[1] During his career, he achieved international success in Eastern Europe, has the status of a pop icon along with Alla Pugacheva, and is a winner of ZD Awards.

[4][5][6][7] Valery Yakovlevich Leontiev was born on 19 March 1949, in Ust-Usa, a village in what is now Russia's Komi Republic.

American journalists who attended the event noted the expressive manner of performing of the singer and compared him to Mick Jagger.

[8] In 1982, Leontiev underwent a serious operation to remove a tumor from his throat, which jeopardized his further singing career.

A year later, he was given a whole section in the author's evening "Holy love of music" by composer Raimond Pauls in Moscow.

In 1991 Leontiev was named the "Best Selling Soviet Artist" at the World Music Awards ceremony in Monte Carlo.

[11] In 1994 he performed on stage with Gina Lollobrigida[12] in Saint-Petersburg concert hall "Oktyabrskiy", and in 1996 he was awarded the title People's Artist of Russia.