Ani Lorak

Karolina Myroslavivna Kuiek (born 27 September 1978), better known as Ani Lorak, is a Ukrainian-born Russian singer. Having been awarded the title of People's Artist of Ukraine (revoked in 2024), she has been cited as one of the most influential and popular women in Ukraine, and has also been ranked as one of the most beautiful women from Eastern Europe. In 2014, she reported the highest income of all singers in Ukraine. After her performance of the song "Shady Lady" while representing Ukraine in the Eurovision Song Contest 2008, Lorak began gaining considerable fame outside of the former Soviet Union, coming in second place behind "Believe" by Russian singer Dima Bilan. In 2018, she received a ZD Award in the category for Best Singer of the Year. In October 2022, Lorak was sanctioned by the Ukrainian government because she continued to work and live in Russia after the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Among other restrictions, she was deprived of all Ukrainian state honours bestowed upon her and also prohibited from entering the country for five years. She received Russian citizenship in 2025.