Narcisse, Pierre’s widow, will get married in the spring
Photo: Personal archive
At the end of last year, there were reports that the widow of the singer of the hit “Chocolate Bunny”, a graduate of the “Star Factory” project, Pierre Narcisse, got married. At the same time, the heroine of the news herself remained silent. In fact, the wedding is about to come, Valeria Kalacheva told us for the first time the details of her personal life.
“The year after Narciso left was the most difficult year of my life.”
“We remember how difficult it was for you and your daughter Carolina to experience Narciso’s departure.
– Last year – 2023 – was incredibly painful and fell from the pain, it was as if we were lost in time. They stopped counting days and weeks and existed amorphously. But the studies continued, the tournaments continued. We won, we performed in memory of dad. Carolina plays tennis and studies at an Olympic reserve school. At one time, Narcissus himself chose the educational institution. And he was very proud that our daughter was making progress in sports.
– At what point did Evgeniy Shakhrai, whom you were thinking of marrying, appear in your life?
– It is a long story. Narcissus and I worked together on stage for 18 years and traveled around the world with concerts. (Valeria works as a vocalist under the pseudonym Monisha Star – Ed.) It was a very brilliant period. When Pierre passed away, I decided to continue acting alone, in memory of him I work a lot. A few months ago I was asked to speak at a charity event. I talked. I was glad that thanks to the concert money could be raised to buy strollers for children with musculoskeletal disorders and there was still enough money to buy a batch of expensive medicines.
After the concert, the saxophonist of my musical group invited the group to dinner at his friends’ restaurant. Went. Several other companies and a musical party were present at the restaurant. They welcomed us very cordially. At some point, the artists began to take turns approaching the microphone. And the same man came out to sing several times. I remember being amazed and even saying to my friend, “What a wonderful voice and what beautiful songs she has!” He is also a multi-instrumentalist and plays many musical instruments. Either he picked up a guitar or sat at the piano… Furthermore, he did not graduate from music school, but was self-taught. Simply a natural talent! But I found out about this later. This was Evgeniy.
The singer’s daughter and wife took his death seriously.
Photo: Mikhail FROLOV
“I had no intention of getting into a relationship with anyone.”
– How did the events develop?
– Evgeniy sat down at our table and introduced himself. He said that he recognized me immediately and expressed his condolences for Pierre’s departure. He said that he knew Narciso and attended joint events. At the same time, surprisingly, I don’t remember Zhenya at these concerts with Narciso at all, but I was there too. However, later Evgeniy showed me photographs, from which I literally fell into a stupor. The photographs were taken about three years ago. Then Pierre and I recorded a new song, shot a video and organized a private premiere and concert. We invited our closest friends and fellow artists.
At that time, Zhenya lived in Spain. She had her own successful musical group and toured all over the world. And she had – also in Spain – her own restaurant. She sometimes flew to Russia on short visits. And that time she arrived for a few days. Mutual friends invited him to our private presentation and he came.
And this is how I see it in the photographs: we are in a friendly circle with the artists. In the center of the photo are Narcissus, me and… Zhenya, whom I, let me remind you, did not know at that time and did not even remember. And just so you understand, Pierre was very jealous during his life. He did not allow a stranger to be close to me at close range. This was categorically suppressed even during the moments of photographing. But in these photos I am between Narciso and Eugenio, both (!) hug me. That is, in the photo Zhenya’s hand is on my waist on one side, and Pierre’s hand on the other. Furthermore, the visual effect is as if Narcissus’s hand is on Zhenya. As if… giving myself to him. When I saw these photos (Zhenya and I had already started dating) my legs started to shake. This is really a screaming sign.
– And when you started dating Evgeniy, did you have any doubts about the correctness of your decision and choice?
– There were big doubts! Because she had no intention of getting into a relationship with anyone at all.
With an effort of will, he stopped our communication. And then we met, we looked into each other’s eyes and… it became obvious to both of us that we needed to be together. It became clear absolutely without words.
Zhenya began to take care of me and my daughter. And she dreamed several times about Narcissus, in her dream she thanks him: “Brother, thank you for my family, I want them to be together.” And one morning, she Zhenya says: I dreamed about Pierre’s daughter and I in a wedding dress, and as if Zhenya was leading her to the altar. “And Narcissus is standing, along with all of his family and friends, watching. I give Caroline’s hand to her fiancé and suddenly my hand becomes Narcissus’ hand,” Evgeniy said. I also took it as a message from Pierre through Zhenya. This is such an amazing life situation.
Pierre Narcisse’s widow at the evening in his memory.
Photo: Ivan MAKEEV
“Vladimir Kuzmin will sing at the wedding”
–How did Caroline herself perceive the appearance of a new man with you?
– There was some jealousy on his part. But he sees that Zhenya is not trying to take her father’s place.
Also, Evgeniy and I do a lot together for Pierre’s memory. We recorded an album with his songs, until now unknown to the general public, in Russian and French. We plan to distribute them worldwide through Internet platforms. We recorded several songs together with Zhenya and are filming videos.
Even before I met Zhenya, Caroline, I and our friends planted three tree parks in honor of Narcissus in Moscow and the Moscow region. We support orphanages (about 1.5 thousand children) and I helped buy them clothes, shoes and school supplies for the school year. We sell sweets – cakes, pastries. In our house, all the janitors know: if Lera and Caroline are with boxes and a gazelle is standing, it means that gifts are waiting for the children. I do this in memory of Pierre. If I had committed suicide, as I did a few months after his death, lay in bed and didn’t want to eat or drink and also dreamed of dying, would it have benefited the world, my son, and Narcissus’ soul? Of course not.
Now I realized clearly: as long as we are alive, life must continue. And being alive means being happy and benefiting the world.
– Evgeniy has a teenage son, whom he raises alone. How was your relationship with the boy?
“The other day he told me: “Lera, I am very grateful to you for having come into our lives. You changed dad so much, you healed him, you gave him strength. And everything flourishes in the soul and the house is in order.” They have a good relationship with Caroline. Zhenya also has an adult daughter, a very beautiful girl and a wonderful person, she sings beautifully. Now we know each other, we are a family.
The wedding was planned for spring. Vladimir Kuzmin will definitely play in it. He is a close friend of Evgeniy, they have been friends since childhood.
– You had difficulties with Narcissa’s mother and sisters. Did you manage to improve your relationship?
– There were difficulties because Narciso’s poor mother was literally heartbroken after his death and blamed the whole world. She survives this! I feel so sorry for her. Now we call each other almost every day and share news. I’m very worried: Pierre’s mother fell a while ago and broke both legs in three places. She is now learning to walk again. I wish you health with all my heart.
At home I have Pierre’s things hanging in my dressing room. I go there, I inhale his aroma, which has not disappeared anywhere. Pleasant aroma. I remember the warm moments of our life. Postcards that Narciso made with his own hands for Caroline and me. He left notes when he went on tour. Or it happened that you open a window and 33 red balls burst into it. That’s how it was with us. And I encourage everyone to indulge more often, because life is incredibly short. Yes, I still love Pierre very much. And I love Zhenya. It turns out that this happens.
Pierre Narcisse, his wife Lera and their daughter Caroline-Christelle. 2008
Photo: Oleg RUKAVITSIN
Evgeniy Shakhrai: “Happiness is when you talk about it and you get goosebumps”
“There is a saying about “the two halves of the soul,” Evgeniy said. “Some people search their whole lives and don’t find them. And I was lucky: I found exactly my “soul mate”. We come together and become one. Two souls met at the right time! Whether this happens or not, Lerochka and I have the same interests and there are no disagreements. Happiness is when you talk about it and get goosebumps. And you feel good and want to live! And it’s unlikely that anyone can clip my wings now. Because I have a very strong butt.
