Background and career
Dima Nikolayevich Bilan (Russian: Ди́ма Никола́евич Била́н, IPA: [ˈdʲimə nʲɪkɐˈlajɪvʲɪdʑ bʲɪˈlan]; born Viktor Nikolayevich Belan [Russian: Ви́ктор Никола́евич Бела́н] on 24 December 1981) is a Russian singer. In 2002, Bilan participated in the first edition of New Wave. At the end of the contest, he finished in fourth place. He represented Russia at the Eurovision Song Contest 2006 with "Never Let You Go", finishing second, and he won the contest in 2008 in Belgrade, with the song "Believe".
Dima Bilan was born as Viktor Belan in Ust-Dzheguta in the autonomous republic Karachay-Cherkessia in a mixed family of Tatar, Karachay and Russian heritage. Bilan's father, Nikolai Mikhailovich Belan, was born in Kabardino-Balkaria and his mother, Nina Dmitriyevna Belan, in Tatarstan. He has an elder sister, Yelena, and a younger sister, Anna. After having briefly lived in Tatarstan as a child, Bilan's family relocated to Maysky in Kabardino-Balkaria.
Bilan started playing bayan in the fifth class of school and participated in different music contests as a child. He became interested in music as he enjoyed singing during school and started to write letters to the Gnessin Musical College, asking them for entrance requirements. Although the musical college did not respond to his writings, he still went to the auditions and managed to enroll. Between 2000 and 2003, he specialised in classical singing. Afterwards, he enrolled at the Russian Institute of Theatre Arts, where he studied acting. At the time, Bilan lived at an apartment of an acquainted family. He financed his studies while working as a nighttime stock clerk in a shoe store.
=== 1998–2004: Early career, New Wave and first albums ===
Bilan started his music career during school. He regularly performed at school parties and for guests at home. He idolised Valeriy and Konstantin Meladze in his teen years. In 1995, he first performed at a televised music contest, singing Valeriy Meladze's "Aktrisa". Meladze's 1997 single "Vera" especially became important to Bilan.
