LOBODA: A New Era, Personal Rules and the Freedom to Be Herself

Over her years on stage, LOBODA has created a musical world of her own, one that has always made room for experimentation, bold decisions and striking transformations. Her performances have long transcended the traditional concert, becoming large-scale productions in which music, fashion and visual art come together as one.

Today, the artist is preparing to unveil ICON, a new show that marks the next stage of her creative journey. But beyond the stage looks, tours and audiences of thousands, there is another side to Svetlana’s life: family, small daily rituals, a love of simple things and a desire to maintain her inner balance.

On the singer’s birthday, ELLE Uzbekistan invites readers to get to know her through five personal themes that reveal what inspires LOBODA today.

Beauty Begins with Self-Care

Constant flights, rehearsals and performances call for particular attention to recovery. In everyday life, Svetlana prefers simple, tried-and-tested habits that help her find her rhythm again, even after the most demanding schedule.

“After long flights and hours of rehearsals, my main recovery ritual is made up of very simple, straightforward things: a glass of water with lemon, some exercises and a contrast shower to help my body feel revitalised. When it comes to skincare, it is important to me to let my skin rest, so my beauty bag always contains only quality moisturising products and nothing unnecessary. The main thing is to let the skin breathe.”

Her approach to beauty is free of any desire to complicate her daily routine. Instead, allowing herself a little time to recover becomes especially precious when so much of her life is spent on the move.

Fashion as an Extension of Character

It is hard to imagine LOBODA’s stage wardrobe without dramatic silhouettes, expressive details and looks created for major performances. Away from the stage, however, her choices are much more relaxed.

“I realised a long time ago that feeling feminine has absolutely nothing to do with clothes. I can feel equally confident and at ease in elaborate, vibrant stage outfits and in a completely relaxed tracksuit. In everyday life, I usually choose comfort. But if we are talking about details I truly love, it is oversized sunglasses. They always make a look feel complete and give me a sense of privacy.”

For Svetlana, style is first and foremost about how she feels within herself. While clothes help create character and mood on stage, personal comfort becomes the deciding factor in everyday life.

Family and the Values That Matter More Than the Stage

For all the intensity of her creative life, family remains Svetlana’s main source of support. Her daughters hold a particularly important place in her life, and she hopes to pass on her understanding of freedom, independence and staying true to oneself.

“Every birthday is a milestone and a time for reflection. If we are talking about what gives me the strongest inner support away from the stage, it is my family and my daughters. My main task as a woman is to teach them to value freedom, to be self-sufficient and to genuinely love what they do. I firmly believe that there is no point in raising children through words alone: they pick everything up from us. So every day I try to show them, through my own example, what courage, hard work and staying true to yourself mean.”

These words reveal an idea that matters deeply to the artist: freedom begins with being able to choose your own path and not being afraid to take responsibility for your decisions.

A Place to Recharge

After concerts, travel and the endless succession of cities, what Svetlana values most is the chance to return home. It is there that she finds the peace that touring life can sometimes lack.

“For me, the best place to recharge is home.

After concerts, I especially want to be where I am missed the most, put my phone aside and simply be a mother, close to my children and loved ones. As for trips and travel, the sea restores me best. When you see that vastness and feel the power of nature, all the unnecessary thoughts disappear on their own.”

Home and the sea are two different, yet equally important, sources of energy for her. One brings closeness to the people she loves; the other helps her switch off and reconnect with the space around her.

ICON: The Beginning of a New Musical Chapter

One of the most significant stages of LOBODA’s career lies ahead. After the long-running SUPERSTAR show, the singer is preparing to present an entirely new concert programme, ICON, which will have its world premiere in Chișinău.

For the artist, this is more than a change of stage format: it is a chance to tell the story of herself and her work in a new way.

“The SUPERSTAR era lasted a very long time. It gave us an enormous scale, incredible energy and the love of millions of people. But at some point you realise that, inside, you have outgrown the old boundaries and are ready for the next step. ICON is not simply a new show that we will soon premiere in Chișinău; it is a new musical chapter and a personal statement. It is not about the status of a star on a pedestal. It is about inner light, about the courage to cast off other people’s expectations, remain yourself and say: ‘I can do this.’ A true icon today is a woman who chooses her own path and knows the value of her freedom.”

This philosophy extends far beyond the concert stage. At the heart of ICON is a woman who no longer tries to live up to other people’s ideas of success and beauty, but decides for herself who she wants to be.

On her birthday, LOBODA enters a new creative chapter with the understanding that true strength is not always tied to the scale of achievements or public attention. Sometimes it reveals itself in much more personal things: the ability to remain yourself, be close to loved ones and find the courage to keep moving forward.

And perhaps that is the central meaning of the new ICON era: to be an icon not for others, but first and foremost for yourself.