OUT OF THE BLUE: The Music Therapy of Vitas

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Blue Angel by teladair | Photo 02

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June 20, 2009 - by Sara Star, NS Canada

Passing the bar exam should have been one of the happiest days of her life, but that would not be the case for Diane. Instead she found herself at her son’s snowy grave site, clutching his icy headstone until the early hours of the morning. After carrying on bravely for four months, determined to finish law school, she finally let the dam of sorrow burst. It went on endlessly, days turned into weeks, months turned into years. There had never been a day of joy since his suicide. The guilt, the should-haves, and the sadness swirled endlessly, slicing deeply into her soul. Unable to bear the grief, she disconnected from her body and from life itself. Her days floated by in a daze, with no solace in sight. Even sleep would not loosen its deathly hold.

Then literally out of the blue, there it was. A silent second that made her pause, an unexplained urge to listen to a foreign voice. She heard the angelic voice of a Russian singer named Vitas. And in that moment, her life changed yet again. Her living son wanted to listen to more of the unique compositions, but none were available. So she went on to form the USA Vitas site. In doing so, she retraced her steps back to her battered body, and took her first steps forward to the land of the living. She admits that she will never stop grieving, but she no longer wallows in it. She credits this to Vitas, as many others have done. Healing by music therapy, she can now experience joy, laughter, and passion once again. 

Who is Vitas? An intriguing young man with an out-of-this planet charm. A quirky graceful dancer who wears his showy self-designed styles with ease, accentuating his adorableness. And a mesmerizing actor. He stops, and we gasp to see what he will do next. Then, with just a flick of his wrist, our suspended breath resumes. His talent is obvious. His compositions, infused by his personal pain, allow fans to connect with him intimately. We feel his regrets and longing for his departed mother and a faraway lover. Every Vitas’ video and tour is unique. Just when we think he can’t top the last incredible one, he re-invents himself anew once again. He makes us laugh, dance, and gently shed a few tears, sometimes all at the same time.

How has he risen to such popularity? To be sure, he has not done it alone. The people behind the scenes have been instrumental. He was lucky to have a music producer who guided his career well. It would not have been an easy task to take on someone so young and creative. But then things that are worthwhile rarely are. Also, the administrators of his websites work tirelessly and are greatly underrated. Their efforts have kept his popularity going, by updating recent news and by publishing all his music on site, providing the lyrics both in Russian and in English – a well executed move. In turn, Vitas continues to uplift his audiences with his extraordinary performances. A perpetuating, flawless cycle in motion.

Composing nearly half the songs that he performs, his career has spanned for almost a decade. His five-octave vocal range has been introduced to Canadian university students studying opera and classical music.

Although his fame first skyrocketing in China, his appeal is undeniably spreading worldwide. He is presently on tour in Israel. For ordinary people like Diane and me, life is just a little more brighter.

To listen to his music:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YjO_VXHxsRw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3yfFOq_CFQ&feature=related