Ani Lorak

Karolina Myroslavivna Kuiek, popularly known as Ani Lorak is a Ukrainian singer, songwriter, actress, entrepreneur, and former UN Goodwill Ambassador. Lorak has been cited as one of the most powerful and influential women in Ukraine. A 39-year-old singer, Lorak has received the People’s Artist of Ukraine, Ukraine’s most prestigious and honorary title. She also reported that she earned the highest income among all other singers in Ukraine in 2014. Lorak is ranked as one of the most beautiful women from Eastern Europe. Lorak participated at the Eurovision Song Contest 2008 representing Ukraine. She performed the song “Shady Lady” in the competition and won runner-up behind Dima Bilan from Russia.

Best Known For

• Her representation of Ukraine at the Eurovision Song Contest 2008 with the song “Shady Lady”. She finished second behind Dima Bilan representing Russia.
• Becoming one of the most powerful and influential women in her home nation, Ukraine.

Ani Lorak’s Early Life

Ani Lorak was born on September 27, 1978, in Kitsman, the western part of Ukraine. Lorak was raised by a single mother. She had to go through a very tough childhood. Lorak speaks Ukrainian as her native language. Lorak and her brothers had to go to a foster home at the age of 6. At a very young age, Lorak loved singing and started taking parts in different school singing competitions. She won the popular singing contest ‘Pervotsvit’ in 1992.

Ani Lorak’s Professional Career

Lorak was noticed by her eventual producer Yuriy Falyosa at the Pervotsvit. Later, she signed her first professional contract at the age of 14. She named herself Ani Lorak in a contest at the television program “Morning Star” in March 1995 in Moscow, Russia. The reason was that there was already another Russian singer with the same name in the competition. Ani Lorak in the name Karolina read backwards. In 1995, Ani Lorak moved to Kiev. Lorak was already gaining popularity by then. Lorak’s popularity became global after she won the “Big Apple Music 1996 Competition” in New York, the U.S. The same year, She also won “Discovery of the Year” at the popular Ukrainian festival “Tavria Games” and also released her first album “I Want to Fly”. Lorak continued releasing her new songs in 1997. Two of her videos “The Model ” and “My God” were filmed for a soundtrack to the movie “The Right to Choose”. Lorak released her second album “I will be back” in 1998. Lorak started her extensive touring in the US, France, Germany, Hungary in 1999. She also performed in every major city of Ukraine. Lorak was honoured with the title, Honoured Artist of Ukraine in 1999.

In 2005, Lorak failed to be selected to perform at the Eurovision Song Contest. She suffered a controversial narrow defeat in the 2005 national pre-selection competition finishing second in the competition behind GreenJolly. Ukrainian television NTU announced that Ani Lorak would represent the country at Eurovision in Belgrade in 2008. They announced that the public and a jury would choose the song. Lorak performed five potential entries, in a special show on 23 February and the winner, chosen by both the public and by the Jury was “Shady Lady”. Lorak also recorded a Russian version of her Eurovision song “Shady Lady” with the title “S neva v Nebo”. Later, she travelled to Malta, Russia Bulgaria, Spain and Germany to perform her songs. Lorak finished second on at the Eurovision Song Contest 2008 in Belgrade. Dima Bilan came first. Lorak was named Best Artist at the contest from the media.

Ani Lorak’s Personal Life

Lorak met Turkish Murat Nalcacioglu in Turkey during her vacation in 2003. Murat is a Turkish hotel manager and travel agent. The couple tied a knot to each other on August 21, 2009. Lorak announced her pregnancy at the end of November 2010 and gave birth to a beautiful daughter, Sophia on June 9, 2011. At present, Lorak and her family live in a house on the outskirts of Kiev, Ukraine. They also frequently travel to Turkey to his husband’s home country.
Lorak and her fiance, later husband opened the Angel Lounge, a restaurant that specializes in Mediterranean cuisine in Kiev in 2005. They also opened “Holiday Travel”, a Ukranian travel agency which is a sub-division of “Turtess Travel”. Murat works at Turtess Travel. Lorak became an Oriflame advert in 2010. She participated in several catalogues and developed her own new fragrance. It is called Chiffon by Ani Lorak.
Experts for the Ukrainian magazine Focus ranked Lorak 41st in a top 100 of “most influential women in Ukraine” in October 2009.

Ani Lorak’s Charity

Lorak became UN Goodwill Ambassador in Ukraine for HIV/AIDS for the year 2004-2005. She is involved in lots of charitable activities. Lorak received a commendation from UNICEF and UN for assistance and help to HIV positive citizens of Ukraine. Lorak also received the St. Stanislav Order of the 4th degree and the Officers Cross “for strengthening the international authority for Ukraine, for the high professionalism, great creative achievements, charity and adherence to the ideals of chivalry” in 2005.

Ani Lorak’s Net Worth

Ani Lorak is one of the richest singers in Ukraine. Besides singing, she is also an actress, entrepreneurship and involved in business with her husband. She earns enough through her singing. It is reported that she take a huge sum of money for any concerts she signs to perform. Ani Lorak’s net worth for 2018 is still under review. But it is estimated to be of approximately $24 million.

Ani Lorak’s Achievements

• Second prize of the Prevotsvit festival in Ukraine in 1992.
• First prize of the international festival Vesela and Dolia in 1994.
• Winner of the “Morning Star” television contest, Moscow in 1995 and 1996.
• Second prize of the all-Ukrainian festival “Chervona Ruta”, Sevastopol in 1995.
• A winner in the “Finding of 1995” nomination of the “Tavriysi Igry” festival in 1996.
• Grand-Prix winner of the global competition of young performers “Big Apple Music-96”, New York in 1996.
• Prize winner of the “Song-97” Festival, Moscow in 1997.
• Winner of the Grand-Prix of the President of Ukraine following the results of the all-Ukrainian festival “Song Vernissage-97” in 1997.
• Award winner in the “Singer of the Year” and “Pop Music of the Year” nominations of the Tavriyski Igry-98, Tavriyski-99, Tavriyski-2001, Tavriyski-2002 and Tavriyski-2003 festivals.
• Recognized as the “Singer of the Year 2002 AND 2003” by the ELLE magazine.
• “Singer of the Year 2003”, UBN Awards, UK.
• Gold Disc for the “Ani Lorak” album.
• Ani Lorak recognized as the best singer of 2004 Audience Choice Award “Zolota Zharptytsia”.
• Ani Lorak recognised as the most beautiful woman of Ukraine by the readers of the VIVA magazine.
• In May 2008, Ani Lorak became the silver prize winner of the Eurovision Song Contest 2008.
• Received the “Artistic Award Eurovision Song Contest”, which is awarded to the best artist of the contest.
• In March 2009, Ani Lorak was awarded the “Person of the Year” award in the nomination “Idol of Ukrainians”.
• Ani Lorak won in the nomination “Singer of the Year” and received the coveted samovar at the RU.TV Awards in 2015.
• In June 2015, Ani Lorak became the “Singer of the Year” at MUZ-TV Awards, which took place in Astana.
• Ani Lorak awarded as the most stylish singer by Fashion People Awards in 2016.
• In 2017, Ani Lorak received the award in the nomination “The Best Album of the Year” for the album “Didn’t You Love Me?” at the MUZ-TV Awards.
• Ani Lorak gets “The Best Female Singer of the Year” at ZARA Music Awards in 2018.