I have had the opportunity to talk with the future star Laima Muradyan and find out from her example how people achieve success, what difficulties they overcome on the way to their dreams and fame.
-Tell me, Laima, how it all started? When did you discover your talent as a singer? Who helped you with this?
It all started from childhood, when I sang songs from cartoons. Words were in English, but I was about 5-6 years old, that is why I sang in my made-up language. It made my parents laugh. Later I realized that I wanted to become a singer, I dreamt of singing like Christina Aguilera or Lana Del Rey. My sister and I jokingly were singing songs from the movie «Burlesque». Our dad once even recorded our singing and posted it on Facebook, where all his friends praised us and said that we were great singers. Then, in late autumn, when I was in 5th grade, on Friday (I don't remember the date, but I know that it was Friday) my dad came to school, he had to take me, my sister and her friend home. Instead, he took us to the Tchaikovsky Conservatory. By coincidence it was sutuated just next to my school. We went inside to the 112 room and saw several young girls and a man with a bright Georgian appearance. I didn’t know who he was, but he was definitely my father’s friend, because they started hugging and talking on some distant topics. When they finally paid attention to us, the man introduced himself as Zurab Sotkilava. As it turned out, he wanted to listen to my sister and her friend, to say was if it was possible for them to continue singing. He listened to them, after which he nodded me to the piano. I was very shy, but I approached. The musical scale started playing; I had to do the usual warm-up. I was dumbfounded. I didn't understand what to do at all. I had only one thought in my head: "Hurry home, I want to turn on the Disney channel, but not this all." Later, when I figured out what to do, I sang, but Zurab Lavrentievich did not like it. He asked me to squeeze my waist with my hands, and so that it would be harder for me to breathe. And then, indeed, I began to sing better. Amazing, of course. He listened to me for a few more minutes, after which he turned to my father and said, "Urgent to classes». Then Zurab Lavrentievich assigned me to his accompanist, Karina Lvovna Pogosbekova, whom I had been studying with for two wonderful years, after which I was poisoned to hell ... at a music school.
- Oh my God, it is an amazing story. To be honest, I'm impressed, Laima. What was the most difficult thing for you during studying?
Everything was difficult for me. I didn't like piano lessons because I didn't understand that stupid bass clef. I hated this incomprehensible solfeggio with their incomprehensible musical scales and tonalities. I also disliked the depressing atmosphere at school. It reminded me of a mental hospital. Everything was yellow, inside everything was yellow and some kind of poor ... Unfortunately, not all the teachers at school were highly qualified. No, don't think that I am a boor; I just will not treat people who do not respect me and my nation because I inherited my talent from my ancestors from sunny and warm Georgia. My talents are not only from my parents.
- Yes, I understand. When you can't get along with the teacher, the lessons become unbearable. Have your teachers praised you?
Despite my difficult teenage nature, the teachers praised me. The teacher of acting was very fond of me; he said that I very often draw attention to myself. And this is typical for actresses. The ensemble teacher also loved me; we even flew in a group to Macedonia for a music festival. By the way, I didn't want to travel with them, but my mother was inundated with calls and messages asking me to go.
-It’s very nice! How are you developing your vocals now?
I am not developing my vocals now because of my chronic angina. All just because of the music school. The fact is that I had a very weak immune system, I was constantly sick. But this did not prevent me from going to a music school for tests and classes. I got to the point that instead of my coloratura soprano, I have lyric soprano now. Don't go to music school, study at home! Even if I don't sing now, I play the piano. Okay I’m TRYING to play.
-It’s awful! You study, you try, you seek, and then some illness crosses everything out. What could be worse? What genre did you sing in?
My genre is called "monkey death". This is not a joke, right now my voice leaves much to be desired, but I don't give up.
- Original, I wish we could hear your wonderful voice. Have you ever performed at big concerts?
Yes, I have. I was sent to competitions all over Moscow. There I sang the same song in French all the time. And then, I could not remember the words, so I always improvised and mocked the French language. So I went back to the basics, I sang again in my made-up language.
-Tell us about your favorite music compositions. Which ones would you like to perform on the stage?
Oh now you will bring me to tears. I really like Handel's song “Lascia ch'io pianga” from the opera “Rinaldo”. I sing it when I am sad to cry and relax. This song literally accompanies me all my life. I'm like a singing heroine who loves to dramatize and think about freedom, even if you can't say it while looking at me. I know I am a good actress; I would not want to perform anything, because I am not sure of my voice. It got really worse. I used to tear everyone who dared say that I wasn’t good at singing. Yes, I was a young lady with an explosive character.
- Don't worry; it is still ahead on you. What kind of songs do you prefer: old or modern?
If you mean opera songs, then, of course, the classics. I would not like to call them old, because this is classic, it will never become old. But modern songs that are remade for opera will definitely become old someday. Although some of these songs are very pleasant to listen to.
-What are the criteria important for you in a choice of performers? What music stars appeal to you most?
Oh, honestly, I don't even know. If I hear a song that caresses my ears, I find it out in the « shazam » . Of course, I will listen to other songs of this artist, but if I don’t like them, I will not listen to them. I can't say which performer I like the most right now ... well, if we are talking about modern music it is probably Adele and Lana Del Rey. Their songs always touch my soul. if we are talking about opera, then Dmitry Hvorostovsky, Maria Callas, Luciano Pavarotti, Montserrat Caballe, Yulia Lezhneva and Zurab Sotkilava.
-Have you ever wanted to devote your life to a singing career?
Nooo, God forbid. After the death of Zurab Lavrentievich, I don't want to sing. A few weeks before his death, when we were at his house, he said that we would sing together in the future. But, as you know, we won’t do it in this life, because of his death. I think that it was a sign. My calling is different. Although, you know ... life is so strange, you should never renounce. Maybe someday I'll wake up at night and run to record my singing in the studio with Nastya Zotova and her boyfriend.
- Really, I think so too. Life is very unpredictable. Then in what and how are you going to achieve success?
I apparently want to be famous. I want recognition, I want to change people's minds, to help them. That is why I entered the Faculty of Journalism of Moscow State University. I really want to become a writer. I have been writing stories since 8th grade and I know that this is my hobby. This is my life. Maybe I can't be an “opera diva” now, but I can definitely become a “diva of writing”. At least I'm aiming at this.
- Well, Laima, thank you very much for this pleasant conversation. It was very interesting! I wish you good luck. You will succeed. The main thing is to believe in yourself!
The interview was conducted by Ekaterina Koreshkova