Bi-2 (russian: Би-2 ''Bi-dva'') is a

Belarusian Belarusian may refer to: * Something of, or related to Belarus * Belarusians, people from Belarus, or of Belarusian descent * A citizen of Belarus, see Demographics of Belarus * Belarusian language * Belarusian culture * Belarusian cuisine * Byelor ...

alternative rock Alternative rock, or alt-rock, is a category of rock music that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1970s and became widely popular in the 1990s. "Alternative" refers to the genre's distinction from Popular culture, mainstre ...

band, formed in the 1980s in

Bobruisk Babruysk, Babrujsk or Bobruisk ( be, Бабруйск , Łacinka: , rus, Бобруйск, Bobrujsk, bɐˈbruɪ̯s̪k, yi, באָברויסק ) is a city in the Mogilev Region of eastern Belarus on the Berezina River. , its population was 2 ...

, Belarus. It was one of the most successful with many sales and chart-hits in

Russia Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a List of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia, Northern Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the ...

. Bi-2 was awarded

MTV Russian Music Awards The MTV Russia Music Awards made its debut in 2004 and have celebrated local Russian talent as well as International. The MTV Russia Music Awards (RMA) features local and international acts and music celebrities being honoured by Russian viewers. ...

for Best Rock Act in 2007.

History

Early history

The band was formed in 1985 in

Minsk Minsk ( be, Мінск ; russian: Минск) is the capital and the largest city of Belarus, located on the Svislach and the now subterranean Niamiha rivers. As the capital, Minsk has a special administrative status in Belarus and is the admi ...

, Belarus, by two teenagers, Aleksandr "Shura" Uman and Egor "Lyova" Bortnik, who were amateur actors. Initially, the band's name was "Bratya po Oruzhiyu" (Brothers in Arms), which was formed in 1988, then "Bereg Istini" (Shore of Truth), which resulted in abbreviation BI-2. This word Lyova and Shura begun to use as their scenic names, and Shura eventually changed his passport surname to Bi-II. In the beginning of the 90s the two moved to

Israel Israel (; he, יִשְׂרָאֵל, ; ar, إِسْرَائِيل, ), officially the State of Israel ( he, מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, label=none, translit=Medīnat Yīsrāʾēl; ), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated ...

and as

Jews Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites""The ...

received citizenship, but in 1993 Shura moved to

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

while Lyova remained and served in the

Israel Defense Forces The Israel Defense Forces (IDF; he, צְבָא הַהֲגָנָה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל , ), alternatively referred to by the Hebrew-language acronym (), is the national military of the Israel, State of Israel. It consists of three servic ...

. In 1994 Shura formed a romantic and professional relationship with pianist and artist ''Victoria Bilogan'' https://victoriabiloganart.com/ and in 1997 they recorded their first album "''Bespolaya i Grustnaya Lubov''". During this time, Lyova and Shura continued to compose music together, exchanging their records and tabs via

Internet The Internet (or internet) is the global system of interconnected computer networks that uses the Internet protocol suite (TCP/IP) to communicate between networks and devices. It is a '' network of networks'' that consists of private, pub ...

and phone. Before forming Chiron, Shura collaborated with Dee Ellus, his first English lyricist, in 1993 and 1994. Shura, together with Dino Molinaro and Michael Aliani, former members of

Ikon iKon (), stylized as iKON, is a South Korean boy band formed in 2015 by YG Entertainment, consisting of six members: Jay, Song, Bobby, DK, Ju-ne and Chan. Originally a seven-piece band, leader B.I departed from the group in June 2019. Init ...

, formed the

darkwave Dark wave (also typeset as darkwave) is a music genre that emerged from the new wave and post-punk movement of the late 1970s. Dark wave compositions are largely based on minor key tonality and introspective lyrics and have been perceived as be ...

band Chiron. In 1998 Leva moved to Australia and joined Chiron as well, but the two left the project in less than two years to continue with their own band.

Modern history

In 1999 Bi-2 moved to Russia, where they previously tried to release their already recorded album "Bespolaya i Grustnaya Lubov" (Asexual and Sad Love, 1998), but their plans were ruined by the

Russian financial crisis of 1998 The Russian financial crisis (also called the ruble crisis or the Russian flu) began in Russia on 17 August 1998. It resulted in the Russian government and the Russian Central Bank devaluing the ruble and defaulting on its debt. The crisis had ...

, which affected the record business. In 1999, the band consisted only of two men, but the lineup soon was increased by sessional musicians. The band went up to popularity only in 2000, recording the score for popular

Brother 2 ''Brother 2'' (russian: Брат 2, translit=Brat 2) is a 2000 Russian crime film. It is the sequel to the 1997 film ''Brother''. Much of it is set in Chicago. Plot The film opens with Danila Bagrov being interviewed on television with two fr ...

movie by

Aleksei Balabanov Aleksei Oktyabrinovich Balabanov (russian: Алeксeй Oктябpинoвич Балабанoв; 25 February 1959 – 18 May 2013) was a Russian film director, screenwriter, and producer, a member of European Film Academy. He started from c ...

. Several score songs, included in the Bi-2 eponymous debut album, shook rock radio charts, including the influential

Nashe Radio Nashe Radio (russian: Наше радио, ''Our Radio'', pronounced ''Nashe radio'') is a Russian Rock music radio station. It was designed to promote Russian rock bands, as opposed to pop and Western music. Nashe is based in Moscow and broadcas ...

chart. Bi-2 continued with "Meow Kiss Me" (2001) and "Inomarki" (2004), both sold gold in Russia. Each of their albums included duet records with other rock musicians from such bands as

Splean Splean (russian: Сплин) is a popular Russian rock band, formed in Saint Petersburg in 1994.Андрей Бурлака. Рок-энциклопедия. Популярная музыка в Ленинграде – Петербурге. 1965 ...

Chaif Chaif (Чайф) is a Russian rock band formed in 1984 in Sverdlovsk (now Yekaterinburg), Russia, by Vladimir Shakhrin and Vladimir Begunov. Their name is derived from the word ''chai'', meaning tea, and ''kaif'' (slang word), meaning pleasure. ...

Nochniye Snaiperi ''Nochnye Snaipery'' (russian: Ночные Снайперы, lit=Night Snipers) is a Russian rock group. It was founded in 1993 as an acoustic female duo of Diana Arbenina and Svetlana Surganova. Arbenina and Surganova played guitar and violin re ...

Zemfira Zemfira Talgatovna Ramazanova (russian: Земфира Талгатовна Рамазанова, tt-Cyrl, Земфира Тәлгать кызы Рамазанова; born 26 August 1976) is a Russian rock musician. She has been performing si ...

, and others. Videos for Bi-2 songs often appear on

MTV Russia MTV Russia or MTV Россия (russian: МТВ Россия) was a Russian music and entertainment TV channel, which carried out its broadcasting from September 25, 1998 to May 31, 2013. On October 1, 2013, MTV Russia was relaunched as a satel ...

. In 2005 the double CD "Nechetny Voin" was released, which consists completely of duets and collaborations.

Discography

Unreleased albums

* ''Traitors Of Motherland'' (Изменники Родины; 1988–1991)

Studio albums

* ''Asexual and Sad Love'' (Бесполая и Грустная Любовь; 1998) * ''BI-2'' (Би-2; 2000) * ''Meow Kiss Me'' (Мяу Кисс Ми; 2001) * ''Cars Of Foreign Make'' (Иномарки; 2004) * ''Moloko'' (Молоко; 2006) (lit.: Milk) * ''Amusement Park'' (Луна-парк; 2009) * ''What Men Talk About'' (О Чём Говорят Мужчины; the soundtrack to the

film A film also called a movie, motion picture, moving picture, picture, photoplay or (slang) flick is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, feelings, beauty, or atmosphere ...

of the same name, 2010) * ''Spirit'' (2011) * ''#16plus'' (#16плюс; 2014) * ''Event Horizon'' (Горизонт событий; 2017) * ''Heat'' (Пекло; 2020) * ''Hallelujah'' (Аллилуйя; 2022)

Re-released albums

* ''BI-2'' (+2 tracks; 2000) * ''Asexual and Sad Love'' (+ Bonus CD; 2004) * ''Milk'' (+2 tracks; 2007)

Singles

* ''Silver'' (Серебро; 2000) * ''Wolves'' (Волки; 2001) * ''My Love'' (Моя Любовь; 2001) * ''Sand'' (Песок; 2003) * ''Slow Star'' feat.

Diana Arbenina Diana Sergeyevna Arbenina (née Kulachenko, be, Дыяна Сяргееўна Кулачэнка; russian: Диа́на Серге́евна Арбе́нина, born July 8, 1974) is a Russian singer, musician, poet, and leader of the rock group ...

(Медленная Звезда; 2005) * ''Muse'' (Муза; 2008) * ''Bowie'' (Digital Single) (2009) * ''Christmas'' (Digital Single) (2009) * ''Optimist'' (Оптимист, 2011) (Digital Single) * ''Non-Air-Raid Alarm'' (Безвоздушная тревога; 2011) * ''Island'' (Остров; 2011) * ''#Hipster'' (#Хипстер; 2014) * ''Dark Skies'' (Темные небеса; 2014) * ''Taken To The Army'' (Забрали в армию; 2014) * ''Grass Near The House'' (Трава у дома; 2015) * ''Likes / Alice'' (Лайки / Алиса; 2016) * ''Bird On The Windowsill'' (Птица на подоконнике; 2016) * ''Pilot'' (Лётчик; 2017) * ''Whiskey'' feat. John Grant (Виски; 2017)

EPs (Extended Plays)

* ''Kite'' (Бумажный Змей; 2010)

Compilations

* ''Fellini Tour'' (live album recorded with

and Thomas; 2001) * ''Bi-2. Collection'' (2CD; 2005) * ''Bi-2 feat. Symphony Orchestra of

Ministry of Internal Affairs Of Russia The Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation (MVD; russian: Министерство внутренних дел (МВД), ''Ministerstvo vnutrennikh del'') is the interior ministry of Russia. The MVD is responsible for law enfor ...

'' (Би-2 И Симфонический Оркестр МВД России; 2010)

Remixes

* ''drum ' (2002)

Internet-releases

* ''Bi-2. Live'' (2000) * ''Unplugged@16tons'' (2003) * ''Part Of Pipes'' (Партия Дудок; 2004) * ''Rock Festival In Mogilev 1989'' (Могилёвский Рок-Съезд 1989; 2005) * ''Seventh Day'' (Седьмой День; 2006) (Soundtrack) * ''Rare Album'' (Раритетный; 2006) * ''Without Words I'' (Без Слов I; 2008) * ''Without Words II'' (Без Слов II, 2008) * ''Fools of Fortune'' (Превратности Судьбы; 2009) (Soundtrack) * ''One Song By One Tour'' (C Гастролей По Песне; 2010) (Bootleg) * ''Unplugged@16tons'' (Re-Released) (2010) * ''And Ship Is Sailing'' (И Корабль Плывёт; 2010) * ''Without Words III'' (Без Слов III, 2012) * ''Spirit (Without Words... IV)'' (Spirit (Без слов… IV), 2013) * ''Bi-2 feat. Prague Metropolitan Symphonic orchestra (Without Words V)'' (Би-2 и Prague Metropolitan Symphonic orchestra (Без слов V); 2013)

Chiron's releases

* ''Eve'' (2000) * ''Bleed'' (2004)

Other projects' releases

* ''Odd Warrior'' (Нечётный Воин; 2005) * ''Odd Warrior 2'' (Нечётный Воин-2; 2007) * ''Odd Warrior 2,5'' (Нечётный Воин-2,5; 2011) * ''Odd Warrior 3'' (Нечётный Воин-3; 2013) * ''Odd Warrior. The Best'' (Нечётный Воин. Лучшее; 2015)

External links

Official Website
(Russian)

(Russian)
Russmus info on Bi-2, including English translations
(English)
About the band at last.fm
(English) {{Authority control Musical groups established in 1988 Musical groups disestablished in 1991 Musical groups reestablished in 1998 Russian rock music groups Russian alternative rock groups Post-grunge groups Russian indie rock groups Belarusian rock music groups Soviet rock music groups World Music Awards winners Russian National Music Award winners Russian activists against the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine