“I want to believe that we are strong in our belief in who we are. I want to believe that our belief in ourselves as a people is strong enough not to break us, not to be easily divided or distracted from what is really essential,” says popular singer Aia Andreyeva.
Today, January 16, we warmly congratulate him on his 40th birthday!
In a neighboring country with her husband
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This year, the singer’s birthday will be different than usual. It coincided with the time when her husband, musician Jānis Aišpurs, is working on a new album together with the group “The Sound Poets” in Tallinn. Since Jānis is staying in the capital of Estonia all week, Aija has decided to join her for the weekend and spend a little time in the neighboring country.
Usually, the singer is at home on her birthday, and the closest people already know – they can come without special warning. Because the jubilee will have prepared salmon rolls, cut rasola and also provided champagne. Then everyone huddles together in the small kitchen, and Aija always wonders with a smile how many people it can accommodate.
Although a round number is being celebrated this year, and friends ask how it will be celebrated, the jubilee admits – after the intense concert season at the end of the year, there was neither time nor energy to think about big celebrations. However, the idea of a party with friends has not been abandoned completely – perhaps it will happen later.
“But those who really want to celebrate now are invited to Tallinn. I know a couple of ‘chomin’ will join us, which is very cool!”
Best as ever
Forty years – is it a lot? Aija admits that she didn’t want to think about it, but the outside world inevitably prompts her to stop and think.
“You know, when I really stop and think, I realize – yes, forty is actually already middle age. It’s a funny feeling.
But at the same time, right now I feel the best I’ve ever felt in my life! More stable and confident than before,” says the singer.
She emphasizes that every stage of life has had its own beauty – interesting, exciting, transformative, with bigger and smaller setbacks, louder and quieter victories. Nothing of the experience has been superfluous, and she feels truly happy about the path she has taken.
Aija smiles, remembering that many people told her – Capricorns start living after forty. And maybe there is some truth in that.
Because right now she really feels good in her body, in her creative world, and with people who are by her side in the most important moments of life. There is a feeling that everything is in its place.
These are her reflections as she turns 40. “You have to live on! Simply – you have to live,” she says.
Three supplementary concerts of “Tagadne“.
Celebrating 20 years on stage, Aija Andreeva invited the audience to a special concert series “Tagadne” last fall. They were concerts-celebrations, a musical journey through time – from the first steps on the stage to the present day, emphasizing both the new and the repertoire already loved by the listeners.
“Those were very special concerts for me. It was a great pleasure that we could meet and that people liked it.
I really enjoyed it – in fact, it is a great happiness,” says the singer, who has become one of the brightest and most versatile personalities on the Latvian music scene in 20 years.
She does not hide that the concert tour required a lot of strength and energy, but at the same time gave a lot. Due to audience demand, three additional concerts have been announced in January and February:
– on January 22 in Riga, VEF Palace of Culture,
– January 29 – in Ulbrok, in the Culture Center “Pearl of Ulbrok”,
– February 1 – Cēsis, Concert Hall “Cēsis”.
“I am looking forward to these concerts with joy and a sense of celebration,” admits Aija. They will feature songs from the album “Tagadne” released last March, as well as hits from Aija’s previous masterpieces “Tu un es”, “I’ll go further”, “Blēņas” and others.
After these concerts, Aija and Jānis will go to Argentina – to a place where she has never been, although it has long been one of her dream destinations.
The almost month-long trip is intended as a rest near nature, in the mountains, but not only that. Of course, the atmosphere of Argentina will also be enjoyed – tango, wine and the feeling that time can flow differently for a while.
On the other hand, already on March 21, the singer will again be in “Tagadnė” – on stage in a concert at the Slampe Palace of Culture.
Celebrate the everyday
Even before that, on March 6, at 18.00, Aija will take the stage of the Music House “Daile”, where the premiere of the concert performance “Ziedonis. Lācis. Epifanias” is expected.
Ziedonis epiphanies in the music of Kārlis Lāčas, sung by Aija Andrejeva, Aminata Grieta Diarra and Aija Vītoliņa, in the percussion of Aiņa Zavackas and read by Kaspars Znotiņš.
“Imants Ziedonis explains that epiphanies are small impulses, small outbursts, in the light of which certain moments in life shine particularly brightly. Kārlis Lācis has dressed them in the language of music. “Ziedonis. Bear. “Epiphanies” is an event where we invite people to celebrate everyday life and see the bright and special in it!” says director Elīna Gediņa. Next concert performance: March 29 at 1 p.m.
The emotions of the 1991 barricades
This week, when the events of the 35th anniversary of the 1991 barricades are taking place all over Latvia, Aija thinks a lot about what is happening in the world. These reflections are even stronger because on January 20 she was invited to participate in the concert performance “With the power of depth” in the Riga Cathedral.
The concert performance will tell about the 14 days of January 1991, or “Barricades time”, poetically mirroring its most important episodes and restoring the emotions of that time.
It will be a story about the path of our consciousness – from fear, doubt and ignorance to defiance, strength and faith in ourselves and Latvia.
The program will include choral music, solo songs, and organ music. On the stage will also be Riga Dome girls’ choir “Tiara”, VEF Culture Palace women’s choir “Dzintars”, conductor Aira Birziņa, soloist Jānis Aišpurs, musicians Diāna Jaunzeme-Portnaja (organ), Edgars Tomševičs (piano), Indulis Cintiņš (violin), Laima Jansone (coil), Valdis Zilveris (accordion), actors Baiba Broka and Gerds Lapoška. Duration of the concert performance – approximately 1 hour. Entry to the event is free.
“I will sing “Lūgšana” by Imanta Kalniņš and Leonid Breiša, a song that Ieva Akurātere performed at the time. It is a great responsibility for me – both to the authors and Ieviņa, and also because this song is so relevant to today…” says Aija.
She was five years old at the time of the barricades, but she still vividly remembers the excitement at home. “I remember that what was happening in Riga was shown on television, and I was very worried when my dad was going to Riga – I was afraid that something would happen to him… It was a very worrying time for me as a child,” she recalls.
Give us unity, Father
“We can be extremely happy to live in our own country – with our own flag and our own language in which we think and speak. But at the same time it is important to realize that this is not taken for granted. I want to believe in the good. I want to believe that we are strong in our belief in who we are. I want to believe that our belief in ourselves as a nation is strong enough not to break us, so that we cannot be easily divided or distracted from what is really essential.
May we go through the ages towards unknown times,/ Give us strength, give us courage, give us unity, Father!
This is what Leonid Breikš writes in his “Prayer”. And that’s what I wish for all of us.”
But on her birthday, wish Aija good health – both physical and mental. And joy of life. “This is what I wish for others too – that a healthy body has a healthy spirit and that there is joy!”
More articles about anniversaries here.
