From «Fabrika Zirok-2» to the Heights: How the Fates of the Legendary Season's Participants Shaped Up 18 Years Later

The second season of the Ukrainian talent show «Fabrika Zirok», broadcast in 2008, served as a starting point for an entire generation of artists. Over nearly 18 years, the careers of its participants have taken different turns: some became stars of the national stage, others changed professions and stepped away from the public eye, while others found themselves in new formats ranging from YouTube projects to football media. Styler's editorial team has put together a retrospective of where each contestant's popularity began and where their path led after the show's finale.

Dantes and Vadym Oliinyk: From the «DIO.filmy» Duo to Solo Trajectories

Volodymyr Gudkov, known to the public by his stage pseudonym Dantes, and Vadym Oliinyk co-authored the victory in the second season of «Fabrika Zirok». Viewers remembered them for their vocals, charisma, and the duet that turned into the group «DIO.filmy» after the show. The band gained wide popularity thanks to the song «Devochka Olya», which became one of the musical symbols of the mid-2010s. Before participating in the project, Oliinyk worked as a salesman and promoter while simultaneously studying pop vocals, whereas Gudkov already had some stage experience.

The breakup of the duo in 2015 divided their careers into two independent paths. Dantes transitioned to solo work, released Ukrainian-language songs, engaged in television, and tried his hand at acting. Today, he continues his musical and television activities in Ukraine and, symbolically, has become the host of the updated version of «Fabrika Zirok». Oliinyk, in turn, is developing his solo career, working as a host, doing voice-over work for films, and running YouTube projects in Kyiv. In 2026, he launched the football media project «Troye v stintsi», thereby expanding the sphere of his public activity.

Alisa Tarabarova: From Real O to Producing the Junior Eurovision Song Contest

On «Fabrika Zirok-2», the singer performed under the name Alisa Tarabarova and took second place, drawing the attention of the jury and viewers with her strong vocals and stage performance. After the show, she joined the girl group Real O, created by Natalia Mohylevska, where she sang alongside Regina Todorenko, Olena Vinohradova, and Lina Mitsuki. Later, Tarabarova left the band and started a solo career under her own name, becoming famous for the songs «Meni kazkovo», «Svitlo v tobi», and «Povertayjsa zhyvym». Currently, the artist continues to perform, writes music, raises three children, and works as a musical producer for the Junior Eurovision Song Contest.

Vlad Darwin and Borys April: Different Strategies of Public Presence

Vladyslav Prykhodko, known as Vlad Darwin, came to the project already possessing musical experience: before the show, he worked as a photojournalist, studied at the Institute of International Relations, and made music. The pseudonym Darwin stuck with him precisely during his participation in «Fabrika». After the project, he continued his career as a singer and composer, writing songs for Tina Karol, Ani Lorak, and Natalia Mohylevska. In 2024, his composition «Try sestry» regained listener attention thanks to viral spread on TikTok. Now Darwin continues to make music, although he leads a less active public life than at the beginning of his career.

Borys April became one of the brightest participants of the season, taking third place. She was remembered for her high voice, unusual appearance, white hair, and stage image that sharply contrasted with the other contestants. After the project, the artist changed her stage names — notably to Zianja — and subsequently became known as Zi Faámelu. Later, she focused on her own music and openly spoke about her gender identity. Following the start of the full-scale invasion, Zi Faámelu left Ukraine for Germany, where she obtained refugee status. In recent years, she has barely maintained social media, though Styler previously reported that she recorded a video message for the participants of the updated «Fabrika Zirok».

Max Barskih and Regina Todorenko: From «Fabrika» to the Mainstream

Max Barskih, whose real name is Mykola Bortnyk, came to «Fabrika» as a young artist and model. He was remembered not only for his performances but also for the loud story surrounding his feelings for Svitlana Loboda. Barskih left the project of his own free will, but this did not prevent him from building a successful musical career. After the show, he worked with producer Alan Badoyev and released a number of hits — «Tumany», «Berega», «Ley, ne zhaley» — becoming one of the most popular Ukrainian pop performers. Following the start of the full-scale war, he began actively releasing Ukrainian-language songs and continues his concert activities.

Regina Todorenko came to «Fabrika Zirok-2» at the age of 18, already having television experience. After the project, she became a member of the Real O group alongside Tarabarova, Vinohradova, and Mitsuki. However, her greatest popularity came from her subsequent career, which went far beyond the musical collective. Thus, the second season of «Fabrika Zirok» confirmed its reputation as a platform from which diverse professional paths began — from solo hits and television to life outside show business.