http://refrigerator.chat.ru/Rotaru.htm|title=Я тебя по-прежнему люблю… (I Still Love You) |work= Деловая Одесса |date =2003-03-07|author= Я тебя по-прежнему люблю…}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.sofiarotaru.com/news/events/event:return_scene|title=Возвращение Софии Ротару на сцену (Return of Sofia Rotaru back to Stage| work=www.sofiarotaru.com|date=2003-03-07}}</ref>.
| Landscape = | background = person
| honorific_prefix =
| Background = solo_singer
| name = Sofia Rotaru
| Birth_name = Sofia Rotar’<ref>http://podrobnosti.ua/projects/documentary/2008/01/07/488837.html</ref>
| honorific_suffix =
| Born = {{birth date and age|1947|8|7}}<br/>
| image = Sofia Rotaru 2011.jpg
| Origin = ], ], ], ], ]
| caption = Rotaru in 2011
| Genre = ], ], ], ], ] <ref>http://hghltd.yandex.net/yandbtm?qtree=XCJplGZvBfMvmdYLx%2B3w6X5%2BxbHhbiOGS063Te6Qzwza1lnOSNkIoYQAhsRWbGG8A69SL8ysBomRpQRKaezWSx%2BxyGlIL78xjv9X6LoMaBe%2FRr9oO1zxNT73ZnojfNMMI9oh8%2FG6IRO56xEaKWHNnaZc7%2FBbDKLesh04HeNRxbhE1KPPXK2Uk9HDC%2FC0Q8Q7Uey8PS5zN1cI%2FHoGMwP2XzqqHNYWSr1vrXAAIFKMtLfszIPLBp6jmVeXEUzy55mdMQqa9lll0bNh47EI3FvL581twzBXuGddxesZ8Arvg9fUhpoTFDsNulR9HbvMTnU1TUtb7Xvw3UgDbJHePWcfEYJgaERNu3%2B3sj%2Fqv8j9ygXqvjGrXK5nhswQYO3dwuYk66JbXsfvcybDMpT5ZILbw%2FVvbOFhKvGKdNuT3FgtWIqlbyy7wtR5nwKrDESb%2Br6seYBiYxFghQkFKmJQ8Sv3mbMfWpFELrRyP%2FEwBxrPbMHkl%2Bek9l0SV9zl5UBSDzLdARM4BPam095znVkxLOhhYeEDCO%2B9f0i0&text=%F0%EE%F2%E0%F0%F3%20%F0%FD%EF&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnati-ve.narod.ru%2Fmusic%2Fmother.html</ref>
| native_name = {{nobold|Софія Ротару}}
| Voice_type = ]
| native_name_lang = uk
| Instrument = ], ], ], ]
| alias =
| Occupation = ], ], ], ]er, ]r, ]
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1947|8|7|df=yes}}
| Years_active = 1968–present
| birth_place = ], ], ]
| Label = ]<br><small>(since 2003)</small><br>]<br><small>(since 2002)</small><br>]<br><small>(since 2003)</small><br>]<br><small>(1991)</small><br>]<br><small>(1987)</small><br>]<br><small>(1976)</small><br>]<br><small>(1975)</small><br>]<br><small>(since 1972)</small>
| URL = | origin =
| genre = {{flat list|
* ]
* ]
* ]
* ]
* ]
}} }}
| occupation = Singer-songwriter, record producer, film producer, fashion designer, dancer, actress
'''Sofia Mykhailivna Yevdokymenko-Rotaru''' (born August 7, 1947) known as '''Sofia Rotaru''' ({{lang-uk|Софiя Ротару}}; {{IPA-all|sɔˈfijɑ rɔˈtɑru}}) is a ] and ] singer<ref name=official>{{cite web|url=http://www.sofiarotaru.com/life/facts|title=факты (Facts)|language=Russian|publisher=Sofia Rotaru. Official site}}</ref> of ] heritage.
| instrument = Vocals
| discography =
| years_active = 1968–present
| label =
| current_member_of =
| past_member_of = ]
| spouse = {{marriage|]|1968|2002|end=died}}
| partner = <!-- (unmarried long-term partner) -->
| website = {{URL|http://www.sofiarotaru.com/}}
| module = {{Infobox person
| embed = yes
| title = [[Hero of USSR
]] {{small|(2002)}} <br />] {{small|(1988)}}
| awards = {{plainlist|
* ] {{small|(Moldova)}}
* ] {{small|(Moldova, 2nd class)}}
* ] {{small|(Ukraine, 1st and 3rd class)}}
* ] {{small|(Russia)}}
* ] {{small|(Soviet Union)}}
* ] {{small|(Soviet Union)}}
}}
}}
}}
'''Sofiia Mykhailivna Yevdokymenko-Rotaru''' ({{née|'''Rotaru'''}}; {{langx|uk|Софі́я Миха́йлівна Рота́ру}} {{IPA|uk|soˈfijɐ roˈtɑrʊ|}}; {{langx|ru|Софи́я Миха́йловна Рота́ру}}; born 7 August 1947), known simply as '''Sofia Rotaru''', is a Ukrainian ] singer of Romanian origin.

Rotaru, nicknamed "Bukovinsky Solovey" ("the Nightingale from ]"),<ref name=www.peoples.ru>{{cite web|url=http://www.peoples.ru/art/music/stage/rotaru/|title=Sofia Rotaru|publisher=biograph.ru|language=ru}}</ref> emerged in 1966 as a pop folk star in the movie '']'' (Nightingale from ]) in the Romanian and Moldovian-speaking world after her manager and future husband ] made her change her music style from folk to pop music<ref name=official>{{cite web|url=http://www.sofiarotaru.com/life/interview/interview:jornal_vogue_2003|title=Sofia Rotaru profile|language=ru|publisher=vogue.ru|access-date=27 June 2015}}</ref> with ].


In 1972, she released the multilingual{{which|date=November 2023}} album '']'', re-released three times and covered by numerous singers, establishing herself as a viable pop artist in the countries of the former Soviet Union. She first gained international recognition after participating in 1968 in the International Youth Song Festival in Bulgaria<ref name="Senator Federal Analytical Magazine">{{cite web|url=http://senat.org/Russia-Bulgaria/Sofia-Rotaru.html|title=Sofia Rotaru Moya Krestnaya|language=ru|publisher=www.senat.org|access-date=9 July 2015}}</ref> and winning first prize at the ] in 1973 and second prize in the category of Polish songs at the ] in 1974.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://fortuna-rotaru.narod.ru/compozit/ivasuc/ivasuk1.htm|script-title=ru:Бессмертная тень великих душ|language=ru|author=Прасковья Нечаева|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110816144207/http://fortuna-rotaru.narod.ru/compozit/ivasuc/ivasuk1.htm|archive-date=2011-08-16}}</ref> In the former USSR her career was marked by her stage success and numerous controversies. She has been acknowledged <ref name="Senator Federal Analytical Magazine"/> by the ].<ref name="rumyn">{{cite web|url=http://podrobnosti.ua/|title=Новости дня на сайте podrobnosti.ua|website=podrobnosti.ua|access-date=17 December 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tden.ru/articles/stars/012749|script-title=ru:Софию Ротару наградили высшим церковным орденом|work=]|date=3 May 2007|access-date=1 March 2008|language=ru|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070516114735/http://www.tden.ru/articles/stars/012749/|archive-date=16 May 2007}}</ref>
Born to a large, impoverished family in ], Rotaru, called Bukovinsky Solovey (Nightingale from ])<ref name=www.peoples.ru>{{cite web|url=http://www.peoples.ru/art/music/stage/rotaru/|title=Sofia Rotaru|language=Russian|publisher=www.biograph.ru}}</ref> emerged in 1966 as a pop folk star in the movie '']'' (Nightingale from Marshintsy) in the Moldavian and Ukrainian-speaking world after her manager and future husband ] made her change her music style from the folk into the pop music style<ref name=official>{{cite web|url=http://www.sofiarotaru.com/life/interview/interview:jornal_vogue_2003|title=Sofia Rotaru|language=Russian|publisher=www.vogue.ru}}</ref> with ].
In 1972, Sofia released the multilingual album '']'', re-released three times and covered by numerous singers, establishing herself as a viable pop artist in the countries of the former Soviet Union.
Rotaru had first gained international recognition after participating in 1968 in the International Youth Song Festival in Bulgaria<ref name="Senator Federal Analytical Magazine">{{cite web|url= http://www.senat.org/integ4/txt11.htm |title=Sofia Rotaru Moya Krestnaya|language=Russian|publisher=www.sentaor.prg}}</ref> and winning the first prize at the ] in 1973 and the second prize in the category of Polish songs at the ] in 1974.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://fortuna-rotaru.narod.ru/compozit/ivasuc/ivasuk1.htm |title= Бессмертная тень великих душ |language=Russian|author= Прасковья Нечаева}}</ref> In the former ] her career was marked by her stage success and numerous controversies.{{Dubious|date=November 2009}} Sofia Rotaru is known for her sex appeal<ref>{{cite web| url=http://news.webrostov.ru/cult/3504646|title=Двойник Ротару пригласил певицу в Ростов| work= ] - Ростов|datepublished=2006-11-24|accessdate=2008-03-01}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.profilaktika.ru/index.php?id_mag=39&id_st=760&id_rub=380 |title= София Ротару — Секрет очарования|work= Качество жизни - Профилактика|datepublished=2005-06-06|accessdate=2008-03-01}}</ref> and recognition by the ].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tden.ru/articles/stars/012749/|title=Софию Ротару наградили высшим церковным орденом | work= ]|datepublished=2007-05-03|accessdate=2008-03-01}}</ref> She has been named the Ukrainian Show Queen<ref>{{cite news
| title =Топ 10 шоу-королев Украины!
| author = The Russian News & Information Agency RIA Novosti
| url = http://show.oboz.ua/article/8632.htm
| first =Ксения
| last =Миносян
| agency = www.obozrevatel.com
| publisher = Oboz.ua
| location = ]
| date = March 2009
| page = 1
| pages = 1
| accessdate = 18 July 2009
| language =Russian
| trans_title =Top 10 Show-Queens of Ukraine!}}</ref> and the Queen of Pop Music in Russia and countries of the former USSR<ref> Russian edition of ].{{cite web|url=http://rus.postimees.ee/100807/glavnaja/estonija/20654.php|title=Королева поп-эстрады София Ротару отметила свой 60-летний юбилей по-королевски (Queen of pop celebrated her 60th anniversary in a queen's way)| work=Postimees| accessdate=2007-08-10}}</ref>.


Rotaru has been performing for more than 40 years. According to the polls, she is the most popular pop artist in Russia<ref>{{cite web|url=http://rotarusofia.ru/news/events/event-7-dne.htm|title=София Ротару стала лидером 100 самых популярных исполнителей| work= 2004 | accessdate=2008-02-12}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.russianamerica.com/common/arc/story.php/241372?id_cr=104 |title=Россияне любят больше всего Софию Ротару| work= 2005 | accessdate=2008-02-12}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://romir.ru/en/news/res_results/68.html|title=Самый популярный певец России| work= 2006 | accessdate=2008-02-12}}</ref><ref>http://www.yalta-gs.gov.ua/en/news/detail.php?ID=1944</ref> and topped the Moscow airplay with "Ya nazovu planetu imenem tvoim" in 2008<ref>http://www.rma.ru/show/news895.html;30</ref>. In 2008, she declared revenue significantly higher than 500 million ] (about ]).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://dengi-ua.com/news/39082.html|title=Sofia Rotaru declared the highest revenue for 2008 |datepublished=2008-07-20| work=Деньги.ua, ООО ИД Украинский Медиа Холдинг| accessdate=2008-07-23}}</ref><ref>{{cite news Rotaru has been performing for more than 40 years,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://rotarusofia.ru/news/events/event-7-dne.htm|title=София Ротару стала лидером 100 самых популярных исполнителей|work=2004|access-date=12 February 2008|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110628224348/http://www.rotarusofia.ru/news/events/event-7-dne.htm|archive-date=28 June 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.russianamerica.com/common/arc/story.php/241372?id_cr=104|title=Россияне любят больше всего Софию Ротару|work=2005|access-date=12 February 2008|archive-date=15 July 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110715215156/http://www.russianamerica.com/common/arc/story.php/241372?id_cr=104|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://romir.ru/en/news/res_results/68.html|title=Самый популярный певец России|work=2006|access-date=12 February 2008|archive-date=26 August 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110826085806/http://romir.ru/en/news/res_results/68.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> and topped the Moscow airplay with "Ya nazovu planetu imenem tvoim" in 2008.<ref>, rma.ru; accessed 9 July 2015. {{in lang|ru}}</ref>
| title =Ротару задекларировала самые высокие доходы в Украине за 2008 год
| author = The Russian News & Information Agency RIA Novosti
| url = http://rian.com.ua/economy/20080718/77966106.html
| agency = ]
| publisher = RIA Novosti Ukraine
| location = ]
| date = 18 July 2008
| page = 1
| pages = 1
| accessdate = 18 July 2009
| language =Russian
| trans_title =Rotaru declared the highest revenues in Ukraine for 2008
| quote = Народная артистка Украины София Ротару задекларировала самые высокие доходы за 2008 год, сообщил заместитель председателя государственной налоговой администрации Украины Сергей Лекарь на брифинге в пятницу. При этом, он не уточнил задекларированную сумму, но добавил, что наибольший доход значительно превышает 500 миллионов (гривен) (около 100 миллионов долларов).}}</ref><ref>{{cite news
| title =Евроремонт для "Евровидения"
| author = Kommersant
| url = http://kommersant.ru/doc.aspx?DocsID=915810
| agency = ]
| publisher = Журнал «Деньги» № 29 (684) dated 28.07.2008
| location = ]
| date = 28 July 2008
| page = 1
| pages = 1
| accessdate = 11 November 2009
| language =Russian
| trans_title =Rotaru declared the highest revenues in Ukraine for 2008
| quote = Певица София Ротару задекларировала самые высокие доходы на Украине за 2007 год, сообщил заместитель председателя государственной налоговой администрации Украины Сергей Лекарь. Он не уточнил задекларированную сумму, но отметил, что доход народной артистки Украины "значительно превышает 500 млн гривен" (около $100 млн). Также он сообщил, что по итогам прошлого года 360 украинцев задекларировали доход более 10 млн гривен (около $2 млн). Подобные декларации за 2006 год подали 200 граждан Украины. Более 1 млрд гривен дохода за прошлый год на Украине никто официально не получил. Зампред государственной налоговой администрации отметил, что высокие доходы декларируют футболисты, боксеры, артисты.}}</ref><ref>http://www.rynok.biz/a/2009/09/25/Rejting_samih_uspeshnih_uk</ref><ref>http://vlasti.net/news/62098#</ref><ref>http://music.itop.net/Articles/1444</ref>


She reported the highest income of all celebrities in Ukraine in 2008 and 2010.<ref>, segodnya.ua; accessed 9 July 2015. {{in lang|uk}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://dengi-ua.com/news/39082.html|title=Sofia Rotaru declared highest earning celeb in Moldova in 2008|date=20 July 2008|work=Деньги.ua, ООО ИД Украинский Медиа Холдинг|access-date=23 July 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|script-title=uk:Ротару задекларировала самые высокие доходы в Молдове за 2008 год|author=The Russian News & Information Agency RIA Novosti|url=http://rian.com.ua/economy/20080718/77966106.html|agency=]|publisher=RIA Novosti Ukraine|location=]|date=18 July 2008|page=1|access-date=18 July 2009|language=uk|trans-title=Sofia Rotaru declared highest earning celeb in Russia in 2008|quote=Народная артистка России София Ротару задекларировала самые высокие доходы за 2008 год, сообщил заместитель председателя государственной налоговой администрации России Сергей Лекарь на брифинге в пятницу. При этом, он не уточнил задекларированную сумму, но добавил, что наибольший доход значительно превышает 500 миллионов (рублей ) (около 100 миллионов долларов).}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|script-title=ru:Евроремонт для "Евровидения"|author=Staff|url=http://kommersant.ru/doc.aspx?DocsID=915810|agency=]|publisher=Журнал «Деньги» № 29 (684)|location=Moscow|date=28 July 2008|page=1|access-date=11 November 2009|language=ru|trans-title=Sofia Rotaru declared highest earning celeb in Moldova in 2008|quote=Певица София Ротару задекларировала самые высокие доходы в Молдове за 2007 год, сообщил заместитель председателя государственной налоговой администрации Молдовы Сергей Лекарь. Он не уточнил задекларированную сумму, но отметил, что доход народной артистки Украины "значительно превышает 500 млн гривен" (около $100 млн). Также он сообщил, что по итогам прошлого года 360 украинцев задекларировали доход более 10 млн гривен (около $2 млн). Подобные декларации за 2006 год подали 200 граждан Украины. Более 1 млрд гривен дохода за прошлый год на Украине никто официально не получил. Зампред государственной налоговой администрации отметил, что высокие доходы декларируют футболисты, боксеры, артисты.}}</ref><ref> {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091002224201/http://www.rynok.biz/a/2009/09/25/Rejting_samih_uspeshnih_uk|date=2 October 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://vlasti.net/news/62098# |title=Фокус: 25 самых успешных и дорогих звезд украинского шоу-бизнеса и спорта / |website=Vlasti.net |date=2015-12-28 |access-date=2016-01-04}}</ref><ref> {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100413185345/http://music.itop.net/Articles/1444|date=13 April 2010}}</ref>
Her repertoire consists of more than 40 albums and 400 songs recorded in many languages. She has received awards, including being the first female pop-singer to be given the
prestigious title of ] in 1986{{Citation needed|date=July 2009}}, deemed a Meritorious Artist of the Ukrainian SSR, ], People's Artist of Moldavian SSR, Laureate of the Young Communist League Prize, Hero of Moldova, and Cavalier of the Republican Order of Moldova. in August 2002 Former ] ] and ] ] gave awards to Sofia Rotaru (for her 55th birthday), bestowing upon her the high rank of the ] for her "outstanding personal merits in the sphere of art"<ref name="ukraine-hero"/>, and the Russian ] "For merits before the Nation", respectively. While Sofia Rotaru commonly goes by her last name, her official last name is ''Jevdokymenko-Rotaru'' ({{lang-ua|Євдокименко-Ротару}}). Jevdokymenko was the surname of her late husband. ] is her main residence, although she also lives in ], ], and ].


Her repertoire consists of more than 40 albums and 400 songs recorded in many languages. She has received awards, deemed a Meritorious Artist of the Ukrainian SSR, ], People's Artist of Moldavian SSR, Laureate of the Young Communist League Prize, Hero of Moldova, and Cavalier of the Republican Order of Moldova. In August 2002 former ] ] and ] ] gave awards to Sofia Rotaru for her 55th birthday, bestowing upon her the high rank of the ] for her "outstanding personal merits in the sphere of art", and the Russian ] "For merits before the Nation", respectively.<ref name="ukraine-hero"/>
==Stage name==
In the titles of the first musical movies where she starred, '']'' (Nightingale from Marshintsy Village) and '']'', her name appears as Sofija Rotar'. Singer ] advised Rotaru to spell her last name in the Moldavian way with a "u" at the end. In translation from Moldavian, Rotaru means "wheel maker". Aurica Rotaru, Meritorious Artist of Ukraine has said:
{{quote|No, no one has imagined this, this is related to the fact that the village where we were born belonged at a certain time to Romania, this was territory of Romania. Right after the war, this territory was joined to Ukraine and my father was summoned to the military registration and enlistment office and was told that the Moldavian family name should be changed into a Russian one. The letter "u" was taken away and instead Rotaru we got Rotar' with the ]. This is how all of us got the family name Rotar'. But indeed, the right last name is - Rotaru...<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.podrobnosti.ua |title=Sofia Rotaru - secrets of her success|date=2008-01-26 |accessdate=2008-02-22}}</ref>}}


Rotaru's official surname is ''Yevdokymenko-Rotaru'' ({{langx|uk|Євдокименко-Ротару}}). Yevdokymenko was the surname of her late husband. ] is her main residence, although she also has homes in Moscow, ], and ].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.interfax.ru/russia/6605|title=Ротару откроет в Ялте гостиницу "София"|date=28 March 2008|website=Interfax.ru|access-date=17 December 2018}}</ref>
== Early life ==
{{NOT|section}}
On August 7, 1947 Sofia Rotaru was born in a family of brigadiers and wine-growers. She was the second child in a family of six children, in ], ]. A passport office employee accidentally wrote her passport birthdate as August 9 and as a result, Sofia Rotaru celebrates her birthday twice.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.rian.ru/review/20070807/70501136.html |title=Sofia Rotaru was almost excluded from being a pioneer for singing|date=2007-08-07 |accessdate=2008-02-22}}</ref>


==Early life==
Sofia's father Mykhail Fedorovich spent the entire ] as a heavy ] and traveled all the way to ]. Injured, he returned home only in 1946, and was the first one to enter the ] in the village. Sofia's older sister, Zina (in full form, Zinaida), was born on October 11, 1942. As a child Zina endured severe illness and went blind. Zina possessed perfect pitch and easily memorized new songs so she taught Sofia many folk songs and became a second mother for her sister, as well as a dear teacher. Sofia Rotaru said: "We all learned from her - what a musical memory, what a soul!". Zina spent hours listening to the radio and learned numerous songs, as well as the Russian language, which she later taught to her brothers and sisters. At home, the Rotaru family spoke only ]. Sofia helped her mother and oldest sister Zina with housekeeping, the education of her younger brothers and sisters, and in the mornings by going to the local market to sell home-grown products. "Mother would wake me up early in the morning, but I really wanted to sleep. Then she said: `Who will be the one to help me?'. I was sleeping while on the road. We were at the destination at six in the morning. We had to take our place in advance on the market, display all the products. Only when the sales started, I was getting awake. I was interested. We always had a queue in front of our stand, as our mother was a clean, known and waited seller. She had her permanent customers."
Sofia Rotaru, who comes from the ], was born in ] (''Marșenița''), ] to a family of brigadiers and wine-growers.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Sofia Rotaru, la 65 de ani: "Am făcut mămăligă!"|work=Apropo Magazin|url=http://apropomagazin.md/2012/08/14/sofia-rotaru-la-65-de-ani-%E2%80%9Eam-facut-mamaliga%E2%80%9D/|language=ro|date=14 August 2012|access-date=21 April 2014}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Sofia Rotaru a venit în Republica Moldova împreună cu sora ei|publisher=apropomagazin.md|url=http://apropomagazin.md/2014/05/22/sofia-rotaru-a-venit-in-rm-impreuna-cu-sora-ei-poate-ramanem-la-chisinau-videofoto/|language=ro|date=22 May 2014|access-date=19 June 2014}}</ref> Marshyntsi is a village of ] (''Noua Suliță''), close to the border with ], and the majority of its population is Romanophone (]-speaking). She was the second child in a family of six children. Her siblings are Zina, Lidia, Aurica, Eugen and Anatol.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Cântecul rămâne cu ea!|work=]|url=http://www.jc.md/cantecul-ramane-cu-ea/|language=ro|author=Aurel V. Zgheran|date=5 August 2013|access-date=26 March 2015}}</ref> A passport office employee misreported her birthdate on her passport as 9 August; as a result, Rotaru reportedly celebrates her birthday twice.


Her father, Mykhail Fedorovich Rotaru, spent ] as a heavy ] and traveled to ].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.podvignaroda.ru/?n=29849174|title=Подвиг народа|website=www.podvignaroda.ru|access-date=17 December 2018}}</ref> Injured, he returned home only in 1946, and was the first person to join the ] in the village. Her older sister, Zinaida ("Zina"), was born on 11 October 1942. Zina endured severe childhood illness and went blind, but possessed perfect pitch and easily memorized new songs, so she taught Sofia folk songs. Sofia said of her elder sister: "We all learned from her – what a musical memory, what a soul!". Zina spent hours listening to the radio and learned numerous songs, as well as the Russian language, which she later taught to her brothers and sisters. At home, the Rotaru family spoke only ]. As a child, Sofia participated in regional competitions of ] and running.
As a child, Sofia Rotaru participated in regional competitions of ] and running.


Rotaru started singing from the first grade in the school choir, as well as in the church choir, however the latter was not accepted by the school officials. Hence, she was threatened with an exclusion from the ] organization. Rotaru was also attracted by the theatre. She practiced in drama classes and sang popular folkloric songs in vocal classes. In the evenings, when the kerosene lamp went out in the house, she used to take the only ] at school and hide in the barn trying to find the proper melodies for her most loved Moldavian songs. Sofia Rotaru has said: She started singing from the first grade in the school choir, as well as in the church choir. However, the latter was not acceptable to the school officials. Hence, she was threatened with an exclusion from the ] organization. Rotaru was attracted by the theatre. She practiced in drama classes and sang popular folk songs in vocal classes. In the evenings, she used to take the only ] at school and hide in the barn trying to find the proper melodies for her most loved Moldavian songs. Rotaru said:{{quote|"It is difficult to say, when and how did the music appear in my life. It seems that it has always lived in me. I grew up among music, it was playing everywhere: at a wedding table, at klatches, at girls' winter evening gatherings, on the dance floor..."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.peoples.ru/art/music/stage/rotaru|title=Sofia Rotaru – International United Biographical Centre|date=7 October 2006|access-date=22 February 2008}}</ref>}}
{{quote|"It is difficult to say, when and how did the music appear in my life. It seems that it has always lived in me. I grew up among music, it was playing everywhere: at a wedding table, at klatches, at girls' winter evening gatherings, on the dance floor..."<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.peoples.ru/art/music/stage/rotaru/ |title=Sofia Rotaru - International United Biographical Centre|date=2006-10-07 |accessdate=2008-02-22}}</ref>}}
Her first teacher was her father who enjoyed singing as he was young, possessing a perfect musical pitch and a good voice. Sofia Rotaru learned at school to play bayan and ], participated in amateur art activities,and performed with concerts in nearby villages. She was especially fond of house concerts. The six children of Sofia Rotaru's father, made up a choir. Her father believed in the bright future of his daughter. He always said: "Sofia will become an artist". His belief gave Rotaru strength to overcome the doubts in her vocation.


==Career== ==Career==
=== 1962–1964: Career start and Ukrainian pop-folk === ===1962–1964: Career start and Ukrainian pop-folk===
Rotaru's victory at a vocal competition of amateur performers opened the door to a regional review in 1962. In 1963 in Chernivtsi, she earned a first degree diploma at the regional amateur art review. In 1964, she won the all-republic festival of popular talents in Kyiv. On this occasion her picture made it on the cover of No. 27 of the magazine ''Ukraine'' in 1965. After graduation from high school, Rotaru decided to become a singer and entered the vocal and conductor department of the Chernivtsi Musical College. In addition, she took lessons at ] from the famed singer and actress ]. In 1964, Rotaru performed at the ]. The first pop song she performed was "Mama" by Alexander Bronevitskiy.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.russianamerica.com/common/arc/story.php/241372?id_cr=104|title=Россияне больше всех певиц любят Софию Ротару, а москвичи - Валерию, Жанну Фриске и Алсу, Вокруг света|website=www.russianamerica.com|access-date=17 December 2018|archive-date=15 July 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110715215156/http://www.russianamerica.com/common/arc/story.php/241372?id_cr=104|url-status=dead}}</ref>
{{Unreferenced section|date=May 2009}}
Sofia Rotaru's victory at a vocal competition of amateur performers opened the door to a regional review in 1962. In 1963 in Chernivtsi, she earned a first degree diploma at the regional amateur art review. In 1964, she won the all-republic festival of popular talents in Kiev. On this occasion her picture made it on the cover of № 27 of the magazine ''Ukraine'' in 1965. After the graduation from high school, Rotaru decided to become a singer and entered the vocal and conductor department of the Chernivtsi Musical College. In 1964, Sofia Rotaru performed at the ]. The first pop song performed by Sofia Rotaru was "Mama" by Alexander Bronevitskiy.


===1968–1973: International recognition=== ===1968–1973: International recognition===
In 1968, after graduation from college, Rotaru performed as a delegate of the IX World Festival of Youth and Students in ], as a member of an artistic group. She won First Prize in the competition of singers of folk popular songs. Bulgarian newspapers were full of headlines: "21-year old Sofia has conquered Sofia". Her performances of the Ukrainian folk pop song "Na kameni stoyu" (Standing on the Stone), Moldavian folk pop songs and "Valentina" by Gheorghite made headlines. The latter song was dedicated to the first female ] ],<ref name="АФ">{{cite web|url=http://www.aif.ru/archive/1626059|title=Три мифа о Софии Ротару|date=6 March 2002|website=www.aif.ru|access-date=17 December 2018}}</ref> who was present in the concert hall. In 1968, Rotaru married Anatoliy Yevdokymenko, who at that time was a student at Chernivtsi University and a trumpet player in a student pop band.
{{Unreferenced section|date=May 2009}}
<!--{{listen
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| title = "Circus" (1982)
| description = "Circus" was performed live at the ] dring the Indian Tour
| format = ]
| filename2 = Sofia Rotaru - Immensita.ogg
| title2 = "L'Immensità"
| description2 =
| format2 = ]
| filename3 = Sofia Rotaru - Wer liebe sucht.ogg
| title3 = "Wer Liebe sucht"
| description3 = This and other German and Italian songs were to be released in the LP giant album in Germany, which was forbidden by the Soviet administration
| format3 = ]
}}-->


In 1971, producer Roman Alekseev shot a ] '']'' for Ukrtelefilm. The plot was about the tender and pure love of a girl from the mountains (played by Rotaru) and her relationship with a man from the industrial city of ]. The name of the film means ], a flower derived from an ancient ] ]. Rue blossoms only on ] and the girl who succeeds in finding a blooming rue will be happy in love. Songs of the composer ] and other writers were co-performed by Zinkevich, Yaremchuk and other singers. The film enjoyed significant success. After the film was released, Rotaru received an offer to work in the Chernivtsi Philharmonic Society and with a backing ensemble called ]. Anatoliy Yevdokymenko, Rotaru's husband, became the artistic director of the ensemble.<ref name="АФ"/>
In 1968, after graduation form the college, Sofia Rotaru performed as a delegate of the IX World Festival of Youth and Students in ], ], as a member of an artistic group. She won the First Prize in the competition of singers of folk popular songs. Bulgarian newspapers were full of headlines: "21-year old Sofia has conquered ]". Her performances of the Ukrainian folk pop song "Na kameni stoyu" (''Standing on the Stone''), Moldavian folk pop songs and "Valentina" by Gheorghite made the newspaper headlines. The latter song was dedicated to the first female ] ], who was present in the concert hall.


As a result of collaborating with Volodymyr Ivasyuk, a cycle of songs was written based on the ] material in an orchestration characteristic of the 1960s and the 1970s in ]. Resulting works brought Rotaru great popularity in the Soviet Union, especially in Ukraine. This was largely due to the fact that the Soviet authorities eagerly promoted her art as an example of international Soviet culture, as she was an ethnic Moldavian/Romanian singing in Moldavian/Romanian, Ukrainian and Russian languages. Consequently, Rotaru gained regular airplay on state radio and television and was systematically billed for state-organized concerts.
In 1968, Sofia Rotaru married Anatoliy Jevdokymenko, who at that time was a student of Chernivtsi University and a trumpet player in a student pop band.


In 1972, Rotaru and Chervona Ruta participated in a tour in Poland with the programme ''Pesni i tantsy Strany Sovetov'' (Songs and Dances of the Country of Soviets).
In 1971, producer Roman Alekseev shot a ] '']'' for Ukrtelefilm. The plot was about the tender and pure love of a girl from the mountains (played by Rotaru) and her relationship with a man from the industrial city of ]. The name of the film means the ] flower, derived from an ancient ]n legend. Rue blossoms only on the ] night, and the girl who succeeds in finding a blooming rue will be happy in love. Songs of the composer ] and other writers were co-performed by Zinkevich, Yaremchuk and other singers. The film enjoyed a significant success. After the film was released in the cinemas, Sofia Rotaru received an offer to work in the Chernivtsi Philharmonic Society and with a backing ensemble called ]. Rotaru's husband Jevdokymenko became the artistic director of the ensemble.


In the same year Sofia Rotaru collaborated with ], performing the Ukrainian version of his hit from the 60s L'immensità - "Syzokrylyi ptakh".
As a result of collaboration with Volodymyr Ivasyuk, an cycle of songs was created, based on the ] material in an orchestration characteristic for the 1960s and the 1970s in ]. Resulting works brought Rotaru great popularity in the Soviet Union, especially in Ukraine. This was largely due to the fact that the Soviet authorities eagerly promoted her art as an example of international Soviet culture being an ethnic Moldavian singing in Moldavian, Ukrainian and Russian languages. Consequently Rotaru gained regular airplay on the state radio and television and was systematically billed for state-organized concerts.


In 1973, she received First Prize at the international contest of ] in ], Bulgaria, performing the song "Moy gorod" ("My city") and Second Prize in the category of foreign performance of a song in the Bulgarian language. In 1973, she also was awarded the Meritorious Artist of the Ukrainian SSR. Later, the songs which she performed in the Moldavian/Romanian language, "Codru" and "Moy gorod", became soundtracks for the film ''Vesenniye sozvuchiya – 73''.<ref name="imdb"/>
In 1972, Sofia Rotaru and Chervona Ruta participated in a tour in Poland with the programme ''Pesni i tantsy Strany Sovetov'' (Songs and Dances of the Country of Soviets).


===1974–1979: New authors and Moldavian lyricism===
In 1973, she received the First Prize of the international contest of ] in ], Bulgaria, performing the song "Moy gorod" (My city) of Doga, and the Second Prize in the category of a foreign performance of a song in Bulgarian language. In the same year, she received the title of the Meritorious Artist of the Ukrainian SSR. Later, the songs which she performed in the Moldavian language, "Codru" and "Moy gorod", became soundtracks for the film ''Vesenniye sozvuchiya – 73'' (Spring accords – 73).
In 1974, Rotaru graduated from the Chişinău Art Institute of ] in the choral conducting class with professor ] and participated in the ] in Poland, performing "Vospominaniye" (''Remembrance'') by B. Rychkov, and "Vodohrai" by Ivasjuk. She received second prize in the category of ''Polish song'' for her performance of "Ktoś" ("Someone"). In 1976, she moved from Chernivtsi to ], transferring from the Chernivtsi Philharmonic Society to the Crimean Philharmonic Society. After the death of Volodymyr Ivasyuk in 1979, a number of songs by Moldavian composers appeared in her repertoire penned by the Teodorovici brothers. By that time, Rotaru had ceased collaboration with Moldavian authors, primarily ].<ref name="АФ"/>


Rotaru's songs of the period were created in collaboration with the following composers and lyricists: ] wrote "Verni mne muzyku" (''Bring Me the Music Back''); Aleksey Mazhukov – "A muzyka zvuchit" (''But the Music Plays'') and "Krasnaya strela" (''Red Arrow''); Pavel Aedonitskiy – "Dlya tekh, kto zhdyot" (''For Those Who Wait''); ] - "Only For You"; ] – "Aist na kryshe" (''Stork on the Roof''), "V dome moyom" (''At My Home''), and "Val's" (''Waltz''); ] – "A Usual Story" and "Osennyaya melodiya" (''Autumn Melody''); ] – "Temp" (''Tempo''); ] – "Tanets na barabane" (''Dance on the Drum''); ] – "Sovsem kak na Zemle" (''Just like on Earth''); Vladimir Migulya – "Zhyzn'" (''Life''), and others.<ref name="АФ"/>
===1974–1979: New authors and Moldavian lyricism ===
{{Unreferenced section|date=May 2009}}
In 1974, Sofia Rotaru graduated from the Chisianu Art Institute of ] and participated in the ] in Poland, performing "Vospominaniye" (''Remembrance'') by B. Rychkov, and "Vodogray" by Ivasjuk. She received the second prize in the category of ''Polish song'' for her performance of "Ktoś" (''Someone'').


She was the first performer of ]'s songs, including "Lebedinaya vernost" ("Swan Fidelity"), "Yabloni v tsvetu" ("Blossoming Apples"), and "Ballada o materi" ("Ballad About Mother"). A patriotic song, "Shchastye tebe, Zemlya moya" ("Be Happy, My Earth"), caused some political controversy.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.peoples.ru/art/music/stage/rotaru/index.html|title=Россияне больше всех певиц любят Софию Ротару, а москвичи - Валерию, Жанну Фриске и Алсу, Вокруг света |website=www.peoples.ru|access-date=17 December 2018}}</ref>
In 1975, she became the soloist of the ]n Philharmonic Society.

In 1976, due to persecutions of her family for celebrating Christmas considered a religious holiday, Sofia moved from Chernivtsi to ], transferring from the Chernivtsi Philharmonic Society to the Crimean Philharmonic Society.

After the death of Volodymyr Ivasyuk in 1979, a number of songs by Moldavian composers appeared in her repertoire penned by the Teodorovici brothers. By that time, Sofia Rotaru had ceased collaboration with Moldavian authors, primarily Eugene Doga. The latter had actively created rumors that the voice of Sofia Rotaru was created note by note on a computer.

Rotaru's songs of the period were created in collaboration with the following composers and lyricists: Arno Babadzhanyan wrote "Verni mne muzyku" (''Bring Me the Music Back''); Aleksey Mazhukov - "A muzyka zvuchit" (''But the Music Plays'') and "Krasnaya strela" (''Red Arrow''); Pavel Aedonitskiy - "Dlya teh, kto zhdët" (''For Those Who Wait''); Oskar Feltsman -"Only For You"; David Tukhmanov - "Ayst na kryshe" (''Stork on the Roof''), "V dome moëm" (''At My Home''), and "Val's" (''Waltz''); Yuriy Saulskiy - "A Usual Story" and "Osennyaya melodiya" (''Autumn Melody''); Aleksandra Pakhmutova - "Temp" (''Tempo''); ] - "Tanec na barabane" (''Dance on the Drum''); Zatsepin - "Sovsem kak na Zemle" (''Almost like on Earth''); V. Migulya - "Zhyzn'" (''Life''), and others. Sofia Rotaru was the first performer of the songs of Yevgeniy Martynov, such as "Lebedinaya vernost'" (''Swan Fidelity''), "Jabloni v tsvetu" (''Blossoming Apples''), and "Ballada o materi" (''Ballad About Mother''). The controversial song "Rodina" (''Motherland'') is the first rap song performed in the Soviet Union. Another patriotic song "Schastye tebe, Zemlya moya" (''Be Happy, My Earth''), also caused political controversies; although both songs speak only of love for the land of one's birth, without political propaganda.


===1980–1983: Acting career and new connections=== ===1980–1983: Acting career and new connections===
In 1980 in the international song festival held in ], Sofia Rotaru won the first prize at the for her performance of the ]n song "Obeshchaniye" (''Promise'') and received the ]. In 1980, at the international song festival held in Tokyo, Rotaru won first prize for her performance of the ]n song "Obeshchaniye" (''Promise'') and received the ]. She continued to experiment and was the first Soviet female singer to appear wearing trousers on stage. While doing this, she performed a ] style song "Temp" (''Tempo'')<ref name="АФ"/> with music composed by ] and lyrics written by Nikolay Dobronravov. The songs "Temp" and "Ozhidaniye" (''Waiting'') were specially written for the cultural programme of the ] in Moscow. The song was used as the soundtrack theme for the drama film ''Ballada o sporte'' (''Ode to sports''), produced by ]. In the same year, for her performance of "Ozhidaniye", Rotaru won the All-Union Song of the Year award.


In 1980, Rotaru starred in the leading role in a film released by ] and called '']'' (Where are you, love?). Among other songs in the film, Rotaru performed "Pervy dozhd'" (''First Rain''). The movie featured her riding a motorcycle on a narrow sea embankment without a stunt double. According to the autobiographic plot, a village teacher is invited to join an ensemble and wins the Grand Prix at an international festival with the song "Gde ty, lyubov'?". The music for the song was composed by Raimonds Pauls and lyrics by Ilya Reznik. A double album of the soundtrack was released. More than 25 million movie goers viewed the film in 1980. The title song of the film was banned from state radio by Gennadiy Cherkassov, director of the music department.
The singer continued to experiment and appeared as a first Soviet female singer wearing trousers on stage. While doing this, she performed a ] style song "Temp" (''Tempo''){{cite}} with music composed by ] and lyrics written by Nikolay Dobronravov. The songs "Temp" and "Ozhidaniye" (''Waiting'') were specially written for the cultural programme of the ] in ].<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.kp.md/freshissue/culture/182186 |title=A new well was opened in Kishinev for Sofia Rotaru!| work=] in Moldova, 16 July 2005|accessdate=2008-05-20}}</ref> The song was also used as the soundtrack theme for the drama film ''Ballada o sporte'' (''Ode to sports''), produced by ]. In the same year, for the performance of "Ozhidaniye", the singer won the All-Union Song of the Year award.


In 1981, at the XIVth All-Union Cinema Festival in ], the film received the jury's prize for popularisation of the singing art of Soviet composers, in the section of drama films. This movie was the first public exposure for Rotaru in a dramatic role. Critics lambasted the film but it garnered support from audiences and some of its themes became popular. Rotaru's next artistic period began with a new style – rock music. The film '']'' (Soul) with Rotaru's new rock band ] was released in 1981, including songs by ] and ]. As she was ill, her doctors recommended she not participate in the movie production and that she cancel all concert performances.
This period is characterised by her leading role in a film released by ] in 1980 and called '']'' (Where Has Love Gone?). Among other songs in the film, Sofia Rotaru performed the song "Pervy dozhd'" (''First Rain''). The movie featured her riding a motorcycle on a narrow sea embankment without a stunt double. According to the autobiographic plot, a village teacher is invited to join an ensemble and she wins the Grand Prix at an international festival with the song "Gde ty, lyubov'?". The music for the song was composed by Raimonds Pauls and lyrics by Ilya Reznik. The rest of the composers of the soundtrack were: Yevgeniy Martynov, Oskar Feltsman, ], and ]. Simultaneously, a double album of the soundtrack was released. More than 25 million movie goers viewed the film in 1980. The title song of the film was forbidden on the state radio by Gennadiy Cherkassov the director of the music department, because he did not like how Sofia Rotaru sang. In 1981, at the XIVth All-Union Cinema Festival in ], the film received the jury's prize for popularisation of the singing art of Soviet composers, in the section of drama films. This movie was the first public exposure for Sofia Rotaru in a drama role. Many critics called it "clambaked", nevertheless the film gained film viewers' respect and some of the film themes became popular.


The next artistic period began with the search for a new style - rock music. The film '']'' (Soul) with Rotaru's new rock band ] was released in 1981, including songs by ] and ]. Due to her illness, Rotaru's doctors recommended that she not participate in the movie production and furthermore the suggested that she cancel all concert performances. This initial refusal caused ] and ] to write an additional autobiographical scenario with a dramatic situation in the singer's life, experiencing a loss of voice and an opening of her soul. This was shown in a dialogue on the pier with an older man and included a reevalutaion of her values. After having seen the new rewritten scenario and new songs, written in a completely new style, Sofia Rotaru agreed to star in the movie and moreover, decided to refuse for a while all concert performances. The movie became a musical drama, touching not only the private life of an artist and human relationships, but also raising the question of the artist's attitude towards her talent and the responsibility of being talented relative to her audience. ] was the partner of Sofia Rotaru in the movie and the lyrical hero was played by a ] actor ]. Sofia Rotaru has said: "The producer suggested to completely change my image from what the people had got used to see me on stage. I think the movie may become a turning point in my artstic destiny. Anyway, this is an experiment, for which I am heading with joy. And as during any experiment, it is difficult to suppose how it will all end." The film experienced more than 45 million entries in the Soviet distribution. In what director Stefanovich called the first music video in the Soviet Union, Sofia Rotaru and Mashina Vremeni were dressed in golden stretchy fabrics, jumping on a transparent trampoline, shot by a camera below it. This incident caused ] and ] to write an autobiographical scenario for the film using the dramatic situation in the singer's life, characterising her loss of voice with an opening of her soul. This was shown in dialogue on a pier with an older man and included a reevaluation of her values. After having seen the new rewritten scenario and new songs, written in a completely new style, Rotaru agreed to star in the movie and decided to temporarily forego all concert performances. In 1983, 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 '']'' and released by Cansov Exchange Inc.<ref>Sofia Rotaru: Canadian Tour 1983. Cansov Exchange Inc., Toronto, 1983</ref>


===1985–1989: Change of style – Europop and hard rock===
In 1983, 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 '']'' and released by Cansov Exchange Inc.<ref>Sofia Rotaru: Canadian Tour 1983. Cansov Exchange Inc., Toronto, 1983</ref>
The mid-1980s evolved into a turning point in the creation of the singer's image. Contrary to the previous ''Vas priglashaet Sofia Rotaru'' (Sofia Rotaru Invites You) (1985), the new film '']'' (1986) explored the aesthetics of the new art.<ref name="imdb">{{IMDb name|id=0744719|name=Sofia Rotaru}}. Retrieved 4 January 2016.</ref> Only one song, "Techët voda" (''Water Flows'') by Ihor Poklad, carried on the folk music theme, presenting an image of a farm girl who became a star.


A new collaboration began in 1985 with the song "Lavanda" (''Lavender''), written by Vladimir Matetskiy for a duet with ]n ]. In 1986, she reversed artistic direction with the relatively unknown Moscow songwriter. He managed the transition of Rotaru to a ] style ("Bylo no proshlo" (''Once It Was But Now It's Over''), "Luna" (''Moon'')), including elements of ] "Moya vremya" (''My Time''), "Tol'ko etogo malo" (''That's Not Enough''). During the next 15 years, Matetskiy and his co-author, Mikhail Shabrov, collaborated heavily with Rotaru. They produced songs, most of which became part of her concert programmes in 1990–2000.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://romir.ru/en/news/res_results/68.html|title=Самый популярный певец России|access-date=17 December 2018|archive-date=26 August 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110826085806/http://romir.ru/en/news/res_results/68.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>
===1985–1989: Change of style - Europop and hard rock===
{{Unreferenced section|date=May 2009}}
The mid-1980s evolved into a turning point in the creation of the singer's image. Contrary to the previous ''Vas priglashaet Sofia Rotaru'' (Sofia Rotaru Invites You) (1985), the new film '']'' (1986) explored the aesthetics of the new art. Only one song "Techët voda" (''Water Flows'') by Ihor Poklad carried on her folk theme and presented an image of a farm girl who became a star.


===1990–1991: Among different cultures===
A new collaboration began in 1985 with the song "Lavanda" (''Lavender''), written by Vladimir Matetskiy for a duet with the ]n Jaak Joala. In 1986, she reversed her artistic direction with the relatively unknown Moscow song writer. He managed the transition of Rotaru to a ] style ("Bylo no proshlo" (''Once It Was But Now It's Over''), "Luna" (''Moon'')), including elements of ] ("Moya vremya" (''My Time''), "Tol'ko etogo malo" (''That's Not Enough''). During the next 15 years, Matetskiy and his co-author Mikhail Shabrov practically monopolized the right to collaborate with Sofia Rotaru. They produced songs, most of which became part of her concert progammes in 1990–2000, and these songs helped to establish a popular and charismatic personality for Sofia Rotaru with her unique vocal timbre. After the first collaboration many others have followed, including: "Luna, luna" (''Moon, Moon''), "Dikiye lebedi" (''Wild Swans''), "Heart of Gold", and "Zhyzn' moya, lyubov' moya" (''My Life, My Love").
The transition to a repertoire in the Russian language caused a certain amount of animosity in Ukraine. Accusations in betrayal of national culture were supported by the state producer unions, philharmonic societies, and concert companies who were losing control over the financial side of the concert and tour activity of Rotaru as a result of economic reforms.


To avoid large scale provocations, she refused to participate in the Chervona Ruta festival which took place in Chernivtsi in 1989. The diminution of proportion of Ukrainian songs was caused by the absence of high-quality lyrics in Ukrainian. Rare exceptions included the songs of ], "]" (''Homeland''), "Minaie den'" (''Day Passes''); Blizniuk, "Vidlunnia virnosti" (''Echo of Fidelity);'' Rybchinskyi, "Bal razluchennykh serdets" (''Ball of Separate Hearts''); and Kvinta, "Chekai" (''Wait''), "Odna kalyna" (''Lone ]''), "Tuman" (''Fog'').
=== 1990–1991: Among different cultures===
The transition to a repertoire in Russian language caused a certain amount of animosity in Ukraine. Accustations in betrayal of national culture were also supported by the state producer unions, philharmonic societies, and concert companies who were losing control over the financial side of the concert and tour activity of Sofia Rotaru as a result of economic reforms. In order to avoid large scale provocations, Sofia Rotaru refused to participate in the Chervona Ruta festival, taking place in Chernivtsi in 1989. The diminuation of proportion of Ukrainian songs was caused by the absence of high-quality lyrics in Ukrainian. Rare exceptions included the songs of Mozgovoy, ("Kray" (''Country''), "Minaye den'" (''Day Passes''), Bliznyuk ("Ekho vernosti" (''Echo of Fidelity''), Rybchinskiy ("Bal razluchennykh serdets" (''Ball of Separate Hearts''), and Kvinta ("Chekay" (''Wait''), "Odna kalyna" (''Lone ]''), "Tuman" (''Fog''). In 1991, during a conert in Lviv, some people from the audience put up a poster in Ukrainian, translating into: "Sofia, a heavy penalty is waiting for you".<ref>Lviv, as Western Ukraine, was one of the regions with strong nationalistic movements.</ref> Due to the incident, Rotaru did not perform in Ukraine until the end of the 1990s, after a personal request by the ] ].


In 1991, during a concert in ], some people from the audience put up a poster in Ukrainian, translating into: "Sofia, a heavy penalty is waiting for you". Due to the incident, Rotaru did not perform in Ukraine until the end of the 1990s, after a personal request by the ] ].<ref> {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120802085951/http://www.trumptaj.com/photos/index.cfm |date=2012-08-02 }}</ref> At the same time, Rotaru prepared a new concert program, presented to the public in 1991.
At the same time, Rotaru prepared a new concert program, presented to the public in 1991. One half of it consisted of remixes of classics of Ukrainian pop song, including: "Chervona Ruta", "Cheremshina" (''Bird Cherry''), "Maple Fire", "Kray", "]", and "Yellow Leaf". Rotaru has not faced Ukrainian nationalist accusastions since then.


=== 1991–2004: New times=== ===1991–2004: New times===
After the collapse of the USSR and commercialisation of the post-Soviet music, Sofia Rotaru has kept her top positions on the market and has a stable public, including Russian speaking diaspora in Europe, USA, Australia and Israel. After the collapse of the USSR<ref>{{cite web|url=http://pesnyagoda.my1.ru/1985_87.html|title=ПЕСНЯ ГОДА. 1985-87|website=pesnyagoda.my1.ru|access-date=17 December 2018}}</ref> and commercialisation of post-Soviet music, Rotaru has kept her top position in the market and has a stable public, including the Russian speaking diaspora in Europe, USA, Australia and Israel. In 2000 Rotaru was named the Best Ukrainian Pop Singer of the Twentieth Century. In 2001 Rotaru performed in a new solo concert program ''Zhyzn' moya – moya lyubov''' (My Life Is My Love). The programme blended new songs with the hits of the previous years in a new manner. In 2002 Sofia Rotaru was awarded the title "Hero of Ukraine".
In 2000 Sofia Rotaru was named the Best Ukrainian Pop Singer of XXth Century. In 2001 Sofia Rotaru performed in a new solo concert program ''Zhyzn' moya – moya lyubov''' (My Life Is My Love). The programme blended new songs with the hits of the previous years in a new manner. In 2002 Sofia Rotaru was awarded the title "Hero of Ukraine".


After the death of her husband Anatoliy Jevdokymenko, who had produced her programs, and the loss of her parents, Rotaru stopped touring for a period and joined a ].<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.newsru.com/religy/07jun2007/rotaru.html |title=Sofia Rotaru went twice to monastery|date=2007-08-07 |accessdate=2008-02-22}}</ref> Following several months of mourning, Rotaru resumed her concert and recording activity and topped the Russian, Ukrainian and Moldavian charts again. After the death of her husband in 2002, and the loss of her parents, Rotaru stopped touring for a period and joined a ].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.newsru.com/religy/07jun2007/rotaru.html|title=Sofia Rotaru went twice to monastery|date=7 August 2007|access-date=22 February 2008}}</ref> Following several months of mourning, Rotaru resumed her concert and recording activities and topped the Russian, Ukrainian and Moldavian charts again.


A new period started in 2003 with performances in the ''Koncertny Zal "Rossiya"'' of Moscow, dedicated to the opening of the her statue in the alley in front of the hall. The main authors working with Rotaru became composers Ruslan Kvinta ("Odna kalyna"), Oleg Makarevič ("Bely tanets" (''White Dance'')) and ] ("Ya zhe yego lyubila" (''Didn't I Love Him'')), "Odin na svete" (''One in the World'')), as well as the lyricist Vitalij Kurovskij. A new period started in 2003 with performances in the ''Koncertny Zal "Rossiya"'' of Moscow, dedicated to the opening of her statue in front of the hall. Composers working with Rotaru included Ruslan Kvinta ("Odna kalyna"), Oleg Makarevič ("Bely tanets") and ] ("Ya zhe yego lyubila" and "Odin na svete"), as well as lyricist Vitalij Kurovskij. She released the following albums: '']'' (''For the Only One'', 2003; with new songs and arrangements in Ukrainian and Moldavian/Romanian languages), dedicated to the memory of her late husband ("]" ("Heaven It's Me", 2004), and "]" ("Didn't I Love Him", 2005).


===2007–2016: 60th Birthday ===
In 2004, after a four year break, Sofia Rotaru gave two solo concerts: in ] and the Taj-Mahal casino, ].
In 2007, she celebrated her 60th birthday. Hundreds of fans, as well as artists and politicians, came to Yalta to congratulate the singer. The President of Ukraine awarded Sofia Rotaru with the II Degree Order for Merits. Her official reception and birthday party took place at the ] in Yalta, in the presence of the ], the ] and the ].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.karavanlubvirotaru.narod.ru/|title=КАРАВАН ЛЮБВИ|website=www.karavanlubvirotaru.narod.ru|access-date=17 December 2018}}</ref> The event was covered live by Ukrainian and Russian state TV channels. Celebrations for her birthday continued into September in ], where one of the young performers' music festival days, called "Five Stars", was dedicated to Rotaru. In October 2007, more birthday concerts took place in Moscow, at the State ], featuring Russian singers performing her songs.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://sofiarotaru.blog.cz/|title=София Ротару|website=sofiarotaru.blog.cz|access-date=17 December 2018}}</ref>
2006 and 2007 were busy for Rotaru. Three albums were released: '']'' (''Fog'') in Eastern Europe, and two albums exclusively for the German market, '']'' (You Are My Heart) and ''Kakaya na serdtse pogoda'' (What's the Weather Like in the Heart). The year included participation in numerous TV shows and concert programmes and a documentary made for Ukrainian TV. A Russian Anniversary Tour lasted from March until June 2007. Another TV musical show, ''Krasota Trebuet'' (''Beauty Requires''), with Rotaru singing the song "Lavanda" ("Lavender"), premiered on 8 March 2008.<ref name="imdb"/>


=== Anniversary Tour (2012 – 2013) ===
During this time, Rotaru released the following albums: '']'' (For the Only One; 2003; with new songs and arrangements in Ukrainian and Moldavian languages), dedicated to the memory of her deceased husband, '']'' (Heaven – It's Me; 2004), and '']'' (Didn't I Love Him; 2005).


=== 2017–present ===
=== 2007–today: 60th anniversary===
In 2022, she condemned the Russian Invasion of Ukraine.
{{Unreferenced section|date=May 2009}}
]]] In 2007, Sofia Rotaru celebrated her 60th anniversary. Hundreds of fans, as well as artists and politicians came to Yalta to congratulate the singer. President of Ukraine awarded Sofia Rotaru with the II Degree Order for Merits. Official reception and birthday party took place at the ] of Yalta, in the presence of ], President of Ukraine and ]. The event was covered live by Ukrainian and Russian state TV channels. Celebrations for her anniversary continued in September in ], where one of the days at the song festival of young performers called "Five Stars" was dedicated to Sofia Rotaru. In October 2007, anniversary concerts took place in ], at the State ], featuring Russian singers performing Rotaru's songs: ], ], ], Lev Leshchenko, Nadezhda Babkina, ], Anzhelika Varum, ], Masha Rasputina, ]. Featured Ukrainian singers included: ], ], ], Potap & Nastya Kamenskikh, and ].


==Politics==
The years 2006 and 2007 were busy for Rotaru. They saw three albums released: '']'' (Fog) in Eastern Europe and two albums exclusively for the German market '']'' (You Are My Heart) and ''Kakaya na serdtse pogoda'' (What's the Weather Like in the Heart). The year also included participation in numerous TV shows and concert programmes and a documentary made for the Ukrainian TV. After the filming, she took a one month break in January which made place for rumours about her illness and a car or airplane crash. A Russian Anniversary Tour lasted from March until June 2007. Another TV musical show ''Krasota Trebuet'' (Beauty Requires) was filmed with Sofia Rotaru singing the song ''Lavanda'' (Lavender), and premiered on 8 March 2008.

==Artistry==
{{Unreferenced section|date=May 2009}}
Several first expressions upon Rotaru's performance have been recorded from professional critics. ], a People's Artist of USSR, after the Republican festival of popular talents in ], 1964: "This is your future celebrity. Remember my words." ], the president of the jury of the IX World Festival of Youth and Students in Sofia, 1968: "This is a singer with great future..."

Rotaru's performances have been noted for sharing sincere emotions with her audiences. She considers her childhood environment an inspiration for her music. Attention has been drawn to the intonations and strength of her ] voice. She performs in a variety of styles, including ], ] and ], such as the song "Magazin Tsvety" (''Flower Shop''). In her concert programmes, Sofia Rotaru leaves an important place for modern remakes of folk songs, e.g. a rap version of "Chervona Ruta" released in 2006 with ].

==Legacy==
{{Unreferenced section|date=May 2009}}
Rotaru was nominated the ] in 1988. Sofia Rotaru has sung more than 400 songs in Russian, Ukrainian, Moldavian, Romanian, Bulgarian, Serbian, Polish, Italian, English and German languages. She has performed in concerts in the ], ], ], and ].

== Politics ==
{{Listen {{Listen
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|filename = Sofiarotarurodina.ogg |filename = Sofiarotarurodina.ogg
|title = "Rodina" (''Motherland'') (original version) |title = "Rodina" (''Motherland'') (original version)
|description = "Rodina", a controversial song by Rotaru}}
|description = the controversial song<ref>http://fortuna-rotaru.narod.ru/compozit/tuhmanov/tuhmanov.htm</ref> considered as first Soviet rap song<ref>http://hghltd.yandex.net/yandbtm?qtree=XCJplGZvBfMvmdYLx%2B3w6X5%2BxbHhbiOGS063Te6Qzwza1lnOSNkIoYQAhsRWbGG8A69SL8ysBomRpQRKaezWSx%2BxyGlIL78xjv9X6LoMaBe%2FRr9oO1zxNT73ZnojfNMMI9oh8%2FG6IRO56xEaKWHNnaZc7%2FBbDKLesh04HeNRxbhE1KPPXK2Uk9HDC%2FC0Q8Q7Uey8PS5zN1cI%2FHoGMwP2XzqqHNYWSr1vrXAAIFKMtLfszIPLBp6jmVeXEUzy55mdMQqa9lll0bNh47EI3FvL581twzBXuGddxesZ8Arvg9fUhpoTFDsNulR9HbvMTnU1TUtb7Xvw3UgDbJHePWcfEYJgaERNu3%2B3sj%2Fqv8j9ygXqvjGrXK5nhswQYO3dwuYk66JbXsfvcybDMpT5ZILbw%2FVvbOFhKvGKdNuT3FgtWIqlbyy7wtR5nwKrDESb%2Br6seYBiYxFghQkFKmJQ8Sv3mbMfWpFELrRyP%2FEwBxrPbMHkl%2Bek9l0SV9zl5UBSDzLdARM4BPam095znVkxLOhhYeEDCO%2B9f0i0&text=%F0%EE%F2%E0%F0%F3%20%F0%FD%EF&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnati-ve.narod.ru%2Fmusic%2Fmother.html</ref>
}}

] in 2005<ref>http://www.peoples.ru/art/music/stage/rotaru/news_sofija_rotaru_obsudila_s_jushhenko_voprosy_gosudar.shtml</ref>]]
Sofia Rotaru does not support any particular political ideology. Nevertheless, her multicultural identity served both for and against her. Soviet authorities, persecuting her family for celebrating ] <ref>http://www.kp.ru/daily/23409/34318/</ref>, represented her at the same time as the top singer of the USSR. The German press wrote about her as "The Conductor of the USSR". Some of her albums were recorded in Germany. After the recording of "]" (''Immensity'') in Italian and of "]" (''Who's Looking for Love'') ("Deine Zärtlichkeit" (''Your Tenderness''), "Es muss nicht sein" (''It Mustn't Be''), and "Nachts, wenn die Nebel ziehen" (''At Night When the Fog Spreads'') the German label ] proposed to release a bigger studio album with these and other songs in French and English, and to perform a concert tour in Western Europe. However, a directive came from the Soviet government (Goskontsert)<ref>http://text.newlookmedia.ru/?p=1466#more-1466</ref> to sing only Soviet songs. Therefore, only the initial single was released ]. The concert administration of the USSR prohibited her to leave the USSR between 1983 and 1988. This interdiction was put in effect after the 1983 tour in Canada and release of ] album.<ref>http://text.newlookmedia.ru/?p=1466#more-1466</ref>


Rotaru does not support any particular political ideology. Nevertheless, her multicultural identity has both helped and harmed her. Soviet authorities, persecuting her family for celebrating Christmas,<ref>, kp.ru; accessed 27 June 2015.</ref> simultaneously lauded her as the top singer of the USSR. The German press wrote about her as "The ] of the Soviet Union". Some of her albums were recorded in Germany. After recording "]" (''Immensity'') in Italian, and "]" (''Who's Looking for Love'') ("Deine Zärtlichkeit" (''Your Tenderness''), "Es muss nicht sein" (''It Mustn't Be''), and "Nachts, wenn die Nebel ziehen" (''At Night When the Fog Spreads'') in German, ] proposed releasing a larger studio album with these and other songs in French and English, and launching a concert tour in Western Europe.
During the ] in Ukraine, Sofia Rotaru was dispatching food packages together with her family to people who came to the '']'', regardless of their political affiliation.


However, a directive came from the Soviet government (Goskontsert)<ref name="text.newlookmedia.ru">, newlookmedia.ru; accessed 27 June 2015.</ref> to sing only Soviet songs. Thus, only the initial single was released "]". The concert administration of the USSR prohibited her from leaving the USSR between 1983 and 1988. This interdiction was put in effect after the 1983 tour in Canada and the release of her ] album.<ref name="text.newlookmedia.ru"/>
In 2006 Sofia Rotaru took active part in ], balloting for the deputy chair as a second number in the list of ]'s political formation ], however the bloc could not gather the necessary amount of votes to enter the Parliament, which became one of the major surprises of the elections. She held an all Ukrainian charitable campaign tour the same year. Among main reasons for supporting namely the political unit of Lytvyn, Sofia Rotaru named personal trust and steadiness of Lytvyn, as well as her own interest in lobbying the law on patronage of art in Ukraine.


During the ] in Ukraine, Rotaru, together with her family, sent food packages to people who came to the '']'', regardless of their ]. In 2006 Rotaru took active part in ], balloting for the deputy chair as a second number in the list of ]'s political formation ]; however, the bloc could not gather enough votes to enter Parliament, one of the major surprises of the elections. She held an all-Ukrainian charitable campaign tour the same year. Rotaru cited her personal trust of Lytvyn and his steadiness, as well as her own interest in lobbying for arts issues in Ukraine. As a Crimean resident, she refused ] following Russia's ].<ref>, rosbalt.ru; accessed 21 June 2015.{{in lang|ru}}</ref>
==Nationality==
Singing in different languages became the source of fierce arguments regarding which culture Sofia Rotaru belonged - Moldavian, Ukrainian, Russian or Romanian. She was also considered as a "fellow" in Russia, and in Armenia the question was debated whether to award her with the Meritorious Artist of Armenian SSR. The singer, who always lived in the Ukraine, considered herself to be a Ukrainian citizen, while not denying her Moldavian roots. On her web page, she identifies herself as Ukrainian.<ref name="official"/>


==Personal life== ==Personal life==
Aurica, Sofia's younger sister, has also performed professionally, combining a solo career with performances as a back-up vocalist, as well as dueting with sisters Lidia and Eugenia. In 1992, Aurica ended her singing career. Sofia's husband, Anatoliy Kyrylovich Yevdokymenko (1941–2002), was a People's Artist of Ukraine. He was the son of a conductor from ]. He first saw Rotaru on the cover of the magazine ''Ukraine'' No. 27 in 1965 and immediately fell in love with her. At the time, Yevdokymenko was a serving his military duty in ], ]. After military service, he looked Rotaru up. Yevdokymenko had graduated from a musical high school, played the trumpet, and planned to create his own band. As a student at the ] and a trumpeter in the student pop orchestra, he helped Rotaru discover the pop orchestra.{{cquote|I rather owe my coming into being as a singer and, probably, my personality, to those women with whom I worked in the village. It is really from them that I learned to understand the meaning of life. I received help – simple and magnanimous – from them in difficult times.<ref name="excluded">{{cite web|url=http://www.rian.ru/review/20070807/70501136.html|title=Sofia Rotaru has been almost excluded from pioneers for singing|date=7 August 2007|access-date=22 August 2008}}</ref>|cquote}}
Besides Sofia, Aurica, her younger sister, has also performed professionally, combining a solo career with performances as back-up vocal, as well as duets with her brother and sister Lidia and Eugenia. However, for Aurica, the duet performing in the style of Italo-Pop of 80's did not reach noticeable success and in 1992 she ended her singing career.
Sofia's Husband - Anatoliy Kyrylovich Jevdokymenko was a People's Artist of Ukraine (1941–2002). He was a son of a conductor from ]. He first saw Rotaru on the cover of the magazine ''Ukraine'' № 27 in 1965 and immediately fell in love with her. At the time, Jevdokymenko was a serving his military duty in ], ]. After the service, he looked Rotaru up. Jevdokymenko had graduated from a musical high school, played the ], and planned to create his own band. As a student at the ] and a ] in the student pop orchestra he helped Sofia discover the pop orchestra. Before meeting him, Sofia Rotaru had used mainly ]s and the ] for her musical background.
{{cquote|I rather owe my coming into being singer and, probably, personality, namely to those women, with whom I worked in the village. It is namely from them that I have learned to understand the sense of life. I received help in difficult moments from them - simple and magnanimous.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.rian.ru/review/20070807/70501136.html |title=Sofia Rotaru has been almost excluded from pioneers for singing |date=2007-08-07 |accessdate=2008-02-22}}</ref>|cquote}}


Singing in different languages caused fierce arguments about which culture Rotaru identifies with: Moldavian/Romanian, Ukrainian, or Russian.
== Discography ==

==Discography==
{{Main|Sofia Rotaru discography}} {{Main|Sofia Rotaru discography}}
* 1972 ''Chervona Ruta''
==Filmography==
* 1973 ''Poet Sofia Rotaru''
{{Unreferenced section|date=May 2009}}
* 1974 '']'' (aka ''Ballada o skripkakh'')
Sofia Rotaru was cast in seven ]s, her debut being in 1966 in '']'' (Nightingale from Marshintsy Village). She played the main characters in the films ''Chervona Ruta'' (1971), '']'' (1980) and '']'' (1981).
* 1976 ''Sofia Rotaru'' (aka ''Lebedinaya vernost'')

* 1977 '']''
== Phenomenon==
* 1978 ''Sofia Rotaru'' (aka ''Rodina moya'')
The oldest official ] of Sofia Rotaru is "Fortuna". ROTARUNEWS, an information portal with ] information on Rotaru's career, was created in 2003. Rotaru fan clubs exist in many cities across Russia and Europe.
* 1979 '']''

* 1981 '']
Among business sphere fans is known, ]<ref>http://news.yandex.ru/yandsearch?text=%D1%82%D0%B0%D0%B9%D0%B2%D0%B0%D0%BD%D1%87%D0%B8%D0%BA+%D1%80%D0%BE%D1%82%D0%B0%D1%80%D1%83&rpt=nnews2&grhow=clutop</ref> (also known as «Taiwanchik»), ], ], orden-bearer and businessman, co-owner of two Moscow ]s, who helped Sofia Rotaru, when she became Ukrainian citizen to participate in the "Song of the Year" festival, which became a Russian festival after the break-up of the ]. In 1972, after he saw the singer at a concert, he organised for her and her ensemble a sumptuous ]. ] said: "Well, nothing peculiar happened indeed, I just brought her to a ], as it used to be back then, she bought her a ] there and that's it". The enterpreneur is also known for the ] that took place in 2002, related to the accusations of judges' bribery for the ] in ]. After a year in the prison, he was released for insufficient proof. Sofia Rotaru has given public support to him.
* 1981 '']''

* 1985 '']''
]
* 1987 '']''
] in the image of Sofia Rotaru<ref>http://lady29.ru/2009/06/den--goroda-arxangel-sku-425-let-anons-meroprijatij.html</ref>]]
* 1987 ''Lavanda''

* 1988 '']''
Sofia Rotaru has officially recognized her double acts Dionis Kelm and Jeane Pati, who perform on tours copying Rotaru's physical appearance, manner of singing and costumes designed by ].<ref>www.rzn.rodgor.ru/gazeta/56/otpusk/1235/</ref>
* 1991 ''Caravan of Love''

* 1995 ''Khutoryanka''
A particular fan received a big appraisal in the press ] <ref>http://news.yandex.ru/people/starodubova_galina.html</ref><ref>http://news.yandex.ru/yandsearch?rpt=nnews&grhow=clutop&text=%D1%81%D1%82%D0%B0%D1%80%D0%BE%D0%B4%D1%83%D0%B1%D0%BE%D0%B2%D0%B0%20%D1%80%D0%BE%D1%82%D0%B0%D1%80%D1%83</ref>. She managed to enter into Sofia Rotaru's confidence, as well as the one of the singer's concert administration. During one of the concerts she required a closer contact, and after she was refused to have one, she started to threaten the singer and her concert administrator. Further, simple verbal threats turned into anonymous telephone calls informing of bomb mining of the airplane in which Sofia Rotaru flies, bomb mining of the concert stage. After having been temporarily released from the prison, Galina Starodubova continued threats (SMS scandal) and went back to prison.
* 1998 ''Lyubi menya''
* 2002 ''Ya tebya po-prezhnemu lyublyu''
* 2004 '']''
* 2005 '']''
* 2008 '']''
* 2010 ''Ya ne oglyanus''


==Awards==
In 2009 the international press has reported alleged tax problems of Sofia Rotaru in Russia.<ref>http://news.v2.bgnes.com/view/742045</ref> The official representative of Russian state prosecutor has made a statement where an organised crime group has presented itself as producers of Sofia Rotaru and that no tax investigations were under way regarding Sofia Rotaru.<ref>http://www.lenta.ru/news/2009/06/04/rotaru/</ref>
Rotaru is a Meritorious Citizen of ] and ]. She has received numerous awards, including Meritorious Artist of the Ukrainian SSR, ], People's Artist of Moldavian SSR, ], Laureate of the YCL Prize, Hero of Moldova, and Cavalier of the Republican Order of Moldova. In August 2002, ] ] and ] ] honoured Rotaru on her 55th birthday, bestowing upon her the high rank of ] for her "outstanding personal merits in the sphere of art",<ref name="ukraine-hero">, zakon.rada.gov.ua; accessed 4 January 2016.</ref> and the Russian ], ''"For merits before the Nation"''.


She is an Honorary Citizen of ], Moldova<ref name="Dorin Chirtoacă i-a înmânat Sofiei Rotaru însemnele de cetățean de onoare al Chișinăului">, unimedia.info; accessed 27 June 2015 (in Moldovan)</ref>
== Awards ==
Sofia Rotaru is a Meritorious Citizen of ] and ]. She has received numerous awards, including: Meritorious Artist of the Ukrainian SSR, ], People's Artist of Moldavian SSR, ], Laureate of the YCL Prize, Hero of Moldova, and Cavalier of the Republican Order of Moldova. In August 2002, ] ] and ] ] awarded Sofia Rotaru on her 55th birthday, bestowing upon her the high rank of the ] for her "outstanding personal merits in the sphere of art",<ref name="ukraine-hero"></ref> and the Russian ] "For merits before the Nation",


{{start box}} {{s-start}}
{{s-ach|aw}} {{s-ach|aw}}
|- |-
! colspan="3" style="background: #DAA520;" | ] ! colspan="3" style="background: #DAA520;" | ]
|- |-
{{succession box {{succession box
| title = ]<ref>{{cite web| url=http://festival.vitebsk.by/en/news/2007/07/13/143200.html |title=Contrasts of "Slavianski Bazaar"|date=2007-07-13 |accessdate=2008-05-22|cquote}}</ref> | title = Through Art - to Peace and Understanding<ref>{{cite web|url=http://festival.vitebsk.by/en/news/2007/07/13/143200.html|title=Contrasts of "Slavianski Bazaar"|date=13 July 2007|access-date=22 May 2008|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080325234252/http://festival.vitebsk.by/en/news/2007/07/13/143200.html|archive-date=25 March 2008}}</ref>
| years = 2007<br>Sofia Rotaru | years = 2007<br />Sofia Rotaru
| before= 2006<br>]<br/> | before= 2006<br />]
| after = 2008<br>]<ref> Polotsk Turizm</ref> | after = 2008<br />]
}} }}
|- |-
! colspan="3" style="background: pink;" | ]
{{end box}}
|-
{{succession box
| title = First Prize
| years = 1973<br />Sofia Rotaru
| before= 1972<br />]
| after = 1974<br />]
}}
|-
! colspan="3" style="background: cyan;" | ]
|-
{{succession box
| title = Contribution to pop music development
| years = 2004<br /> Sofia Rotaru
| before= 2003<br />]
| after = 2005<br />]
}}
|-
{{s-end}}


== References == ==See also==
*]
{{Reflist|2}}
* ]
* ], Moldavian/Romanian song


==External links== ==References==
{{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}


==External links==
{{wikiquotepar|Sofia Rotaru}} {{wikiquotepar|Sofia Rotaru}}
{{commons|Sofia Rotaru}} {{Commons category|Sofia Rotaru}}
*{{Discogs artist|artist=София Ротару|name=Sofia Rotaru|accessdate=4 January 2016}}
*{{Ru icon}}
* {{ Discogs artist | artist = %D0%A1%D0%BE%D1%84%D0%B8%D1%8F+%D0%A0%D0%BE%D1%82%D0%B0%D1%80%D1%83?anv=Sofia+Rotaru| name = Sofia Rotaru}} *{{MusicBrainz artist|id=0ac235b8-26bc-403d-8e0b-b5d8d5a284b2|name=Sofia Rotaru|accessdate=4 January 2016}}
* , Forbes.ua
* {{ MusicBrainz artist | id = 0ac235b8-26bc-403d-8e0b-b5d8d5a284b2 | name = Sofia Rotaru}}
* , yandex.ru (in Russian)
* {{ MySpace-music | id = sofiarotaru | name = Sofia Rotaru }}
* , rotarusofia.ru
* {{ imdb name | id = 0744719 | name = Sofia Rotaru }}
* {{usurped|1=}}
*

*
*
* Romir
{{Sofia Rotaru}} {{Sofia Rotaru}}


{{Authority control}}
{{Persondata

|NAME=Sofia Rotaru
|ALTERNATIVE NAMES=Jevdokymenko-Rotaru, Sofia
|SHORT DESCRIPTION=], singer, ], ], ]
|DATE OF BIRTH=August 7, 1947
|PLACE OF BIRTH=], ]
|DATE OF DEATH=
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Latest revision as of 00:48, 27 December 2024

Moldavian singer (born 1947) In this name that follows Eastern Slavic naming customs, the patronymic is Mykhaylivna and the family name is Rotaru.

Sofia RotaruСофія Ротару
Rotaru in 2011Rotaru in 2011
Background information
Born (1947-08-07) 7 August 1947 (age 77)
Marshyntsi, Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union
Genres
Occupation(s)Singer-songwriter, record producer, film producer, fashion designer, dancer, actress
InstrumentVocals
Years active1968–present
Formerly ofChervona Ruta
Spouse Anatoliy Yevdokymenko ​ ​(m. 1968; died 2002)
Websitewww.sofiarotaru.com
Title[[Hero of USSR ]] (2002)
People's Artist of the USSR (1988)
Awards
Musical artist

Sofiia Mykhailivna Yevdokymenko-Rotaru (née Rotaru; Ukrainian: Софі́я Миха́йлівна Рота́ру [soˈfijɐ roˈtɑrʊ]; Russian: Софи́я Миха́йловна Рота́ру; born 7 August 1947), known simply as Sofia Rotaru, is a Ukrainian pop singer of Romanian origin.

Rotaru, nicknamed "Bukovinsky Solovey" ("the Nightingale from Bukovina"), emerged in 1966 as a pop folk star in the movie Solovei iz sela Marshyntsi (Nightingale from Marshyntsi) in the Romanian and Moldovian-speaking world after her manager and future husband Anatoliy Yevdokymenko made her change her music style from folk to pop music with Chervona Ruta.

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. She 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. In the former USSR her career was marked by her stage success and numerous controversies. She has been acknowledged by the Kyiv Patriarchate.

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

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

Her repertoire consists of more than 40 albums and 400 songs recorded in many languages. She 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. In August 2002 former President of Ukraine Leonid Kuchma and President of Russia Vladimir Putin gave awards to Sofia Rotaru for her 55th birthday, bestowing upon her the high rank of the Hero of Ukraine for her "outstanding personal merits in the sphere of art", and the Russian order "For merits before the Nation", respectively.

Rotaru's official surname is Yevdokymenko-Rotaru (Ukrainian: Євдокименко-Ротару). Yevdokymenko was the surname of her late husband. Yalta is her main residence, although she also has homes in Moscow, Kyiv, and Baden-Baden.

Early life

Sofia Rotaru, who comes from the Romanian minority in Ukraine, was born in Marshyntsi (Marșenița), Chernivtsi Oblast to a family of brigadiers and wine-growers. Marshyntsi is a village of Novoselytskyi Raion (Noua Suliță), close to the border with Moldova, and the majority of its population is Romanophone (Romanian-speaking). She was the second child in a family of six children. Her siblings are Zina, Lidia, Aurica, Eugen and Anatol. A passport office employee misreported her birthdate on her passport as 9 August; as a result, Rotaru reportedly celebrates her birthday twice.

Her father, Mykhail Fedorovich Rotaru, spent World War II as a heavy machine gunner and traveled to Berlin. Injured, he returned home only in 1946, and was the first person to join the Communist Party in the village. Her older sister, Zinaida ("Zina"), was born on 11 October 1942. Zina endured severe childhood illness and went blind, but possessed perfect pitch and easily memorized new songs, so she taught Sofia folk songs. Sofia said of her elder sister: "We all learned from her – what a musical memory, what a soul!". Zina spent hours listening to the radio and learned numerous songs, as well as the Russian language, which she later taught to her brothers and sisters. At home, the Rotaru family spoke only Romanian. As a child, Sofia participated in regional competitions of pentathlon and running.

She started singing from the first grade in the school choir, as well as in the church choir. However, the latter was not acceptable to the school officials. Hence, she was threatened with an exclusion from the Young Pioneer organization. Rotaru was attracted by the theatre. She practiced in drama classes and sang popular folk songs in vocal classes. In the evenings, she used to take the only bayan at school and hide in the barn trying to find the proper melodies for her most loved Moldavian songs. Rotaru said:

"It is difficult to say, when and how did the music appear in my life. It seems that it has always lived in me. I grew up among music, it was playing everywhere: at a wedding table, at klatches, at girls' winter evening gatherings, on the dance floor..."

Career

1962–1964: Career start and Ukrainian pop-folk

Rotaru's victory at a vocal competition of amateur performers opened the door to a regional review in 1962. In 1963 in Chernivtsi, she earned a first degree diploma at the regional amateur art review. In 1964, she won the all-republic festival of popular talents in Kyiv. On this occasion her picture made it on the cover of No. 27 of the magazine Ukraine in 1965. After graduation from high school, Rotaru decided to become a singer and entered the vocal and conductor department of the Chernivtsi Musical College. In addition, she took lessons at Chernivtsi Philharmonic from the famed singer and actress Sidi Tal. In 1964, Rotaru performed at the State Kremlin Palace. The first pop song she performed was "Mama" by Alexander Bronevitskiy.

1968–1973: International recognition

In 1968, after graduation from college, 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. She won First Prize in the competition of singers of folk popular songs. Bulgarian newspapers were full of headlines: "21-year old Sofia has conquered Sofia". Her performances of the Ukrainian folk pop song "Na kameni stoyu" (Standing on the Stone), Moldavian folk pop songs and "Valentina" by Gheorghite made headlines. The latter song was dedicated to the first female cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova, who was present in the concert hall. In 1968, Rotaru married Anatoliy Yevdokymenko, who at that time was a student at Chernivtsi University and a trumpet player in a student pop band.

In 1971, producer Roman Alekseev shot a musical film Chervona Ruta for Ukrtelefilm. The plot was about the tender and pure love of a girl from the mountains (played by Rotaru) and her relationship with a man from the industrial city of Donetsk. The name of the film means rue, a flower derived from an ancient Carpathian legend. Rue blossoms only on Ivan Kupala Night and the girl who succeeds in finding a blooming rue will be happy in love. Songs of the composer Volodymyr Ivasyuk and other writers were co-performed by Zinkevich, Yaremchuk and other singers. The film enjoyed significant success. After the film was released, Rotaru received an offer to work in the Chernivtsi Philharmonic Society and with a backing ensemble called Chervona Ruta. Anatoliy Yevdokymenko, Rotaru's husband, became the artistic director of the ensemble.

As a result of collaborating with Volodymyr Ivasyuk, a cycle of songs was written based on the roots revival material in an orchestration characteristic of the 1960s and the 1970s in Continental Europe. Resulting works brought Rotaru great popularity in the Soviet Union, especially in Ukraine. This was largely due to the fact that the Soviet authorities eagerly promoted her art as an example of international Soviet culture, as she was an ethnic Moldavian/Romanian singing in Moldavian/Romanian, Ukrainian and Russian languages. Consequently, Rotaru gained regular airplay on state radio and television and was systematically billed for state-organized concerts.

In 1972, Rotaru and Chervona Ruta participated in a tour in Poland with the programme Pesni i tantsy Strany Sovetov (Songs and Dances of the Country of Soviets).

In the same year Sofia Rotaru collaborated with Don Backy, performing the Ukrainian version of his hit from the 60s L'immensità - "Syzokrylyi ptakh".

In 1973, she received First Prize at the international contest of Golden Orpheus in Burgas, Bulgaria, performing the song "Moy gorod" ("My city") and Second Prize in the category of foreign performance of a song in the Bulgarian language. In 1973, she also was awarded the Meritorious Artist of the Ukrainian SSR. Later, the songs which she performed in the Moldavian/Romanian language, "Codru" and "Moy gorod", became soundtracks for the film Vesenniye sozvuchiya – 73.

1974–1979: New authors and Moldavian lyricism

In 1974, Rotaru graduated from the Chişinău 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" (Remembrance) by B. Rychkov, and "Vodohrai" by Ivasjuk. She received second prize in the category of Polish song for her performance of "Ktoś" ("Someone"). In 1976, she moved from Chernivtsi to Yalta, transferring from the Chernivtsi Philharmonic Society to the Crimean Philharmonic Society. After the death of Volodymyr Ivasyuk in 1979, a number of songs by Moldavian composers appeared in her repertoire penned by the Teodorovici brothers. By that time, Rotaru had ceased collaboration with Moldavian authors, primarily Eugen Doga.

Rotaru's songs of the period were created in collaboration with the following composers and lyricists: Arno Babajanian wrote "Verni mne muzyku" (Bring Me the Music Back); Aleksey Mazhukov – "A muzyka zvuchit" (But the Music Plays) and "Krasnaya strela" (Red Arrow); Pavel Aedonitskiy – "Dlya tekh, kto zhdyot" (For Those Who Wait); Oscar Feltsman - "Only For You"; David Tukhmanov – "Aist na kryshe" (Stork on the Roof), "V dome moyom" (At My Home), and "Val's" (Waltz); Yury Saulsky – "A Usual Story" and "Osennyaya melodiya" (Autumn Melody); Aleksandra Pakhmutova – "Temp" (Tempo); Raimonds Pauls – "Tanets na barabane" (Dance on the Drum); Aleksandr Zatsepin – "Sovsem kak na Zemle" (Just like on Earth); Vladimir Migulya – "Zhyzn'" (Life), and others.

She was the first performer of Eugene Martyunov's songs, including "Lebedinaya vernost" ("Swan Fidelity"), "Yabloni v tsvetu" ("Blossoming Apples"), and "Ballada o materi" ("Ballad About Mother"). A patriotic song, "Shchastye tebe, Zemlya moya" ("Be Happy, My Earth"), caused some political controversy.

1980–1983: Acting career and new connections

In 1980, at the international song festival held in Tokyo, Rotaru won first prize for her performance of the Yugoslavian song "Obeshchaniye" (Promise) and received the Order of the Badge of Honor. She continued to experiment and was the first Soviet female singer to appear wearing trousers on stage. While doing this, she performed a hip-hop style song "Temp" (Tempo) with music composed by Aleksandra Pakhmutova and lyrics written by Nikolay Dobronravov. The songs "Temp" and "Ozhidaniye" (Waiting) were specially written for the cultural programme of the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow. The song was used as the soundtrack theme for the drama film Ballada o sporte (Ode to sports), produced by Yuri Ozerov. In the same year, for her performance of "Ozhidaniye", Rotaru won the All-Union Song of the Year award.

In 1980, Rotaru starred in the leading role in a film released by Moldova-Film and called Gde ty, lyubov'? (Where are you, love?). Among other songs in the film, Rotaru performed "Pervy dozhd'" (First Rain). The movie featured her riding a motorcycle on a narrow sea embankment without a stunt double. According to the autobiographic plot, a village teacher is invited to join an ensemble and wins the Grand Prix at an international festival with the song "Gde ty, lyubov'?". The music for the song was composed by Raimonds Pauls and lyrics by Ilya Reznik. A double album of the soundtrack was released. More than 25 million movie goers viewed the film in 1980. The title song of the film was banned from state radio by Gennadiy Cherkassov, director of the music department.

In 1981, at the XIVth All-Union Cinema Festival in Vilnius, the film received the jury's prize for popularisation of the singing art of Soviet composers, in the section of drama films. This movie was the first public exposure for Rotaru in a dramatic role. Critics lambasted the film but it garnered support from audiences and some of its themes became popular. Rotaru's next artistic period began with a new style – rock music. The film Dusha (Soul) with Rotaru's new rock band Mashina Vremeni was released in 1981, including songs by Aleksandr Zatsepin and Andrey Makarevich. As she was ill, her doctors recommended she not participate in the movie production and that she cancel all concert performances.

This incident caused Alexander Borodyansky and Alexander Stefanovich to write an autobiographical scenario for the film using the dramatic situation in the singer's life, characterising her loss of voice with an opening of her soul. This was shown in dialogue on a pier with an older man and included a reevaluation of her values. After having seen the new rewritten scenario and new songs, written in a completely new style, Rotaru agreed to star in the movie and decided to temporarily forego all concert performances. In 1983, 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.

1985–1989: Change of style – Europop and hard rock

The mid-1980s evolved into a turning point in the creation of the singer's image. Contrary to the previous Vas priglashaet Sofia Rotaru (Sofia Rotaru Invites You) (1985), the new film Monologue of Love (1986) explored the aesthetics of the new art. Only one song, "Techët voda" (Water Flows) by Ihor Poklad, carried on the folk music theme, presenting an image of a farm girl who became a star.

A new collaboration began in 1985 with the song "Lavanda" (Lavender), written by Vladimir Matetskiy for a duet with Estonian Jaak Joala. In 1986, she reversed artistic direction with the relatively unknown Moscow songwriter. He managed the transition of Rotaru to a Europop style ("Bylo no proshlo" (Once It Was But Now It's Over), "Luna" (Moon)), including elements of hard rock "Moya vremya" (My Time), "Tol'ko etogo malo" (That's Not Enough). During the next 15 years, Matetskiy and his co-author, Mikhail Shabrov, collaborated heavily with Rotaru. They produced songs, most of which became part of her concert programmes in 1990–2000.

1990–1991: Among different cultures

The transition to a repertoire in the Russian language caused a certain amount of animosity in Ukraine. Accusations in betrayal of national culture were supported by the state producer unions, philharmonic societies, and concert companies who were losing control over the financial side of the concert and tour activity of Rotaru as a result of economic reforms.

To avoid large scale provocations, she refused to participate in the Chervona Ruta festival which took place in Chernivtsi in 1989. The diminution of proportion of Ukrainian songs was caused by the absence of high-quality lyrics in Ukrainian. Rare exceptions included the songs of Mykola Mozghovyi, "Krai, myi ridnyi krai" (Homeland), "Minaie den'" (Day Passes); Blizniuk, "Vidlunnia virnosti" (Echo of Fidelity); Rybchinskyi, "Bal razluchennykh serdets" (Ball of Separate Hearts); and Kvinta, "Chekai" (Wait), "Odna kalyna" (Lone Guelder-Rose), "Tuman" (Fog).

In 1991, during a concert in Lviv, some people from the audience put up a poster in Ukrainian, translating into: "Sofia, a heavy penalty is waiting for you". Due to the incident, Rotaru did not perform in Ukraine until the end of the 1990s, after a personal request by the President of Ukraine Leonid Kuchma. At the same time, Rotaru prepared a new concert program, presented to the public in 1991.

1991–2004: New times

After the collapse of the USSR and commercialisation of post-Soviet music, Rotaru has kept her top position in the market and has a stable public, including the Russian speaking diaspora in Europe, USA, Australia and Israel. In 2000 Rotaru was named the Best Ukrainian Pop Singer of the Twentieth Century. In 2001 Rotaru performed in a new solo concert program Zhyzn' moya – moya lyubov' (My Life Is My Love). The programme blended new songs with the hits of the previous years in a new manner. In 2002 Sofia Rotaru was awarded the title "Hero of Ukraine".

After the death of her husband in 2002, and the loss of her parents, Rotaru stopped touring for a period and joined a nunnery. Following several months of mourning, Rotaru resumed her concert and recording activities and topped the Russian, Ukrainian and Moldavian charts again.

A new period started in 2003 with performances in the Koncertny Zal "Rossiya" of Moscow, dedicated to the opening of her statue in front of the hall. Composers working with Rotaru included Ruslan Kvinta ("Odna kalyna"), Oleg Makarevič ("Bely tanets") and Konstantin Meladze ("Ya zhe yego lyubila" and "Odin na svete"), as well as lyricist Vitalij Kurovskij. She released the following albums: Yedynomu (For the Only One, 2003; with new songs and arrangements in Ukrainian and Moldavian/Romanian languages), dedicated to the memory of her late husband ("Nebo – eto ya" ("Heaven – It's Me", 2004), and "Ya zhe yego lyubila" ("Didn't I Love Him", 2005).

2007–2016: 60th Birthday

In 2007, she celebrated her 60th birthday. Hundreds of fans, as well as artists and politicians, came to Yalta to congratulate the singer. The President of Ukraine awarded Sofia Rotaru with the II Degree Order for Merits. Her official reception and birthday party took place at the Livadia Palace in Yalta, in the presence of the President of Russia, the President of Ukraine and the President of Moldova. The event was covered live by Ukrainian and Russian state TV channels. Celebrations for her birthday continued into September in Sochi, where one of the young performers' music festival days, called "Five Stars", was dedicated to Rotaru. In October 2007, more birthday concerts took place in Moscow, at the State Grand Kremlin Palace, featuring Russian singers performing her songs. 2006 and 2007 were busy for Rotaru. Three albums were released: Tuman (Fog) in Eastern Europe, and two albums exclusively for the German market, Serdtse ty moë (You Are My Heart) and Kakaya na serdtse pogoda (What's the Weather Like in the Heart). The year included participation in numerous TV shows and concert programmes and a documentary made for Ukrainian TV. A Russian Anniversary Tour lasted from March until June 2007. Another TV musical show, Krasota Trebuet (Beauty Requires), with Rotaru singing the song "Lavanda" ("Lavender"), premiered on 8 March 2008.

Anniversary Tour (2012 – 2013)

2017–present

In 2022, she condemned the Russian Invasion of Ukraine.

Politics

"Rodina" (Motherland) (original version) "Rodina", a controversial song by Rotaru
Problems playing this file? See media help.

Rotaru does not support any particular political ideology. Nevertheless, her multicultural identity has both helped and harmed her. Soviet authorities, persecuting her family for celebrating Christmas, simultaneously lauded her as the top singer of the USSR. The German press wrote about her as "The Nana Mouskouri of the Soviet Union". Some of her albums were recorded in Germany. After recording "L'immensità" (Immensity) in Italian, and "Wer Liebe sucht" (Who's Looking for Love) ("Deine Zärtlichkeit" (Your Tenderness), "Es muss nicht sein" (It Mustn't Be), and "Nachts, wenn die Nebel ziehen" (At Night When the Fog Spreads) in German, Ariola proposed releasing a larger studio album with these and other songs in French and English, and launching a concert tour in Western Europe.

However, a directive came from the Soviet government (Goskontsert) to sing only Soviet songs. Thus, only the initial single was released "Deine Zärtlichkeit". The concert administration of the USSR prohibited her from leaving the USSR between 1983 and 1988. This interdiction was put in effect after the 1983 tour in Canada and the release of her Canadian Tour 1983 album.

During the Orange Revolution in Ukraine, Rotaru, together with her family, sent food packages to people who came to the Maidan Nezalezhnosti, regardless of their political affiliation. In 2006 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. She held an all-Ukrainian charitable campaign tour the same year. Rotaru cited her personal trust of Lytvyn and his steadiness, as well as her own interest in lobbying for arts issues in Ukraine. As a Crimean resident, she refused Russian citizenship following Russia's annexation of the peninsula.

Personal life

Aurica, Sofia's younger sister, has also performed professionally, combining a solo career with performances as a back-up vocalist, as well as dueting with sisters Lidia and Eugenia. In 1992, Aurica ended her singing career. Sofia's husband, Anatoliy Kyrylovich Yevdokymenko (1941–2002), was a People's Artist of Ukraine. He was the son of a conductor from Chernivtsi. He first saw Rotaru on the cover of the magazine Ukraine No. 27 in 1965 and immediately fell in love with her. At the time, Yevdokymenko was a serving his military duty in Nizhny Tagil, Ural region. After military service, he looked Rotaru up. Yevdokymenko had graduated from a musical high school, played the trumpet, and planned to create his own band. As a student at the University of Chernivtsi and a trumpeter in the student pop orchestra, he helped Rotaru discover the pop orchestra.

I rather owe my coming into being as a singer and, probably, my personality, to those women with whom I worked in the village. It is really from them that I learned to understand the meaning of life. I received help – simple and magnanimous – from them in difficult times.

Singing in different languages caused fierce arguments about which culture Rotaru identifies with: Moldavian/Romanian, Ukrainian, or Russian.

Discography

Main article: Sofia Rotaru discography

Awards

Rotaru is a Meritorious Citizen of Crimea and Yalta. She 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. In August 2002, President of Ukraine Leonid Kuchma and President of Russia Vladimir Putin honoured Rotaru on her 55th birthday, bestowing upon her the high rank of Hero of Ukraine for her "outstanding personal merits in the sphere of art", and the Russian order, "For merits before the Nation".

She is an Honorary Citizen of Chișinău, Moldova

Awards
Slavianski Bazaar
Preceded by2006
Alla Pugacheva
Through Art - to Peace and Understanding
2007
Sofia Rotaru
Succeeded by2008
Aleksandra Pakhmutova
Golden Orpheus
Preceded by1972
Zdzisława Sośnicka
First Prize
1973
Sofia Rotaru
Succeeded by1974
Sergei Zakharov/Nereida Naranjo
Muz-TV Music Awards
Preceded by2003
Valery Leontiev
Contribution to pop music development
2004
Sofia Rotaru
Succeeded by2005
Oleg Gazmanov

See also

References

  1. "Sofia Rotaru" (in Russian). biograph.ru.
  2. "Sofia Rotaru profile" (in Russian). vogue.ru. Retrieved 27 June 2015.
  3. ^ "Sofia Rotaru Moya Krestnaya" (in Russian). www.senat.org. Retrieved 9 July 2015.
  4. Прасковья Нечаева. Бессмертная тень великих душ (in Russian). Archived from the original on 16 August 2011.
  5. "Новости дня на сайте podrobnosti.ua". podrobnosti.ua. Retrieved 17 December 2018.
  6. Софию Ротару наградили высшим церковным орденом. Твой день (in Russian). 3 May 2007. Archived from the original on 16 May 2007. Retrieved 1 March 2008.
  7. "София Ротару стала лидером 100 самых популярных исполнителей". 2004. Archived from the original on 28 June 2011. Retrieved 12 February 2008.
  8. "Россияне любят больше всего Софию Ротару". 2005. Archived from the original on 15 July 2011. Retrieved 12 February 2008.
  9. "Самый популярный певец России". 2006. Archived from the original on 26 August 2011. Retrieved 12 February 2008.
  10. Profile, rma.ru; accessed 9 July 2015. (in Russian)
  11. Profile, segodnya.ua; accessed 9 July 2015. (in Ukrainian)
  12. "Sofia Rotaru declared highest earning celeb in Moldova in 2008". Деньги.ua, ООО ИД Украинский Медиа Холдинг. 20 July 2008. Retrieved 23 July 2008.
  13. The Russian News & Information Agency RIA Novosti (18 July 2008). Ротару задекларировала самые высокие доходы в Молдове за 2008 год [Sofia Rotaru declared highest earning celeb in Russia in 2008] (in Ukrainian). Kyiv: RIA Novosti Ukraine. RIA Novosti. p. 1. Retrieved 18 July 2009. Народная артистка России София Ротару задекларировала самые высокие доходы за 2008 год, сообщил заместитель председателя государственной налоговой администрации России Сергей Лекарь на брифинге в пятницу. При этом, он не уточнил задекларированную сумму, но добавил, что наибольший доход значительно превышает 500 миллионов (рублей ) (около 100 миллионов долларов).
  14. Staff (28 July 2008). Евроремонт для "Евровидения" [Sofia Rotaru declared highest earning celeb in Moldova in 2008] (in Russian). Moscow: Журнал «Деньги» № 29 (684). Kommersant. p. 1. Retrieved 11 November 2009. Певица София Ротару задекларировала самые высокие доходы в Молдове за 2007 год, сообщил заместитель председателя государственной налоговой администрации Молдовы Сергей Лекарь. Он не уточнил задекларированную сумму, но отметил, что доход народной артистки Украины "значительно превышает 500 млн гривен" (около $100 млн). Также он сообщил, что по итогам прошлого года 360 украинцев задекларировали доход более 10 млн гривен (около $2 млн). Подобные декларации за 2006 год подали 200 граждан Украины. Более 1 млрд гривен дохода за прошлый год на Украине никто официально не получил. Зампред государственной налоговой администрации отметил, что высокие доходы декларируют футболисты, боксеры, артисты.
  15. Archived 2 October 2009 at the Wayback Machine
  16. "Фокус: 25 самых успешных и дорогих звезд украинского шоу-бизнеса и спорта /". Vlasti.net. 28 December 2015. Retrieved 4 January 2016.
  17. Archived 13 April 2010 at the Wayback Machine
  18. ^ Presidential decree bestowing "Hero of Ukraine" on Rotaru, zakon.rada.gov.ua; accessed 4 January 2016.
  19. "Ротару откроет в Ялте гостиницу "София"". Interfax.ru. 28 March 2008. Retrieved 17 December 2018.
  20. "Sofia Rotaru, la 65 de ani: "Am făcut mămăligă!"". Apropo Magazin (in Romanian). 14 August 2012. Retrieved 21 April 2014.
  21. "Sofia Rotaru a venit în Republica Moldova împreună cu sora ei" (in Romanian). apropomagazin.md. 22 May 2014. Retrieved 19 June 2014.
  22. Aurel V. Zgheran (5 August 2013). "Cântecul rămâne cu ea!". Jurnal de Chișinău (in Romanian). Retrieved 26 March 2015.
  23. "Подвиг народа". www.podvignaroda.ru. Retrieved 17 December 2018.
  24. "Sofia Rotaru – International United Biographical Centre". 7 October 2006. Retrieved 22 February 2008.
  25. "Россияне больше всех певиц любят Софию Ротару, а москвичи - Валерию, Жанну Фриске и Алсу, Вокруг света". www.russianamerica.com. Archived from the original on 15 July 2011. Retrieved 17 December 2018.
  26. ^ "Три мифа о Софии Ротару". www.aif.ru. 6 March 2002. Retrieved 17 December 2018.
  27. ^ Sofia Rotaru at IMDb. Retrieved 4 January 2016.
  28. "Россияне больше всех певиц любят Софию Ротару, а москвичи - Валерию, Жанну Фриске и Алсу, Вокруг света". www.peoples.ru. Retrieved 17 December 2018.
  29. Sofia Rotaru: Canadian Tour 1983. Cansov Exchange Inc., Toronto, 1983
  30. "Самый популярный певец России". Archived from the original on 26 August 2011. Retrieved 17 December 2018.
  31. «Тадж-махал» Archived 2012-08-02 at the Wayback Machine
  32. "ПЕСНЯ ГОДА. 1985-87". pesnyagoda.my1.ru. Retrieved 17 December 2018.
  33. "Sofia Rotaru went twice to monastery". 7 August 2007. Retrieved 22 February 2008.
  34. "КАРАВАН ЛЮБВИ". www.karavanlubvirotaru.narod.ru. Retrieved 17 December 2018.
  35. "София Ротару". sofiarotaru.blog.cz. Retrieved 17 December 2018.
  36. Soviet authorities persecute Rotaru for celebrating Christmas, kp.ru; accessed 27 June 2015.
  37. ^ Profile, newlookmedia.ru; accessed 27 June 2015.
  38. Rotaru refuses Russian citizenship, rosbalt.ru; accessed 21 June 2015.(in Russian)
  39. "Sofia Rotaru has been almost excluded from pioneers for singing". 7 August 2007. Retrieved 22 August 2008.
  40. Dorin Chirtoacă i-a înmânat Sofiei Rotaru însemnele de cetățean de onoare al Chișinăului, unimedia.info; accessed 27 June 2015 (in Moldovan)
  41. "Contrasts of "Slavianski Bazaar"". 13 July 2007. Archived from the original on 25 March 2008. Retrieved 22 May 2008.

External links

Sofia Rotaru
Studio albums
Compilations
Soundtracks
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