Sergey Stepanov
Sergey Stepanov and SunStroke Project at Eurovision Song Contest 2010
Sergey Stepanov and SunStroke Project at Eurovision Song Contest 2010
Background information
Also known asEpic Sax Guy
Ultra Sax Guy
Born (1984-09-03) 3 September 1984 (age 39)
Tiraspol, Moldavian SSR, Soviet Union
GenresPop
Occupation(s)Saxophonist
Composer

Sergey Igorevich Stepanov (Russian: Серге́й И́горевич Степа́нов, Russian pronunciation: [sʲɪrˈɡʲej ˈiɡərʲɪvʲɪtɕ sʲtʲɪˈpanəf]; Romanian: Serghei Stepanov, IPA: [serˈɡej steˈpanov];[a] born 3 September 1984), commonly known as the Epic Sax Guy, Saxroll or Ultra Sax Guy, is a Moldovan musician and composer and a member of the SunStroke Project.

Biography

Stepanov graduated in 2005 from Transnistrian State Arts Institute of Tiraspol. After graduation he was drafted into the Transnistrian army, where he met Anton Ragoza. Later they formed Sunstroke band, now known as SunStroke Project.[1][2] Stepanov is dubbed 'Epic Sax Guy' by many on the internet.

SunStroke Project

As a member of SunStroke Project, Sergey participated at the Eurovision Song Contest 2010 in Oslo, where SunStroke Project finished 22nd, with their song "Run Away". After the contest, Stepanov, thanks to his extravagant look and dancing style, quickly became an Internet meme named "Epic Sax Guy" through a YouTube video with Sergey's instrumental solo performance during the group's Eurovision performance. It quickly went viral and spawned a number of remix videos, including a ten-hour long remixed version.[3]

In 2014, Stepanov's 2010 performance was included in the Eurovision Book of Records, a collection of the most memorable moments in the history of the contest.[4] In 2017, SunStroke Project returned to Eurovision with the song "Hey, Mamma!", and this time finished 3rd. Many notable publications around the world wrote about the comeback of the "Epic Sax Guy", and on the Internet new videos and remixes with Stepanov's performance appeared, this time known as "Ultra Sax Guy".[5][6][7][8][9] On returning to Moldova, SunStroke Project were awarded the Order of Honour by then-President of Moldova Igor Dodon.[10][11][12]

During the Eurovision Song Contest 2021 final, Stepanov was the spokesperson for the Moldovan jury votes.[13]

Personal life

Sergey is married to Olga Deleu,[14] and they have a son, Mikhail.[15]

Honors

Notes

  1. ^ Sometimes iterated Serghei Igorevici Stepanov after the former Soviet and modern Russian form of the name, also spelled Сергей Степанов in Moldovan Cyrillic.

References

  1. ^ Светлана КОТЕЛЬНИКОВА (2010-12-10). "МЕЧТЫ ИМЕЮТ ОСОБЕННОСТЬ СБЫВАТЬСЯ". pridnestrovie-daily.net. Archived from the original on 2014-10-17. Retrieved 2014-10-12.
  2. ^ Степанов Сергей (in Russian). Archived from the original on 2013-06-02. Retrieved 2013-06-01.
  3. ^ "SunStroke Project, Olia Tira & Epic Sax Guy – вторая волна интернет-феномена" (in Russian). 2011-11-09. Archived from the original on 2017-12-25. Retrieved 2013-05-19.
  4. ^ "Саксофонист "Sun Stroke Project" попал в Книгу Рекордов "Eurovision" – его видео посмотрели 59 миллионов пользователей!!! (ВИДЕО)". noi.md. 2014-05-08. Archived from the original on 2014-09-03. Retrieved 2014-08-30.
  5. ^ В сети появилась 10-часовая версия танца Epic Sax Guy из Sunstroke Project (in Russian). Archived from the original on 2017-05-15. Retrieved 2017-05-11.
  6. ^ @Eurovision (May 9, 2017). "Hands up who's practising Sunstroke..." (Tweet). Retrieved 2017-05-12 – via Twitter.
  7. ^ ""Epic sax guy" вернулся: 10-минутный танец саксофониста из Sunstroke Project набирает популярность в Сети". kp.md. 11 May 2017. Archived from the original on 2017-05-11. Retrieved 2017-05-12.
  8. ^ The Telegraph: Танец саксофониста из Sunstroke Project стал вирусным (in Russian). bloknot-moldova.md. Archived from the original on 2017-05-13. Retrieved 2017-05-12.
  9. ^ "Финал "Евровидения-2017": Спасибо, Sunstroke Project, за 3 место!". kp.md. 14 May 2017. Archived from the original on 2017-05-16. Retrieved 2017-05-16.
  10. ^ "За достойное выступление на "Евровидении" ребята из Sunstroke Project удостоились наград". golos.md. Archived from the original on 2017-05-29. Retrieved 2017-05-17.
  11. ^ Игорь Додон наградил членов группы SunStroke Project Орденами Почета (in Russian). moldova-today.com. 2017-05-17. Archived from the original on 2017-05-21. Retrieved 2017-05-17.
  12. ^ Музыканты группы SunStroke Project получили Ордена Почета (in Russian). presedinte.md. Archived from the original on 2017-05-31. Retrieved 2017-05-31.
  13. ^ Farren, Neil (2021-05-22). "🇲🇩 Moldova: Epic Sax Guy Announced as Spokesperson for Eurovision 2021". Eurovoix. Archived from the original on 2021-05-22. Retrieved 2021-05-23.
  14. ^ Александра БАТАНОВА (2014-05-29). "Саксофонист из SunStroke Project женится". Комсомольская правда. Archived from the original on 2014-09-04. Retrieved 2014-08-30.
  15. ^ "Ребята из SunStroke Project - кто они?". moldovenii.md. Archived from the original on 2017-12-25. Retrieved 2017-05-29.
  16. ^ "За достойное выступление на "Евровидении" ребята из Sunstroke Project удостоились наград". golos.md. Archived from the original on 2017-05-29. Retrieved 2017-05-17.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Sergey Stepanov.
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