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Arts & Entertainment

From Russia to the Hollywood Stage: The Story of Marina V

Russian singer/songwriter Marina Verenikina is the artist-in-residence at Hard Rock Café in Hollywood for the month of May.

Hollywood’s Marina Verenikina is a talented artist with a past as inspirational as her song lyrics.

The singer/songwriter lived in communist Moscow at a time when Western culture was frowned upon. She grew up in a home of academics — her father was a nuclear physicist, and mother, a child psychologist.

After acquiring a bootleg cassette of The Beatles, Marina found inspiration to write songs and explore the English language.

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At the age of 17, Marina won former U.S. Senator Bill Bradley’s sponsored Freedom Support Act/(FLEX), a program, which provides high school students from the countries of the former Soviet Union a chance to experience life in a democratic society in the hopes of spreading democratic values throughout Europe and Asian. The opportunity earned her a scholarship to study at Illinois College in the United States where she earned degrees in international studies and economics, with a minor in Spanish.

While at school, Marina began to write songs and channeled her free time into practicing her music. Upon graduation, she packed up her life and headed west to pursue a career in Los Angeles, quickly making a name for herself in the Hollywood music scene.

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The rising star, who goes by Marina V, sat down with Patch to discuss her current residency at Hard Rock Café Hollywood. She also talks about winning a prestigious music award from Sir Bog Geldof in London, hearing her songs placed on hit TV shows, and performing at the hotspots like Hotel Café and the Kodak Theater.

Hollywood Patch: You are originally from Moscow. What brought you to Los Angeles?

Verenikina: I came here when I was 15, as an exchange student for a year, went back to Moscow for a few months and then moved back to US when I was 17, permanently. Los Angeles is the place to be if you're serious about your music career, so the second I graduated from University I moved to Los Angeles. I love it here.

Patch: When did you move here?

Verenikina: A few years ago, but I still feel quite new to the city.

Patch: How did you get into music?

Verenikina: I've been singing my whole life, and started writing songs when I was about 4. It's always been such a big part of me, I can't even imagine my life without music or writing songs or singing.

Patch: Tell us about the award you won from Sir Bob Geldof in London?

Verenikina: I was a grand finalist in the International Song Contest YouBloom for my song You Make Me Beautiful and my co-writer Nick and I were flown out to London to receive the award from Sir Bob Geldof, who was one of the celebrity judges in the song contest. Thousands of songs worldwide were competing, with tens of thousands of fans (and celebrity judges) voting. It was a big honor to win.

Patch: How did you go about getting music placed on The Good Wife?

Verenikina: The music supervisor for the show liked my new album. It was really cool to hear my song on that show - I love it!

Patch: You're doing a residency at Hard Rock Cafe in May. How has that experience been? 

Verenikina: It's been absolutely amazing. Hard Rock Café is such a cool place, with hundreds of locations worldwide. The one at Hollywood & Highland is one of the newest and the biggest. It's been great. I had residency there in April and they asked me to extend it into May. It's been so much fun, The band and I are having a blast.

Patch: Where do you most enjoy playing in Hollywood?
 

Verenikina: There are so many cool places.. One of my favorite listening rooms in town is definitely the famed Hotel Café. I must have played there about 30 times.

Patch: What has been the best accomplishment of your singing career thus far?
 

Verenikina: I've been blessed with many cool moments that I am very proud of. Playing at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, returning to my home town of Moscow with a sold out show, performing at the Russian Embassy at the inaugural ball two years ago in Washington D.C. I also just wrote a song for a huge brand ad in Europe.

Patch: What's on the agenda for your music this summer?

Verenikina: Touring on the west and east coasts, writing more for my side project and camping.

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