Russian Breeze @ OrigaSama.com

Origa was born in Novosibirsk Russiaon 12th of October, 1970. When she was five years old, Origa`s talent for singing was recognized and she entered a music school in Novosibirsk. After graduation from music school she met Professor Kaneko of Sapporo University, who had been visiting Russia to find a good female vocalist to invite to Japana nd he decided to invite Origa to Sapporo.

With this invitation, Origa performed concerts during the winter of 1992 in Sapporo. After one such concert she was approached by a concert promoter who was so impressed with her performance that he introduced her to the president of ROAD&SKY co., ltd. Mr. Takahashi gave little hesitation in supporting her and Origa was then introduced to Toshiba EMI which offered her a major recording contract.

ORIGA made her debut with the album “Origa”(TOCP-8287 on 25th May 1994, and many great artists, including Yukihiro Takahashi and Shizuru Otaka, have shown interests in her, offering opportunities for her to sing on their own albums.

Her 4th album “Eien” has been remembered as the first Russian pops album recorded, and even climbed to #64 on the Japanese national hit chart “ORICON” in 1998.
She has also shown her great performance at her concerts and many others kinds of events.
Her crystal clear voice can be heard on TV, CM, or some sound track of film, videos.

  (The original article was in Russian, you can view it here)

Through randomness of life, a girl from countryside near Novosibirsk, would find herself in Japan doing what she loves and also raising a family.

Olga has never thought about sleep one night in Japan, much less stay there and make a carrier. She lived in the city Kochenevo, somewhere around 60Kms to Novosibirsk. She went to a Musical school , and readied herself to join in the workforce. 

" I only learned about Japan through school books, and they from around the post World War 2 era. Once I read about a girl who wrote a thousand entries in her diary before she died in the hospital. Long after her death people from around the world still sending her letters. I was moved to tears, and decided to write a song and send it

to the Japanese magazine"

Olga used to be a vocalist back in the day when she was still in Russia. She tried to sing at every possible moment, make friends with people who have the same idea as her. She even wrote some songs and made them into video clips and sent them to telecompanies. Once  a Saporo university teacher came to the town, asked for a Singer to perform in a public concert. Her cassets happened to be there , and after some months, Olga stepped into Japan.

"I stayed over the professor's house along with his wife. They were very lovable people. I have already prepared my bags after the performance, but Japan did not let me go."

A friend of the professor invited her to sing at several festival in the local musical school. The Russian singer created much fuss in the local papers, and then the city's magazines, and even National journals have begun to notice her.

After one of the concert where Olga sang both a Russian and Japanese song, a producer came to her and ask her if she wanted to work with him and create something like a mini album.

" I was so close to passing out when I heard the invitational. I felt like Cinderella at that moment. The Visa allowed me to stay in Japan for several more months, and I stayed at the professors house all that time. His wife pretty much became my manager, which she was really glad to do. "

When she finished her album, many more producers have noticed her and really wanted to work with her. Nobody remembered that her Visa has ended. So they said, " return to Kochenevo for now, write songs. We will be finding way to get you here in at most half a year."

Olga returned to her native village and began to wait. Fellow countrymen and women didnt believe her stories about her adventures in Japan.

 It has been a year and six months with no word from the Japanese producer.s In that time, Olga became the town's inside joke. She felt so embarrassed and let down that she started the treat the whole thing like it was a wonderful dream.

Now, trying to forget about the whole ordeal, Olga began working in a restaurant. But it was still a hobbie of her's to write songs. And just like that, two years had passed. But something unexpected happened, she received a call from Tokyo. And all the matters were settled. She was going to return to Japan.

"And here I am, fortunately, again in Japan. We finished the album, and in 1993 I was issued a major recording contract.  And with the recording contract came my pen name, "Origa" (the "I' is silent). My first album didnt make a good sell at all. However, a company called "Toshiba" particularly liked one song on the album, and they used it in an advertisement. I'm lucky to be alive after seeing the check they gave me."

Olga's style can be described as electronics with elements of folk, and some Jazz and rock elements. Interesting music combined with a beautiful pure voice quickly won admirers.  But the real fame came after she recorded songs for various Japanese animations. Olga's gleaming career in the Japanese show business left no time for personal life. But love found its way to Olga.

Once, at a party she presented a programmer from Iran.

"This man turned my whole world upside-down. We dated and soon married. Sometimes I think I was destined to come to Japan just to meet my husband.  Both of use destined to come to Japan, I the Russian singer, and Zhian Saedi the Iranian producer! We have been together for 9 years. We also have a son, Alyosha (age 8), but, in school his name is for some reason Ilya. He knows almost three languages, but the main language is Japanese. For some reason, he didnt understand me when I spoke to him in Russian."

Currently, Olga has already released about a dozen albums (buying them in Russia is impossible), which differ in print runs of more than a hundred thousand copies.

She is demanded as a singer and guest composer.

"Despite the widespread popularity on the streets of Japan I am known by very little people. My artistic image is so different from how I look at life, I am happy that Japan has given me the opportunity to live, have a career, and raise a family. But I will never forget about my Motherland. I will return every year to visit.