Sofia Rotaru, , is a former Soviet and Ukrainian pop singer. Sofia Rotaru, who comes from the Romanian minority in Ukraine, was born to a family of brigadiers and wine-growers. She was the second child in a family of six children. As a child, Sofia participated in regional competitions. She started singing from the first grade in the school choir, as well as in the church choir. However the latter was not acceptable to the school officials. She was attracted by the theatre. She practiced in drama classes and sang popular folk songs in vocal classes. In the evenings, she used to take the only bayan at school and hide in the barn trying to find the proper melodies for her most loved Moldavian songs. Rotaru said: It is difficult to say, when and how did the music appear in my life. It seems that it has always lived in me. I grew up among music, it was playing everywhere: at a wedding table, at klatches, at girls' winter evening gatherings, on the dance floor..." Rotaru, in the Romanian and Ukrainian-speaking world after her manager and future husband Anatoliy Yevdokymenko made her change her music style from folk to pop music. In 1972, she released the multilingual album Sofia Rotaru, re-released three times and covered by numerous singers, establishing herself as a viable pop artist in the countries of the former Soviet Union. She first gained international recognition after participating in 1968 in the International Youth Song Festival in Bulgaria and winning first prize at the Golden Orpheus in 1973 and second prize in the category of Polish songs at the Sopot International Song Festival in 1974. She has been performing for more than 40 years. She reported the highest income of all celebrities in Ukraine in 2008 and 2010.[Her repertoire consists of more than 40 albums and 400 songs recorded in many languages. She has received awards, deemed a Meritorious Artist of the Ukrainian SSR, People's Artist of Ukraine, People's Artist of Moldavian SSR, Laureate of the Young Communist League Prize, Hero of Moldova, and Cavalier of the Republican Order of Moldova. In August 2002 she got awards for her 55th birthday, bestowing upon her the high rank of the Hero of Ukraine for her "outstanding personal merits in the sphere of art", and the Russian order "For merits before the Nation", respectively .In 2007, she celebrated her 60th birthday. Hundreds of fans, as well as artists and politicians, came to Yalta to congratulate the singer. In October 2007, more birthday concerts took place in Moscow, at the State Grand Kremlin Palace, featuring Russian singers performing her songs. She does not support any particular political ideology. Nevertheless, her multicultural identity has both helped and harmed her. simultaneously lauded her as the top singer of the USSR. The German press wrote about her as "The Conductor of the USSR". Ariola proposed releasing a larger studio album with these and other songs in French and English, and launching a concert tour in Western Europe. The directive came from the Soviet government to sing only Soviet songs. The USSR prohibited her from leaving the USSR between 1983 and 1988. This interdiction was put in effect after the 1983 tour in Canada and the release of her Canadian Tour 1983 album. Rotaru is a Meritorious Citizen of Crimea and Yalta. She has received numerous awards, including Meritorious Artist of the Ukrainian SSR, People's Artist of Ukraine, People's Artist of Moldavian SSR, People's Artist of USSR, Laureate of the YCL Prize, Hero of Moldova, and Cavalier of the Republican Order of Moldova. In August 2002, President of Ukraine and President of Russia honored her on her 55th birthday, bestowing upon her the high rank of Hero of Ukraine and the Russian order,

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