Yulia

Born in Volgograd, Russia Yulia immigrated to New Zealand with her mother in 2002. During 2003 Yulia attends Cashmere High School and completes education.

During 2003 Yulia is discovered on a regional television show in Christchurch. Show producers send a tape to Gray Bartlett. Gray Bartlett (who also discovered Hayley Westenra) immediately signs Yulia to a management deal. Yulia’s first live performances in 2004 both received standing ovations and occurred with Ivan Rebroff in Christchurch and then in Japan with Russell Watson and the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra.

2004 SONY MUSIC signs Yulia to a six album deal. The first album “Into the West” is released and achieves platinum status in the first week of sales, achieves an official four times platinum sales, 2 radio hits and four weeks at No.1 on the NZ album charts. The album is toured throughout New Zealand but is not exploited outside NZ (with the exception of a very limited promotion in Japan). Yulia performs with Michael Barrymore, Tim Beveridge and Shaun Dixon.
In 2005 Yulia wins two NZ Music Awards for “Best Female Solo Vocalist” and “Highest Selling Album of the Year” in the company of Finn Brothers and Brooke Fraser.

In 2006 SONY BMG releases Yulia’s second album “Montage” which achieves two times platinum sales and Yulia becomes the first female vocalist in NZ history to have two back to back number one hit albums. Montage also achieves 1 Radio Hit Single and becomes No.1 on the NZ album charts.

Also in 2006 SONY MUSIC merges with BMG to become SONY BMG. Michael Glading head of SONY of 25 years is made redundant which affected the direction of Yulia’s career. Yulia performs with Englebert Humperdinck & Dame Malvina Major.

Between 2006 and 2008 Yulia attends university to study linguistics. Yulia performs with Geoff Sewell, Amici Forever, TV and Radio.

In late 2007 Yulia contracts Oikos Music to redevelop her brand and her career. Oikos uses 2008 to further develop Yulia’s voice, live performance and settle on the brand  / format of female solo vocal in the pop classical crossover genre.

January 2009 marketing begins to introduce Yulia to the music industry outside NZ with a view to securing interest from a new record label.

Yulia begins a total immersion opera training program in Russian and Italian methods of voice development.

In 2009 Yulia tours NZ and receives critical acclaim for her new voice of power in several front page reviews.
 

This is just one of many interviews with Yulia and Glyn, I will upload more soon