Believing - Dima Bilan - Russia - Eurovision 2008

Dima Bilan (Russian: Дима Билан; born Viktor Belan, Виктор Белан, 24 December 1981 in Karachay-Cherkessia) is a Russian pop artist of Karachay descent. Dima represented Russia at the Eurovision Song Contest 2006 with Never Let You Go, finishing second. He was crowned the winner of the Eurovision Song Contest 2008 in Belgrade, two years later, with the song Believe. He has several Russian #1 hits and is currently pursuing an international career.

The truth is final revealed: Dima Bilan on Press Conference in Belgrade after the Eurosong Contest admited he's not a homosexual, but a bisexual! On question asked by Serbian journalist what does he want, a man or women, he replied: "Both at the same time!"

Officialy, Dima Bilan is not gay, Dima Bilan is bisexual!

When he was only one year old, his family moved to his grandmother's place in the city of Naberezhnye Chelny in Tatarstan. When he was six years old, his family moved to Kabardino-Balkaria where he went to school with his sister. He took part in morning performances, recited poems and sang songs.

He graduated from Gnesins Musical College as a classical vocal performer. Dima made his debut when he reached fourth place at the Russian/Latvian festival "New Wave" in 2002. In 2003, Dima Bilan released his debut album titled Nochnoy Huligan (Night Hooligan), which included covers of "Caruso" by Lucio Dalla and "Fever" by Elvis. In 2004, he released his successful single "Na beregu neba" ("At The Sky's Shore") which was also the title of his second album.

Produced by the late Yury Aizenshpis, a Russian music mogul famous for his work with Viktor Tsoi in the Soviet Union, Dima Bilan attempted to reach Eurovision previously with the song "Not That Simple" in 2005, finishing in second place at the Russian national selection. The video for the Russian version of the song was reputably the most expensive in the history of Russia's music industry. In December 2005, Dima received two golden gramophones for the song "Ty dolzjna ryadom byt'" (The Russian name for "Not That Simple", actually meaning "You should be beside me") in Saint Petersburg and Almaty. During shootings of "Noviye pyesny o glavnom" ("New songs about the main things") he received the grand prize of the First channel from the professional jury. Dima became Showbusiness Man of the Year because the most voters gave their voices for him according to the version of Rambler. At the end of a year he accepted an invitation from an American agency to record tracks for the musical Peter Pan. On 14 March 2006, Dima Bilan took part in "Zolotaya sharmanka" ("Golden street organ") of "International Music Awards" in Kiev where he was honored as "Singer of the Year".

Dima Bilan has recently hired t.A.T.u.'s former PR manager, Sasha Tityanko, to help him break out in the western market.