Grigory Viktorovich Lepsveridze, known as Grigory Leps, is a Russian singer-songwriter of Georgian origin. His musical style gradually changed from Russian chanson in his early years to soft rock recently. He's known for his low, strong baritone voice. Meritorious Artist of Russia. Grigory Leps reported the highest income of all singers in Russia in 2013 with $15 million, 2014 with $12 million and 2015 with $12.2 million.
Biography
Grigory Leps was born Grigory Lepsveridze in the city ofSochi, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union in an ethnically Georgian family. He finished music school in the class of Percussion instrument. After the army he started to play and sing in a few rock bands, and worked as a singer in restaurants. He suffered from alcoholism and drug addiction, and to get far from that life he went to Moscow. There he started singing in restaurants, until he received a record deal, and in 1995 he released the albumMay God Keep You. The song "Natali" became a huge hit, but he didn't know that because he was hospitalized for drugs and alcoholism. The doctors told him that one more drop of any of the drugs could kill him. In 1997, he released his second album, A Whole Life, which had a few hits including "Chizhik", "Gololed", "A whole life". In 2000, he released the album Thank You People, with the major hits "Shelest" and "Nu i chto". At that album was seen the change in Leps's style, with him completely leaving the Shanson and moving to rock music. That year he met Anya, a dancer in the Laima Vaikule ballet who became his wife. At the same time he lost his voice, and went through an operation. In 2002, he released the album On Strings of Rain, with a major hit "Rumka vodki na stole". In 2004, he released a cover album of songs written by Vladimir Vysotsky in rock versions, Parus. The song "Parus" had a video clip and the album took top places at the selling charts. The second part of the album, Vtoroy was released in 2007 with its presentation concert being held in the Kremlin hall. In 2005, he released a compilation album called Izbranoye... 10 let. In 2006, he released two albums, both reaching high success. Labirint, with the hits Labirint and Vyuga, and the album V tsentre zemli, with the hit Zamerzayet Solntse. The premier concert for the V tsentre zemli album took place in the Luzhniki Stadium. In 2007, he released two compilations. I'm Alive, and All My Life – a Road. In 2009, about the presentation of the album, "Waterfall ". It includes brand new songs and old hits. In February 2011, he took a trio of concerts devoted to the new album "Pince-nez" After a year Leps moved to a different style of music.
Musical style
Leps is known for his wide vocal range. He has a low growling voice. His style mixed rock music, pop music, and used to also have shanson in it.
Family
He met his second wife Anna Shaplykova in 2000. She was a dancer at the Laima Vaikule ballet. They had two daughters, Eva, Nicole and a son Ivan. He also has a daughter from his previous marriage with Svetlana Dubinskaya, Inga Leps, an actress.
Trivia
Leps, a Russian Orthodox, always chose an apartment so a church would be seen through the window, or at least a road, because it "always leads to a church".
He collects old books.
He collects Icons, and for one of them he once gave his car. Among his collection he has an icon that belonged to the Romanovs, as well as another icon from the 15th century.
