Russo is an international artist who has recorded songs in a number of languages. He shot to fame with “Daleko Daleko” a Russian cover of a big Arabic language hit. He has four platinum albums recorded in Russia Amor (2001), Tonight (2002), Prosto Lyubit’ (2003) and Obruchalnaya (2006) with songs in Russian and English. Amor, a #1 smash in Russia and throughout Eastern Europe. He has sold millions of album copies worldwide. His most recent album is an all-English spiritual album Resurrection (2010) recorded in the United States where he resides with his wife Morela and daughter Emanuela.| |Early years|Born in 1969 in Syrian northern city of Aleppo, Apraham (nicknamed Apo or Apig) came from a very poor Syrian Armenian family with three brothers. His father, the late Hovhannes (Ipdji-Vanes) was from Ayntab (nowadays Gaziantep), in Cilicia, (nowadays Çukurova in modern Turkey). Apraham’s elder brother Kevork, was a well-known Armenian novelist. Apraham lost his father at an early age and his mother had to serve other households to keep the family going. He discovered his singing talent, while he was doing his monastic studies in Aleppo. He left his studies and was quickly involved in several amateur bands, making part-time appearances in Armenian and Arab venues and outdoor restaurants (such as “Ramaya”, “Aleppo Family Swimming Pool”, “Somar”, Ouroubah Club, etc.) and in hotels like “Al Amir” in Aleppo. In 1993 he went to Cyprus and worked in night clubs for two years earning meagre salaries. But his presence in Cyprus proved important for his future career, as he got the attention of a Russian Jewish tycoon Telman Ismailov (originally from Baku, Azerbaijan SSR and now Vice President of the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress) who, during one of his business trips to Cyprus, attended Apraham’s performance and liked his work very much. Being owner of big retail businesses and entertainment outlets including “Prague Restaurant” and a well connected entrepreneur, he invited Apraham to take part in multilingual performances in Russia taking the Russian name Avraam Russo. Russian career|Avraam’s first trip to Moscow in 1995 landed him fame in a relatively short time. With the help of a girlfriend, he quickly learned the Russian language and prepared a repertoire in many languages, exactly the way he used to do in Syria and Cyprus with Middle Eastern and European influences. His command of European languages was also impressive. There was always a kind of mystery about his origin and he was subject of many speculations as to his origins. But despite pressure from his Armenian and Syrian compatriots, he himself did not explicitly refer to his ethnic background, due to an informal agreement he made with his management team even before receiving wide recognition. In 2006, Russo at the height of his success in Russia, suffered an assassination attempt. After a performance in a Moscow casino, and upon his return with his bodyguard to his residence, an anonymous gunman opened fire with an automatic rifle seriously injuring Russo. Heavily bleeding, he was brought to hospital by his bodyguard, where he underwent multiple operations His recovery was very slow, but he survived his death-threatening injuries. Fearing further reprisals, he left Russia and now resides in New York City with his family.The attacker was never caught. American career|After his miraculous recovery and ability to walk again after his serious injuries and after a hiatus of 4 years in New York, Avraam Russo released his fifth studio album entitled Resurrection in early 2010 conveying his faith in Christianity which he credits for his survival. Resurrection is also his first-ever all-English Christian spiritual record recorded in Nashville, Tennessee. He infuses great spiritual depth and passion into the work produced by Dove Award winner Joe Beck and by Jim Frazier, In December 2009 he released the first single “Peace” taken from the album. The song is about child soldiers and released in aid of the Invisible Children charity. In 2009 he officially opened his own restaurant “Heaven” in New York. In January 2010, Avraam Russo returned to Russia and gave a series of concerts in vaious Russian cities. He is currently preparing to release a new album in Russian languages. Abraham also recorded a duet in Amsterdam named “Лунная соната” (“Moonlight Sonata”) with Kazakh singer Diana Shik. Awards|In 2002 Avraam Russo won the Russian national top award for “Song of the Year” (“Pesnya Goda”) for his international hit “Daleko Daleko”(Far Away in Russian), a cover version of the 2000 Arabic language massive hit “Tamally Maak” performed by Egyptian pan-Arab well known singer Amr Diab. Discography|Albums 2001: Amor|2002: Tonight|2003: Prosto lyubit’ (in Russian Просто любить)|2003: Amor (on Private Moon Records)|2006: Obruchalnaya (in Russian Обручальная)|2010: Resurrection|Compilations and live 2006: Live (on Misterija Zvuka)|2006: The best of Avraam Rousso (on Misterija Zvuka)|DVDs 2002: 1001 éjszaka (meaning 1001 nights) - (DVD of concert in the Olympic Stadium in Moscow on 21 November 2002)|2006: Obruchalnaya (meaning Engagement) - (DVD of concert in Moscow Kremlin on 8 March 2006)|Singles (original Russian name in case in Russian) “Lyubov, kotoroy bolshe net” (in Russian «Любовь, которой больше нет» trans. “Love, that doesn’t Exist Anymore”)|“Prosto lyubit tebya” (in Russian «Просто любить тебя» trans. “Just to Love You”)|«Amor»|«Arabica»|«Baby»|«Bailando»|«Baila que Baila»|«Fire horse»|«La amo»|«Milliones de fuego»|«Quiereme»|«Searching for love»|«Si senor»|«Teardrop»|«Tonight»|“Bud so mnoj” (in Russian «Будь со мной» trans. “Be with Me”)|“Daleko-Daleko” (in Russian «Далеко-далеко» trans. “Far-Far”)|“Znayu” (in Russian «Знаю» trans. “I Know”)|“Kak Byt” (in Russian «Как быть» trans. “How to Be” or can be interpreted as “What to Do”)|“Kasablanka” (in Russian «Касабланка» trans. “Casablanca”)|“Latino” (in Russian «Латино» )|“Leto” (in Russian «Лето» trans. “Summer”)|“Lyubov i sudba” (in Russian «Любовь и судьба» trans. “Love and the Destiny”)|“Menya ne goni” (in Russian «Меня не гони» trans. “Don’t Send Me Off”)|“Ne dolyublyu” (in Russian «Не долюблю» trans. “Won’t Love You Enough”)|“Ne ukhodi” (in Russian «Не уходи» trans. “Don’t Leave”)|“Obruchalnaya” (in Russian «Обручальная» trans. “…of Engagement”)|“Ojidanie” (in Russian «Ожидание» trans. “Expectation”)|“Opa-Opa” (in Russian «Опа-опа» )|“Prazdnik” (in Russian «Праздник» trans. “Celebration”)|“Tam” (in Russian «Там» trans. “There”)|“Ty Odna” (in Russian «Ты одна» trans. “You are Alone”)|“Ya ne Lyublyu Vas” (in Russian «Я не люблю вас» trans. “I Don’t Love You”)|“Peace”| |
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