Childhood and youth
The successful producer was born on April 2, 1969 in Makhachkala, in the family of Igor Matveevich and Dinara Yakubovna Prigozhin. Parents came from Ashkenazi and Mountain Jews. They didn’t live well, so Joseph started working as a child – at the age of 12 he was already earning a living as a hairdresser.
But the boy did not see any serious opportunities to realize his ambitious plans in his hometown. Even then, grandiose plans were born - to become a popular artist, although creative professions were not welcomed among those at home. In 1985, Prigozhin, having received a passport, immediately set off to conquer Moscow. Since that turning point, the biography of Joseph Prigogine has flowed in a different direction.
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by iosif prigozhin (@prigozhin_iosif)
Joseph Prigogine as a child with his parents
At first, the 16-year-old boy from Makhachkala, who had neither acquaintances nor relatives in the capital, had a hard time. To get a place in a dormitory, I entered a vocational school to major in thermal and waterproofing. In 1986, Prigozhin simultaneously graduated from both a vocational school and a Moscow evening school on Izmailovsky Boulevard. But Joseph did not forget about the main goal. Along the way, the student found time to study at the Gamma theater studio.
Even in his youth, Prigozhin dreamed of a brilliant career in show business. But the attempt to enter GITIS was unsuccessful. Without dwelling on failures, the purposeful guy moved forward: the future celebrity met people surrounded by music business stars, attended fashionable closed parties and even auditioned for films.
In the late 80s, young Joseph was already working as a tour manager for concert programs. In addition, the artist sang on the stage and even released an audio cassette with his songs. In the 90s, touring life began. Gradually, Prigozhin came to the realization that administrative activity was closer to him than the career of a performer.
Producer activity
In 1987, he met music producer Yuri Aizenshpis, began helping him promote the Kino group, and things took off. Prigogine watched Yuri, learned a lot from him, how he works, how he communicates with people. Gradually, Joseph entered the profession and realized that administrative activities interested him more than the career of an artist.
Since 1988, he began to lead an active touring life, organizing about 1,500 concerts of Russian pop stars throughout the Soviet Union. In 1989, at the Variety Theater, Prigozhin organized and became the administrator of the first fashion show of Valentin Yudashkin. Two years later, Joseph made his debut on television, Supershow 1991 and the Club T program were broadcast.
Since 1992, he completely switched to music production. His first student was the Armenian singer Sona. But she did not stay on the stage and began acting in Armenian TV series.
And Joseph from then on began organizing concerts of popular singers:
- Alexey Glyzin;
- Vakhtang Kikabidze;
- Zhenya Belousov;
- Nikolay Noskov;
- Tatyana Bulanova;
- group "Spleen";
- Kristina Orbakaite;
- group "Shao? Bao!
In 1994, Joseph nevertheless entered GITIS, only now to the production department, and in 2000 he received a diploma of higher education. By this time, he already drove a cool car, wore massive gold chains (as was fashionable then) and had personal security. Prigozhin produced grandiose musical events:
- anniversary concerts of Lyudmila Zykina and the group “A-Studio”;
- presentation of the Golden Gramophone award;
- gala concerts for International Women's Day on March 8, for the Independence Day of Georgia, for the birthday of the ORT television channel.
In 1997, Joseph created the largest audio company in Russia, which the very next year was recognized as the “Best Recording Company” and received the National Music Award “Ovation”.
In 2000, he initiated the creation of a production unit, thereby convincing producers not to compete, but to unite and collaborate. Now this company occupies a leading position in the Russian music market.
Since March 2003 he has been the producer of singer Valeria.
In 2007, he became the producer of the program “You are a superstar!” on the NTV television channel.
Producing career
In 1994, on his second attempt, Joseph Prigogine entered GITIS named after Lunacharsky. And in 2000, without interruption from intensive administrative and creative activities, the graduate received a higher education with a degree in producer.
Prigozhin became the administrator and organizer of the first fashion show of Valentin Yudashkin. The event took place in 1989, and Joseph Igorevich’s producing debut took place in 1991, when the “Super Show-91” he organized was aired on the Ostankino TV channel.
The first singer to use the services of the novice specialist Prigozhin was Sona. Now few people remember this star. Soon, Vakhtang Kikabidze and Nikolai Noskov, Kristina Orbakaite and Alexander Marshall became profitable clients.
In the late 90s, Prigozhin promoted anniversary concerts dedicated to the 50th anniversary of Lyudmila Zykina’s creative activity and the 10th anniversary of the A-Studio group. In addition, the promoter organized Tatyana Bulanova’s first solo concerts, the “Golden Gramophone” campaign, and was the executive producer of a festive concert dedicated to the 3rd anniversary of ORT, and a gala concert in honor of the celebration of March 8th.
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by iosif prigozhin (@prigozhin_iosif)
Joseph Prigogine in his youth
The biography of Joseph Prigogine is a series of great successes. At less than 30 years old, Prigozhin created ORT-Records, the largest audio company in Russia. From June 1997 to July 1999, he was listed as general producer, and from March 1998 to June 1999, also as general director. Detractors immediately linked his successes to Prigozhin’s nationality, peppering it with jokes and caustic comments.
Prigogine easily promoted solo projects of little-known, famous and super-popular performers, brought new stars to the show business horizon and rekindled forgotten old ones. Within a few months of ORT-Records' work, albums were published by Joseph Kobzon, Vakhtang Kikabidze, Lev Leshchenko, Alexander Marshal, Kristina Orbakaite, Nikolai Noskov, Chris Kelmi, the groups "A-Studio", "Na-Na", "Splin", "Inveterate Scoundrels" and other groups.
Under the leadership of Joseph Igorevich, ORT-Records was awarded the Ovation National Music Award in the Best Recording Company category in 1998. Since 1994, Prigozhin has been a member of the Association of Music Producers, Doctor of Arts of the Academy of Alternative Sciences. In 1998, he received the Ovation Award for Best Producer of the Year. At the same time, the Company magazine recognized Joseph Igorevich as the best businessman of the year in the field of show business.
Prigozhin also managed to unite his colleagues, convincing them not to compete, but to cooperate. Thus, in 2000 it appeared. Prigozhin gradually achieved that he became almost the most successful person in Russian show business. The group occupies a leading position in the country's music market.
Sergei #Shnurov filed a police report against Joseph Prigozhin after the producer threatened to “crack him in the head”...
Posted by Men's Club on Wednesday, January 27, 2021
Sergei Shnurov and Joseph Prigozhin
The name of Prigozhin is associated with a scandal with the attempt on the life of Abraham Russo. He began promoting the singer in 2004 at the request of Moscow businessman Telman Ismailov. The artist’s creativity impressed the entrepreneur, and he decided to take Abraham to the international level. Joseph Prigogine managed to create a name for the musician that became known outside of Russia.
But after one concert at the Olimpiyskiy Sports Complex, according to rumors, Abraham secretly took the profits that were in the safe and emigrated to Cyprus. Ismailov, as a number of media outlets wrote, deceived Joseph Igorevich into negotiating with the singer and returning the fugitive to Moscow. In Russia, Abraham Russo was in for trouble, for which the musician accused Prigozhin. The producer denied involvement in the events.
For his work, the businessman was repeatedly awarded prizes and titles. In 2019, Joseph Igorevich received an award from the Muz-TV channel in the category “Best Producer of the Decade.”
Career
For four years, until 1990, Prigozhin worked as a tour manager of concert programs. And at the same time he sang on the stage. He even released his own audio cassette with songs.
Back in 1988, Joseph began touring actively. He himself organized approximately 1.5 thousand concerts with pop stars who traveled around the countries of the former Soviet Union. A year later, today's producer became an administrator, as well as the organizer of the first fashion show of the famous Valentin Yudashkin, which took place in the capital's Variety Theater.
Joseph Prigozhin made his debut as a producer in 1991. The Ostankino channel began broadcasting Supershow-91 and the television program Club T, which he organized.
In 1992, Prigozhin became the producer of the singer under the name Sona. And at the same time he began producing a music show, which was dedicated to the European Motorball Championship in Vidnoye.
But Joseph Prigogine was not satisfied with such work activity, and he moved on. In 1993, the producer initiated the creation of the Father's House Foundation. He headed it until 1995. Quite respectable people worked with him back then. The board of trustees included Archbishop Sergius of Solnechnogorsk, Chief Rabbi of Russia Adolf Shaevich, Chief Mufti of Russia Ravil Gainutdin, as well as People's Artists of the USSR Alexandra Pakhmutova, Tikhon Khrennikov, Joseph Kobzon, Makhmud Esambaev, Lyudmila Zykina, numerous lawyers and scientists. The charitable foundation helped socially vulnerable citizens of Russia and attracted public attention to the plight of refugees from neighboring countries.
In 1996, Prigozhin began producing a concert dedicated to Georgian Independence Day. He immediately set about organizing concerts in honor of the 50th anniversary of the creative activity of singer Lyudmila Zykina and the 10th anniversary of the group “A Studio”. At the same time, he took on the first solo concerts of artist Tatyana Bulanova at the Variety Theater. True, the singer herself was dissatisfied with the organization, because from her point of view, the fees were not high enough. From 1996 to 1998 he was the producer of the Golden Gramophone award. Joseph Prigozhin was the executive producer of the concert in honor of the 3rd anniversary of ORT and also in 1999 the organizer of the concert dedicated to March 8th.
After such important events, Prigozhin refused to take on the production of the Rock Islands group. Then they said that the refusal was due to the fact that “nothing came of it in 1999.” Joseph told the group that they were a one-day group. In response to such a statement, the producer was told that the team has existed since 1985, and is not doing badly at the present time.
In 1999, Joseph Prigozhin was the producer of the ceremony of laying the Star of the Georgian artist Vakhtang Kikabidze at the “Square of Stars”. The event was dedicated to the 60th anniversary of the celebrity.
And even earlier, Prigozhin’s activities were put on a grand scale. He created perhaps the largest audio company in Russia, which was called ORT-Records. And from mid-1997 to mid-1999 he was the general producer of the company. For the last year he has been listed as general director. By the way, at the end of 1998, Prigozhin was awarded the National Music Award “Ovation” as “Best Recording Company”.
In just a few months of work, she published a number of albums by famous performers, such as Joseph Kobzon, Vakhtang Kikabidze, Lev Leshchenko, Alexander Marshal, Chris Kelmi, Nikolai Noskov, as well as the groups “Na-Na”, “A Studio”, “Splin”, “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels”, “Ladybug” and many others.
In 1998, Joseph Prigozhin was awarded the Ovation Prize in the category “Best Producer of the Year.” At the same time, the publication “Company” recognized the celebrity as the best businessman of the year in the field of show business.
The next round of activity began in 2000. On June 1, a record label appeared (This is the National United Cultural Community).
And on March 12, 2003, a fateful meeting between Joseph Prigozhin and singer Valeria took place. On April 7 of the same year, the producer signed a cooperation contract with her.
In 2007, Prigozhin became the ideological inspirer and producer of the program on the NTV channel “You are a superstar.”
The artist described all his experience that Joseph Prigogine gained over the years of work on the stage in his own book. In 2001, the AST publishing house published the book “Politics - the pinnacle of show business” by Prigozhin.
Personal life
Prigozhin first married in his youth, to Elena, a Muscovite, from a wealthy and intelligent family. The first wife did not share interests in show business and after the wedding decided to become an ordinary housewife. The marriage produced two children - son Dmitry and daughter Danae.
The second companion of Joseph Igorevich, Leila Fattakhova, worked as a manager for the selection of artists in. The man was immediately captivated by the dark-eyed beauty. At the time of their meeting, a crack appeared in Prigozhin’s marriage with Elena. Soon news appeared that the promoter and the first chosen one were getting divorced.
A new romance broke out, and 4 years later the couple had a daughter, Lisa. And after another 3 years, Leila left her common-law husband. The ex-wife is independent, owns one of the best PR agencies in Moscow, and her clients include famous businessmen and restaurateurs.
In March 2003, a fateful meeting took place with singer Valeria (Alla Perfilova). This union brought a new marriage and a cooperation contract, which the lovers signed in April 2003. The slender beauty became Prigozhin’s third wife and, as he claims, his first true love.
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by iosif prigozhin (@prigozhin_iosif)
Producer Joseph Prigozhin
The couple does not have children together. But the personal life of Joseph Igorevich is now full and happy. The couple can often be seen on the covers of tabloids and at celebrity parties; Valeria is also a frequent heroine of Prigozhin’s Instagram account. “How can you pass by such beauty? I’m proud – mine,” a satisfied Makhachkala resident signs the pictures of the sleeping blonde.
Even before the couple met, the producer, whose height is 172 cm and weight 75 kg, was given the nickname Shrek, as those around him found a visual resemblance to the character in Prigozhin. Joseph Igorevich is well aware of this rumor, which he has demonstrated to the public more than once. Neither he nor his wife are offended by the comparison. As Valeria told the press, she sees no reason for discontent. When I watched the cartoon, I realized that this is a positive character, the resemblance to whom is not at all offensive.
In 2014, while participating in the Exactly Exact project, Prigozhin took advantage of the comparison and came out in a Shrek costume during Nikita Presnyakov’s performance, which caused delight in the audience.
Valeria and Joseph Igorevich are raising three children from the singer’s previous marriage - Anna, Artem and Arseny, who bear the name of their father Alexander Shulgin. He also fell in love with his wife’s granddaughter Selina as if he were his own. Prigozhin’s children from previous marriages and adopted children meet and communicate with each other.
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by iosif prigozhin (@prigozhin_iosif)
Joseph Prigogine and his wife Valeria
As it turned out, communication was not ideal at all. In 2021, a scandal broke out. First wife Elena and daughter Danae reproached the producer for paying little attention to his former family. Valeria was named as the culprit of what was happening, who allegedly deliberately incites her husband against children from previous marriages.
Joseph Igorevich and Leila parted as friends, but the relationship with his first wife was radically different. But, as the man himself claims, this did not affect the children. The celebrity became uninterested in the woman who spent all her time at home “doing nothing,” but Prigozhin left the apartment and supported her financially all her life. The businessman was even perplexed how such a scandal had arisen with Elena, while complete mutual understanding was maintained with his second wife.
The ex-husband considered the claims to be far-fetched. The producer always invested most of the money he earned in the education of children, both from his first marriage, and from his second, and adopted ones. The children went on vacation with their star dad to different countries. A caring father even tried to arrange for his daughter Danaya to study abroad, but her mother was categorically against it.
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by iosif prigozhin (@prigozhin_iosif)
Joseph Prigozhin and Shrek
Prigozhin told the press that the reason for the scandal was not at all in his daughter or son. Elena wants a successful artist to provide for herself, and uses the offspring as a source of income. And Joseph Igorevich does not at all want to finance the beautiful life and young lovers of a stranger who has never worked anywhere. He also refused to pay millions of debts.
But most of all, Prigozhin is worried about the children, who, as a result of the manipulations of their mother and her companion, were almost left without housing. The father was especially worried about Dana, who began to support Elena’s endeavors and take offense at helping other heirs.
The girl reproached the producer for promoting Anna Shulgina, Valeria’s daughter, while refusing to promote her own blood. In response to this attack, Joseph Igorevich reminded the press that Anna, in addition to connections, has talent and specialized education, but Danae, alas, does not. When the daughter came with a request for promotion, an experienced professional asked who she could be promoted as, and received no answer.
In addition, Prigogine hinted to his daughter that to succeed in show business she needed to lose excess weight. He also asked his daughter to go to the gym, prohibiting liposuction, which he considered harmful, especially at such a young age. Then Danaya wrote a number of angry comments on social networks about her father and came to the Dom-2 project to prove that she could succeed without outside help.
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by iosif prigozhin (@prigozhin_iosif)
Joseph Prigozhin and his family
The rest of the children took the position of their father, rebuffing Dana in a public environment and supporting Joseph Igorevich. The producer practically renounced his daughter, saying that he no longer wanted to continue such communication. Today, relations between Prigozhin and Danae have normalized. Reconciliation between relatives occurred after participation in the “Actually” program.
At the beginning of 2021, rumors spread on the Internet that Prigozhin and Valeria had become parents. Joint photos appeared on the Instagram accounts of each of the stars, in which the spouses appeared together with their charming twins.
At first, the singer and producer kept the intrigue. Among subscribers, a version arose about the surrogate birth of children and the appearance of grandchildren for a married couple. But soon Joseph Igorevich explained that the babies were born into a family of relatives who often visit the couple.
According to Prigozhin, he is not against the appearance of new heirs. The label creator wants to experience the joy of fatherhood again. The early birth of his first children led Joseph Igorevich to moral devastation at that time. But circumstances have changed - today the man has gained the necessary experience.
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Nadezda (@nadezdarus)
Joseph Prigozhin in a Pineapple costume In
the fall of the same year, Prigozhin and Valeria became guests of the “When Everyone is Home” program. The promoter said that for the first time after marriage, he experienced a strong fear of losing the happiness that he had found. Panic attacks and jealousy led to health problems. Seeing how her husband was suffering, the singer invited him to accompany her on every tour. Thus, this problem was solved.
Joseph Igorevich had misunderstandings not only with relatives, but also with colleagues in show business. For a long time, tension remained in relation to Philip Kirkorov. For example, as a guest on the program “Alena, damn it!” Prigozhin claimed that the king of the Russian stage had won space on Russian Radio by cunning. However, today the celebrities have found a common language.
A wave of criticism hit Joseph Prigozhin in 2021 after he made a statement about the plight of artists due to restrictions caused by the coronavirus pandemic. He proposed the candidacy of Igor Matvienko as the head of the relief fund. Among the statements of public people on this topic, fans remember Sergei Shnurov’s poems about the vacation of an “impoverished family” in Dubai.
As fate would have it, it was at this prestigious resort that Joseph Igorevich and his wife became infected with Covid. If Valeria survived the infection without complications, then Prigozhin was hospitalized at a local hospital. On social networks, the singer’s husband posted photos in a wheelchair and told fans about how he was sick.
