Bi-2 is a Belarusian pop-rock band formed in 1988 in Babruysk by Aleksandr “Shura” Uman and Yegor “Lyova” Bortnik. After periods of activity in Israel and Australia, the duo relocated to Russia in 1999 and established itself as one of the prominent rock acts in Eastern Europe.
The band gained wider recognition in 2000 through its music for the film "Brother 2", with several tracks becoming successful on Russian rock radio. Their self-titled debut album was followed by "Meow Kiss Me" (2001) and "Foreign Cars" (2004), both of which achieved gold status in Russia. Bi-2 became known for collaborations with leading rock artists, with the double album "Odd Warrior" (2005) dedicated entirely to duet recordings.
Throughout its career, Bi-2 has received numerous Russian and international awards, including Best Rock Act at the 2007 MTV Russian Music Awards, as well as recognition from the ZD Awards, World Music Awards and Music Box. The band has also performed at major music festivals across Russia and Europe.
In 2022, Bi-2 publicly opposed the Russian invasion of Ukraine and declined to perform at venues displaying pro-invasion symbols. Following the cancellation of its Russian concerts, the members left the country and continued touring internationally. In 2023, the band relocated to Israel. In early 2024, several members were detained in Thailand over alleged work-permit violations before being sent to Israel following an international diplomatic dispute.
Note: This biography was created with the assistance of AI and has been editorially reviewed.
Sources: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0) and official artist information.
