Yanka Diaghileva: biography, personal life, creativity

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

Performer of her songs Yana Stanislavovna Dyagileva, better known as Yanka Dyagileva, was born on September 4, 1966 in the city of Novosibirsk. She became famous as one of the important representatives of the Siberian underground party.

Early years and the beginning of creativity

I was born in an ordinary Novosibirsk family of a thermal power engineer and an engineer. As a child, she went in for speed skating and swimming. At school, she did not study very well, nevertheless she made progress in the humanities. Inspired by the poets of the Silver Age and Vysotsky, Yana began writing her own poetry in high school. In addition, she learned to play the piano and guitar during her school years.

After graduating in 1983, I wanted to enter the Institute of Culture, but because of the serious condition of my mother, I entered the Institute of Water Transport, where I did not like studying at all. But participation in a political song ensemble helped to dilute student everyday life, although this did not last long, and the girl dropped out of school in her second year.

In 1986, Yanka almost married her friend, musician Dmitry Mitrokhin, but quickly realized that everyday life was not for her. In the same year, her mother died, which greatly affectedemotional state of the girl.

Creative biography

In 1985, Yanka began to give acoustic performances, met Alexander Bashlachev and Vadim Kuzmin, known as Cherny Lukich, who played a big role in her life. The first performances in the youth club were replaced by concerts at other venues in the city, and later evenings began to take place in other cities. On one of these trips in 1987, Yana makes one of the most important acquaintances in her life with Yegor Letov. For some time, Letov had to run away from the secret services throughout the country, and Diaghilev wandered with him. During this time, she wrote her most famous and striking works, and also learned from Yegor the rules of studio work, recorded several songs with Civil Defense and Communism. As a couple, they parted ways in 1989.

As time went on, the songs of Yanka Diaghilev began to appear on the radio. There was even an offer from Melodiya to record a record, but on the condition that there was no profanity. The artist did not go for it, and refused the offer. At the same time, Sergei Firsov, a producer from St. Petersburg, tried to promote her, making attempts to give concerts in Europe, but in vain.

All the next time, Yana lived in Novosibirsk, periodically performing at festivals and concerts, but more often at apartment houses. He records his material at Letov's studio, unsuccessfully performs with the Great Octobers group, after which he decides never to give electric concerts again. And so it happens. Until his deathYanka only plays acoustic.

Relations with Bashlachev and Letov

It's hard to say unequivocally about the relationship between Yana and SashBash. Of course, the musician had a great influence on the creative path of Diaghileva, made a huge and unforgettable impression on her. There were rumors that Alexander was in love, but did not receive reciprocity. There, at least one of the most famous lines of the song "On Tram Rails" is dedicated to him. It is also believed that Bashlachev's suicide became the starting point for Yanka's depression.

The relationship between the poetess and Letov was specific. He himself said that they were like husband and wife to each other, but with a free life. Perhaps it was, only the characters of both did not allow them to get along. Both of them were complex people with radical thoughts. However, everything radical in Yegor came from his all-consuming hatred, and in Yanka - from great love. So, in the end, the girl completely ceased to put up with the discrepancy between points of view and left Letov. Despite this, the musicians remained friends, Yanka continued to record her material at the Oborona studio and toured the country with the band.

Death of Yankee Diaghileva

The spring of 1991 dragged Diaghilev into an ongoing depression. She cut off all contacts, stopped giving concerts. The last time I met with friends in March, and already in April I stopped communicating with all my relatives. On May 9, 1991, she left her parents' dacha, and after that no one saw her again until 17May, when her body was pulled from the Inya River. The official cause of death is accidental drowning, but Yana's friends and relatives talk about both suicide and murder. Letov talked about the suicide note for a while, but later said he made it up. Some acquaintances said that they knew who exactly killed the girl. But the case is closed and nothing has been confirmed. The girl was buried at the Zaeltsovsky cemetery in the city of Novosibirsk, where many fans of her work came. The grave is still a place where people come, they remember the texts of Yanka Diaghileva and think about life.

Discography

The following albums were released:

• "Not allowed" (1988).
• "Declassed Elements" (1988).
• "Sold out!" (1989).
• "Anhedonia" (1989).
• "Home!" (1989).
• "Shame and disgrace" (1991).
• "The Last Acoustics" (2009).

Memory

The poetess has become a symbol of her era, a sign of protest against an unfair life and the struggle against the system. Her work is still remembered and loved, and the chords of Yanka Diaghileva are played at warm meetings with friends. There are no official films dedicated to the singer. Part of the film "He althy and Eternal" about "Civil Defense" is dedicated to her, as well as part of the film "Footprints in the Snow" about the entire Siberian underground. Among the unofficial films there are short films by novice directors.

Songs dedicated to Yanka are "Ophelia" by Yegor Letov, "She died, she died like that" by the collective "Umka and Bronevychok". Also in 2014, a memorial plaque was installed on Dyagileva's house, and in 2017, the promotion of a project to make a Siberian punk house there began.