Santa Dimopulos

Santa Dimopulos is a Ukrainian singer and fitness champion known for her membership in the girl group VIA Gra and her victory at the 2011 WBPF World Championship. ^[1] Born Santa Yanisovna Dimopulos on May 21, 1987, in Kyiv, Ukraine, to a family of Greek-Assyrian-Ukrainian descent, she trained professionally in dance from childhood and earned the title of Master of Sports. ^[1] Her early career included placing third in the Miss Universe Ukraine beauty pageant in 2006 and serving as a soloist in the group The Seventh Heaven from 2008 to 2009, alongside participation in the third season of the Ukrainian talent show Star Factory produced by Konstantin Meladze. ^[1] In 2011, she won the WBPF World Championship in Thailand in the women's model physique category (165 cm+), marking a significant achievement in fitness and bodybuilding. ^{[2] [1]} Dimopulos gained wider recognition when she joined the renowned Ukrainian pop group VIA Gra in December 2011, remaining until October 2012 and contributing to its performances and releases during that period. ^[1] She later became a member of the group Queens from November 2016 to April 2017. ^[1] Beyond music, her pursuits have included solo releases, television appearances, producing, and business ventures such as co-opening the Gold Vintage boutique in Kyiv in 2014. ^[1] She has also appeared in various media and maintained a presence in lifestyle and fashion spheres. ^[1]

Early life and background

Birth and family heritage

Santa Dimopulos was born on May 21, 1987, in Kyiv, Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union (now Kyiv, Ukraine). ^{[3] [4]} Her full name is Santa Yanisovna Dimopulos. ^{[5] [4]} She comes from an Assyrian-Greek-Ukrainian family background. ^{[5] [4]} Her father, Yanis Dimopulos, was of Greek-Assyrian descent, while her mother, Lyudmila Ivanovna, is Ukrainian. ^{[5] [4] [6]} Her parents divorced when she was young, but her father remained involved in her upbringing until his death from cancer in 2004. ^{[5] [4]}

Childhood interests and education

Santa Dimopulos developed a passion for performing arts from an early age, beginning with ballroom dancing classes that her mother enrolled her in due to her natural plasticity. ^[6] This pursuit became serious and professional during her childhood, earning her the title of Master of Sports in ballroom dancing. ^{[6] [7] [5]} She also attended music school for pop vocal training and actively participated in various school events, demonstrating her strong affinity for the stage and public performance. ^[8] Despite her deep involvement in dance and performance, Dimopulos followed her parents' advice and pursued higher education, enrolling in the Faculty of Law at Kyiv National University. ^[8] She graduated in 2011. ^{[8] [7]} Her foundational experiences in dance and stage activities contributed to her emerging interest in modeling and performance-related opportunities, including participation in the Miss Universe Ukraine contest in 2006. ^[6]

Beauty pageants and fitness achievements

Participation in beauty contests

Santa Dimopulos participated in the Miss Universe Ukraine beauty pageant in 2006, where she secured third place. ^[1] This achievement, also recognized as 2nd Vice-Miss Ukraine-Universe, represented her primary and most notable involvement in formal beauty contests. ^[9] The placement brought her early public attention prior to her later career developments. ^[10]

World fitness championship and related pursuits

Santa Dimopulos achieved international acclaim in fitness and bodybuilding by winning the gold medal at the World Bodybuilding and Physique Championship in 2011. ^[2] The event, organized by the World Bodybuilding & Physique Sports Federation (WBPF), took place in Thailand from October 2 to October 8. ^[2] She secured the world champion title in the World Women Model Physique 165 cm+ category. ^[11] This accomplishment occurred in the same year she graduated from the Faculty of Law at Kyiv National University. ^[1] Her victory highlighted her commitment to physical fitness and physique competition, marking a notable achievement in the sport prior to her focus on other professional endeavors. ^[2]

Music career

Early music involvement and Star Factory

Santa Dimopulos began her professional music career as a soloist in the women's pop group The Seventh Heaven from 2008 to 2009. ^[1] This marked her initial entry into the music industry as a singer. ^[6] In 2009, she participated in the third season of the Ukrainian music talent show Star Factory (also known as Fabrika Zirok), produced by Konstantin Meladze. ^[3] The project served as an early platform for her development as a performer. ^[12]

Tenure with VIA Gra

Santa Dimopulos joined the pop group VIA Gra in December 2011, replacing Nadezhda Granovskaya, who had left due to pregnancy. ^{[13] [14]} Producer Konstantin Meladze personally selected her, citing his prior acquaintance with Dimopulos from her time on the Ukrainian Fabrika Zvezd in 2009. ^[14] The revamped trio—comprising Albina Dzhanabaeva, Eva Bushmina, and Dimopulos—made its debut appearance on December 2, 2011, during a corporate event in Odessa. ^[13] During her tenure, VIA Gra released the single "Алло, мам!" in February 2012, along with a music video directed by Alan Badoev. ^[15] The group performed and appeared at the Premiya Muz-TV awards ceremony in 2012. ^{[16] [17]} Dimopulos departed VIA Gra in early October 2012 to pursue a solo career. ^[18]

Queens group and later music activities

In November 2016, Santa Dimopulos joined the Russian girl group Queens, formed as a trio with fellow former VIA Gra members Olga Romanovskaya and Tatyana Kotova.^[1] The group's name was suggested by Dimopulos herself, reflecting a concept of queenship as a lifestyle involving poise, responsibility, and strength under any circumstances.^[19] The original lineup debuted with a live performance of the song "Зачем" at the Golden Gramophone awards ceremony on November 19, 2016.^[1] The collaboration was short-lived for the founding members, with Dimopulos departing the group in April 2017 alongside Romanovskaya and Kotova.^[1] Following her time with Queens, no major music releases, solo singles, or further group projects have been documented in available sources. Earlier in her post-VIA Gra phase, Dimopulos released her debut solo single "When We Move" in May 2013, accompanied by an official music video filmed in Los Angeles.^[20][21]

Television and media appearances

Reality TV and guest spots

Santa Dimopulos has appeared as a guest on Russian television programs, primarily in entertainment and music-related formats.^[1] In 2012, she was a guest on the comedy sketch series Big Difference (Bolshaya raznitsa), appearing as herself in one episode titled Release 66.^[22] She also made appearances on music award television specials, including Premiya Muz-TV 2012, where she was credited as part of VIA Gra, and Premiya Muz-TV 2013, credited as Self (uncredited).^[1] These guest spots coincided with her membership in VIA Gra and contributed to her visibility in the Russian entertainment media landscape.^[1]

Victory on Dancing with the Stars

In 2020, Santa Dimopulos won the eighth season of the Ukrainian television program Tantsi z zirkamy, the local adaptation of Dancing with the Stars, where she was paired with professional dancer Maks Leonov.^[23] The season finale aired on November 30, 2020, and her pair secured the victory through the highest combined scores from the judges and viewer votes.^[24] In a notable act of generosity during the finale, Dimopulos was awarded the winner's trophy but immediately handed it to runner-up Yulia Sanina, stating that trophies and victories were unimportant compared to mutual support, love, and fairness.^[24] She emphasized that there were no real winners because everyone who endured the 14 weeks of competition was already a "superwinner," and she praised Sanina's extraordinary growth despite having no prior dance experience.^[25] The production team endorsed her gesture by creating a second trophy, marking the first time in the show's history that two pairs were officially recognized as winners.^[24] Both Dimopulos and Sanina later agreed to auction the trophies for charity to benefit children.^[25] This achievement highlighted Dimopulos's skill in dance performance within a competitive setting.

Other professional activities

Business ventures

Santa Dimopulos, after graduating from the Faculty of Law at Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv in 2011, co-founded the Gold Vintage boutique in Kyiv in 2014 with her friend Julia Kovaleva. ^[1] The Gold Vintage Concept Store operates as a resale and consignment shop specializing in pre-owned luxury items, including branded clothing, shoes, jewelry, watches, and accessories, with a focus on vintage pieces that carry historical value. ^{[26] [27]} Dimopulos has described herself as the first in Ukraine to promote the idea of secondary consumption through the project, emphasizing its environmental benefits through recycling and conscious consumption. ^[26] She has expressed strong personal attachment to the venture, calling it her "favorite kid" and noting satisfaction with its consistent growth and adaptation, including over the years following its launch. ^[26] The store initially opened in Kyiv's Gulliver shopping center as an elite consignment outlet catering to VIP clientele. ^[27]

Production credits

Santa Dimopulos holds a producer credit on the 2019 Ukrainian road trip comedy film Producer (original title: Prodyuser).^[1] She is also credited as an actress in the project.^[28] The film, directed by Serge Vane, centers on a presumptuous young producer who faces numerous obstacles—both comedic and perilous—while transporting cash to a film set, ultimately learning a life lesson.^[28] It carries an IMDb rating of 4.4 out of 10 based on user votes.^[28] This represents her sole documented production credit in film or television according to major industry databases, underscoring a limited but notable foray into behind-the-camera work amid her broader entertainment career.^[1]

Personal life

Relationships, marriages, and children

Santa Dimopulos gave birth to her first child, a son named Daniel, on October 29, 2008, when she was 21 years old; the father was Ukrainian showman Andrei Dzhedzhula, with whom she had been in a relationship since 2006. ^{[29] [30]} She married businessman Vladimir Samsonenko on September 18, 2012, in a widely publicized ceremony held at an Italian castle, but later disclosed that the wedding had been staged and the marriage was not legally real. ^[31] In autumn 2015, Dimopulos married businessman Igor Kucherenko, co-owner of a chain of sports clubs. ^[32] The couple had a daughter, Sofia, born on September 14, 2019. ^[32] In spring 2024, Dimopulos and Kucherenko announced their divorce, noting that the decision was mutual and conscious despite their mutual love and commitment, and they committed to maintaining amicable relations for their daughter's sake. ^{[32] [29]}