Yanka Dyagileva (Янка Дягилева), also known simply as Yanka, originally Яна and musically associated with Янка и Великие Октябри (“Yanka and the Great Octobers”), was born (in Novosibirsk) in 1966 and died (in 1991) at the age of 24. Allegedly by her own hand, though the official version states утопление в результате несчастного случая – drowning as a result of an accident.
She was never able to record anything with professional sound quality, but somehow, her music doesn’t seem to suffer for it – in fact, it almost seems like it was made for this rawness. It was difficult to choose just three tracks, so here are five.
На чёрный день (For a Rainy Day)
For a rainy day. There is also a version with Russian text and Spanish translation, a live version from an unknown year, a photo clip, a cover by a purple-yellow (or is it green) Sita G (2018), and more for those who seek.
Song lyrics (with English translation)
Печаль моя светла (My Sorrow Is Bright)
Massive Attack once did something with this too (2013, 1.5 mins). The version by Утюг TV is more fun, except for the first 8 seconds (2017, 1.5 min).
Столетний дождь (Century-Long Rain)
Two versions here: one cinematic work and a photo clip.
Song lyrics (with English translation)
Нюркина песня (Nyurka’s Song)
More Yanka Dyagileva
Check out more with На дороге пятак, От большого ума, Особый резон. Another gem is Всё как у людей (1989), featuring Yegor Letov (1964-2008); see more about him on Wikipedia (also about Grazhdanskaya Oborona / Гражданская Оборона) and The Calvert Journal (2014).
Biographies (RU) with music can be found in Деклассированным элементам (2008), which is also the title of an album from 1988. Also check out this moody clip and its version.
For more portraits and biographies, visit yanka.lenin.ru and reproduktor.net; Wikipedia RU or EN; Artist Biography on AllMusic.
Most of the music here is also available in an R1 playlist on YouTube (in order of release).
See also Best Russian Music and Russian Song Lyrics – continued in Russian Songs with Lyrics | Learn Russian Through Music.
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