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Yekaterina Nikolayevna Chuprinina (Russian: Екатерина Николаевна Чупринина; born 20 September 1974), known by her stage name Katya Lel (Катя Лель), is a Russian pop singer.
When she was 3 years old, her father bought her a piano. At age 7, she began studying music at Children's Art School. She then continued her education at the North Caucasus Institute of Arts. While still a student, Katya Lel spent six years as a soloist in the "Nalchik" vocal and instrumental ensemble at the city's House of Culture.
In 1994, she enrolled at the Gnessin Russian Academy of Music's vocal department in Moscow. There, her teachers were Joseph Kobzon and Lev Leshchenko. She won the "Musical Start - 1994" competition. After giving Leshchenko a demo tape of her songs, she was offered a job and began working at the Lev Leshchenko Theater.
In 1998, she graduated from the academy with top honors.
Career
In 1998, following her graduation, she started a solo career, releasing Champs Elysee.
In 2000, she chose the stage name Katya Lel and officially changed her name; the surname was borrowed from a character in Rimsky-Korsakov's opera "The Snow Maiden" - a shepherdess named Lel, personifying spring and love.
In 2003, she began to work with producer Maxim Fadeev.
In 1996, 22-year-old Lel met 46-year-old businessman and restaurateur Alexander Volkov in Lev Leshchenko's dressing room. They began an eight-year romance which was never formalized as Volkov was married.
From 2008 to 2023, Katya Lel was married to businessman Igor Kuznetsov. They have a daughter, Emilia.
Lel says she will only marry again if the man is under 35 years old.
Lel has stated that she has been abducted by aliens and has paranormal abilities. She also believes that in a past life, she was the son of Ramses II and lived in Egypt.
Lel has supported the Russo-Ukrainian war and has performed for Russian troops in the battlefield.
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