Angelica Agurbash

Early Life and Career Beginnings

Angelica Agurbash was born Angelica Anatolyevna Yalinskaya on May 17, 1970, in Minsk, which was then part of the Soviet Union. She started singing at a young age and took acting classes in a theater studio. At 16, she landed her first acting role in a Belarusian film called “Exam for the Director” (1986). After finishing school, Angelica studied at the Belarusian Academy of Arts to focus on acting. However, she later returned her focus to music when more opportunities opened up in singing than in acting. Early in her career, she even adopted the stage name “Lika Yalinskaya” for a time, but ultimately she became famous under her married surname Agurbash.

Modeling and Acting Work

In 1988, at age 18, Angelica won the very first Miss Belarus beauty pagean. This title made her well-known in her home country and launched her modeling career. A few years later, in 1991, she earned the title “Miss Photo USSR,” recognizing her as the most photographed model in Belarus. These successes helped her gain popularity and opened doors in the entertainment industry. Alongside modeling, Angelica continued to act and perform. She appeared in a few films and TV projects over the years. Beside, she also became a television presenter for major events. For example, in 2015 she co-hosted the opening of the international “Slavianski Bazaar” music festival in Vitebsk.

Music Career and Albums

Angelica’s music career began in earnest in 1990 when she joined the popular Belarusian pop group Verasy, where she sang for five years. In 1995, she decided to embark on a solo career. She released several pop albums that built her reputation as a singer. Her early albums included “Paper Moon” (1995), “Night Without a Dream” (1997), and “For You” (1999). In 2002 she released another album titled “The Farewell Kiss of Lika Yalinskaya,” a name that harked back to her original stage name.

Over these years, Angelica had numerous hit singles in Belarus and neighboring countries. One notable early song was a romance ballad titled “No, These Tears Are Not Mine,” which was featured in the film “Roman v Russian Style” and helped make her known beyond Belarus. She also competed in and won prizes at various music festivals. For example, she became a laureate (prize winner) at the Golden Hit festival and the Slavic Bazaar contest. By the early 2000s, Angelica Agurbash was a well-established pop singer in the Russian and Belarusian music scene. In 2005, her then-husband, businessman Nikolai Agurbash, took on the role of her producer, helping to promote her career in Russia. This led to high-budget music videos and greater exposure on TV in the mid-2000s.

Eurovision Song Contest 2005

Angelica Agurbash is best known internationally for representing Belarus at the Eurovision Song Contest 2005. She was chosen as Belarus’s entrant with an initially selected song titled “Boys and Girls”. However, that song received a poor reception from listeners, so the Belarusian broadcaster made a rare decision to allow her to change the song shortly before the contest. Angelica then selected a new dance-pop song called “Love Me Tonight”. She invested in an eye-catching stage performance for the contest, even featuring a dramatic “transformer” dress that changed style during the song. Before the contest, she was considered one of the exciting acts to watch. However, at the semi-final in Kyiv, Angelica’s performance did not advance to the final. 

Notable Performances and Awards

Throughout her career, Angelica Agurbash has had many notable performances and received several awards. Winning Miss Belarus 1988 remains a historic highlight of her early career.

In music, she has performed on big stages such as Eurovision and major concerts in Moscow and Minsk. for instance, in 2011, she held a large solo concert in Moscow that featured many famous Russian pop stars as guests. One of her popular singles, “I Will Live for You,” topped charts in the late 2000s and earned her the Golden Gramophone Award in 2007 – a prestigious Russian music award for hit songs. She has been a regular participant in gala events like Song of the Year (Pesnya Goda) and other festivals. In addition, Angelica expanded her talents into musical theater; in 2015 she took a leading role in a stage play called “King of Clubs – The Card of Love,” acting alongside well-known theater actors. 

Current Activities and Public Presence

Angelica put out new albums and music videos in the 2010s , and even in the 2020s she has kept recording songs. For example, she released updated versions of her songs and new singles on digital platforms in recent years. Currently, she lives in Moscow, Russia, and holds Russian citizenship. She frequently appears on television shows and at charity events. In 2020, she made headlines by openly supporting pro-democracy protests in Belarus. She posted messages and images in solidarity with the protesters on her social accounts. Because of her stance, the Belarusian authorities blacklisted her and even opened a legal case against her for criticizing the regime. Since she was living in Russia, Belarus issued an extradition request which she successfully avoided.

Despite these challenges, Angelica has not stepped back from public life. She continues to speak out for causes she believes in and stays connected with fans through music and online presence.