In 2005, even the most distant Belarusian from culture recognized her voice by just three letters: “Oh-ah-oh.” Ksenia Sitnik in the Belgian city of Hasselt loudly declared herself to the whole of Europe. Eurovision viewers heard our Ksyusha and were so fascinated by her that they gave the first place. So the 10-year-old singer from Mozyr opened the account of Belarusian victories at Eurovision.
Fame came to Ksyusha when she was only 10 years old. PHOTO: Archive "KP"
Sitnik has been preparing for her finest hour since childhood. At the age of 6, with a radiant smile, she began to study at the exemplary pop singing studio "YUME" S of the city Palace of Culture under the guidance of her mother - Svetlana Statsenko. Bright appearance was already one of the trump cards of the Mozyr woman. In 2000, she even won the children's beauty contest " Miss Verasok.
2005 passed for Sitnik under the motto "We are together!" and brought a bunch of big wins. In July, she became the best in the children's competition at the "Slavianski Bazaar" in Vitebsk", and already in November - at Eurovision. Moreover, the little star managed to establish herself as an exemplary student, becoming the best in the city Russian language Olympiad!
In 2005, Sitnik became the first at the "Slavianski Bazaar" in Vitebsk. PHOTO: Archive "KP"
And four months later she won the Junior Eurovision Song Contest. PHOTO: www.21.by
A year after the victory, Ksyusha presented to the public her debut album, We Are Together. The disc was released for the family's own money with a circulation of two thousand. Recording companies refused to invest in this project, arguing that "no one needs children's songs and children's CDs."
In 2006 Ksenia released her first album "We are together". PHOTO: banana.by
Sitnik spent the next few years traveling, studying, and experimenting. She visited her sister in New York, went to study at Oxford, practiced her English on vacation in Spain, tried to write novels and detective stories, cut her hair short.
The star of the Junior Eurovision visited New York. PHOTO: kseniya.by
The Eurovision star grew and changed before the eyes of the viewers. Until May 2009, Sitnik was the host of the Our Pyaterochka program on the LAD TV channel.
In 2010, Ksyusha presented her second solo album, The Republic of Ksenia, to the public. Then it became clear that there was no trace left of the perky girl with magnificent ponytails. 15-year-old Sitnik looked like a real lady and was already talking about her personal life: “I have had a lot of changes both in concert activity and in my personal life. My new album is very dear to me and every song has something special." At the party, the girl was accompanied by a blue-eyed blond all evening.
In the same year, Sitnik again appeared on the stage of Eurovision, however, only as a guest star. Ksyusha dreamed of running a children's competition with Denis Kuryan and invited the organizers to consider her candidacy. Then Leyla Ismailova was chosen as a partner to the famous TV presenter.
"Eurovision - 2010" in Minsk. PHOTO: kseniya.by
The older the artist becomes, the bolder her photographs become. Svetlana Statsenko noted that her daughter matured earlier than her peers and at 16 she thinks beyond her years.
On the page on the social network, the matured Ksyusha is not cautious, calmly publishes photos from parties, with friends, but selfies have absolute primacy. Nevertheless, Sitnik never marked as a fashion model. From the age of 15, she dreamed of getting an education related to economics.
The girl loves to pamper her subscribers with "delicious" photo shoots. PHOTO: vk.com
If you want to feel how quickly time flies, here is a fascinating fact for you to keep in mind: Ksyusha Sitnik won the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 12 years ago. Then the girl with an incredibly charming smile and a sonorous voice was only ten, and in less than a week she will turn 22. On the eve of the adult Eurovision, student Ksenia Sitnik spoke about her thesis, Instagram account, first love and "adult" childhood.
In 2005, Belarus heard a fervent song about great power - so positive that not everyone immediately believed it. A sweet girl from Mozyr instantly became one of the most media personalities in the country. On this, it seems, childhood ended - and hard work and study began.
Now Ksenia is studying in Prague, but she tries to come home more often. True, due to preparation for state exams and writing a thesis on media coverage of various international conflicts, this does not work out as regularly as we would like. Graduation course, student sleepless nights - all that.
Now I am in the process of writing my thesis - I consider in it how the media cover various international conflicts. There are many examples - a very long time to tell. I visit Minsk from time to time - I recently left there: I stayed in Belarus for several days. I try to come more often, but now it's a hot time: a diploma, state exams.
You know, the educational process in the Czech Republic is not much different from what is happening in Belarus. If you want to study well, in any case, you will have to devote a lot of time to this. The only thing is that there is a slight difference in the system, because here we ourselves choose the subjects from the list that we want to study. In one semester, for example, I can take a certain number of subjects, and in the next - more or less. We also have longer holidays: winter ones last about a month, summer ones - about three. But to compensate for the long holidays, we have a session four times a year. I believe that it would be hell not only for Belarusian students.
In Belarus, it usually happens that there is always a lot to do: some kind of shooting, sometimes there are performances. Personally, I meet friends and spend time with my parents.
“Did I have a childhood? Adulthood came very early"
It is impossible to know for sure how my musical career might have turned out. I can’t say that I think about it very often, and I don’t rule out that it will resume at all. That's why I never said to myself “No, now I will not sing, but I will do other things.” This is my whole life - a very long, long, difficult, but pleasant period. It just all happened by itself: I saw more prospects in getting a non-musical education. And what will happen next, I still can not predict.
Did I have a childhood? You know, it all really started very early - adulthood came. This is a difficult question that I discuss quite often, but I can not answer it unambiguously. I had friends, I went to school - just like all other children. In general, there was enough time for hobbies not related to musical activity.
But there was another side to the issue. Often no one paid attention to the fact that I was a child: I was required to act and act as an adult. There were shootings in the cold, which lasted for many hours, we worked day and night.
But after a few hours I got up and went to school, like all ordinary children. Then I did my homework, and everything continued in the same spirit. It helped me understand that nothing comes without effort. You can't create something good if you don't put in the effort.
During that period, I learned to control myself and not show any whims and whims. Although, of course, I wanted to! It seems to me that every person in life has such moments when it is tempting to say: that's it, that's enough - I can't do this anymore, I want it differently. But there is responsibility to other people, certain duties and obligations.
I am extremely grateful to my parents. Especially to my mother, because she is an amazing person. She was able to give and explain a lot to me thanks to constant contact and conversations. I had a period when I just won Eurovision. At first it was a very joyful time - congratulations, admiration. But then I started reading negative comments about myself on the Internet - there were a lot of these. I heard some strange stories about myself, which were not in reality. At 11, all these things were very painful.
I was upset, cried and asked: “These people don’t know me at all, why do they treat me like that?” I did it all thanks to my mom. She explained that it is impossible to be nice to everyone and you need to be calm about such things: there are always people who will think badly about you, even if you don’t know each other.
I had a good relationship with my peers at school. Of course, I think there were some discussions - some people liked me, and some didn't. I remember how I came to the 8th gymnasium in Minsk, they received me well - we became very good friends with the guys. But then they remembered that period, and they said that they were very worried. They said: “I wonder what she is like? Probably so arrogant!” And then everything worked out for us, and the guys told me these things. In general, there was no barrier between us, because in principle I am sociable and can establish relations with any person. With peers, we had common interests, ideas, school life. And the people with whom I worked were adults, wise and taught me a lot.
I had very warm relations with Alexander Tikhanovich and Yadviga Poplavskaya - they supported me and always congratulated me on my birthday. These were important people in my life. Good working relations developed with colleagues with whom I broadcast: with Yura Vashchuk, for example. It is very difficult to list everyone. Most of the creative people in Belarus are interesting and extraordinary - they have a lot to learn. Often I met the opinion that in Belarus there is no show business and not enough interesting artists. I think this is completely wrong: you can't generalize like that. Something is worse, something is better, but for example, I really like the work of Anna Sharkunova, Uzari and a huge number of other talented people. Of course, there are less talented ones as well. Although, this is probably the wrong expression - they just work for a different audience. Each performer has his listener. If creativity exists and the process takes place, then someone needs it.
“In the Czech Republic, a girl herself can easily invite a guy on a date”
I will not dissemble that I did not notice my transitional age. Of course, there were a lot of experiences and creative lamentations. I thought that I would do it further, because it is quite difficult to get out of the childish image. Many people still meet me and cannot believe that 11 years have passed since Eurovision and I will soon be 22 years old. For them, it's a pattern break. I did not disappear during this period - at the age of 15 I released my second solo album, I was looking for myself and tried to come up with something, but the process was difficult. Then there were many experiences, the first love and so on.
I think that the transitional age is quite rebellious. Often you reject some values that your parents offer you. I wanted something new: if you sing songs, then others, if you declare yourself, then in a different way - not like everyone else.
Plus first love: will he call, write? If you don't call, then it's the end! All feelings and experiences are greatly exaggerated, because they are new and greatly aggravated by this. During this period, I wrote many poems, started my blog on the Internet and wrote prose there - I talked about the frailty of life. These were my experiences, thanks to which I realized that I was interested not only in music, but also in writing.
First love? He was, of course, older than me. It seemed to me that he was so beautiful and inaccessible. He was very smart, interesting - then it seemed to me that this was the love of my life. Well, of course, it all ended in nothing, as happens with first love. This was not a relationship that occurs between two people, but a figment of the imagination. And at this age, people experience emotions that have little to do with reality.
Now I can compare how the Czech guys and Belarusian guys court. The Czechs, in principle, look after the same principle. The only thing is that in Europe women are more emancipated and independent - this predetermines the format of courtship. It is customary for us that a guy should take the first step: he invites a girl to a cafe, to the cinema, he calls her first and writes messages, gives flowers. It seems to me that there is practically no such thing in the Czech Republic - this is not an immutable rule in European society. If a girl likes a guy, she can freely invite him on a date, call or write - be the initiator of the relationship.
I didn't do it myself. No, I don't think it's somehow wrong. You just need to do what you think is necessary in a particular case. I met young people because they called me, wrote to me or found themselves in a common company. But I don’t think it’s shameful to take the initiative if you like someone. Maybe Belarusian girls are just afraid of being rejected? I am not a psychologist to discuss this topic.
“I really grew up!”
I started Instagram a few years ago, when this social network was just starting to gain popularity. A very interesting topic, since even my good friend and classmate is writing a thesis about this - the impact of social networks on beauty standards. Of course, now it plays a very important role in life: thanks to such services, we exchange information, learn something new. Good or bad, it's hard for me to judge. Of course, thanks to social networks, we have become more mobile, and I can find on Instagram the guys with whom I went to kindergarten - it's amazing! So I could only find them through the program "Wait for me."
On the other hand, you need to have time to live a real life - a flower sent on VKontakte will never replace a real one. And the image that we create in social networks is very often not true.
Each person tries to show the best side of himself: he is always satisfied and happy, lives a busy life full of adventures. In fact, he may be depressed. You need to try to spend as much time as possible in reality.
My Instagram look? Well I do not know! For example, everyone tells me that in the photographs I am very tall, but in fact I am not tall. I don't consider myself a super active user. Despite the fact that I have accounts in many social networks, I do not post a photo of my every step. Most of my life, especially my personal life, remains outside of social networks. And comments like “Wow, how Ksyusha has grown up!” don't bother me. I've really grown up!
Am I still associated with that girl who once won Eurovision? Great! I do not wanna grow up! Adult life is very difficult, and I myself often get upset that time flies so inexorably. I'm 22 soon, but how I want to still be 21. I want to stay longer in a carefree period. Although, of course, student life can hardly be called carefree, it is very different from what lies ahead.
“When I won Eurovision, I was 10 years old,” recalls Ksenia Sitnik. Now the girl is 22 years old, she graduated from a private university in Prague and works as a fashion journalist. GO.TUT.BY talked to Ksenia and found out what she thinks about accusations of anorexia, fried potatoes and healthy lifestyle of Europeans.
About fried potatoes and vegetarianism
My morning starts with oatmeal. During the day I snack on fruits (apples or bananas), oatmeal cookies, protein donuts, although I can also eat a sandwich on the run. For lunch I choose salmon or tuna with a salad or rice side dish, for dinner I often eat seafood - shrimp or mussels.
I don't eat any cakes or sweets. I do not like the taste of sweets, but I really like spicy. Since childhood, she tried not to overeat, avoid fast food, but she never adhered to strict diets.
The most harmful dish on my table is fried potatoes. I know it's better to steam food, but once a month I allow myself my favorite fried potatoes. I often have lunch somewhere in the city. I can’t call myself a fan of cooking - I cook at a level below average.
I eat little meat - mostly lamb, and even became a vegetarian for a year and a half. The body had no need for either meat or fish. But over time, she returned to her usual diet. With a busy schedule, it was difficult to prepare specific vegetarian meals for myself.
In my opinion, eating right is pretty cheap. A bowl of rice costs less than a large pizza or a few cocktails at dinner. To stay in shape, it is enough to follow simple rules: eat healthy food, often and a little bit, and drink at least two and a half liters of water a day.
About hatha yoga and angry commentators on Instagram
My good physical shape is 80 percent due to good genetics. Until the age of 19, I didn’t pay much attention to sports, limited myself to elementary physical education and morning exercises.
My weight hasn't changed since I was 15. With a height of 162 centimeters, I weigh 40 kilograms. Fortunately, at a transitional age, she did not encounter a sharp weight gain due to hormonal changes. I often hear remarks in my address in the spirit: “So skinny! Do you eat at all? Sometimes I read rude comments on Instagram about this. They write that I have almost anorexia. But health is great. I want people to stop worrying about this. I'm not afraid to gain or lose some weight. Small fluctuations are normal, but a fanatical attitude towards one's appearance is always bad.
I do hatha yoga four times a week. It develops both spiritually and physically. During meditation, I get rid of negative thoughts. Hatha yoga does not have a specific set of asanas. The instructor decides how to build the lesson and what variations to show the group.
Publication from art, journalism, fashion🍃 (@kseniya_sitnik) Sep 5 2017 at 3:21 PDT
It is difficult for me to force myself to engage in physical activity that does not carry a specific meaning. I go to the gym once or twice a week, but I get tired pretty quickly. This is not my favorite way to keep fit. Although a balanced workout with an experienced trainer can certainly give you a burst of energy and adrenaline.
I, like any normal person, have moments of weakness and apathy. Sometimes I lie at home and I'm too lazy to go to the gym: it's cold outside, but it's also hard in the gym. At such moments, I remember my environment, which motivates me a lot. All my friends go in for sports: some play basketball, others play tennis, others go to yoga.
A person should be at the weight in which he is comfortable. No classes in the gym and trips to the best cosmetologists will not give an effect and will not bring joy if a woman does not love herself. We must accept our body and improve what is given by nature. And also find a sport to your liking. It happens that a person, having tried one type of exercise, suddenly decides that sport is not for him. But there are many alternatives: tennis, basketball, oriental practices.
About healthy lifestyle of Czechs and Belarusians
In the Czech Republic, where I studied, people closely monitor their health. They give up cars and switch to bicycles. During the four years of my student life, I did not meet a single person in Prague who would not go in for some kind of sport. I am glad that in recent years the healthy lifestyle movement has been developing in Belarus.
Publication from art, journalism, fashion🍃 (@kseniya_sitnik) Aug 20 2015 at 9:41 PDT
Belarusians' healthy lifestyle is hindered by love for Fridays. We have a cult of the weekend. On the eve of the weekend Minsk bars are always packed. It seems to people that it is necessary to celebrate the end of a busy week. Perhaps this energy is better directed not to the idle consumption of alcohol, but to other types of activities? I'm not saying that parties are evil, but it's better not to make them a weekly tradition.
First of all, Czechs take care of their health, and then they think about beauty. They go to the gym to stay in good shape, and not just to admire their reflection in the mirror. The aesthetic moment is definitely not in the foreground. Belarusians take much more care of their appearance, even if they have less financial resources for this. Our women are definitely some of the most beautiful in the world. In the Czech Republic, girls are not so well-groomed: for example, they can safely neglect manicures and pedicures.
Our men are more greedy for an attractive appearance than Europeans. Belarusians are spoiled by so many beauties around. In Europe, every beautiful woman is delighted and receives a lot of compliments. In our country, every second, if not every first girl, is very attractive.
Publication from art, journalism, fashion🍃 (@kseniya_sitnik) Sep 28 2016 at 6:53 PDT
I can easily come to work without makeup. Choosing between an extra hour of sleep and a flawless appearance, I still choose sleep. At 22, a girl can look good even without much effort.
On sleeping 10 hours and working in fashion journalism
I try to sleep 9-10 hours a day. I really appreciate the dream and do not regret the time for it. Although this was not always the case. In the first years of her student life, she could read books until late, did not want to go to bed before midnight, and got up very early. At the same time, I felt fine, even after four hours of sleep. Now I can not afford this and go to bed until 23.00. I understand that no care procedures or miraculous cosmetics will restore the body better than sleep.
Now I am a freelance journalist in the fashion industry. The working day does not fit into the schedule “from 8.00 to 17.00”, so I try to fit more different things into it and comprehend time management. Modern society requires a lot of knowledge and skills from us. It is important to continuously develop and value time. It seems to me that in the hours that we spend on social networks, you can learn another foreign language or some musical instrument.
I graduated from the Anglo-American University in Prague, but I do not plan to stop at one higher education. Now almost every person has a diploma of "tower" and at least speaks English. This no longer surprises others.
My hobby is literature. I love fiction and popular science books, I am fond of psychology. In the morning, the brain absorbs information much better, so I try to read or study foreign languages before work.
So far, I am running between Belarus and the Czech Republic. There are interesting job offers in Prague. In the future, I would like to organize everything in such a way as to live in at least two, or even three countries. At the same time, I love Belarus very much, and it’s hard for me to be away from my family for a long time, even though I’m a fairly independent person.
When I won Eurovision, I was 10 years old. Then I thought that at the age of 22 I would already have my own family, an established career. As a child, it seems that if you are over 20, then you are already very adult. But time flies incredibly fast, and I still don't feel my age.
Nature endowed Ksenia Sitnik with a unique voice and acting talent. A little girl from the Belarusian hinterland managed to conquer the whole world. As she matured, she discovered other possibilities in herself and set priorities for herself.
Childhood and youth
The Belarusian singer was born on May 15, 1995 in the small regional center of Mozyr. In 2000, when Ksyusha was a 5-year-old baby, she managed to win the Miss Verasok contest.
There, for the first time, her musical talent manifested itself, and the girl was sent to classes in a pop vocal studio. Her mother Svetlana Statsenko was the artistic director of this YUMES studio. Father Mikhail Sitnik is a teacher by profession, but in life he was an entrepreneur. The performer studied at the Minsk gymnasium and graduated with honors in 2013. She also received her musical education in the capital of Belarus in 2010.
The girl was versatile, in addition to numerous victories in music, she took first place in the humanitarian school Olympiads. In the summer of 2005, Ksyusha won the children's competition at the Slavianski Bazaar in Vitebsk.
Music
Fame came in childhood, after winning the main musical competition in the world - the Junior Eurovision Song Contest in 2005. The young performer represented her native Belarus.
The provocative song “We are together”, the charm of a small star and a sonorous, like a bell, voice left no chance for rivals. A year later, the first album of the same name was released. At the same time, the audience saw the clip "Little Ship", and then the video was filmed on the compositions "Non-stop", "Simple Song".
Everything was done at the expense of the family budget, the recording studios refused to work under the pretext "no one needs children's songs." When the singer celebrated her 15th birthday, the disc "Republic of Xenia" was released. Mother Svetlana also helped in its creation, who explained that the name was not chosen by chance, the songs from the album reveal the inner world of her daughter.
A television
Sitnik worked as a TV presenter of the Our Pyaterochka program. In 2009, the producers of the program terminated the contract with her because Ksenia had matured.
The girl also offered her candidacy as a host to the organizers of Eurovision, but then Leyla Ismailova was taken as a partner to Denis Kuryan.
On the eve of 2006, the audience again saw the 11-year-old actress on the screens, she played a major role in the New Year's television production of Starry Night - 2006. In January of this year, the film-biography "A Christmas Tale for Ksenia Sitnik" was released.
Personal life
As far as the media knows, Xenia's heart is now free. The girl herself does not directly answer questions about her personal life, but once shared with reporters a story about her first love at the age of 15.
This man - a top manager of the company "ImobilenInvest" - is known as the father of the winner of the Junior Eurovision 2005, Ksenia Sitnik.
According to the State Control Committee, officials of the company several times sold the same non-residential premises under construction in FOK to different persons. For the re-sale of the FOK premises, ImobilenInvest LLC received $450,000 in equivalent, TUT.BY reports.
Another surprise. On the eve of the arrest of businessman Sitnik, the composition of the new public council under the Ministry of Internal Affairs became known. Member of the Council, artistic director of the National Center for Musical Art named after V. Mulyavin.
Svetlana Statsenko, photo Vyacheslav Sharapov, @Sputnik
Interestingly, after Ksyusha's victory at Eurovision, her mother Svetlana Statsenko, in an interview with Komsomolskaya Pravda in Belarus, talked about how it would be difficult to break into show business without her husband's husband's money.
Ksenia's mother admitted that the children record the soundtracks for the "Slavianski Bazaar" for the money of their parents.
If my husband had no money, say where would we be? - - said Statsenko. - How to move without money, to break the ice? I hear super talented children from the provinces, but they will never achieve anything, because a professional soundtrack and a good costume cost at least a thousand dollars.
Ksenia Sitnik's father is a teacher by profession, but he never worked at school, Svetlana Statsenko said, he has his own business.
It fits like this: I do not have a bunch of children, but only two, and I am able to provide them with what they need. Need a phonogram - how much do you need? He takes it out of his pocket and gives it.
Ksenia Sitnik with her father. Photo from Mikhail Sitnik's Facebook page
After 12 years, nothing is heard about the vocal successes of Ksenia Sitnik. After graduating from school, Ksenia left Belarus a few years ago to study journalism at the Anglo-American University in Prague.
Ksenia Sitnik, Facebook photo by Yulia Latushkina
In an interview with Onliner.by two years ago, the Junior Eurovision star said that it was important for her to be away from home - outside her comfort zone, and shared her plans to enroll in a master's program.
Here it is, the Belarusian reality. The father of the Junior Eurovision star has been detained, the mother is in the council of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and the daughter is outside the country.
