Destination Lisbon (#15): Meet ALEKSEEV from Belarus

31 March 2018 at 08:00 CEST

ALEKSEEV represents Belarus at the 2018 Eurovision Song Contest Photo: KOBRA MUSIC, LLC

In the fifteenth part of 'Destination Lisbon', our feature counting down to the 2018 Eurovision Song Contest, we get to know ALEKSEEV, who will represent Belarus with the song 'FOREVER'.

ALEKSEEV, the stage name of Nikita Alekseev, was born in Kyiv, Ukraine, in 1993. He was raised by his mother as his father left the family before he was born. Although Alekseev has never met his father, he holds out hope that he can do so one day.

At the age of 10, ALEKSEEV started playing music and formed his own band in school. In 2010, he started a marketing degree in university, but soon found he couldn’t live without music. He created the student musical group Mova, which mostly played covers of the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

At the age of 18, he tried to take part in the Ukrainian edition of The Voice but did not pass the audition round. He tried again in 2014 when singer Ani Lorak, who finished second at the 2008 Eurovision Song Contest, gave him a chance during the blind auditions. He did not win the show, but became the most popular participant of the series. He considers his participation his lucky ticket to a successful career.

ALEKSEEV's works closely with producer Oleg Bodnarchuk, one of the most famous creative directors in Eastern Europe. Together they wrote Пьяное солнце (Drunk Sun) which became a hit with over 35 million views on YouTube.

Belarus' hopeful has performed in more than twenty countries around Europe and beyond, and won several awards, such as the Singer of the Year-award — once in Belarus and twice in Russia. He is well known in Belarus, and considers himself to be a Belarusian artist, which is why he took part in the country's national selection for the Eurovision Song Contest.

Back in February, ALEKSEEV travelled to Lisbon to shoot his postcard video, which he posted on Instagram: