Biography of Diana Arbenina
Diana Sergeevna Arbenina is a domestic rock star, the author of about three hundred compositions, about one hundred and fifty poetic works (she calls them “poems” or “anti-songs”), a number of soundtracks, paintings, stories and essays. Vocalist of the rock band “Night Snipers”, Honored Artist of Chechnya, winner of the “Triumph”, “Golden Gramophone”, “Chart’s Dozen” awards.
In the photo: Diana Arbenina
Each performance of the “catastrophically talented singer” (according to her colleagues) is distinguished by exceptional emotional fullness, versatility of the musical message, incredible poignancy, sophistication, penetration and sincerity of feelings.
Among her famous works: the songs “Ringtone”, “Frontier”, “Fiesta”, “31st Spring”, “Crowns”, “Instagram”, “Sound!”, “Tsoi”, “Sun”, “Wake Me Up” , “I’m Walking Alone”, “Fly My Soul”, “Falling into the Sky”, “A Second Ago”.
Childhood
Diana was born on July 8, 1974 in the city of Volozhin, not far from Minsk, into a family of professional journalists. Dad, Sergei Ivanovich Kulachenko, was involved in newspaper journalism, mother, Galina Anisimovna Fedchenko, was in television journalism.
Diana Arbenina's parents in their youth
When their daughter was three years old, they moved to a larger city in the Minsk region, Borisov. Diana later called it her “place of power,” where “everything is softer and smells different.” Then the relatives decided to move to the Far East. Their friend worked in Chukotka and helped make the call. The Dianas got a job at the editorial office of a local newspaper and often took their daughter “on excursions” with them.
Diana Arbenina in childhood
Three years after the move, the parents divorced. Diana was then in 3rd grade. Soon her mother remarried. The girl quickly found a common language with her stepfather, Alexander Fedchenko, who became her real second father. He worked as a surgeon and treated her like his own. They also changed several addresses - they lived in Kolyma, in the village of Yagodnoye near Magadan, in the very capital of the Kolyma Territory, as Magadan is called. And my own father returned to Minsk, and over time he also got married, but they did not lose touch with each other.
Diana Arbenina with her stepfather
When Diana was 12 years old, her parents asked her whether she wanted to have a brother. She really wanted and was waiting for her brother. Then she happily spent all her free time with little Anton, took him to kindergarten, first grade, raised him, and instilled in him a decent taste in music.
With brother Anton
She herself was “given music” (in her words) by her father, an amazingly musically gifted man. And my mother, a “cool journalist,” taught me how to write texts, “feel and cut off everything unnecessary.” It was she who insisted on her daughter’s admission to the Magadan Pedagogical Institute in the Faculty of Foreign Languages in 1992.
Childhood and youth
Diana was born in July 1974 in the town of Volozhin (Minsk region). Her mother Galina Fedchenko and father Sergei Kulachenko worked in journalism, so the family traveled all over the country, never staying in one place for long. The parents were of different nationalities: the father was Ukrainian, and the mother’s roots were from Sakhalin.
In her early childhood, the future star had the opportunity to live in Chukotka and Kolyma, in Magadan, where she graduated from high school and entered the faculty of foreign languages at the Pedagogical Institute.
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Diana Arbenina in her youth
From 1994 to 1998, the girl studied at the Faculty of Philology at St. Petersburg State University.
Arbenina’s creative growth began in 1991, when she wrote the songs “Tosca”, “Frontier” and “Evening in Crimea”. At that time, the singer performed only as an amateur - she participated in student events and competitions.
First steps to glory
The first steps towards success were taken by Arbenina (who at that time bore the surname Kulachenko) in 1991. She wrote one of her especially popular songs, “Frontier,” as well as the compositions “Tosca,” “I Painted the Sky,” and “Evening in the Crimea.” At university she began to participate in amateur performances.
Diana Arbenina in her youth
In 1993, during the summer holidays, Diana went to the Northern capital, where she met the violinist and singer Svetlana Surganova. Despite the 6-year difference, Diana became close to her older friend. Both loved the music of Tom Waits and Nick Cave, were interested in philosophy and poetry, and were looking for creative outlets. It is worth noting that the relationship between them quickly went beyond just friendship.
Svetlana Surganova and Diana Arbenina in their youth
The first performance of their then acoustic duet took place in the fall at the All-Russian Bard Song Festival. After that they said goodbye for a while. But already in November, a friend came to visit her in Magadan, and they began to give concerts, improvising and harmoniously combining the sound of violin, guitar and vocals. At first, Diana didn’t even have a guitar strap, so at concerts she put her foot on the amplifier.
The singer has no musical education
During that period of their creativity, the original name of the group was born - “Night Snipers”. When they were returning late at night from another performance with instruments in their cases, that’s what the taxi driver called them (with a hint of movie characters who used such cases for purposes other than their intended purpose).
Diana Arbenina before becoming famous
At the end of the next year, Diana decided to quit her studies and left with her friend for the cultural capital of Russia. Her stepfather supported her, but her mother was categorically against it. She managed to instill in her daughter the idea of the need to obtain a higher education. In 1994, the singer successfully passed the entrance exams and became a student at the Faculty of Philology of St. Petersburg State University in the Russian as a Foreign Language program.
In parallel with her studies, Diana began attending rock and roll parties, performing with Sveta in clubs and art cafes, and traveling to other cities, including Minsk, where she met her father. The girls lived modestly, in a rented room, which they shared together, but they worked hard and hard on new compositions. Their duet was the winner of the “Student Spring” competition, and was among the participants in the “Indian Summer” forum and the “All Petersburg” television competition.
Photos from the first performances of “Night Snipers”
The first full-fledged concert of the musicians took place in 1994 at the youth “Ambush Club”. Later, an unreleased disc, “The Second Bullet,” was recorded, which included the songs “You Will Leave,” “Tosca,” and “White People.” In 1996 they performed abroad, visiting the Danish cities of Helsingor and Aarhus. During the same period, their debut books of songs and poems, “Target” and “Fleabag,” respectively, appeared.
The duo had more than friendly relations
A year later, the group in an expanded composition, with accompaniment on acoustic and electric instruments (bass guitar - Yu. Degtyarev, drums - A. Ivanov) performed at the Pereval club. They took part in the 24-hour Nevsky Landing marathon, which took place on one of the embankments of the Northern capital, and played at an exhibition of St. Petersburg artists at the Dobrolet club. In addition, the group participated in entertainment programs in the art cafe “Anna”, “Aeroplan”, and in the night clubs “Typhoon”, “Continent”. Acoustic concert in Vyborg (1996)
Personal life
Arbenina’s personal life has always been hidden from the public eye. Nothing was known about the life partners of the popular rock star until a certain time. This fact became the reason for the spread of rumors about her unconventional orientation.
Moreover, once in Perm, one of the representatives of local authorities advocated raising the prices for renting a hall for “Night Snipers”, Zemfira, Svetlana Surganova, citing the fact that the performers were promoting same-sex relationships. The director of the group responded by declaring her readiness to offer the initiator the best seats in the hall so that he could make sure that there was no propaganda.
However, there were still reasons for rumors. Thus, Arbenina admired Zemfira more than once and even dedicated songs to her at a concert in Ufa. Rumors about the sexuality of both rock divas were harmoniously complemented by their external resemblance and similarity of styles.
Posted by Konstantin Arbenin on Monday, November 9, 2020
Diana Arbenina's ex-husband Konstantin Arbenin
Diana was married in her youth, but the marriage was fictitious and was concluded to obtain registration in St. Petersburg. Her husband Konstantin Arbenin, despite the imminent divorce, gave the singer a surname, which she still bears.
In the winter of 2010, in one of the American clinics, at the age of 35, the artist gave birth to twins - daughter Martha and son Artem. Since the leader of the Night Snipers never mentioned the father of her children, carefully protected her personal life from the press and spent most of her pregnancy in the United States, there was speculation that she resorted to artificial insemination.
One day, Arbenina finally decided to make a frank confession, instantly dispelling all the rumors regarding her orientation and the appearance of children. Marta and Artem were conceived naturally: the celebrity was pregnant by a surgeon whom she met during a trip to America.
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Diana Arbenina with children
Diana has repeatedly stated that she is ready to adopt a child from an orphanage. According to the singer, her children will help in choosing a baby. It’s just necessary for Artem and Marta to grow up a little more. According to the rock singer, she does not want her heirs to have a musical career. In the future, the poetess dreams of seeing her son as a doctor, and her daughter as an architect.
The singer is a fan of decorating the body with tattoos. Moreover, all of Arbenina’s tattoos are symbolic in nature. At one time, the artist had an image of a sakura branch on her hand, which turned out to be temporary. Soon, in its place, an inscription appeared in Hebrew, which translates as “Only we are between us,” or “Everything is still the same between us.”
Later, just above this image, the word ARTISTRUTH (“Art is truth”) appeared, and on the other wrist was the inscription “I write my own story.” On the artist’s left forearm there is a large letter “A”, and the tattoo on her neck is a symbolic image of two wolves against the background of the sun.
Career blossoming
In 1998, Diana graduated from university and decided, together with Sveta, to take up music professionally. Already in the summer they recorded the first album of their group and published it as a double magnetic album (two cassettes). The first part, “A Drop of Tar,” included 17 compositions, the second, “In the Barrel of Honey,” – 18. The saxophone part was performed by Vera Dorn.
Arbenina played the guitar, and Surganova played the violin
In December of the same year, the girls performed at the Tower of Babel festivals at the Art Collegium and Sirin, held in Tyumen, where they presented their “hooligan-lyrical things,” as they wrote in the media. The conceptual composition of the group was called the song “Grandmothers”. Arbenina and Surganova's apartment At the same time, the group's producer Svetlana Loseva introduced them to rock musicians from the disbanded Nautilus Pompilius: Alik Potapkin (drums) and Goga Kopylov (bass guitar). From the beginning of next year, young musicians continued to create bright musical works in the updated “electric” ensemble and at a higher level thanks to the professionalism of the new members. Their performances were sold out in February at the Zoo concert hall, at the Tabula Rasa and Jam clubs, in Tolyatti at the Avtograd rock forum, at the Lensovet Palace of Culture at the “Two Weeks Until Spring” concert.
In 1998, other musicians joined the girls
In August 1999, the second album of rock performers, “Baby Talk,” appeared, which included recordings of songs from previous years. They also recorded the album “The Diamond Briton” and the acoustic disc “Canary”.
The peak of the group's popularity occurred in the late 90s - early 2000s
In 2000, “Rubezh” was recorded, the third album of the rock band, which, with the departure of Potapkin, included lead guitarist Ivan Ivolga and drummer Sergei Sandovsky. The author of all the songs (except for “You”, written by Svetlana) was Arbenina. By the fall, his title track “31st Spring” gained nationwide popularity and reached the highest position in the “Chart Dozen” hit parade. During the same period, Arbenina’s rock team went on tour in the States, Germany, and CIS cities and began to be regularly present on television and radio. Night Snipers - St. Petersburg (2000) At the end of 2001, during a performance at the Barmaley club, the musicians recorded the live album “Live”. Its presentation took place in March of the following year in both Russian capitals - Belokamennaya and Northern.
Surganov and Arbenina
In 2002, Arbenina performed in Israel for the first time as part of a rock band. Later, their tours in Tel Aviv became traditional. At the same time, they gave full-fledged acoustic concerts in St. Petersburg and Moscow, recorded another disc “Tsunami” and presented the book “Patrontash”, which included the texts of compositions, “anti-songs” and a number of paintings by the founders of the rock group. Alive. Video about “Night Snipers” In December, Arbenina’s colleague Surganova left the project, creating her own musical group. They did not comment on the details of the breakup. There was no conflict, and the cause of what happened was said to be personal and creative differences.
Guru Ken Shaw. News of show business
I’m telling you for those who have not been to Luzhniki.
Diana really wanted to play the drums. There was no time for rehearsals, so there was only one rehearsal - the day before the concert, as Diana told me. Therefore, we played together - the main sniper striker Mitya Gorelov and Diana. Diana was on a roll. It looks enchanting - two drum kits, a hard beat - and Diana suddenly starts singing.
Not even singing, but rhythmically reciting his old text “About Thom Yorke.” It was never a song - like a poem, the text was published in the album "Trigonometry". Almost rap. Drums and hard rapping. Almost an anthem. More precisely, it’s still an anthem. Lesbian anthem. "About Thom Yorke"
Here is the full text: We cut each other instantly. There are millions of us, and we are knee-deep. We smoke when we meet, when we meet we shake hands, We dry our bodies so that they are elastic, We only sweep the asphalt with our pants, Skirts are betrayal to us, and dresses are like a sleeping bag. And I listen to Thom Yorke about the most street spirit, And I cut through the St. Petersburg rain with the wheels of a motorcycle. And if you become an adult and not even thin at all, I will love you the same way as in our first summer. We lie to Our mothers, We don’t know our fathers, We put rings on the biggest ones, We etch bare shoulders with ink, We measure the strength of our palms - who is stronger, We kiss evenly - narrow lips, We get angry when they call Us rude names. We strike without hesitation, with a flourish, and just like a girl, tenderly, like a girl, juicy. We love nuts, We are squirrels with tails. We are jumping around the clubs, and the scheme is simple: First for beer, then on the dance floor, And the temperature is getting stronger, more will happen soon And it will quickly happen in the cinema, in the toilet, `
In the back seats without light, In the world - it’s not a problem for us, There are more of us - We are a flock, And you can’t force us any other way.
The result is a fantastically talented, bright, memorable lesbian anthem. A talented person does everything brilliantly.
A talented person does everything well
And so I ask myself a question. Where is the line between the personal life of a star, where no one cares, and the promotion of same-sex love?
Pro&Contra
In order not to fall into disgusting homophobia, but to think sensibly, you need to understand that everyone has the right to love whoever they love. Even if the lover or beloved did not even have time to graduate from school due to age. Conscious choice is a personal matter for everyone.
But propaganda and public glorification of this way of life is already in the discussion zone. This is no longer a private matter for the individual. This is a subject of debate - which is why this column appeared in the first place.
And this is what happens. A lot of lesbians always come to Snipers concerts, everyone knows that. But there are still a lot of just children there - 14-year-old teenagers are still children in their worldview (even if they swagger and don’t agree with it). Well, that's how the world works. May God grant that by the time you’re thirty you’ll figure something out in life, and by the time you’re fourteen you’re a complete mess in your head; anyone who’s already 28 will confirm this from their own experience.
And these adults-looking people - but children, children at heart and children in their brains - came to the Snipers concert. We heard that “if you become an adult and not even thin at all, I will love you the same way as in our first summer.” Moreover, everything is done beautifully, emotionally, effectively - how can you not try what your favorite singer sings about? How can you not love your girlfriend, for example? For experience.
And these adults-looking people - but children, children at heart and children in the brain - came to the Snipers concert
Many people have probably read medical studies on smoking. Most people start smoking at a young age because of the desire to try everything and do like the big ones.
And now - the big Luzhniki stage, beautiful light, your favorite singer sings about loving another woman until the end of her days... Oh, should I fall in love with Tanka? You have to try everything and do it like the big ones.
Life and other life
I am writing about all this, fully understanding the impossibility of any censorship, except the most stupid and ugly one. Understanding that any fight against excesses turns into even greater excesses in our country, the dispersal of the gay and lesbian march in Moscow the day after the concert does not allow us to abstract ourselves from the idiocy of the authorities.
But still. There is a problem. To be honest, I don’t want my daughter to go to a concert of the excellent band “Night Snipers” at the age of 14, and then start having sex with her school friend. If this is her adult conscious choice, then let everything be as it will be. But like this - under the impression of the concert and the artistically convincing Diana Arbenina - no. This will be a big disaster. And possible problems of the teenage psyche can last for decades. And who's to blame? Diana Arbenina?
And possible problems of the teenage psyche can last for decades. And who's to blame? Diana Arbenina?
Without making a point...
It seems to me that the artists themselves should have some kind of self-restraint. They must understand the extent of their responsibility to their young fans. To whom, in addition to wonderful talented songs and goodness, they can inflict such a powerful blow on consciousness that the harm will be incalculable.
You know, there are some normal, not Soviet, restrictions on creativity. Limitations on simple logical reasoning. Well, there’s no need to tell the intricacies of cooking “screw” in a song. There is no need to describe in detail the recipe for making a bomb. There is no need to glorify sadomasochism and same-sex love. These are normal limits.
You know, there are some normal, not Soviet, restrictions on creativity. Limitations on simple logical reasoning
Actually, I don’t want to put an end to this issue. Everyone will probably find their own pros and cons in this sensitive issue. Diana Arbenina is a very honest, sincere artist. And thanks to her that her talent put the dilemma “to be or not to be” so clearly on the line for the pink theme. If she sang badly, out of tune, there would be nothing to discuss here.
Guru KEN
, for the Nashe Radio website Photo -
Svetlana MALTSEVA , Foto.NEWSmusic.ru
After Svetlana left
Finding herself the only vocalist, Diana and her team still remained afloat, continued to work both in “electric” and “acoustic”, delighting the audience with deep lyrics, soulful music and driving performance.
At the beginning of 2003, they presented to the public a grand concert at the Luzhniki sports complex in support of the new record “Tsunami”. In May, a concert disc “Trigonometry” was recorded at an acoustic performance at the Moscow Art Theater. A concert performance was timed to coincide with its release at the Gorbunov House of Culture in Moscow, and they celebrated their 10th anniversary with a performance of the most popular compositions at the Moscow “B2”.
In 2003, Diana Arbenina remained the only soloist of the group
In 2004, Arbenina and her team recorded the studio album “SMS” and took part in the “Night of Russian Rock” event, held in Germany. Experimenting with various styles, during traditional acoustic concert performances in Russian capitals, the rock band presented the “Super Acoustics” program, which included an acapella performance of a number of compositions together with Rain Drops.
Diana Arbenina in her youth
During the same period, Arbenina published a book of her prose and poetic works entitled “Catastrophically” and became the winner of the non-state Russian prize for the highest achievements of literature and art “Triumph”.
It is worth mentioning the involvement of the “snipers” in the implementation of the project “Simauta” (“island song”) in collaboration with the Japanese rock vocalist Kazufumi Miyazawa and a triumphant performance at the Fuji Rock festival in Japan.
Simauta (2005) Arbenina’s team, together with the Belarusian-Russian group “Bi-2”, also participated in the side project “Odd Warrior”, and the soloist herself participated in the television game “Fort Boyard”.
In the show "Fort Boyard"
In 2005, a new acoustic album by rock performers “Trigonometry-2” and an electric album “Koshika” (“cat” in Japanese) appeared, released in the Land of the Rising Sun. In the fall, Diana and her team toured for the first time in Switzerland, and at the beginning of 2006 - in the States and Israel. At the same time, she became a participant in concerts in memory of Soviet bards Bulat Okudzhava and Vladimir Vysotsky.
The next year was marked by a new creative upsurge and rock performers holding about seven dozen concerts during tours in the cities of Belarus, the Russian Federation, Israel, Ukraine and the USA. In the spring, the disc “Bonnie and Clyde” was released, which included 12 tracks, in the summer - another book by the leader of the group, “Deserter of Sleep,” which included a huge number of texts and photographs.
Night Snipers - Yugo-2 Subsequently, the rock vocalist published an audio version of it with the performance of her poems, as well as a collection with the author’s illustrations “Lullaby in a Sniper Style,” which united non-genre works (reality and dreams). Based on this work, a one-man show “Motofoso” was later staged.
Photo from the play “Motofoso”
Amazingly efficient, in the period 2007-2008. Arbenina performed wonderfully together with actor Yevgeny Dyatlov in the Channel One TV show “Two Stars.” The organizers gave them “silver”, but the multi-million audience recognized her as the winner of the project. Diana Arbenina and Evgeny Dyatlov - There, in September In 2009, the next “electric” album of the group “Army 2009” was presented to the public. The presentation took place in one of Stalin’s secret bunkers, and concerts in his support covered about a hundred cities in the Russian Federation and other countries. Rolling Stone Russia magazine named the track “Beautiful Days” (together with Mikhail Kozyrev) the best. During the same period, the group released its official magazine, Gavroche.
At the concert
In 2011, the acoustic tour of the permanent leader of the “snipers” took place in the Russian Federation, Belarus, Ukraine, the USA and Canada. At the same time, Arbenina accepted the invitation and became a coach of contestants in the Ukrainian television project “Voice of the Country.” The participants she supervised in both seasons of the show became winners of the competition (Vanya Ganzera and Pavel Tabakov).
Arbenina was a mentor in “Voice of Ukraine”
In the spring of next year, fans of the rock star greeted her new poetry collection “Auto-da-fe” (literally, an act of faith). In it she included songs and “anti-songs” created between 2011 and 2012. In the fall, the release of the eighth disc “4” took place. Moreover, a number of his compositions (“Google”, “Bunin”, “Toliutrotolinoch”, etc.) became super hits even before the disc was presented.
Cover of Arbenina's book of poetry
Then Arbenina’s team prepared a grandiose program with stunning video installations and went on the next concert tour “Survive in spite of” in the cities of the Baltic countries, the Russian Federation, the CIS, Germany, the Czech Republic, Israel, and Canada. All spectators who attended their concerts were given gift editions of the new music album.
In 2013, to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the rock band, the disc “Acoustics. Songs as they are." In the spring, the album “Fiesta” was released, which included two compositions called “I love the one who won’t come” and “Fiesta”. In the summer, the premiere of the composition “Demons” took place in the Chart’s Dozen hit parade, and in the fall – “Yes. This is how life begins."
Diana Arbenina – Fiesta (live) In December of the same year, the rock artist’s literary collection “Sprinter” was published and the landmark concert “XX Years on Stage” took place. In the first part she played her own program, in the second - a rock band. The final song “Moscow Cat”, together with rock musicians, was performed by the Sniper Choir of one hundred of their fans.
Diana Arbenina's height is 165 cm
In 2014, the musician and poetess’s book “Stalker” was published, combining the most significant song lyrics with sheet music for the history of the group. At the end of January, one of the country's main rockers made her first acoustic tour in Southeast Asia. While touring in Thailand, she recorded the disc “Boy on the Ball”. Between February and May, rock performers visited more than three dozen Russian cities with concerts. In July, they performed at the “Invasion” festival together with their unique choir, and also gave a series of festive concerts in honor of the birthday of the soloist and songwriter, as well as to promote their latest album. In 2015, the rock artist made her debut on the theater stage. She played the role of Bagheera in the play “Generation M,” staged as part of the charity project of the same name by actor Konstantin Khabensky. In addition, she presented her hits in an unusual performance at the Oktyabrsky Concert Hall - with the New Russia Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Yuri Bashmet.
Diana Arbenina and Yuri Bashmet
The singer loves to surprise. In 2021, the group’s ninth album, “Only Lovers Will Survive,” was released, containing 13 tracks unlike their previous works, which impressed with their frankness and depth. The vocalist completely naked, and for the cover - not only her soul. Night snipers – I really wanted to. In the same year, the first personal exhibition of her paintings took place in the Moscow Central House of Artists. In addition, she took part in a concert dedicated to the anniversary of Chulpan Khamatova’s “Gift of Life” foundation, where she performed the song “South Pole” together with a girl with leukemia, Sonya.
The singer sang with a girl with leukemia
In 2021, together with the group, Diana released the singles “Wake Me Up” and “Tsoi”, dedicated to deceased rock performers, including Yegor Letov, Yanka Diaghileva, Mike Naumenko. The video for “Really Wanted,” the title song from the latest album “Only Lovers Will Survive,” was released and published on YouTube and received more than 400 thousand views in one hour. In 2021, the records “Sad People”, “Instagram”, “Crowns”, “If Not Weakly” were released. Night Snipers - Tsoi During the same period, the rock lady performed for the first time at the stadium in honor of the 25th anniversary of the Snipers, presenting the “First Quarter” program. The fans, who filled the capital's Olimpiysky sports complex to capacity, were especially excited to see their former musical (and perhaps not only musical) friends - Arbenina and Surganova - appear on stage. They reunited for the first time after breaking up in 2002, performing 4 songs (“Sun”, “On the Border”, “Cat”, “Oop-tau-doo” and “Suddenly”) and impressing the audience with incredible energy and passion.
Diana Arbenina: “Of course I have a man - I didn’t give birth to the Holy Spirit”
Interview
August 24, 2010
8568
Moscow's comsomolets
Not long ago, the leader of the “Night Snipers” group Diana Arbenina became a mother. She gave birth to two charming children - Artem and Marta. According to the singer, this is the most beautiful thing that happened in her life. But since Diana hid her pregnancy until the last moment, and there was no man pretending to be the father next to her, the birth of twins became surrounded by myths. They wrote, for example, that the rock diva decided to undergo artificial insemination from an unknown donor. Who is the real father of her children and how she feels as a mother, Diana told in an exclusive interview with Inna Lokteva.
Finding time for a photo shoot and interview for the singer turned out to be difficult. Two six-month-old children, who need to be fed by the hour, make adjustments to her schedule. And there were changes in Diana herself: she became prettier, became softer, and a completely different femininity appeared in her. We invited the rock singer to move away from her usual image and try elegant dresses in the style of Coco Chanel. At first Diana was wary of the idea. “If I don’t like it, I’ll immediately turn around and leave,” she warned sternly. But as soon as Arbenina appeared in the first, soft cream-colored dress, everyone understood: this is what we need!
— Diana, now you have the crazy life of a young mother who sits with two babies at once and at the same time manages to write songs and give concerts. Are you probably torn between work and home?
- I’m happy this is happening. I don't realize what a huge amount of work has been added. Everything is perceived easily. Thank God I had them. Because life was already ending: in a certain sense, I did everything I wanted and needed. And my children gave me this life. I am grateful to them. There are no difficulties, despite the fact that there are a lot of worries.
- And do you agree that the most important thing in a woman’s life is to give birth to a child?
- Certainly. Nothing is more important. And the second point is our duty to our parents. When you become a mother, you begin to relate to them completely differently. You understand how important it is to take care of them.
— So you consciously came to the conclusion that you need a family, children?
— As for the family, everything is God’s will. This also applies to children - I can’t plan when I get pregnant. And the fact that there would be two of them shocked me. Nobody expected this. Although we have already had twins in our family: my father’s cousin had a twin brother. He died during the war. By the way, both my father’s sister and her brother were red-haired.
I’m now taking a closer look at Tema: in my opinion, he still has reddish hair color.
- Are they similar to Martha?
- I think not. Although friends claim that they are similar. It's good that it's a girl and a boy. Two boys or two girls would be more difficult to raise. I would constantly compare them. And so everything is clear: a boy and a girl.
-Who did you want?
- I am a boy. I always knew that I would have a son named Artem. But when the gynecologist told me that there would be twins, I almost died and began to cry. From happiness, of course, because I didn’t expect such a situation. And the nurse in the American clinic where I gave birth, having learned that I had a boy and a girl, joyfully exclaimed: “Bingo!” They have a game where you need all the numbers to match.
— Why did you go to America to give birth?
- It accidentally happened. We released the album “Army 2009”. I did a presentation, went to the States, and had a little bleeding. I was always afraid that I wouldn’t be able to bear children. Still, thirty-five years is not twenty-five. And when they told me that it was better not to fly back, I stayed.
— Is this some kind of specialized clinic where stars “breed”?
- No. In fact, I absolutely hate being chosen. I like to observe life as it is. And I don’t understand all these star jumps. This whole “incubation” is kind of stupid. I was visiting friends in Florida and went to the hospital there. She even got behind the wheel and went to give birth.
— Are your children American citizens?
— They have dual citizenship. Let them decide for themselves when they become adults. The main thing for me is that they grow up healthy. I'm wondering where to start with complementary feeding. I lean on cottage cheese myself. Calcium in it. My friends tell me: well done, right. The children are already starting to grow teeth. At four and a half months, Tema’s two lower ones hatched. And Martha - Martisha, as we call her - two weeks ago. She follows him in everything. The topic is the older brother - he was born three minutes earlier. Tema and I were standing at the mirror, and suddenly I felt that he began to bite me on the forearm and scratch me with something. I think: what did he put in his mouth? Mother! As if I don’t understand that at four months a child still cannot put anything in his mouth. And then it dawns on me: teeth! I'll scream! Everyone came running and started watching. And Tema is so joyful, he gets so much attention at once.
-Who is helping you now?
- Family. Fortunately, no one abandoned me or left me during this time. From the person I love to the musicians I work with. My dad (he’s such a pessimist here, but he thinks he’s a realist) says: “That’s it! There will be no team.” I asked: “Why?” - “Do you think they will wait for you?” I replied: “Of course!” And they waited. Everything returned to normal, just two little people were added. My mother quit her job and began to come to us often. Children should have a grandmother!
- And the nanny?
- Of course, there is a nanny too. You can't do without it. There are two of them, crying babies. I can handle one thing at a time. If you give birth, bring it, I’ll raise you well. (Laughs.) And if there are two children, even two people can’t do anything. Cook one thing, another... Feed, bathe, walk, put to bed. At some point I notice that I can only wash my face at four o’clock in the afternoon, because I simply don’t have time for it. They also need to pay attention so that they understand: it’s good here in the world, too, and not just in mom’s stomach. But they understand - they are already smiling.
- You said that your beloved man is next to you. Is he the father of your children?
- Of course, I didn’t give birth to the Holy Spirit.
— I just read that you used IVF.
- They write a lot of interesting things about me... You know, in such cases I always feel sorry for my mother. She manages to believe all this nonsense she reads on the Internet, despite being a journalist herself. He starts to get worried and call me. Although lately it has become less and less common. You see how the birth of her grandchildren had a positive effect on her.
- Sometimes IVF is the only way out for people who cannot conceive a child...
- In fact, I have a very good attitude towards artificial insemination. If age or health does not allow you to get pregnant the traditional way, why not? My mother gave birth to my brother at thirty-seven years old. On her own, of course. No one had heard of IVF back then.
- Who is the father of your children?
- Not a musician! Businessman. And, thank God, it’s not related to music. I think husband and wife should not be people of the same profession. My parents were both journalists, and please divorce. You still need to take a break from each other, there should be a sphere of your own interests.
— Where did you meet your businessman?
— In America, by chance. Introduced by friends. Moreover, I didn’t remember him, and, moreover, he didn’t remember me either. Because he was drunk and doesn't remember anything. (Laughs.) And then we came on tour, and we were introduced again by a friend who was the organizer of the concert.
— Is he a fan of the group “Night Snipers”?
- No, not a fan. And again, thank God! Because all the musicians in our group (with the exception of the bassist) were specifically burned by the fans. These girls simply used them. I love my boys very much, and I wanted to bury their offenders alive in the ground. You need to see a person, not an image on stage. Loving someone who is close to you in life is much harder.
— Do you live in two countries with your loved one?
- No, he moved to Russia. However, I’m already unaccustomed to our realities. He is Russian, but lived in the States for a long time. Now many things seem wild to him. But it’s okay, it’s not about reality. He came to a specific person. And you can do business without leaving the cash register. Please note that I am not promoting online banks. (Laughs.)
— Do you think your relationship is serious and long-lasting?
“I would like all this to last for a long time, especially since children appeared, who provide an obvious constant in life.” On the other hand, I understand very clearly that my life is not over. And if I need to take some serious steps, make a sharp turn, I will do it. Children need a cheerful, happy mother. But if we talk about today’s situation, I feel so good now that I would like everything to remain as it is.
— How did your loved one take the news that he would become a father?
- As befits a normal man. With fear. (Laughs.) In fact, we have specific frictions. I told you that I want two boys. And when he heard this, there was a quarrel. He said, “Don’t you dare say that. One of the two must be a girl.” So Martisha is an adored child.
— Has your home changed since you had children?
- Of course, starting with the fact that there is now a nursery, which, of course, was not even in the house in the design, and ending with the garden: it now has a paddock for Robespierre, my St. Bernard. True, he doesn’t like to walk around it, so we let him out into the garden at night, when the children are already asleep. We also have a flagpole for eight flags. I have started a tradition of bringing them from the countries I visit. If you drive down the highway and see a house with flags, it’s mine. So, after the birth of children, we left only Russian and American (where the children were born). Instead of others, they hung children's ones. One shows a birdhouse, another shows a boy, and the third shows a girl and a boy holding hands. And when we walk with the children, I show them: this is the flag of our house, and this is Martisha and Artemka.
Personal life of Diana Arbenina
The icon of the Russian rock scene prefers not to talk about personal things.
She got the surname “Arbenina” from her husband, Konstantin Arbenin, a poet, one of the founders of the “Ambush” club. They got married in 1993, but it is worth noting that the marriage was initially fictitious. Konstantin was a friend of Surganova. It was Svetlana who asked the man to help Diana with her St. Petersburg registration. The relationship between Diana and Konstantin was more like a brother-sister relationship, and later their paths diverged forever.
Diana and Konstantin Arbenin
At that time, Diana was already deeply in love with Svetlana Surganova. For the sake of her beloved, she moved from Magadan to distant St. Petersburg, and Svetlana personally came for her.
The union of Diana Arbenina and Svetlana Surganova lasted 10 years
Their creative and romantic union lasted ten years, together they even overcame Svetlana’s cancer, but in 2002, due to creative differences and different views on the future path, the lead singers of “Night Snipers” separated.
In 2010, Diana Arbenina gave birth to twins Marta and Artem. Their father, according to the rock artist, is a certain businessman of Russian origin whom she met in the USA.
Children of Diana Arbenina: twins Martha and Artem
Although rumors circulated in the media that the singer used a male biomaterial donor or IVF, Diana put an end to these speculations: However, now Diana does not communicate with the father of the twins and does not reveal his name to the children. To their questions “Why don’t you live with dad?” replies “Because we don’t love each other.” But, she says, everything has its time.
Grown-up Marta and Artyom
Until recently, Diana rarely showed her children to the public, but now they have matured and often go out with their mother; sometimes Arbenina posts their photos on Instagram. In 2021, for the first time, she took her children on tour with The Best program. Artem is mastering merchandising, helping his grandmother Galina Anisimovna in selling the group’s branded products, and Marta is shooting videos for the “sniper” account on Instagram.
When asked about the future of the children, Diana replies that she will accept any choice they make. Even if they want to become artists, she will not resist, but she will not force them into this profession.
What school do you go to?
Marta and Artem go to one of the paid schools in the capital, where, along with them, the children of other celebrities study.
They also attend music school from the age of five. However, their mother does not at all want the twins to follow in her footsteps. She believes that children should choose their own path in life.
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Diana Arbenina now
At the beginning of 2021, fans excitedly read information in the media about their idol’s illness. While touring in France, Diana was hospitalized with a heart attack. Due to this, several of the group's concerts were postponed, but not cancelled.
Diana Arbenina in 2021
The rock star wrote the song “I Can Fly Without You” for the soundtrack of the comedy “Mistresses,” which was released in February. Previously, her songs were heard in other films - “Atlantis”, “Azazel”, “Carmen”, “Kandahar”, “Radio Day”, “We are from the Future 2”, “Wordplay: Oligarch’s Translator”, where Diana even starred in role of herself. Diana Arbenina – Instagram On the day of the 45th anniversary of the “country’s main night sniper,” the tenth disc “The Unbearable Lightness of Being” was released. More than half of his songs instantly became hits - “Ringtone”, “Instagram”, “Wake Me Up”, “Scorched”, “Sad People”. A large-scale concert-presentation of the album took place on February 14, 2020. A few days before, the singer visited the Evening Urgant program and told news from her life. Diana Arbenina at the show “Evening Urgant” She traditionally celebrated her birthday on stage, presenting a program of selected hits (“Twilight”, “Belt”, “Catholic Priest”) called “Acoustics” at Crocus City Hall. More than 7 thousand spectators shared the holiday with their favorite artist. The concert was sold out. In 2020, Diana was especially active in the musical direction. So, she released 3 new compositions (“Stone”, “Gopnik” and “Casino”), as well as the album O2. The official website of the Night Snipers group says that this record is “rock and roll about love and sensuality, brought to perfection.”
Changes in the personal life of the leader of the Night Snipers
Returning to the city where their group’s creative activity began, the girls encountered financial difficulties. Together they rented an apartment, but only Svetlana could work. Diana, due to her lack of registration, could not even get a part-time job. Konstantin Arbenin decided to help the girl in this situation absolutely selflessly.
Konstantin and Diana at that time were exclusively friends, although they say he was unrequitedly in love with the singer. There was only a painting and no wedding, but the girl took her husband’s surname to convince herself of the authenticity of the marriage. And Diana Arbenina appeared , whose biography, personal life and husband spoke of impending success. Konstantin himself once told his fictitious wife that she would glorify their big name.
Konstantin also helped with the duo’s first concert. They and several friends organized the Ambush club.
Four years after the painting, Diana and Konstantin divorced and checked out of the apartment. At that time, her financial difficulties ended. But the singer left her ex-husband’s last name. Meanwhile, Diana Arbenina , her biography and personal life the step husband → children , the marriage remained fictitious to the end.
