Russian pop
superstar Avraam Russo was born for the first time in on July 21 of 1969. He
was given a second chance at life in 2006, after an assassination attempt in
Moscow that remains unsolved to this day.
Avraam Russo's story begins in Syria, where he was born to Jean, a WWII veteran of the French Foreign Legion, and his wife Marie, a nurse. Devoutly religious, the couple named their newborn son after the father of the faithful, Abraham, and it was Marie's passionate wish that her youngest son would one day enter the ministry. Jean passed away when Avraam was just seven, forcing Marie to take on three jobs to support the family.Within time together with her two sons, Avraam and Jean, she moved to Paris. Having found lots of hardships there, she returned to Lebanon so that Avraam could enter a monastery in the city of Bikfaya.
Avraam held a deep faith and loved his studies at the monastery, and as he grew up he also discovered an extraordinary ability to sing. Though still a young teen, Avraam's obvious talent and easy connection with his audience soon made him a favorite at regional music festivals. In 1987, upon completion of his schooling, Avraam followed his heart into the professional music world. His romantic good looks, affable personality and sterling vocals won the young performer legions of fans, and he quickly found himself in high demand throughout the Middle East, Europe and finally, North America.
While performing in The Temple, a prestigious nightclub in Cyprus, he was approached by an influential Russian businessman who offered him a lucrative contract that he couldn't refuse- to live and perform in Moscow. That was the president of the company "AST". He offered big hopes for the singer to start his career in the big Russian show business. Next was a recording contract with one of the biggest companies in Russia "NOX-music" followed, as did meteoric radio and CD sales success.
His follow-up hit, "Love is Not Here Anymore" (a duet with Russian pop star Kristina Orbakaite) soared to #1 in 2001, making Avraam Russo a household name throughout the former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe. Avraam capped the year with yet another #1 smash, "Amor" which spent 11 weeks on TOP-10 European music channel "VIVA". Avraam Russo takes part in the writing of music and the lyrics in many of the songs.
In 2002, a second duet with Orbakaite, "Simply To Love You", delighted both fans and critics and was followed by "Wedding Song", "Far Far Away" and many others. The single "I Know" spent a record-breaking 15 weeks at #1. In 2006, Avraam was at the peak of his popularity. He was on par with the fame of Michael Jackson or Elvis in Russia; sales of album copies would ultimately top 10 million worldwide. He toured incessantly, doing more than 220 shows per year. Industry accolades followed ecstatic press reviews. He performed before heads of state and the Pope, and was named a national hero in 2006 by the President of South Ossetia for his performances in the war zone. The Russian edition of Cosmopolitan even named him "Most Attractive Male Performer". Knowing more than 7 languages and a rich knowledge of worldwide cultures and religions made Avraam a citizen of the world and in many countries he was accepted as their own.
On the night of August 19, 2006, after performing at the opening of a new casino in Moscow, Avraam and his bodyguard started off on the short drive back to the home he shared with his wife, Morela, who was four months pregnant at the time. Less than 50 feet from the gates of his driveway, a man stepped out of the shadows with an automatic rifle. Avraam heard the pop of gunfire and felt the bullets burn into his leg, then a very deep numbness. He remembers his bodyguard screaming "Floor it, floor it!" and somehow Avraam managed to slam the accelerator down and drive out of the danger. Avraam finally stopped the car and immediately lost consciousness.
The bodyguard pulled Avraam into the back seat, took the wheel and rushed Avraam to the hospital, where multiple operations to save him left him weak, and with a poor prognosis for recovery. He lost 3.5 liters of blood -most people would perish if they lost 2 liters-and his leg was badly mangled. His physician told him, "You will never walk again; you will probably lose your leg; you may lose your life." Press coverage of the shooting was massive. Avraam was on the cover of every major magazine and newspaper in Russia. Fans held vigils, sent flowers and cards, and prayed.
By no less than a miracle, Avraam slowly recovered and learned to walk again. He left the hospital, and knowing the attacker was still at large, moved his family out of the country and to New York City. It was there that Morela gave birth to the couple's first child, Emanuella, which means "God is with us." There was no doubt in Avraam's mind who had delivered him from his near-death encounter.
Avraam began thinking deeply about this experience, and about his gratitude for the gift of a second chance. He had always trusted God, but recognized that his career had not always honored Him, so he made a conscious decision to start down a new path. His re-found faith led him directly to inspirational music, and to Nashville, TN-a world hub for some of Christian music's best writers, producers and musicians. His fourth CD, passionately performed and aptly named Resurrection, reflects the fine work of some of Nashville's top-tier talent, who combined forces to deliver a work that features great spiritual depth. It is Avraam's first English-language CD (he speaks seven languages in all, and sings in fourteen).
In the spirit of giving back, Avraam has also partnered with Invisible Children, an organization dedicated to raising global awareness of the tragedy of Africa's child-soldiers, who are both weapons and victims in the war-ravaged region. A portion of the proceeds from Resurrection's first single, Peace, will be donated to the organization INVISIBLE CHILDREN.
In the end of the year 2009, Avraam Russo makes up his mind to return to Russia. After long negotiations with producer Iosif Prigozhin, the singer signs a contract to continue concert touring. On February 14, 2010, Russo officially states that he will be touring again and his concert tour will be called " THE RETURN". This date was not chosen by coincidence, on this day, Valentine's Day, Avraam said that he returns with love to the millions of fans, returns with love to the country that above all, he continues to love. For that short period of time, Avraam had signed to do 170 concerts only in Russia. In the meantime, there are negotiations to do concerts in all of Europe.
With GOD in heart and with love to you
Yours Truly,
Avraam Russo
Avraam Russo's story begins in Syria, where he was born to Jean, a WWII veteran of the French Foreign Legion, and his wife Marie, a nurse. Devoutly religious, the couple named their newborn son after the father of the faithful, Abraham, and it was Marie's passionate wish that her youngest son would one day enter the ministry. Jean passed away when Avraam was just seven, forcing Marie to take on three jobs to support the family.Within time together with her two sons, Avraam and Jean, she moved to Paris. Having found lots of hardships there, she returned to Lebanon so that Avraam could enter a monastery in the city of Bikfaya.
Avraam held a deep faith and loved his studies at the monastery, and as he grew up he also discovered an extraordinary ability to sing. Though still a young teen, Avraam's obvious talent and easy connection with his audience soon made him a favorite at regional music festivals. In 1987, upon completion of his schooling, Avraam followed his heart into the professional music world. His romantic good looks, affable personality and sterling vocals won the young performer legions of fans, and he quickly found himself in high demand throughout the Middle East, Europe and finally, North America.
While performing in The Temple, a prestigious nightclub in Cyprus, he was approached by an influential Russian businessman who offered him a lucrative contract that he couldn't refuse- to live and perform in Moscow. That was the president of the company "AST". He offered big hopes for the singer to start his career in the big Russian show business. Next was a recording contract with one of the biggest companies in Russia "NOX-music" followed, as did meteoric radio and CD sales success.
His follow-up hit, "Love is Not Here Anymore" (a duet with Russian pop star Kristina Orbakaite) soared to #1 in 2001, making Avraam Russo a household name throughout the former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe. Avraam capped the year with yet another #1 smash, "Amor" which spent 11 weeks on TOP-10 European music channel "VIVA". Avraam Russo takes part in the writing of music and the lyrics in many of the songs.
In 2002, a second duet with Orbakaite, "Simply To Love You", delighted both fans and critics and was followed by "Wedding Song", "Far Far Away" and many others. The single "I Know" spent a record-breaking 15 weeks at #1. In 2006, Avraam was at the peak of his popularity. He was on par with the fame of Michael Jackson or Elvis in Russia; sales of album copies would ultimately top 10 million worldwide. He toured incessantly, doing more than 220 shows per year. Industry accolades followed ecstatic press reviews. He performed before heads of state and the Pope, and was named a national hero in 2006 by the President of South Ossetia for his performances in the war zone. The Russian edition of Cosmopolitan even named him "Most Attractive Male Performer". Knowing more than 7 languages and a rich knowledge of worldwide cultures and religions made Avraam a citizen of the world and in many countries he was accepted as their own.
On the night of August 19, 2006, after performing at the opening of a new casino in Moscow, Avraam and his bodyguard started off on the short drive back to the home he shared with his wife, Morela, who was four months pregnant at the time. Less than 50 feet from the gates of his driveway, a man stepped out of the shadows with an automatic rifle. Avraam heard the pop of gunfire and felt the bullets burn into his leg, then a very deep numbness. He remembers his bodyguard screaming "Floor it, floor it!" and somehow Avraam managed to slam the accelerator down and drive out of the danger. Avraam finally stopped the car and immediately lost consciousness.
The bodyguard pulled Avraam into the back seat, took the wheel and rushed Avraam to the hospital, where multiple operations to save him left him weak, and with a poor prognosis for recovery. He lost 3.5 liters of blood -most people would perish if they lost 2 liters-and his leg was badly mangled. His physician told him, "You will never walk again; you will probably lose your leg; you may lose your life." Press coverage of the shooting was massive. Avraam was on the cover of every major magazine and newspaper in Russia. Fans held vigils, sent flowers and cards, and prayed.
By no less than a miracle, Avraam slowly recovered and learned to walk again. He left the hospital, and knowing the attacker was still at large, moved his family out of the country and to New York City. It was there that Morela gave birth to the couple's first child, Emanuella, which means "God is with us." There was no doubt in Avraam's mind who had delivered him from his near-death encounter.
Avraam began thinking deeply about this experience, and about his gratitude for the gift of a second chance. He had always trusted God, but recognized that his career had not always honored Him, so he made a conscious decision to start down a new path. His re-found faith led him directly to inspirational music, and to Nashville, TN-a world hub for some of Christian music's best writers, producers and musicians. His fourth CD, passionately performed and aptly named Resurrection, reflects the fine work of some of Nashville's top-tier talent, who combined forces to deliver a work that features great spiritual depth. It is Avraam's first English-language CD (he speaks seven languages in all, and sings in fourteen).
In the spirit of giving back, Avraam has also partnered with Invisible Children, an organization dedicated to raising global awareness of the tragedy of Africa's child-soldiers, who are both weapons and victims in the war-ravaged region. A portion of the proceeds from Resurrection's first single, Peace, will be donated to the organization INVISIBLE CHILDREN.
In the end of the year 2009, Avraam Russo makes up his mind to return to Russia. After long negotiations with producer Iosif Prigozhin, the singer signs a contract to continue concert touring. On February 14, 2010, Russo officially states that he will be touring again and his concert tour will be called " THE RETURN". This date was not chosen by coincidence, on this day, Valentine's Day, Avraam said that he returns with love to the millions of fans, returns with love to the country that above all, he continues to love. For that short period of time, Avraam had signed to do 170 concerts only in Russia. In the meantime, there are negotiations to do concerts in all of Europe.
With GOD in heart and with love to you
Yours Truly,
Avraam Russo