Glukoza's bold changes linked to hard drug claims

After Natalya Ionova heated things up at a concert in Krasnoyarsk in summer 2024, her former producer Maxim Fadeev strongly advised forgetting about the artist «Glukoza.» She herself did not dwell on explanations but threw caution to the wind. And now in 2025, the «cartoon girl» with a cardboard voice is no longer walking a drawn Doberman but is going all out at discos, making it clear with her whole appearance that at 39, life is just beginning.

By showing her true face, Glukoza stunned her former few fans to numbness, and particularly sensitive people brought icons to churches to rid her of unclean spirits. But there are also those who are glad that Natalya Ionova has finally found herself. So what happened to «Glukoza» and how has she changed in such a short time?

“Max noticed me”

Natalya Ionova was not an easy child from childhood. She didn«t like going to school, often wandered the streets with boys, misbehaved, and tried alcohol and prohibited substances at an early age. What kept her from falling into the abyss was her grandmother, who raised her (her parents, according to Ionova herself, lost their jobs during perestroika and became alcoholics), and her love for cinema.

At age 11, Natalya passed a casting for «Yeralash» (a Russian children«s TV series), followed by roles in the films »War of the Princess« (12+) and »Triumph« (18+).

It was during the filming of «Triumph» that she met Maxim Fadeev. He was working on the project «Glukoza» and offered Ionova to become its voice.

— Probably, I had to be in that situation for Max to notice me. Even though there were more than 12 people in the film who also used drugs and drank port wine. Apparently, I did it in some special way, skillfully, — Natalya says about the meeting.

Fadeev treated Glukoza with special paternal trepidation and PR skill. Before showing the girl to the public, she was carefully prepared and made into a star. And even when the first songs were recorded and cartoon music videos were shot — Fadeev kept the intrigue and did not show what the singer looked like in real life.

— I had a year and a half of preparation, five days a week, Saturday and Sunday — days off. I came to the office by metro, there was a teacher, dancing, speech training, — recalls Natalya.

For the first time, Ionova took the stage at the finale of the second «Star Factory» (a Russian reality TV talent show, 16+) in 2003.

Fadeev preserved Natalya«s daring nature in the image, only adding polish. At every performance, she was in sneakers or massive boots, wore braids, ponytails, or a side fringe. She couldn»t be called a nonconformist then, but certainly not a goody-two-shoes.

“I finally feel like a woman”

Over time, Natalya settled down, married businessman Alexander Chistyakov and completely changed her image. To match her wealthy husband and her new status as a well-off girl, she visibly turned into a lady. Instead of sneakers — stilettos, torn tights and girly dresses were replaced with elegant outfits.

Her husband did not lock Glukoza in a golden cage. Natalya only went into the shadows for a year to give birth to her first daughter, but as soon as she could stay with a nanny, Glukoza was already on stage. Alexander found common ground with Natalya«s »musical father« and opened a production center with Fadeev. Everything was going as well as possible.

Natalya still couldn«t become Miss Elegance forever and lock up the rebel inside herself. In 2011, she released a new album »Trans-FORM«, and from that moment her next transformation began.

— The old Glukoza will no longer be, I am changing — transforming. The music is also changing. We completely matched the reckless cartoon character for all 10 years of our joint life. And we call the updated robot Cyber Glu, — Natalya told her fans. — And this is not a robot-housewife, but a girl of today — daring, sexy and electrified, strong forms, iron nerves, connection with the «web» and an open gaze.

Ionova became a regular at parties and gatherings, where she was seen in revealing dresses and with bright makeup. Natalya was often criticized and asked to return to her previous image, to which she responded with incomprehension: she likes it, and others« opinions don»t particularly concern her.

— In childhood, I wore three pairs of tights so that the gap between my skinny legs would decrease (I sweated, sweated, but endured). And now I finally feel like a woman, feel sexy. I like my figure, breasts, legs. I like to put beautiful things on myself. I like to decorate things with myself: not so that the thing decorates me, but I decorate this or that dress, — Natalya defended her desires.

There was talk that the changes in Natalya«s appearance were related to two crises in her life: a possible divorce from her husband and a conflict between Fadeev and Chistyakov. The men were preparing to release the cartoon »Savva. Heart of the Warrior« (6+), but after the film failed, Fadeev accused his former friend of the failure. Allegedly, he misappropriated the funds that were set aside for promotion.

Natalya«s relationship with Fadeev rapidly deteriorated. In 2020, he refused to renew the contract and demanded large percentages from concerts where Glukoza sings his songs.

“The betrayal knocked me out completely”

Despite the quarrel with her «musical father,» Natalya was in no hurry to badmouth him or renounce her past. On the contrary, she continued to speak warmly of Fadeev, thank him, and stood up for the producer when several singers said it was hard to work with him.

— He was like a father to me, probably, exactly a musical father, who controlled me, helped, taught, gave advice. We talked a lot about different things, about events in life, about how my day went. He gave me a beginning and a continuation. What I have now is, of course, largely thanks to Max, — Natalya warmly recalled.

However, in response to all these flattering words, in 2023 Ionova received a new portion of negativity. After she was noticed at a naked party by social media influencer Nastya Ivleeva, the singer was criticized not only by colleagues and fans, but also by a close person — Maxim Fadeev. The producer believed that Natalya disgraced him with her behavior and crossed out years of friendship.

— I believe that Natalya Ionova discredits the concept of the project — first of all with the musical material she has been releasing in recent years. And also with public appearances at such events. This project was created for children, and it seems to me she has outgrown this image. Besides, I no longer want to be associated as a musician with this artist, — Fadeev renounced his «daughter.»

A difficult period began in Natalya«s life. Refusals of cooperation, hate. On top of all this came family grief — the singer»s grandmother died, with whom she had been very close since childhood.

Ionova tried not to show how hard it was for her and continued to perform. But at a concert in Krasnoyarsk in summer 2024, everything did not go according to plan. The singer missed notes, touched herself in intimate places, swore. The audience found the only justification for such behavior: Glukoza was «on something.»

In response, she justified herself that this was the effect of the medications she was taking to pull herself together and cope with stress.

— I lost sleep, panic attacks became very strong. I was prescribed medications, sleeping pills and antidepressants. For the first time in my life, I am taking such medications and did not know how they affect me, — Natalya explained.

Again hate, condemnation and sharp phrases from Fadeev, who did not believe Natalya«s words and forbade her to sing Glukoza»s songs.

— I always treated him with great respect and trusted him to become the godfather of my daughter Lydia. Of course, such betrayal knocked me out completely, — Natalya admitted.

“She is a definite drug addict”

In August 2024, Ionova changed radically. She deleted all her old photos and videos, changed her hairstyle to a daring mullet and abandoned feminine outfits in favor of an informal style. On social media, she announced that she was starting a new life.

— It«s like I discovered myself from another side, allowed some things, forgave and stopped being afraid of something. Apparently, when this fear goes away — you are no longer afraid to experiment and find out what else you are capable of, — the singer explained the changes.

Ionova began writing new music, appearing in public in latex punk looks and shooting videos with techno dances. According to Natalya, her children and husband support her new image and do not hinder her self-expression in any way.

— He (husband. — Ed.) loves art, last summer he held an exhibition at MOMma (Moscow Museum of Modern Art). And in general, if you look at what art he collects and gathers, then he also has some moments of non-ordinariess, he likes it. It seems to me that contemporary art should be slightly crazy. And such madness gives such a cool shot, — Natalya answered the questions.

But not everyone was so loyal to the sharp changes in appearance and behavior. For many, Natalya is forever associated with Glukoza — cheerful and bright. The singer continues to be suspected of using prohibited substances, in particular, star narcologist Vasily Shurov is convinced of this. The doctor does not believe Natalya«s words about pills and mental anguish.

— She is a definite drug addict who uses certain substances that disinhibit the brain, which she demonstrated in her dances. This cannot be related to alcohol or anything else. How can ordinary mental torment result in writhing to techno music? — the doctor shared with our colleagues from the publication «StarHit.»

Shurov believes that for a long time Natalya was restrained by Fadeev«s influence and therefore did not allow herself everything she wanted. But the rebellious inner »I« still took over. Now the doctor suspects that everything will only progress, and if Natalya does not stop, she will lose herself forever.

— No one writes new songs for her, she cannot sing the old ones, she quarreled with Maxim Fadeev. It«s a serious matter. And drugs cause brain degradation, a person behaves eccentrically. Everything strange seems original to him. The brain degrades due to hard drugs. Hence such behavior, — Shurov diagnosed.