Ten years ago, the song “White Dragonfly of Love” sounded everywhere, and its author Nikolai Voronov periodically appeared in entertainment shows. However, that fleeting success did not bring him any honors or money.
At 28, Nikolai Voronov lives with his parents and grandfather in an old five-story building in northeast Moscow. In an apartment in which a long time ago no one cleaned and did not make repairs, Nikolai occupies a cramped room. The floor in it is covered with a shabby Soviet laminate, against the wall there is an old cupboard on which stand a photograph of Voronov in his youth and a portrait of his father. An old synthesizer, piano, sheet music and a weak computer - everything is covered in dust.
Voronov's mess does not bother. In his opinion, the genius, as he considers himself, should not worry about living conditions.
“As a child, I was a terrific child. I always obeyed my parents, did everything right, ”says Nikolay RT. - Mom is a musician, she teaches at the school in which I once studied. Dad worked at the University of Dubna.
According to the musician, his artistic career began in 2004 with a concert at that very university.
“On March 19, 2004 I played my first and very brilliant concert at the University of Dubna. A huge number of listeners gathered, and they all enthusiastically enjoyed what I was doing, ”the man recalls. “In general, I remember all the concerts, and with each of them I have my own association.”
But, as Voronov assures, he is more interested in the process of creating music, rather than in concert activity. He still composes songs, but not one of them ever “shot”.
“I don’t create my compositions right away. I prefer to think and comprehend them. And I never act the same, ”he explains. “I'm interested in every sound.” Music is a toy. When you hold something in your hands, you enjoy it or throw it to someone else, give it to another person whom you love or don't love. ”
Voronov regrets that he once posted the song "White Dragonfly of Love" on the net.
“I put Dragonfly on the Internet, and now I regret it. The song is definitely a hit. But the avant-garde is closer to me than all this poetry. Although you understand that I'm joking, absurd, ”says Nikolai. - But the song would have “fired” in any case, because I have charisma, all the qualities of a real artist. Any track blows my brain, first of all my universe. Those who flexitis can explode anything. Face, Algej, for example. "
The song paved the way for Russia
The all-Russian popularity of “Dragonfly” by Voronov was brought by the performance of the song by the famous Ukrainian band Quest Pistols. RT met with ex-team member Nikita Goryuk in Kiev.
“It was in 2009, we have already entered the Russian market. We had a PR manager in Russia, Ksenia Marennikova, and she once sent our producer Yuri Bardash, who was in a bad mood, a link to a YouTube video with the words: “Yura, don't be sad.” There, Kolya Voronov performed the “White Dragonfly of Love” in some kind of assembly hall on Casio ... It was all so authentic, ”recalls Goryuk.
- Nikita Goryuk, ex-soloist of QUEST PISTOLS (Ukraine)
- © Frame: RT video
According to the musician, producer Yuri Bardash invited the band to listen to “Dragonfly” between tours, but the musicians, with the exception of Goryuk, did not like the composition
“I said that the verses are very reminiscent of Yuri Antonov. And Antonov is the country's main hitmaker both at that time and now. We analyzed that the song is interesting on the Internet and even then came in like a meme. Plus, in our processing, it would have sounded better ... Without arrangement, the song in his performance sounded somehow cosmic, ”Goryuk said. “Then we realized that if you comb it all, you get an interesting song, and in the wake of this famous video - then there was still no hype concept - we wanted to leave.”
According to the ex-participant of Quest Pistols, the first meeting with the young talent from Moscow took place in Kiev, where Voronov arrived with his father.
“The song was ready, but we haven't recorded the vocals yet. We had a plan that we would go to the studio with Kolya with the camera, record the vocals there ... Then he told us that he wrote it at the age of 10, riding a bicycle on the field ... That was the first meeting, and he made us stunned, ”recalls Nikita.
The Ukrainian musician admits that Voronov’s song uniquely influenced the group’s popularity, becoming the second hit.
"Dragonfly" gave us the way to both Russia and Kazakhstan ... The song propelled us forward. Moreover, it was some kind of synthesis: tattooed crazy guys sing outspoken pop music, and the video and the arrangement do not correspond to all this. It seems to me that this gave such a resonance. Although at first everyone perceived the song as a stupid meme, they did not take it seriously. ”
Goryuk says Voronov is now receiving royalties for using the song.
“A certain percentage is still deducted from the performance of this song, whether it be a show, or a specific performance on stage by some artist, or in TV shows. Now, for example, in Ivanov-Ivanov they use Dragonfly, and often enough. ”
According to Goryuk, the group stopped working with Voronov because of his health problems.
“Initially, we wanted to cooperate more, but everyone knows that Kolya has mental health problems ... Kolya is a talented musician. He can perform classical works at a good, decent level. Just a creative streak in him prevailed, and he buried himself completely in the composition. If you rehearse some material, you can safely give a concert, even a chamber. Everything will rest in rehearsal and in the adequacy of the relationship with each other. ”
- RIA News
- © Alexey Kudenko
“I do not like to talk about negativity”
Voronov himself carefully avoids talking about his diseases. At 28, the man looks very thin and clearly lost.
“A disease is a kind of weirdness. They do not exist in principle. But this is not about me. This is non-existent nastiness, and I don’t really like talking about negativity. I survive and, even in strange situations, I can always cheer myself up, ”Voronov assured.
Now Nikolai plans to publish a book he wrote.
“This is a book on 138 pages, not Tolstoy on five thousand pages, but it is generally no less delusional. Delusional not in terms of bad, but there are many different verbal twists. This is a book for the people, ”Voronov is sure.
On his pages on social networks, he regularly publishes new compositions and hopes that his work will be appreciated.
“The audience can expect new songs. There are those already posted on YouTube. Sometimes I change them, delete them. I strive for an absolute ideal. I dreamed of being famous, and I achieved this as soon as I got down to action. I became happy and successful, ”he concluded.