Oleg Zhukov (singer)

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Oleg Yevgenievich Zhukov (Russian: Олег Евгеньевич Жуков; 11 October 1973 – 9 February 2002), known professionally as Oleg Zhukov (Russian: Олег Жуков), was a Russian singer and rapper, best known as a member of Diskoteka Avariya, also known internationally as Disco Crash.^[1]

Oleg Zhukov was born on 11 October 1973 in Ivanovo, Russia. In 1988, he began his career working in a puppet theater, where he provided voices for various characters in theatrical productions.^[2] The following year, in 1989, Zhukov enrolled at the Ivanovo Energy Institute but left the institution in his third year to join the army.

In 1991, Zhukov joined Diskoteka Avariya, a group founded in 1990 by his fellow Ivanovo natives, Nikolay Timofeev and Aleksey Ryzhov. During the early years of the group, Zhukov served as the frontman.^[2] By the time Diskoteka Avariya released its third album, Marathon (1999), Zhukov began sharing frontman duties with Timofeev.

In 2001, despite his declining health, Zhukov and the group signed a contract with Pepsi, resulting in the commercial "Disco Service Pepsi."^[2]

In the summer of 2001, Zhukov's health began to deteriorate. He experienced severe headaches and fainted during a tour in Tallinn.^[2] On 10 August 2001, he was diagnosed with a brain tumor. Despite undergoing surgery at the Burdenko Neurosurgery Institute in Moscow, Zhukov’s condition worsened.^[3] He continued to perform with the group briefly after his treatment, but by November 2001, his health had deteriorated again.

The last music video Zhukov appeared in with Diskoteka Avariya was "Na Ostrie Ataki," which was filmed on his final birthday. In his final months, Zhukov remained optimistic and expressed hope of rejoining the group, despite his declining condition.^[2][4]

On 9 February 2002, Oleg Zhukov died in his apartment in Ivanovo at the age of 28 after a battle with brain cancer.^[5] A funeral service was held on 11 February in Ivanovo, and he was buried at Bogorodskoye Cemetery. The funeral was broadcast live.

Diskoteka Avariya temporarily suspended activities following Zhukov's death. In 2006, the group released the album Four Guys, which was dedicated to Zhukov's memory. Aleksey Ryzhov, a member of the group, reflected on Zhukov’s legacy, stating that the group remained the same despite his absence, and that Zhukov had been the force that united them.