Zulya Kamalova
 |
Zulya Kamalova | |
|---|---|
 Kamalova in 1999 | |
| Background information | |
| Born | 8 August 1969 Sarapul, Udmurt ASSR, Russian SFSR, USSR |
| Died | 18 September 2024 (aged 55) |
| Genres | |
| Occupation | Singer |
| Years active | 1992–2024 |
| Labels | Unstable Ape |
| Formerly of | Children of the Underground |
| Website | zulya |
Zulya Nazipovna Kamalova (Russian: Зуля (Зульфия) Назиповна Камалова; Tatar: Зөлфия Нәсип кызы Камалова; 8 August 1969 – 18 September 2024) was a Russian-born Australian singer. She resided in Australia though toured Europe frequently.[1]
Life and career
[edit]
Zulfia (Zulya) Kamalova[2] was born in Sarapul but grew up in Tatarstan and began performing and writing music at age of 9.[3] She was of Volga Tatar background.[4][5] She left home at the age of 17 and eventually moved to the City of Perm to work in a factory and study English and French at the Perm Pedagogical Institute.[2] In 1990, she was selected to travel to California as part of a Perestroika-era whitewater-rafting youth exchange − where she met John Weir, an Australian adventure guide. They married, and moved to Australia in August 1991 (the exact time the USSR dissolved), settling in Hobart, Tasmania.[2] They separated less than 12 months later.
In 1992, Zulya met Martin Tucker, a Hobart musician, who became her collaborator and partner.[2]
While in Hobart, she studied at the Conservatorium, worked as a translator for CCAMLR (Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources), and started to play her own music and record albums (limited-run cassettes and a full-length album Journey of Voice) with the support of like-minded people, particularly Martin Tucker.[2]
In 2001 in Hobart, she met her the love of her life, Andrew Tanner, who became her companion, collaborator and father of their daughter Zifa. From 2002–2003, they moved to Moscow, allowing her to explore Russian and Tartar audiences and her connection with her homeland and family.[2]
They subsequently moved to Melbourne, Australia and formed the band The Children of the Underground. In 2004 she signed to Melbourne-based independent record label Unstable Ape Records.[6] Zulya and Andrew settled in Coburg in 2005, where their daughter, Zifa was born in 2006.[2] They remained in Melbourne apart from brief stints in Berlin and Kazan, Tartarstan in 2010 and 2014.[2]
Zulya was a recipient of many awards, including an ARIA Award in 2007 for Best World Music album for her second album with her Melbourne Band, the Children of the Underground, as well as being decorated with a prestigious title of an 'Honored Artist of the Republic of Tartarstan', presented to her in 2012 by Rustam Minnikhanoff, the president of Tartarstan.[2]
During many years of creating and producing music, Zulya's achievements included[2]:
- recording 10 albums,
- writing and performing a one-woman musical play,
- composing an opera with Opera Queensland, and
- other projects which earned her wide audience acclaim in Australia and Europe, particularly in Russia and her homeland Tartarstan.
In 2020, Zulya earned a Masters of Creative Industries in 2020. In 2022, took on the role of director of The Boite World Music Cafe.[2]
In February 2024, she was diagnosed with stage four cancer. Kamalova died on 18 September 2024, at the age of 55, of cancer[7], two days before her sister Alfia arrived from Russia to see her.[2]
Musical style
[edit]Kamalova is known for her interpretations of Tatar and Russian music, often playing with a backing band Children of the Underground.[3][8] Instrumentation typically includes accordion,[9] double bass, percussion, guitar,[10] brass and string arrangements and occasionally jaw harp.[11] She often combined Tatar with jazz or other folk music, which was novel for Tatar performers, and, at the same time, made the music easily accessible for international audience.[12]
Discography
[edit]Albums
[edit]| Title | Album details |
|---|---|
| Journey of Voice |
|
| Elusive |
|
| The Waltz of Emptiness (And Other Songs On Russian Themes) (with The Children of the Underground) |
|
| 3 Nights (with The Children of the Underground) |
|
| Tales of Subliming |
|
| 6 Days Loving |
|
Awards and nominations
[edit]Kamalova is an Honored Artist of the Republic of Tatarstan.[13]
ARIA Music Awards
[edit]The ARIA Music Awards is an annual awards ceremony that recognises excellence, innovation, and achievement across all genres of Australian music. They commenced in 1987.
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | Elusive | Best World Music Album | Nominated | [14] |
| 2007 | 3 Nights | Best World Music Album | Won | [14] |
Music Victoria Awards
[edit]The Music Victoria Awards are an annual awards night celebrating Victorian music. They commenced in 2006.[15]
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013[16][17] | Zulya and the Children of the Underground | Best Global or Reggae Act | Nominated |
References
[edit]- ^ "Zulya". WOMEX. Retrieved 13 February 2023.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Novikova, Natalia (2 October 2024). "Zulya Kamalova's Last Hurrah". Vimeo.
- ^ a b "Biography". Zulya.com. December 2007. Archived from the original on 21 May 2009. Retrieved 28 June 2009.
- ^ "Biography". Zulya. Retrieved 18 January 2023.
- ^ "Дискотека 90-х: первый татарский альбом Зули Камаловой — Реальное время". realnoevremya.ru (in Russian). Retrieved 18 January 2023.
- ^ "Zulya Kamalova". Answers.com. Retrieved 28 June 2009.
- ^ «Не теряла надежды на чудо»: от рака умерла певица Зуля Камалова (in Russian)
- ^ "Zulya and the Children of the Underground". ABC Radio National. 5 December 2015. Retrieved 18 January 2023.
- ^ "Improviser Performer Composer | Anthony Schulz Music | Australia". anthonyschulzmusic. Retrieved 14 February 2023.
- ^ "Lucas Michailidis". Lucas Michailidis. Retrieved 14 February 2023.
- ^ "Zulya : Biography". www.zulya.com. Retrieved 17 May 2020.
- ^ "Умерла певица Зуля Камалова". Meduza (in Russian). 20 September 2024.
- ^ "Татар музыкантлары яман шешкә каршы көрәшүче Зөлфия Камаловага акча җыю өчен хисап ачкан". Азатлык Радиосы (in Tatar). 9 August 2024.
- ^ a b ARIA Award previous winners. "ARIA Awards – Winners by Award – Best World Music Album". Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). Retrieved 12 November 2018.
- ^ "Music Victoria | 2016 Genre Awards". www.musicvictoria.com.au. Retrieved 21 August 2020.
- ^ "Previous Nominess". Music Victoria. Retrieved 13 August 2020.
- ^ "Previous Winners". Music Victoria. Retrieved 13 August 2020.
External links
[edit]- Official website
- Zulya Kamalova discography at Discogs
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