Why is there no brigade today? City Crazy: Brigade U
The broadcast of “Brigade U” on the Europa Plus radio station lasts three hours – from 7 to 10 am. For 8 years, the guys have been getting up so early to delight millions of listeners across the country with their energy and excellent sense of humor. We met with Jem, Ilya and Vicky to learn about their difficult work, favorite things and even about old age.
So let's start with a little blitz:
– Better stress reliever?
Ilya: Solitude.
Jem: Steering wheel, I love driving. Another “Jack Daniel’s” and sleep.
Vicky: Work and colleagues. And new dresses - you can’t go anywhere without them!
- Food?
Ilya: Porridge in the morning.
Jam: Very different, but without mustard - I have a severe allergy to it.
Vicky: Everything related to Italian and Georgian cuisine. True, I don’t eat half of it – it’s harmful (laughs).
- Sports?
Ilya: Morning bow to the sun.
Jem: Run in the morning if you have the strength (laughs). And step aerobics, I do it periodically.
Vicki: Dancing and squats.
- A country?
Ilya: Russia.
Jam: Spain, Netherlands, Britain, USA, Argentina.
Wiki: Italy and Brazil.
– Brand of clothing?
Ilya: Diesel.
Jam: Zara, Diesel.
Vicky: I'm Zaralub.
- Series?
Ilya: “Silicon Valley.” I started watching it because we voice the main characters in it. And now I’m waiting for several episodes to be released so I can watch several episodes at once.)) So that there is a lot. Otherwise, one episode is not enough for me, and after watching I feel dissatisfaction, such, in a sense, “viewer hunger.”
Jem: “American Horror Story.”
Vicki: And I’m for the classics – “Friends”.
- Book?
Ilya: Letters from A.P. Chekhov.
Jem: Self-teacher of the Spanish language.
Vicki: “The Mysterious Case of Billy Milligan.” This is an unreal mind blower!
– How do you see yourself in old age? Where and with whom?
Ilya: In solitude. I hope by then everyone will forget about everything and won’t bother me (smiles).
Jem: For some reason I was always looking for an opportunity to work as a waiter. Therefore, maybe in my old age I will have my own little bar on the seashore under a palm tree.
Vicky: I want to work in radio until I retire. But I also have a couple of strange desires: to work as a guide and make cheese in my old age.
- Idol?
Ilya: Sometimes I listen to our broadcasts and evaluate them not as myself and my colleagues, but simply as radio hosts. And, you know, I like them. I listen to the radio a lot, but I don't like anyone else. And on these guys my head rests.
Jem: If in journalism - Otar Kushanashvili.
Vicky: I don't have one.
– Does it happen that during broadcasts you feel stupor and don’t know what to say next?
Jem: It happens. At such moments we “pick up” each other. True, when you know that there are colleagues who can replace you at any moment, it, frankly, relaxes you a little. I often get stuck when I forget the right word.
Vicky: Yes, at such moments it’s very disappointing when you show your colleagues what you want to say so that they can help you find the word, but they don’t understand! This often happens when you need to announce something: the main prize, an announcement... And everyone looks at each other and doesn’t remember.
– Have you ever wanted to give up everything and leave?
Jem: No, there was no desire to abandon Brigade U. The only negative: in the first years of work I really wanted to sleep. Especially in the dark winter time.
– What are the plans of “Brigade U”?
Jem: Soon we are going to the European Football Championship in France. We follow in the footsteps of our team from city to city. We will cheer for the guys and cover the events.
Vicki: But if sports radio stations only talk about sports, then we will also have a cultural story. And also intrigues and scandals (laughs).
– What is it like to be the best presenter of the best radio in the country?
Ilya: Very difficult. You're always afraid to turn up your nose and not feel it.
Vicki: Of course, there is a sense of responsibility. Especially when you think about how many people are listening to you...
– What advice would you give to those who want to work in radio?
Jem: Practice talking to yourself. It is also necessary to read, listen to music, stay in the flow of information, and watch video clips to navigate the material.
Ilya: You can also do this. You take a voice recorder and record yourself for three days. Then you listen and evaluate: do you have something to say to the listener? You also need to understand what your superpower is. Jem, for example, has clarity and a good voice. Vicki is strong because she is a “la-la-la” girl and has a lot of dresses (laughs).
Vicki: The most important thing is to be sincere and get that out of yourself. And don't try to be like anyone.
– What is your view on everyday life?
Ilya: We must look for positive things everywhere.
Jem: I sometimes catch myself in a state of jamevu. And I'm shocked by what's happening. I can’t believe my eyes that this is possible in principle. Therefore, admiration and enjoyment every day is my view.
Vicki: My motto is: “To catch happiness, you must be able to run.” You have to do something all the time, nothing will just happen.
Photographer: Veronika Arakchieva
We express our gratitude to the Tarantino restaurant for the interior provided.
Participant name: Tatyana Pestryakova
Age (birthday): 5.06.1990
Moscow city
Education: Institute of Contemporary Art, department of pop vocals
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The biography of radio host Vika from the morning show “Brigada U” is a real secret behind seven seals. Why is that?
Most likely, with this flair of mystery, the radio station “Europe Plus” is trying to attract as much attention as possible to itself and its project.
But still there is some information about this beautiful girl and we tried to collect it for you in this article.
The first secret - real name of the radio presenter. On all pages on social networks, as well as on the official website of “Brigade U,” only the name Vika is indicated, but her name is Tatyana Pestryakova.
Logically, one can assume that in its full version it sounds like Victoria, but still these are only assumptions. Not once on air or in an interview did the girl herself or her colleagues mention her passport details.
The second secret is the date of birth. It is only known that Vicky was born on June 5 and her zodiac sign is Gemini.
The third secret is the girl's education. One of its pages states that the girl graduated from the pop vocal department Institute of Contemporary Art or ISI.
If we compare this with the fact that Vicky simply cannot live without music and sings superbly herself, then the information seems reliable.
At the same time, in her interviews, Vicky notes that as a child she dreamed of being not only a singer, but also a veterinarian. As a child, the girl desperately wanted to spend a lot of time with pets, treat them and give them SPA treatments!
At one time, Tatyana Pestryakova worked as a dance and vocal teacher.
Vicky is a real girl. She loves beautiful dresses, cannot live without a smartphone, loves to be photographed, receive compliments and, of course, sing. She also has a real girl idol - George Clooney. She dreams of not only meeting a Hollywood star, but also having an affair with him!
Viki got onto the radio and immediately into the morning show “Brigade U” in 2013 (where they already appeared). Vicky is excellent on air, jokes brightly and even hosts separate blocks. Colleagues value Vicki very much, although they often make fun of her.
Not surprisingly, the personal life of the mysterious radio host is also a secret. Although on her VKontakte page Vicky indicated that she was in love. But it is not known to whom and whether their relationship has been formalized.
Photo by Vicky
Vika has 2 favorite cats at home, photos of which can sometimes be seen on her Instagram.
Participant's name: Ilya Vyacheslavovich Kolesnikov
Age (birthday): 8.04.1976
City: Tomsk, RSFSR, USSR
Education: Tomsk State University, Faculty of Law
Job: radio host
Family: married, two children
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Future radio host and resident of the capital Ilya Kolesnikov was born in 1976 in the cold city of Tomsk.
Even in early childhood, the boy showed remarkable acting abilities and became interested in performing in the miniature theater.
After school, Ilya entered Tomsk State University at the Faculty of Law. True, it was a correspondence department, because the young man was constantly busy with something and could not devote much time to his studies.
Despite this state of affairs at the university Ilya first met at the Cheerful and Resourceful Club and began performing with the then young team “Children of Lieutenant Schmidt”. In parallel with this, he was a member of the Student Theater of Variety Miniatures "Boniface".
It is no secret to KVN fans that the “Children of Lieutenant Schmidt” team is one of the most titled in the history of games.
It cannot be said that Ilya had a hand in all of their awards, but some titles rightfully belong to him. This:
- 1999, Champion of the KVN Major League;
- 2000, Winner of the Ukrainian Cup;
- 2001, Winner of the Friendship Cup (Almaty) and the KVN Summer Cup.
After graduating from university and receiving a law degree, Ilya faced a difficult choice - to devote himself to the profession or to completely devote himself to creativity. Remembering his childhood dreams of becoming an artist, the young man decided to try the latter and, as is now clear, he was right.
He moves to Moscow and Already in 2004, Ilya Kolesnikov first appeared on the Europe Plus radio station. He was immediately entrusted with leading the block in the morning show, and in 2007 he was transferred to the new show “Brigada U”, where Ilya Kolesnikov became one of the three presenters ( and ).
The project still exists and is one of the most popular not only on Europe Plus, but also among other morning shows in the country. The composition of the presenters has undergone slight changes over its history, but Ilya remained on the team for a long time.
Among other things, Ilya is a passionate music lover. On his social network page, he constantly shares interesting tracks with his fans, and also talks about his life, in which music is constantly present.
The personal life of Ilya Kolesnikov has long been a closed topic. However, on social networks, the presenter shared pictures with the children and said that together with his wife Natalya he was raising two children: a boy Stepan and a girl Maria.
In July 2019, Ilya Kolesnikov announced that he was leaving the U Brigade. Fans accepted this news with great regret and hope that after Europe Plus the presenter will not be lost. Instead of Kolesnikov, the “Brigade U” team has a new young and energetic presenter, who previously worked at Love Radio. Ilya himself said that he can be heard in a new format: now he hosts his own podcast “NOTHING”. The podcast has high ratings on many online platforms and listeners are pleased to note that this format has benefited Kolesnikov.
Photo by Ilya
Ilya has an Instagram where you can find photos of him from his life.
Arkady Dzhem was born on December 22, 1975 in the family of a ballerina and conductor, who at that time worked in Yekaterinburg. The theatrical craft is often associated with moving, and at the age of several months Arkady already became a resident of Pyatigorsk, then Krasnoyarsk, and finally the family settled in Petrozavodsk. Arkady inherited excellent choreography abilities from his mother, but his father was categorically against his son becoming a dancer. At his insistence, the boy attended a music school to study piano, and later mastered the saxophone. Over time, Arkady began to practice ballroom dancing in secret from his father, and achieved considerable success in the Latin American program. After graduating from the Lyceum, the young man became a student at the Karelian Pedagogical Institute, studying English and French. The teachers were pleased with the success of student Jem, but he himself much more liked participating in student amateur performances and various skits. In addition, he taught ballroom dancing at the Rhythm club.
In his third year, Arkady accidentally found out that his friend had started working at the local branch of the Europe Plus radio station and became very interested in it. A friend suggested that he take part in some competition and try to win - receiving a prize would allow him to get to know the life of the radio station from the inside. Arkady made all his efforts and became the owner of the honestly won forty liters of gasoline. While talking with a friend in the studio corridor, Arkady heard a request to read aloud the text of an advertising video, and after a successful test, he voiced it instead of the sick performer. This was the beginning of Arkady Dzhem’s work on the radio, which he conscientiously tried to combine with his studies.
Over time, Arkady realized that he would like to work as a radio presenter and that a regional radio station was far from the limit of his capabilities. After long and persistent requests, in 1998 the management sent Arkady to a training seminar, taking his word of honor that he would return to his previous place of work. To the young man’s surprise, he was offered a job in the capital even without his requests, since Arkady’s beloved girlfriend had sent his resume to several radio stations in advance. So Jem began broadcasting at the 106.8 station, and in 2000 he moved to the Moscow branch of Europe Plus. However, four years of working as a “talking head” forced him to leave for Dynamite FM, until in 2005 he received an offer from the management of Europe Plus to participate in the Brigada U project, a morning program for weekdays. In addition to Arkady Dzhem, Tatyana Shilina and Ilya Kolesnikov became members of the “Brigade U”. The success of a project can be judged by the longevity of its existence. At the same time, the composition of the presenters has undergone some changes. In 2011, after her vacation, Tanya did not return to the studio’s airwaves and went to the Channel Five program “Morning on 5,” although indignant radio listeners demanded for a long time that she be returned to the airwaves. For two seasons, Jem and Ilya were the permanent hosts of the “Brigade,” and Natalya Yartseva periodically took part in the program. By this time, the girl had already worked as a presenter at many stations and even wrote a book about it. In 2013, Vicky, who had previously participated in the evening program "RUSH" of "Europe Plus", became a permanent member of the "Brigade U". In addition, the Chihuahua dog Elisha, or Eroshka for short, became a permanent participant in the program.
The three-hour morning show is broadcast in all cities where there are regional Europa Plus stations and lasts three hours. Release times vary depending on time zone. Every winter, spring and autumn, the Arena Moscow club "Brigada U" holds a "Live Breakfast" concert. For fans of the show, this is a great opportunity to see their favorite hosts and make sure that their appearance is no less charming than their voices. However, according to Arkady Dzhem, the radio station host wins hearts not with his appearance, no matter what it is. Although Arkady can’t complain about his appearance. This is confirmed not only by reviews from fans, which speak not only of Jem’s pleasant voice, infectious laughter, wit and resourcefulness, but also of his attractive appearance. In 2009, Arkady starred in the fantasy action film “Black Lightning” (the role of a radio host), and in 2011, together with Ilya, he became a participant in the episodes of the television sketch show “Give Youth,” where both of them also performed in their usual role. In addition, Pedro speaks in the voice of Jem in the animated series "Rio" (2011) and "Rio 2" (2014).
Every day, except weekends, Arkady Dzhem gets up at half past five and heads to the studio, from where music and voices will be heard for three hours, creating a positive mood for the whole day, introducing weather forecasts and traffic conditions, talking with guest stars and presenters new hits. In his free time, the famous TV presenter tries to travel. He loves St. Petersburg, which he fell in love with as a child, coming with his father on tour, foggy London and sunny Spain, and generously shares his impressions on social networks.
