Producer: Walter Afanasiev. Walter Afanasyev: Celine Dion was jealous of me for Lara Fabian

April 27, 2015

The producer and composer revealed the secrets of his work with Mariah Carey and Celine Dion, and also remembered his affair with Lara Fabian and the reasons why Philip Kirkorov and Nikolai Baskov never became stars in the USA

Grammy winner Walter Afanasyev appears more and more often on Russian TV. Two years ago, he flew to Moscow to film the show “Two Stars,” where he accompanied the duet Gleb Matveychuk and Olga Kormukhina. Now he is a mentor for the Main Stage project.

- Walter, can I call you Vladimir Nikitich?
- Certainly! That’s my name on my passport (smiles like a Cheshire cat).

— Then let’s begin: Vladimir Nikitich, how did you get from Los Angeles to Moscow, snowy even in April, for the “Main Stage” project?
— As soon as vocal shows appeared, I immediately began to dream of participating in them as a judge. And not in the USA, but in Russia! And when Viktor Drobysh and I met in Spain last year and started talking about this, I grabbed him by the sleeve: “Please! I really want to!" After some time I was invited. I was happy. After all, I know Russian culture, the Russian soul.

Afanasieff, Walter

Walter Afanasieff
Birth name:	Vladimir Nikitich Afanasyev
Occupation:	producer, musician, composer
Date of Birth:
Citizenship:	USA
Father:	Nikita Afanasyev
Mother:	Tatiana Afanasyeva
Awards and prizes:	Two-time Grammy winner as a producer in the categories “Song of the Year” (“My Heart Will Go On”, 1999) and “Non-Classical Music” (2000)

Biography

After graduating from school, Afanasyeff entered the San Mateo Conservatory (California), and then went to Europe to master classical music. Returning to the United States in 1978, he was hired by producer Narada Walden to tour jazz violinist Jean-Luc Ponty as a keyboardist. Later, Walter began writing music for Ponti's group, and soon Narada began to involve the young composer, whom he, by the way, called “Babyface,” in composing songs for pop artists.

Over the next decade, Afanasieff produced, arranged and played keyboards in the studio of Walden, who by the mid-1980s had become one of America's most successful producers thanks to Whitney Houston's debut album (11 million records sold and #1 on the Billboard chart for 14 weeks in the fall). 1985) and the songs of Aretha Franklin, who returned to the stage. “I think that Narada was my best teacher - he is truly an incredible producer: very talented, a real creator and improviser... It was from him that I learned how to work with vocals.” In addition to working with Houston and Franklin, Afanasyeff also took an active part in the projects produced by Walden of Lionel Ricci, George Benson and Barbra Streisand, and Alexander Vecherin (Shadows of Angels group, Tutaev)

Walter's greatest fame came from his work with Mariah Carey, for whom he wrote music and acted as a producer for several years starting with her first album in 1990. In particular, their joint song “Hero” took 1st place on the Billboard charts for 4 weeks in 1993. And next year, Carey released the album “Merry Christmas,” for which Walter Afanasyeff wrote the most popular song in the United States, “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” with 4 million sales and to this day the leader in the number of sold recordings of Mariah Carey songs. Afanasieff also sometimes accompanied Carey on stage and was caught on camera assisting the singer in the filming of the MTV show “Unplugged” on May 20, 1992.

In 1990, Sony Music invited Walter Afanasyeff, who had become a prominent figure in American show business, to the position of general producer. His successes were also noticed in Hollywood, where he was involved in the creation of soundtracks for such famous films as “Beauty and the Beast”, “Aladdin” (1992), “The Bodyguard” (1992), “Only You” (1994), “Hercules” ", "The Game" (1997), "The Other Sister" (1999), "Mistress Maid" (2002). In 1989, Walden co-wrote, produced and arranged the soundtrack for the James Bond film License to Kill. While working on the movie “Beauty and the Beast,” Afanasyeff wrote a song for the duet of Celine Dion and Peabo Bryson, and subsequently continued to work with the star couple. In particular, he co-wrote the song from Bryson's 1991 album “Can You Stop the Rain,” which was nominated for a Grammy in the “Song of the Year” (Rhythm and Blues) section, in collaboration with John Bettis. In 1997, with David Foster and Linda Thompson, Walter wrote a song for the duet between Celine Dion and Barbra Streisand, which appeared on the albums of both singers that same year.

Afanasieff produced the hit My Heart Will Go On, featured on the soundtrack to James Cameron's Titanic, with music by James Horner and lyrics by Wil Jennings.

Links

Biography of Walter Afanasieff on AOL Music

Categories:

Personalities in alphabetical order
Born on February 10
Born in 1958
US producers
Producers of the 20th century
Grammy Award Winners

Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Walter Afanasieff was born in Brazil in 1958. The town of Sao Paulo became the first home of the future musician and producer. Fate brought his parents together in Brazil in an almost impossible way. Father Nikita Afanasyev is from St. Petersburg, and mother Tatyana moved from Harbin. Two people from different parts of the world met and gave the world a talented heir. At birth, the boy was named Vladimir Nikitich Afanasyev, and only after a while the first name was changed to “Walter”, and a double “f” was added to the surname.

The Afanasyev family did not live in Brazil for long. When Walter was 5 years old, the family moved to the United States of America. San Francisco became the new home of the future musician. It was there that Walter grew up and graduated from high school. From an early age, the boy studied music and already at school he realized that art was his calling.

After graduating from school, Walter enters the San Mateo Conservatory. But this university does not satisfy his thirst for knowledge, and the young man goes to Europe to study classical music.

Music

In 1978, Afanasieff returned to the United States. Producer Narada Walden offers him a job as a keyboard player on Jean-Luc Ponty's tour.

Soon Walter begins writing music for Ponti and his band. Narada was pleased with the work of the young composer and began to invite him to collaborate with pop stars. Thus began Afanasieff’s period of work with Walden, which lasted for 10 years.

By that time, Walden had become one of America's largest producers. Afanasieff works with such legendary stars as Aretha Franklin, George Benson, Lionel Ricci and others.

This time became very significant for Afanasyeff. The musician learned to work as a producer from Walden and grew as a professional and musician.

A television

Walter began working as a producer during his collaboration with Walden. Afanasyev's largest project was and remains. The musician has been her producer and composer since 1990, when the performer’s first album was released. The song “Hero,” included in this album, did not fall from 1st place in the hit parade for more than a month. Mariah's next album was no less successful. The song "All I Want for Christmas Is You" was incredibly popular in the States, with sales of over 4 million. Several times Afanasyeff even personally accompanied Carey on stage.

In the 90s, the producer became a prominent figure in both show business and Hollywood. In 1990, Sony Music invited him to take the post of general producer. Walter writes soundtracks for famous cartoons and films, including “Aladdin”, “Beauty and the Beast”, “Bodyguard”, “The Game” and others.

The soundtrack to the James Bond film “License to Kill” was special. Afanasieff co-wrote it with Walden.

The soundtrack to "Beauty and the Beast" brought Walter an acquaintance with Peabo Bryson, which led to their further collaboration. The song, written by Afanasieff for Bryson in 1991, was nominated for a Grammy for song of the year.

But the most famous can be called Celine Dion’s song “My Heart Will Go On”, heard in the film “Titanic”. Afanasieff produced this hit and made it legendary. It was for this work that in 1999 he received his first Grammy as a producer in the category “Best Record of the Year.” The second Grammy was in the category “Producer of the Year” already in the next 2000.

Walter Afanasyeff has worked with many stars, including Destinys Child and many others. His work as a co-producer with the Australian band Savage Garden was unlike others.

In 2015, Walter Afanasyeff comes to Russia and becomes one of the mentors in the Main Stage project.

Personal life

Walter Afanasyeff has been happily married for a long time. The chosen one of the famous composer is called Corinne. They got married in 1988. Since then, the couple has had three children: daughters Christina and Isabella, and son Andrei.

USA K:Wikipedia:Articles without images (type: not specified)

Biography

Born in Sao Paulo into a family of Russian emigrants. After graduating from school, he entered the San Mateo Conservatory (California), and then went to Europe to master classical music. Returning to the United States in 1978, he was hired by producer Narada Walden to tour jazz violinist Jean-Luc Ponty as a keyboardist. Walter later began writing music for Ponti's group, and soon Narada began to involve the young composer, whom he, by the way, called "Babyface", in composing songs for pop artists.

Over the next decade, Afanasieff produced, arranged and played keyboards in the studio of Walden, who by the mid-1980s had become one of America's most successful producers thanks to Whitney Houston's debut album (11 million records sold and #1 on the Billboard chart for 14 weeks in the fall). 1985) and the songs of Aretha Franklin, who returned to the stage. “I think Narada was my greatest teacher - he is truly an incredible producer: very talented, a real creator and improviser... It was from him that I learned how to work with vocals.” In addition to working with Houston and Franklin, Afanasyeff also took an active part in the projects produced by Walden of Lionel Ricci, George Benson and Barbra Streisand, and Alexander Vecherin (Shadows of Angels group, Tutaev)

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Excerpt characterizing Afanasieff, Walter

Natasha would be able to tell the old countess alone in bed at night everything that she thought. Sonya, she knew, with her stern and integral gaze, either would not have understood anything, or would have been horrified by her confession. Natasha, alone with herself, tried to resolve what was tormenting her.
“Did I die for the love of Prince Andrei or not? she asked herself and with a reassuring smile answered herself: What kind of fool am I that I ask this? What happened to me? Nothing. I didn't do anything, I didn't do anything to cause this. No one will know, and I will never see him again, she told herself. It became clear that nothing had happened, that there was nothing to repent of, that Prince Andrei could love me just like that. But what kind? Oh God, my God! Why isn’t he here?” Natasha calmed down for a moment, but then again some instinct told her that although all this was true and although nothing had happened, instinct told her that all the former purity of her love for Prince Andrey had perished. And again in her imagination she repeated her entire conversation with Kuragin and imagined the face, gestures and gentle smile of this handsome and brave man, while he shook her hand.

Anatol Kuragin lived in Moscow because his father sent him away from St. Petersburg, where he lived more than twenty thousand a year in money and the same amount in debts that creditors demanded from his father.
The father announced to his son that he was paying half of his debts for the last time; but only so that he would go to Moscow to the post of adjutant to the commander-in-chief, which he procured for him, and would finally try to make a good match there. He pointed him to Princess Marya and Julie Karagina.
Anatole agreed and went to Moscow, where he stayed with Pierre. Pierre accepted Anatole reluctantly at first, but then got used to him, sometimes went with him on his carousings and, under the pretext of a loan, gave him money.
Anatole, as Shinshin rightly said about him, since he arrived in Moscow, drove all the Moscow ladies crazy, especially because he neglected them and obviously preferred gypsies and French actresses to them, with the head of which, Mademoiselle Georges, as they said, he was in intimate relations. He did not miss a single revelry with Danilov and other merry fellows of Moscow, drank all night long, outdrinking everyone, and attended all the evenings and balls of high society. They talked about several of his intrigues with Moscow ladies, and at balls he courted some. But he did not get close to girls, especially rich brides, who for the most part were all bad, especially since Anatole, which no one knew except his closest friends, had been married two years ago. Two years ago, while his regiment was stationed in Poland, a poor Polish landowner forced Anatole to marry his daughter.
Anatole very soon abandoned his wife and, for the money that he agreed to send to his father-in-law, he negotiated for himself the right to be considered a single man.
Anatole was always pleased with his position, himself and others. He was instinctively convinced with his whole being that he could not live differently than the way he lived, and that he had never done anything bad in his life. He was unable to think about how his actions might affect others, nor what might come of such or such an action. He was convinced that just as a duck was created in such a way that it should always live in water, so he was created by God in such a way that he should live with an income of thirty thousand and always occupy the highest position in society. He believed in this so firmly that, looking at him, others were convinced of this and did not deny him either a higher position in the world or money, which he obviously borrowed without return from those he met and those who met him.
He was not a gambler, at least he never wanted to win. He wasn't vain. He didn't care at all what people thought about him. Still less could he be guilty of ambition. He teased his father several times, ruining his career, and laughed at all the honors. He was not stingy and did not refuse anyone who asked him. The only thing he loved was fun and women, and since, according to his concepts, there was nothing ignoble in these tastes, and he could not think about what came out of satisfying his tastes for other people, in his soul he believed considered himself an impeccable person, sincerely despised scoundrels and bad people and carried his head high with a calm conscience.
The revelers, these male Magdalenes, have a secret sense of consciousness of innocence, the same as the female Magdalenes, based on the same hope of forgiveness. “Everything will be forgiven to her, because she loved a lot, and everything will be forgiven to him, because he had a lot of fun.”
Dolokhov, who this year appeared again in Moscow after his exile and Persian adventures, and led a luxurious gambling and carousing life, became close to his old St. Petersburg comrade Kuragin and used him for his own purposes.
Anatole sincerely loved Dolokhov for his intelligence and daring. Dolokhov, who needed the name, nobility, connections of Anatoly Kuragin to lure rich young people into his gambling society, without letting him feel this, used and amused himself with Kuragin. In addition to the calculation for which he needed Anatol, the very process of controlling someone else’s will was a pleasure, a habit and a need for Dolokhov.