Svetlana Loboda

Early Life and Education

Svitlana Serhiivna Loboda, known professionally as Svetlana Loboda or simply LOBODA, was born on October 18, 1982, in Oleksandrivskaya Clinical Hospital in Kyiv, Ukraine. She spent her early years in Irpin, Kyiv region. Svetlana’s childhood was marked by a strong passion for music. She attended a music school where she excelled in piano, conducting, and academic vocal studies. This early education laid the foundation for her future career in music.

After completing her initial musical training, Svetlana continued her education at the Kyiv Variety and Circus Academy, enrolling in the Variety Vocal Department. During her first year, she joined the musical group Cappuccino, which gained a respectable place in the Ukrainian music scene. However, she later left the group, feeling it wasn’t the right fit for her.

Early Career and Breakthrough

Svetlana’s early career saw her participate in the first Ukrainian musical Equator, directed by Viktor Shulakov. She played one of the main roles, Mirana, which garnered attention and praise. During this period, she released a song and music video titled “Black Angel,” which received wide rotation and further increased her visibility.

In December 2003, Svetlana formed her own band, Ketch. By spring 2004, she auditioned and became a soloist for the popular Ukrainian girl group VIA Gra, also known internationally as Nu Virgos. With VIA Gra, she toured Asian cities and starred in the music video for the song “Biologiya.” Despite her success with the group, she left after a short stint and released her debut solo single, “Chyorno-belya zima,” in December 2004.

In November 2005, she released her first solo album, “Ty ne zabudesh,” which marked the beginning of her solo career. Her subsequent single “Chyorny Angel” and a trip to Japan led to the recording of the song “Postoy, mushchina!.” She also hosted the show Shoumaniya on Novy Channel and the Miss CIS pageant on TET channel. Additionally, she opened a travel agency, “Happy Vacations,” and released the music video for her song “Schactye”

Eurovision and Growing Popularity

In 2009, Svetlana Loboda represented Ukraine at the Eurovision Song Contest with the song “Be My Valentine! (Anti-Crisis Girl).” Her performance and campaign to raise awareness against domestic violence brought her international recognition. Despite finishing in 12th place, her song and video became very popular, with high view counts on Eurovision’s YouTube channel and significant search interest.

Continued Success (2010-2015)

Between 2010 and 2015, Svetlana Loboda’s career continued to flourish. She released several hit singles and albums, including the song “Zhit legko,” which humorously depicted her weight gain after Eurovision. She also recorded a duet, “Serdtse byotsya,” with Max Barskikh, and in 2011, she released the single “Na svete” at the Crimea Music Fest. Her 2012 project “Oblaka” included a short film, “Woman-Crime,” filmed in Miami, exploring themes of passion and crime.

In April 2012, she launched her show The Beginning, touring Ukraine for nearly a year. Her song “What about U” was included in the official tracklist for the UEFA Euro 2012 championship. She continued to release popular music, including the single “40 gradusov,” and became a coach on the talent show The Voice Kids in 2012.

Achievements and Awards

Svetlana Loboda has received numerous awards throughout her career. In June 2013, she was honored with the title Honored Artist of Ukraine. She has been recognized at various music award ceremonies, including the YUNA Awards, where she won several categories such as Best Female Performer and Best Song. Her album “H2LO,” released in 2017, achieved significant commercial success, topping charts in multiple countries.

Continued Success (2017-2024)

In 2017, Svetlana Loboda released her album “H2LO,” which included hit singles like “K chyortu lyubov” and “Tvoi Glaza.” The album was critically acclaimed and commercially successful, topping charts in several countries including Ukraine, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Russia, Belarus, and Kazakhstan. Her song “Tvoi Glaza” held the top position on the iTunes charts in the CIS for five weeks and won the Golden Gramophone award in Moscow.

In March 2018, at the Bravo Awards, she received awards for Best Album and Best Singer from Eros Ramazzotti. During this event, she also announced her pregnancy and took a brief hiatus from concert activities. However, two weeks after the birth of her second daughter, she returned to the stage at the Muz-TV Award and received the award for Best Singer.

In 2019, Svetlana became a mentor on the show The Voice Kids on Channel One. Although she faced controversy due to the voting results, she continued to release popular music. Her album “Sold Out,” released at the end of 2019, went triple platinum, and she became the best streaming artist on the Sony Music Entertainment Russia label.

In 2020, she collaborated with rapper Pharaoh on the track “Boom Boom,” which sparked controversy but quickly gained popularity, receiving platinum status in Russia. She also released the single “Moloko,” which entered the top 40 radio charts in Russia and Ukraine and achieved platinum status.

Support for Ukraine and Recent Projects

In February 2022, following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Svetlana Loboda ceased her collaboration with Russia and canceled her scheduled concert tour. She publicly supported Ukraine and shared regular updates about the war’s impact on Ukrainians on her social media platforms. She also transformed her office into a volunteer headquarters to assist Ukrainians in need.

On June 3, 2022, Svetlana released “Molytva,” her first song since the start of the war, dedicating it to Ukraine. The music video, filmed in Riga, Latvia, featured 45 musicians from the Jāzeps Vītols Latvian Academy of Music Symphony Orchestra. In November 2022, she released the Ukrainian-language single “Dva neznaiomtsi,” dedicated to Ukrainians experiencing separation due to the war.

In early 2023, she released the song “Po-Ukrainski,” which became the lead single for her new album “Made in U”, which was released in March 2023. In 2024, she released the single “Imya”, which was a huge hit in Latvia.

Philanthropy and Social Impact

Beyond her music career, Svetlana Loboda is known for her philanthropic efforts. She has supported various charitable causes, including organizing a photo exhibition to help orphans and children with cancer. She also created a collection of youth clothes, “F*ck the macho,” and actively participates in social initiatives.