The soloist of the group "Gorod 312" Svetlana Nazarenko. Biography

Svetlana Nazarenko, known under the pseudonym Aya, is a Russian and Kyrgyz singer, soloist of the Gorod 312 group, Honored Artist of the Kyrgyz Republic. In 2023, she suffered a massive stroke, which forced her to take a break from her creative activities. About her early years, career and recovery from illness — in the material of Izvestia.

Early years and education

Svetlana Anatolyevna Nazarenko was born on October 17, 1970 in the city of Frunze (now Bishkek), Kirghiz SSR. Since the age of seven, she has been a soloist in a Large children's choir. At the age of 12, she performed at the republican folk art competition, after which she was invited to the studio of Rafail Sarlykov and became a soloist of the Araket ensemble (folk ensemble of Kyrgyzstan).

In 2001, Nazarenko graduated from the Kyrgyz Institute of Arts with a degree in pop vocals with a red diploma.

Gorod 312 Group

In 2001, Nazarenko, along with brothers Dmitry and Leonid Pritula, as well as Maria Pritula, created the group "City 312". The band's name coincides with the international telephone code of Bishkek, the city where the soloist was born and grew up.

In 2005, the band released the collection "213 Roads", and after the release of the video for the song "I'll Stay", which became the soundtrack to the blockbuster "Day Watch", the band's popularity skyrocketed. Later, the band released the hits "Out of Reach", "Turn Around", "Autumn", "The Girl who Wanted Happiness" and others.

Solo career and personal life

Since 2016, Nazarenko, combining her work in the group, has been working on a solo repertoire under the direction of Igor Matvienko. In 2017, her first solo music video "Remember Me when It Rains" was released.

In 2015, she took part in the third season of the show "Exactly" on Channel One, where she took third place. In 2022, she participated in the TV show "Avatar" on NTV.

In 2007, Nazarenko was awarded the title of Honored Artist of the Kyrgyz Republic. In 2015, she became an honorary citizen of Bishkek. In 2016, she was awarded the "Dank" medal ("Glory").

She has a daughter, Ekaterina Lesnikova, born in 1991. At various times, the singer was in a relationship with comedian Timur Batrutdinov. The singer also reported that her relatives live in Ukraine.

Stroke and recovery

In 2023, Nazarenko suffered a massive stroke due to the coronavirus, which she suffered from four times. The stroke led to paralysis of the left side of the body. The singer spent several days in intensive care and could not walk for a long time, later she began to move with the help of a cane.

In 2024, Nazarenko took a sabbatical, and Diana Makarova, a participant in the Voice show, temporarily took her place in the group. However, Nazarenko continues to remain in the team behind the scenes, and the group supports her financially.

As of July 2026, Nazarenko continues to recover. Colleagues note the positive dynamics: Her leg is working better and she has an understanding of her hand, but her leg and arm are not fully functional yet. Despite this, she sometimes goes on stage with the band — a duet version of songs is specially prepared for her, which allows her to perform sitting down.