Viktor Tsoi

In this name that follows Eastern Slavic naming customs, the patronymic is Robertovich and the family name is Tsoi.
Viktor Tsoi
Виктор Цой
Tsoi in 1986
Born
Viktor Robertovich Tsoi

(1962-06-21)21 June 1962
Leningrad, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union
Died15 August 1990(1990-08-15) (aged 28)
Zentene, Latvian SSR, Soviet Union
Cause of deathCar crash
Resting placeBogoslovskoye Cemetery, Saint Petersburg
Occupations
  • Singer
  • songwriter
  • composer
  • actor
Years active1978–1990
Spouse
Marianna Tsoi
​
(m. 1985)​
ChildrenAlexander Tsoi
Musical career
Genres
Instruments
  • Vocals
  • guitar
  • bass
  • piano[7]
Labels
Signature

Viktor Robertovich Tsoi (Russian: Виктор Робертович Цой, pronounced [ˈvʲiktər ˈrobʲɪrtəvʲɪtɕ ˈtsoj]; 21 June 1962 – 15 August 1990) was a Soviet singer-songwriter and actor who co-founded Kino, one of the most popular and musically influential bands in the history of Russian music.

Born and raised in Leningrad (now Saint Petersburg), Tsoi started writing songs as a teenager. Throughout his career, Tsoi contributed a plethora of musical and artistic works, including ten albums. After Kino appeared and performed in the 1987 Soviet film Assa, the band's popularity surged, triggering a period referred to as "Kinomania", and leading to Tsoi's leading role in the 1988 Kazakh new wave art film The Needle. In 1990, after their high-profile concert at the Luzhniki Stadium, Tsoi briefly relocated to Latvia with bandmate Yuri Kasparyan to work on the band's next album. Two months after the concert, Tsoi died in a car collision.[8][9]

He is regarded as one of the most important pioneers of rock music in Russia and is credited with popularizing the genre throughout the Soviet Union. He retains a devoted following throughout the former Soviet Union, where he is known as one of the most influential and popular people in the history of Russian music.

Viktor Tsoi became popular by combining his music and lyrics with philosophy.[10]

  1. ^ Sharapa, Grigory. "Виктор Цой: Биография". www.soyuz.ru (in Russian). Archived from the original on 24 June 2021. Retrieved 1 June 2022.
  2. ^ a b c d Bekhter, Leonid Trofimovich. "Статья Звезда по имени Виктор Цой". solncesvet.ru (in Russian). Archived from the original on 6 August 2022. Retrieved 1 June 2022.
  3. ^ "Виктор Цой о своем творчестве — НАШЕ Радио". www.nashe.ru (in Russian). Retrieved 2 October 2022.
  4. ^ a b "Новая волна русского рока: история в лицах". www.soulsound.ru (in Russian). Archived from the original on 17 May 2021. Retrieved 1 June 2022.
  5. ^ "P-PCC: Пост-панк кино клуб". www.abbreviationfinder.org (in Russian). Archived from the original on 6 August 2022. Retrieved 1 June 2022.
  6. ^ a b c Mikhailov, Ivan (8 February 2021). "Смысл песни Цоя «Звезда по имени Солнце»". potokmedia.ru (in Russian). Archived from the original on 6 August 2022. Retrieved 12 March 2022.
  7. ^ "В.Цой играет на пианино". YouTube (in Russian). Retrieved 28 September 2022.
  8. ^ "Cabaret Band Silver Wedding /Bellorussia/". Cabaret Band Silver Wedding /Bellorussia/ - Riga This Week. Retrieved 8 June 2019.
  9. ^ "Retour en URSS : gloire du Soviet Rock et de Viktor Tsoï". Dispatchbox.net. 14 July 2013. Retrieved 8 June 2019.
  10. ^ "Цой Виктор Робертович — биография композитора и исполнителя, личная жизнь, фото".