Born in Belorussia. After 5 years of living there she left for Ukraine. And now her residence is in Berdyansk, Azov Sea shore, Ukraine…
Since early years she liked to imitate sounds of instruments and make parodies of different artists. At 4 years old it was the first time she picked-up the guitar. She took it like she was left-handed and started to sing some strange stuff she called “songs”. Since that time she holds the guitar only as left-handed. But she was never good at guitar.
Larisa took piano lessons when she was 5 years old and entered the elementary school at 6. While she was studying at school there were hundred of new melodies born. During that time she performed at family parties. Her first public appearance took place in a local restaurant when she was 9. Everyone understood then that Larisa has this special natural ability to sing. Still rarely performing at restaurants and cafes Larisa found singing as a not so serious occupation.
At the age of 12 she took a great interest in hip-hop culture and was a one of a kind break-dancer-girl in her city. She dreamed to be professional dancer but problems with the spine did not allow that dream come true.
While leaving the dancing the lust for singing became more and more intense. Hundred of musical artists influenced Larisa when she was teeneager. She lived in Latvia, Belorussia and Ukraine, so a very rich mixture of cultures inspired her. She started to make experiments with sound and voice.
The serious vocal studies began when she was 13. The new chapter of her life had began! She started to perform at local and international festivals, castings, concerts and celebrations, collaborated with many musicians, took part in the European festival of young artists in Bulgaria, became a finalist in the well-known ucrainian festival “Chervona Ruta”. She also peformed in Latvia, and Ukrainian cities such as Kiev, Donetsk, Mariupol, Simferopol, Zaporizhja and many others.
At the age of 17 she entered the University and started to study on a manager of International affairs degree, but she soon realized she was not interested in economics… However she found a way to how to self-express even there: she started to perform at her University. During her student period she was associated with several bands and live projects.
One of her speial features is to sing in different languages and in different styles. She already has sang in Greek, French, Ukrainian, Russian, Latvian, English, Italian languages. Surely soon along with us she will try Spanish also. Larisa has no fauvorite style of music although she is influenced much by hip-hop, soul, rock´n roll, alternative rock, indie, and even trance artists. Now she is strongly developing ancient and rare ethnic music.
By 2007, she and Danny Heksolson met through internet when he was searching for singers to collab in Red Page, when Larisa added a melodic line to a demo of the song Caged Blue Girl sent by Danny, he knew he had found the proper girl to be the main singer of the band. He thiks Larisa has a very special vocal colour and the “impressive ability to sing in a very organic and so powerfull way, unique”
In 2009, Larisa took part in “Amberstar” festival in Latvia and Sweden, from where we have footage in our video section.
RED TECHNICAL FILE:
Larisa Shelest
Birth name: Larisa Shelest Olegovna
Born: August 24, 1988 Schuchin, Belorussia, USSR
Occupation: Singer, Musician, Songwriter, Poet, time-waster!
Education: Vocals, piano-forte (unfinished), manager of international affairs.
Voice type: Alt, mezzo-soprano
Live projects:
2009-present singer of the jazz orchestra “Quite a Band”
2007-present main singer of the “Red Page” band
2006 lead singer of the band “Aquatorija”
2008 lead singer of the band “Lora Croft”
Popularity: 14% [?]