Kseniya Simonova

In 2019 Simonova took part in America's Got Talent: The Champions auditions on NBC. After performing, she received a standing ovation from the judges and the audience. As soon as the performance was over, she got the golden buzzer from host Terry Crews which sent her straight through into the finals of the competition. Her performance in the finals, “Love Always Wins,” was highly esteemed by the judges. Simon Cowell called it "one of the most beautiful acts in the history of Got Talent". At the end of the show, she finished in third place.

In August 2019 Simonova was announced a confirmed act for Britain’s Got Talent: the Champions on ITV. The show is bringing together winners and memorable stars from the show's history to compete for the title of the most talented person of world’s Got Talent series.

Simonova’s sand animation «Share your heart» became the backdrop for Ukrainian entry at “Eurovision-2011”. Simonova created a sand animation story for the song “Angel”. They performed in the second semifinal, and then - in the final of "Eurovision". Ukraine took the fourth place. In interview to Eurovision Radio International, Simonova confessed that she devoted her sand story "Share your heart" to children of Simferopol orphanage house she helped in that period.

In May 2019 Simonova returned to Eurovision for Eurovision Song Contest 2019 as a part of Team Moldova, having created a staging act for Moldovan singer Anna Odobescu. This time she performed not sand animation but “snow animation” which is live drawing with artificial snow

In 2019, her second book "The Last Trip" will be published in Moscow.

Simonova is an anti-abortion advocate. Before winning the show Ukraine’s Got Talent she worked as an anti-abortion volunteer, organizing lectures and showing films in the protection of life and against abortions in schools of Yevpatoriya. After winning the show, Kseniya decided to use her fame to speak in defense of life through the art of sand animation. The sand films Do not kill me, Mom! (2009) and Thank you, Mummy! (2013) were created against abortions.

In 2018 Kseniya made a show in the biggest concert hall of Greece "Megaron" with sand animation stories about Greece. In the end of 2018 she had 6 big shows in Hong Kong which were viewed by more than 30,000 viewers.

In 2018 she became a special guest performer of Wermland opera orchestra's Christmas concert where she performed a piece from "The Nutckracker" and "Champagne Galop" by Hans Christian Lumbye.

In August 2018 Simonova performed as a special guest at Verbier Festival together with pianists Georgy Gromov and Maria Masycheva. They played Cinderella (Prokofiev) and Kseniya recreated the story in sand. They repeated this performance in Berlin in December 2018.

In 2017 Simonova performed with National Orchestra of Belgium conducted by Domingo Hindoyan which played The Nutcracker by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. She has drawn with sand the whole story of the fairy-tale& The show received standing ovations.

In 2017 and 2018 her third exhibition "Sand Geography" opened in Simferopol and Evpatoriya. It is devoted to different places of the world she visited and managed to capture on the paper. The exhibition included over 100 artworks of Simonova in sand drawing, graphics and painting.

In 2017, Simonova began working on The Forgotten Kingdom — Sand Stories with the Guy Mendilow Ensemble, with multiple funding awards from the National Endowment for the Arts and The Boston Foundation. The Forgotten Kingdom — Sand Stories conjures women's voices lost to war and upheaval. Folding radio drama-style storytelling into a top-tier world music concert, the Guy Mendilow Ensemble’s sweeping arrangements and storytelling are brought to life by Kseniya Simonova who creates, obliterates, and morphs sand images in a flowing narrative.

In 2016 Simonova presented a film “Astana, my love” devoted to the capital of Kazakhstan, Astana and depicting Kazakh nationhood, which was viewed over 30 thousand times within a few days on YouTube.

In 2016 Kseniya Simonova performed her sand animation about football in Milan at Gala presentation of the UEFA Champions League Cup.

In 2016 she created a sand animation video "Live, Serbia" which became popular in Serbia. After that, in 2017, she was invited to perform in Belgrade National theatre with her show devoted to Serbia. Also, the exhibition of her pictures was organized in the central gallery of Belgrade called "Progress", after that the exhibition travelled in 5 biggest cities of Serbia. She was warmly received by the Minister of Culture of Serbia Vladan Vukosavljević. Simonova was invited to bring her sand show to Belgrade.

In 2016 she used sand art to illustrate the opening sequence in season 1, episode 3 of Netflix’s “Midnight Sun” (“Midnattsol”).

In November 2015 in Thimphu, Bhutan, Kseniya Simonova became a special guest of the ceremonies devoted to 60th anniversary of King Jigme Singye Wangchuk, father of the current King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuk who invited Simonova to perform her sand animation in Bhutan. She created a sand story “Gorgeous Bhutan” which she performed in the presence of both kings and the Royal family in the Royal palace in Thimphu. After the performance, she was accepted by both Kings who expressed their appreciation of her artwork. She was also received by the Royal couple – King Jigme Khesar and Queen Jetsun Pema in their palace where they had an informal talk. After that the King called Simonova his friend.

In 2015, sand animation by Simonova became the basis of a video clip for song "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" written by Canadian singer-songwriter Gordon Lightfoot, performed by Canadian a capella band Cadence.

In 2014, Simonova shot two clips for the British rock band «Menace» found by ex-participant of “Napalm Death” Mitch Harris. The music videos on the songs «To the Marrow» and «Painted Rust» were created as a result of friendship between Kseniya Simonova and Mitch Harris. The video for the song «To the Marrow» was filmed in the technique of "snow graphics".

In 2014, she was featured in American R&B singer Joe's music video "If You Lose Her."

From her early years Simonova wrote poems and prose. In school, she was engaged in literary research in English folk ballads and poetic translations of ballads, folk songs and poems of Shakespeare, Robert Burns, Lord Byron. In 2014 Kseniya Simonova introduced the autobiographical book "Another story", illustrated with own drawings.

In 2014, Simonova presented her second personal exhibition “Another Story” which included 165 pictures in different genres – sand animation, graphics, painting.

Since 2013, Simonova creates sand animation stories for Morocco Royal projects devoted to environment protection. One of them - a sand animation film "Beautiful Morocco" (2013) devoted to the history of kingdom and its environment protection, was viewed over 2 million times on YouTube. In 2016 she became a special guest of Morocco Awards gala under patronage of King Mohammed VI of Morocco.

Since 2013, Simonova and her team have been working on their show “The Past Side of the Future” which Simonova defined as “visual solo performance”. In May 2015, the premiere of the show in Kseniya’s mothertown Yevatoriya. The performance is devoted to children of WWII. In this show, Simonova is not only an artist but also as an actress. “The Past Side of the Future” is a symbiosis of a concert and dramatic performance. Sand animation performance is not only a visual genre, it acts as a drama. In this project, Simonova first introduced the new animation technique "Snow animation", developed in 2013. A set of publications called the show unique.

In 2013, Simonova presented her new inventions in animation – “Snow art” or “Snow animation” – drawing with a substance similar to snow on the frozen surface. It became world renown after Simonova’s collaboration with WWF with the film “Save Polar Bear!” (2013). During the first week, the video received more than 100 thousand views on YouTube.

In 2013 Kseniya Simonova launched “Plastic animation” – drawing with liquid sand. In this technique she has created a set of award-winning animated films. Both new techniques Simonova uses in film creation and live performances.

Since 2013 she has been working on the show "White era" where she is planning to use all her skills in all animation techniques.

In January 2012 Simonova became a special guest of King Bhumibol Adulyadej Thailand anniversary ceremonies in Bangkok, where she performed live the sand animation story «Long Live the King!» about life and impact of the king, the first performance of the four was in front of the Royal family and Princess Sirindhorn. After that Simonova was accepted by the Princess and received her appreciation and presents. In turn, Simonova presented Her Royal Highness two discs with the sand animation film «Long Live the King!» she shot in her studio together with Thai Ovation TV. The film "Long Live the King!" was viewed 1,5 million times on YouTube.

During UEFA Euro 2012 in Ukraine, she performed her sand animation concert live at the St. Sophia Square in Kiev supporting the Ukrainian national football team at the championship.

Simonova became a special guest of the international cultural fest Wadden Sea in Denmark under the patronage of Her Highness Princess Marie of Denmark where Danish government organized a set of concerts of Kseniya Simonova. She was accepted by the Princess during the festival (2012). In 2014 Simonova performed her sand animation with a symphony orchestra in the presence of Queen Margarethe II of Denmark in Aalborg.

In 2012 Simonova collaborated with the youngest winner of Grammy Awards Esperanza Spalding. The result of cooperation was the sand animation video for the song «Endangered Spieces» devoted to Amazonia nature protection. The project was supported by Amazon Aid Foundation. The premiere of the music video took place at the National Mall in Washington, DC and at the Orpheum Theater in Boston on the Earth Day on April 22, 2012. It was shown to over 250,000 people on 3 jumbotron screens.

In 2012, Simonova supported by Puma created series of sand animation short films called Dreamcatcher about live and early dreams of prominent football players – Cesc Fàbregas, Tomas Rosicky, Giorgio Chiellini and Gianluigi Buffon. For this, she met these players in their native places and interviewed them. During the interviews, she sketched their faces and expression, portrayed their childhood dreams in her sketchbook, and after that brought their stories into sand. Simonova and Puma presented these films during UEFA Euro 2012 in Ukraine at national TV channels and in Internet.

In 2011 in Monte Carlo her sand story “Chess” has opened the Amber chess tournament - annual invitation-only event for some of the world's best players, having received appreciation of the guests, especially, Russian chess Grandmaster Vladimir Kramnik. The art of Simonova was appreciated with Albert II, Prince of Monaco.

In April 2011 Simonova created a sand story «Lady Dior Moscow» for Christian Dior and performed it in real-time, at gala opening of Dior-themed exhibition in Moscow, having received appreciation by the fashion experts and Russian top-model Natalia Vodyanova. In 2013, the film appeared in the 15 best fashion short films according to Paste Magazine.

In 2011, Simonova became a special guest at a number of big galas with symphony orchestras where she visualized in sand the music pieces – YouTube symphony orchestra (March 2011, Sydney opera house), «The Four Seasons of Vivaldi» (June 2011, Florence), Gergiev fest where she performed sand animation stories based on the opera «Les Troyens» conducted by Valery Gergiev.

Kseniya Simonova became a special guest with her performance at Special Olympic Games Closing ceremony in Athens (2011) where she visualized in sand history of Greece.

In July 2011 Russian top-model Natalia Vodyanova has invited Simonova to become a special guest with her sand animation performance at charity «Love Ball» of Natalia Vodyanova and Naked Heart Foundation in Paris where Kseniya Simonova performed a specially created sand story about life and charity impact of Natalia Vodyanova.

Simonova had a set of performances in Tokyo having presented there her sand animation story “Life Always Wins” devoted to the tragedy of tsunami on March 11, 2011 in Japan, and her other sand stories.

In 2011, she returned to television competition in another form, performing on stage at the Eurovision Song Contest 2011, during the performance of Ukrainian entry by Mika Newton.

In 2010, Kseniya Simonova performed at Victory Day Gala in Royal Albert Hall as a special guest with her sand animation “You Are Always Nearby” and its continuation “I remember” having received standing ovations of the international audience.

In 2010, she collaborated with Japanese female singer-songwriter Fuyumi Abe, featuring in the music video of the single "Sora Ni Mau" performing sand animation.

From 2010 to 2013, Simonova helped Simferopol city orphanage house until its disbandment in late 2013.

Since 2010, Simonova has created over 20 advertisement films in sand animation for big international companies, among them Ferrari, Lincoln, Volkswagen. In fashion sphere Simonova created films and live performances in sand animation for Dior, Ermenegildo Zegna, Puma. In April 2011 Simonova created a sand story «Lady Dior Moscow» for Christian Dior and performed it in real-time, at gala opening of Dior-themed exhibition in Moscow, having received appreciation by the fashion expers and Russian top-model Natalia Vodianova. In 2013, the film appeared in the 15 best fashion short films according to Paste Magazine.

In 2010 she shot a sand animation adverticement film for The Sunday Times.

Kseniya Simonova (Ukrainian: Ксенія Симонова ; married name: Kseniya Paskar, Ксенія Паскар) is a Ukrainian sand animation performance artist who also works in the mediums of graphic design, illustration, as well as cinema and literature. She holds the title of Merited Artist of Ukraine and in 2009 rose to international prominence when after winning the Ukraine’s Got Talent television contest. Her act is the only act who received two Golden Buzzers on two different “The Champions” series of the Got Talent franchise (America's Got Talent: The Champions and Britain's Got Talent: The Champions, both in 2019).

Since 2009, Simonova has been performing her sand animation stories in different countries of the world, in particular in Ukraine, Russia, Norway, Japan, Poland, Austria, China, United Kingdom, Netherlands, Qatar, India, Italy, Germany, Switzerland, Kazakhstan, Malta, Monaco, Australia, Greece, Thailand, Bhutan, Spain, Denmark, Sweden, Czech Republic, France, Chile, Croatia, Morocco, Bahrain and others, including presidents, heads of states and royalty. She has appeared with her sand stories in more than 40 countries around the world, from London's Royal Albert Hall to the Sydney Opera House, became a special guest of international global ceremonies - from the closing ceremony of the Special Olympics World Games in Athens in 2011 to the gala concert YouTube Symphony Orchestra. She introduced her art at various events – from Eurovision Song Contest in 2011 to Champion League Final Gala in Milan in 2016. Simonova has performed in the presence of presidents and royalty in different countries. Among her audience were President of Malta George Abela; Her Majesty Queen Margrethe II of Denmark; Princess Sirindhorn of Thailand, Princess Marie of Denmark; Princess Lalla Hasna of Morocco; Members of British Royal Family and others. From 2009 to 2016 she has created and shown more than 300 sand animations, more than 200 of which are presented in YouTube.

Since 2009 sand artist Simonova has been invited as a special guest with her performances at important events all over the world. In the end of 2009, she performed her sand story "Planet of Childhood" in the capital of Malta, Valletta, at live charity marathon L’Istrina. Simonova received invitation to perform from the President of Malta George Abela. Marathon collected €2.5 million for treatment of children and adults suffering with cancer. After Simonova performed her sand animation, the President accepted her and thanked her for participation in the marathon.

Limelight magaizne: “In Sydney, Simonova created one of her signature, free-flowing sand animations in real time as the backdrop to music performed by Richard Tognetti and members of the orchestra». In 2009, Simonova performed her sand animated improvisation with Djivan Gasparyan in the air of the Channel One Russia.

Since 2009, Simonova has created over 500 sand animation pictures. The method she used is photography of what she has drawn on the glass with the sand.

In 2009, Simonova opened her first personal exhibition «Sand Personality» which included over 300 pictures in sand art and graphics. The exhibition was presented in different cities of the Crimea from 2009 to 2010.

In June 2008, Simonova and her husband Igor Paskar founded a local open charity organization "Live, my Sun!" («Живи, Солнышко!»). The organization provides assistance to ill children in need of treatment, material and information support of cancer patients. Most of the work done by it is creating films in sand animation about the people who need treatment and sharing the films in networks. The purpose of these short animated films is to tell others about those who need help, who can not afford expensive treatment or rehabilitation. In the period from 2009 to 2016, Simonova was created over 50 charity films.

In 2007 Simonova married Igor Paskar, a theatre director, journalist and magazine editor. They have two sons.

Since 2006 Simonova has worked for the magazine Crimean Riviera as an artist. In 2007 Simonova and her husband Igor Paskar launched a bilingual magazine Chocolate in English and Russian, which ceased production a year later due to the financial crisis.

Aside from her sand animation, Simonova works as a graphic artist since 2005. In 2006, she founded her own style in graphics "Psychoanalytic line graphics", which united her knowledge of the psychologist and the artist. The essence of art is complete freedom of conscience and hands when an artist can draw, closing his eyes, fine lines, gradually sinking into a state of freedom, reaching depths of archaic consciousness. Simonova works in this style from 2006 to the present day.

While studying the sciences, Simonova also entered the Ukrainian Academy of Printing in 2003 where she studied graphic design. She graduated in 2008, six months after giving birth to her first son.

Simonova graduated from the Artistic School of Yevpatoria and studied at the School of Fine Arts where she wrote research papers on English folk poetry and 15th and 16th century English folk songs and ballads. She also translated folk poetry and great poets like William Shakespeare, Robert Burns and George Gordon Byron. For her research work Simonova has access to all of the Ukraine's universities with English philology departments. In 2002 Simonova pursued a major in psychology and graduated from the Tavrida National V.I. Vernadsky University in 2007 with honors and a scientific specialization in psychophysiology.

Simonova was born on April 22, 1985 in Yevpatoria, a town on the Crimean peninsula, in Ukraine, which was then a part of the Soviet Union. Her mother, Irina Simonova, is an artist, a theatrical designer and teacher of fine arts. Her father, Alexander Simonov, is a former military officer who runs a business in furniture design. Since she was a child, Kseniya painted, drew and designed with her mother.