Kazaky
| Company type | Musical group |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 2010 |
| Founder | Oleg Zhezhel |
| Headquarters | Kyiv , Ukraine |
Area served | Worldwide |
| Products | Studio albums, singles, music videos |
Kazaky is a Ukrainian synthpop dance boy group that originated in Kyiv in 2010, founded by choreographer and founding member Oleg Zhezhel. The ensemble, currently made up of Kyryll Fedorenko, Artur Gaspar, Artemiy Lazarev, Vlad Koval, and Evgeny Goncharenko, has produced two studio albums along with several singles. After disbanding in 2016 to explore solo ventures, they reunited in 2019 with the addition of two new members.
2010–11: Formation and Initial Singles
The original lineup featured Kyryll Fedorenko, Artur Gaspar, Stas Pavlov, and Oleg Zhezhel. Kazaky launched their career with the single "In the Middle" toward the end of 2010, earning the "Breakthrough of the Year" award at the 2010 Myway Dance Awards. Their trademark was an androgynous aesthetic complemented by high stiletto heels. Subsequent singles such as "Love" and "I'm Just a Dancer" were introduced during their U.S. debut at Club 57 in New York City in July 2011. In August 2011, Stas Pavlov departed and was succeeded by Italian vocalist Francesco Borgato.
2012–13: Zhezhel’s Exit, The Hills Chronicles and I Like It
With the revised lineup, Kazaky released singles including "Dance and Change" and "Last Night" before unveiling their first album The Hills Chronicles on October 22, 2012. That same year, they appeared as backup dancers in Madonna's "Girl Gone Wild" music video. On February 26, 2013, Borgato left to pursue a solo career. Shortly after, original member Stas Pavlov rejoined and participated in the single and video for "Crazy Law," released on March 4, 2013. This song served as the lead for their second studio album I Like It, which was released in two installments on June 9 and December 12, 2013. Following singles included "Touch Me" and the promotional track "Doesn't Matter." On December 12, 2013, founder Zhezhel announced his withdrawal from performing with Kazaky to concentrate on producing their music and choreography but continued his involvement behind the scenes.
2014–15: Pavlov’s Second Departure and New Singles
In 2014, original member Pavlov exited once more and was replaced by Artemiy Lazarev. That year saw the release of singles such as "The Sun," "Magic Pie," and "Pulse," with its video directed by Radislav Lukin, alongside the promotional track "Horizon." On September 29, 2014, Kazaky collaborated on The Hardkiss's single "Strange Moves," featuring a cameo appearance from Zhezhel together with former members. In 2015, they issued the last single from I Like It, titled "What You Gonna Do." The group also made a cameo appearance in a dance segment within Loreen's "Paper Light (Higher)" video. Their single "Milk-Choc," released in 2015, served as the lead for their forthcoming third studio album.
2016: Disbandment and 2019: Comeback
Kazaky announced their split in June 2016 as members embarked on individual artistic pursuits but left open the option for future reunions. They maintained communication through their "Kazaky Official" Facebook page by sharing updates about solo projects and collaborations. After more than three years apart, Kazaky returned on June 24, 2019, releasing a new YouTube video for the single "Push," which introduced new members Vlad Koval and Evgeny Goncharenko. Dedicated to supporting the LGBTQ community, this release coincided with Kyiv Pride 2019. Additional singles from that year included "Inside My Body," "Hands Up," and "We Should Be Like No One Else."
Fashion
Kazaky's daring style has attracted attention from prominent outlets including Attitude, Billboard, GQ, The Los Angeles Times, New York Post, and The New York Times. Following Anna Osmekhina's creation of their wardrobe for the "Love" music video, she took on the role of their stylist for clothing and visual concepts. The ensemble has also showcased apparel by DSquared² and Thierry Mugler. Their trademark footwear consists of high-heeled shoes designed specifically for dance, standing at . Kazaky typically opts for either intricate, architectural costumes or minimalist outfits that emphasize their dance movements.
Music
Kazaky's musical style merges elements of house, synthpop, electronica, and dance genres, characterized by repetitive monotone vocals layered over rhythmic beats with electronic sound effects and pronounced bass.
Image
Although "Kazaky" translates to "Cossacks" in Ukrainian—a group historically significant to Ukraine—the band explains that their name is inspired by the Japanese term Kazaki, which they claim enjoys popularity in Japan.
Lineup
| Member | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2019 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kyryll Fedorenko (2010-2016; 2019–present) |
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| Artur Gaspar (2010–2016; 2019–present) |
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| Artemiy Lazarev (2014–2016; 2019–present) |
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| Oleg Zhezhel (2010–2013) |
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| Stas Pavlov (2010–2011; 2013–2014) |
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| Francesco Borgato (2011–2013) |
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| Vlad Koval (2019–present) |
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| Evgeny Goncharenko (2019–present) |
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Oleg no longer performs on stage with Kazaky but remains involved in producing their music and choreographing their routines.
Studio albums
| Title | Album information | Chart positions | |
|---|---|---|---|
| RUS | UKR | ||
| The Hills Chronicles |
|
— | — |
| I Like It (Part 1 + 2) |
|
— | — |
| Greatest Songs |
|
— | — |
| Music from Live Shows |
|
— | — |
Singles
| Title | Year | Chart rankings | Notes | Album | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RUS | UKR | ||||
| "Love" | 2011 | — | — | Issued as an EP on February 14, 2011 | The Hills Chronicles |
| "In the Middle" | — | — | Initially released with remixes on July 1, 2011; reissued August 20, 2013 | ||
| "I'm Just a Dancer" | — | — | |||
| "Dance and Change" | — | — | EP release dated November 24, 2011 | ||
| "Crazy Law" | 2013 | — | — | I Like It (Part 1) | |
| "Touch Me" | — | — | EP published July 11, 2013 | ||
| "Magic Pie" | 2014 | — | — | ||
| "The Sun" | — | — | I Like It (Part 2) | ||
| "Pulse" | — | — | |||
| "What You Gonna Do" | 2015 | — | — | ||
| "Milk-Choc" | — | — | Greatest Songs | ||
| "Your Style" | 2015 | — | 'Greatest Songs' | ||
| "Push" | 2019 | 'TBA' | |||
Singles (As featured artist)
| Title | Year | Chart rankings | Notes | Album | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RUS | UKR | |||||||||||||
| "Strange Moves" (The Hardkiss feat. Kazaky) | 2014 | — | — | Released on September 29, 2014 | Stones and Honey | |||||||||
| "—" indicates singles that did not enter charts or were not issued. | ||||||||||||||
Promotional Singles
| Title | Year | Chart rankings | Album | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RUS | UKR | |||
| "Last Night" | 2012 | — | — | The Hills Chronicles |
| "I Can't Stop" | — | — | ||
| "Doesn't Matter" | 2013 | — | — | I Like It (Part 1) |
| "Horizon" | 2014 | — | — | I Like It (Part 2) |
Music videos
| Title | Year | Director(s) |
|---|---|---|
| "Love" | 2010 | Yevgeniy Timokhin |
| "In the Middle" | 2011 | Yevgeniy Timokhin |
| "I'm Just a Dancer" | 2011 | Andrey Sarymsakov |
| "Dance and Change" | 2011 | Alan Badoev |
| "Last Night" | 2012 | Yevgeniy Timokhin |
| "Crazy Law" | 2013 | Hindrek Maasik |
| "Touch Me" | 2013 | Hindrek Maasik |
| "Doesn't Matter" | 2013 | Various (Compilation Footage) |
| "Magic Pie" | 2014 | Ivan Kvasha |
| "The Sun" | 2014 | Roy Raz |
| "Pulse" | 2014 | Radislav Lukin |
| "What You Gonna Do" | 2015 | Radislav Lukin |
| "Milk-Choc" | 2015 | Hindrek Maasik |
| "Your Style" | 2015 | Hindrek Maasik |
| "Push" | 2019 | Alan Badoev |
| Title | Main Artist | Year | Director(s) | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| "Girl Gone Wild" | Madonna | 2012 | Mert Alas & Marcus Piggott | Appearance in dance segment |
| "Strange Moves" | The HARDKISS featuring Kazaky | 2014 | Valeriy Bebko | Released on September 29, 2014; cameo by Oleg Zhezhel |
| "Paper Light (Higher)" | Loreen | 2015 | Charli Ljung | Featured in dance sequence cameo |
| Title | Year | Director(s) | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|
| "Pohvir (Change, You Can, I Know)" | 2011 | Andrey Sarymsakov | Incorporates footage from "I'm Just a Dancer" |
| "Love (Horror Picture Show Version)" | 2012 | Yevgeniy Timokhin | Promotional video produced for V Magazine |
| "Stadium" | 2012 | Yevgeniy Timokhin | Promo video for the introductory track "Symphony No. 404" on debut album |
Tours
- The Pulse Tour (2014–2015)