Russian singer Vanya Dmitrienko has been named the youngest mentor in the history of the television talent show The Voice Children at 20 years old.
The announcement was made by the press service of Channel One to news outlet Lenta.ru, confirming that Dmitrienko will join the coaching panel for the upcoming season of the youth singing competition.
Dmitrienko will coach young contestants alongside singer Polina Gagarina, opera soprano Aida Garifullina, and Garifullina's husband, singer Alexey Vorobyov. The season will be hosted by television presenter Yana Churikova and media personality Valya Karnaval.
Commenting on his appointment, Dmitrienko said he wants to ensure no contestant feels their time and effort were spent in vain. He added that he hopes to bring joy to the audience and gain valuable professional experience during his time on the show.
Mentors and Contestants
According to the show's organizers, the upcoming season will feature child performers selected from across various regions of Russia, as well as young singers from Kazakhstan and Belarus.
The Voice Children is a major musical talent competition broadcast on Channel One, Russia's primary nationwide television network. The format showcases young vocalists performing in blind auditions before receiving mentorship from established figures in the music industry. Dmitrienko, who rose to prominence in Russian pop music as a teenager, becomes the youngest person ever to take a seat in the mentor chairs across all editions of the franchise in Russia.
His fellow mentors bring extensive experience to the panel. Gagarina is a veteran pop artist who represented Russia at the Eurovision Song Contest in 2015, while Vorobyov represented the country at the same contest in 2011. Churikova has hosted multiple seasons of the competition, joined this year by co-host Karnaval.
The announcement follows earlier comments by Dmitrienko regarding a personal tragedy and betrayal. The singer disclosed that his girlfriend cheated on him in his presence on the exact day he lost his stepfather.
